Appeal 2006-2843
Application 09/872,970
INTRODUCTION
The claims are directed to a virtual storage system in which
virtualization mapping is distributed over multiple parallel mapping agents
which are separate from a controller. The mapping agents store the virtual
mapping tables in non-volatile memory while a separate centralized
controller is responsible for the control of the mapping process and the
persistent storage of the mapping tables. Claim 1 is illustrative:
1. A virtual storage system for linking a host to one or more
storage devices over a network, the system comprising:
an agent connected to the host, the agent having volatile
memory for storing a first copy of a table, the table having entries to
map virtual disk positions to locations on the storage devices; and
a controller coupled to the agent, the controller having non-
volatile memory for storing a second copy of the table, the controller
intermittently causing contents of the first copy of the table to be
replaced by contents of the second copy of the table,
whereby during an input/output (I/O) operation, the host
accesses one of the entries in the table stored on the agent to
determine one of the storage device locations.
The Examiner relies on the following prior art references to show
unpatentability:
Casorso US 5,404,361 Apr.04, 1995
Blumenau US 6,260,120 Jul. 10, 2001
(filed Jun. 29, 1998)
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