CHRISTENSEN JESPER
KRISTENSEN JAN ERIK (DK)
ZIEGLER TINA (DK)
EINARSSON ARI (DK)
FREDERIKSEN BO V (DK)
| 1. | The patent covers that, one diskunit can offer additional functions and capacity to another diskunit. |
| 2. | Characterised by build in functionality for automatic cascade coupling, giving possibility for, increase of capacity and automatic backup. AMENDED CLAIMS [received by the International Bureau on 23 August 2002 (23.08. 02); original claims 12 replaced by new claims 12] 1. The inventive part in the IPDU is that, apart from being a network disk unit, it can offer one out of two services to a specified IPDU unit. The communication between the units works across a network. In addition to that, the IPDU can, at the same time it delivers its service ; receive services offered by other IPDU's, adding them to it's own configured service. The invention includes all necessary hardware and software in one single unit. Therefor one or more IPDU's works without external controllers or any other additional software. |
| 3. | 2 The two mentioned services an IPDU can offer to another IPDU are capacity extension and automatic backup. The two mentioned services an IPDU can receive, simultaneously, are other IPDU's capacity extension and automatic backup. Thereforas a result of thisan IPDU works as a network attached extra harddisk, but with the capacity that equals the sum of all offered capacities from other involved IPDU's. The invention also covers that a number of such systems, or collections of IPDU's, are able to work independently. |
The technical level of attainment The today existing disk units which can offer linked disks, through that to offer higher/bigger capacity, is still living with those limitation as their link methods have, just like IDE with max.
4 units, which demand further software to work as one unit today.
The SCSI system however, works in the same way as IDE, but with today max 15 units.
Where our IPDU on the other hand, demand no controller, neither, an independent PC or software to be linked together.
And with the total capacity, practically indefinitely (IP4: max. 4294967295 units, without bridge!) The special systems, which offer raid functionality, demand units, which are identical, where the IPDU can carry out that with all kinds off units.
As supplement to that, the IPDU can work as an automatically backup, by one unit in its set up are made to"backup of xx xx xx xx with yy hours interval, never delete/delete".
As the IPDU is not demanding rack controller or dedicated computer systems, the IPDU offer a linear investment, totally with out ceiling.
The special achievement of the invention The IPDU can hereby, fully meet the conditions there are today for storage of the continuously expanding data carrier store, with in the private, business and Internet solutions. The IPDU is in addition offering a security which far out exceeds the today known methods for backup, as it is up to the user to decide how many layers of backup he wishes.
The new technical means One unit with its own PSU, hard disc, processor, and tree Ethernet ports.
The processors flash memory contains code for all necessary functions, to simultaneous functionality of listed functions: 1) Ethernet switch for all 3 ports, 2) Controlling the disc unit, 3) FTP Server, 4) WEB Server, 5) SNMP manager, 6) IP protocol with build in data package engine adding the functionality of : 7) The unit can offer its disk space to an computer driver or--- 8) The unit can offer its disk space to another unit or--- 9) The unit can offer its disk space to backup another units data.
10) At the same time, the unit is capable of receiving, and add, the offered functions to its own, and offer even larger disk space forward in the system.
Diagram description Fig. I Signatures Fig. 2 Basic (minimum) system Fig. 3 2 IPDU's for larger capacity, or backup function Fig. 4 3 IPDU's for larger capacity, and/or backup function Fig. 5 4 IPDU's system example Fig. 6 5 IPDU's system example For figures 5 and 6, any combination of statements in listed four lines is valid, as long as one <BR> <BR> unit has only one assignment, and avoiding cyclic usage (a backup b, and b backup a ! !! ! ) A can be visible disc in system or disk-expander for B or C or D or backup for B or C or D B can be visible disc in system or disk-expander for A or C or D or backup for A or C or D C can be visible disc in system or disk-expander for A or B or D or backup for A or B or D D can be visible disc in system or disk-expander for A or B or C or backup for A or B or C Some practical examples of above (in conjunction with Fig. 5 and/or Fig. 6) Practical example 1: A is the disk seen in the network as a computer drive and B is disk expander for A, (A is then seen as"bigger"volume) C is mirror (backup, with delay 0 ! ) for A D is disk expander for C, then C has capacity to be valid backup of A Practical example 2: A is the disk seen in the network as a computer drive and D is backup of A C is the disk seen in the network as a computer drive and B is backup of D (A has then double backup) Practical example 3: B is the disk seen in the network as a computer drive and A is disk expander for B D is disk expander for A C is disk expander for B (B is then four times the original volume!)
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