SAS to SATA Bridge Chip Routing for Multi-Device Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current storage enclosures are limited by the number of SAS communication ports, restricting the number of SATA storage devices that can be supported and increasing the cost per slot, as each SATA storage device requires a separate SAS communication port.
Innovation Solution
Implementing techniques that allow multiple SATA storage devices to communicate through a single SAS communication port by using bridge chips and address modules to route data communication based on logical unit numbers, enabling increased storage density without the need for additional SAS expanders.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If each SATA storage device is connected to a separate SAS communication port, then communication reliability is improved, but the number of supported storage devices is limited and cost per slot increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the communication channel by introducing bridge chips that divide a single SAS communication port into multiple virtual channels. Each bridge chip (e.g., SAS-0 to SATA-0, SAS-0 to SATA-1) handles specific storage devices independently, allowing multiple devices to share the port while maintaining distinct communication paths. This segmentation enables supporting more storage devices without compromising communication reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces bridge chips as intermediary components between the SAS communication port and multiple SATA storage devices. These bridge chips act as mediators that receive SAS communications and distribute them to the appropriate SATA devices, or aggregate SATA communications and forward them to the SAS port. This intermediary approach allows one SAS port to effectively communicate with multiple storage devices while maintaining reliable communication through structured data routing.
2Productivity
If each SATA storage device requires a separate SAS communication port, then data communication efficiency is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the bridge chip a universal component that can handle multiple storage devices through a single SAS communication port. The bridge chip is designed with multiple SATA interfaces (e.g., SATA-0, SATA-1) and one SAS interface, allowing it to serve multiple storage devices simultaneously. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional SAS expanders and ports, thereby reducing system complexity and cost while maintaining efficient data communication through dedicated communication channels.
3Ease of manufacture
If multiple SATA storage devices share a single SAS communication port, then cost per slot is reduced, but communication routing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bridge chip serves as an intelligent intermediary that automatically routes communications between the single SAS port and multiple SATA devices based on address information. The bridge chip contains routing logic that determines which SATA device should receive each SAS communication, eliminating the need for complex external routing infrastructure. This reduces communication routing complexity while enabling cost-effective multi-device support through a single SAS port.
Solution Approach 2:
The bridge chip implements self-service routing capabilities by automatically managing the distribution of SAS communications to the appropriate SATA devices without requiring external control logic. The bridge chip uses address modules and communication routing logic embedded within itself to determine and execute the correct routing decisions, thereby simplifying the overall system architecture and reducing the need for complex external routing mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for enabling communication between a SAS communication port of a SAS communication component and multiple storage devices. In a first example, a first SAS to SATA bridge chip and a second SAS to SATA bridge chip may be configured to route data from a SAS communication component to multiple storage devices. In a second example, a SAS to SATA bridge chip and a port multiplier may be configured to route data from a SAS communication component to multiple storage devices. In a third example, a four port SAS to SATA bridge comprising two SAS ports and two SATA ports may be configured to route data from a SAS communication component to multiple storage devices. Supporting two or more storage devices with a single SAS communication port allows storage enclosures to increase storage capacity, while decreasing cost per slot.