DataMesh-parallel storage systems for the 1990s

A description is given of DataMesh, a research project with the goal of developing software to maximize the performance of mass storage I/O, while providing high availability, ease of use, and scalability. The DataMesh hardware architecture is that of an array of disk nodes, with each disk having a dedicated 20-MIPS single-chip processor and 8-32 MBytes RAM. The nodes are linked by a fast, reliable, small-area network, and programmed to appear as a single storage server. Phase 1 of the DataMesh project will provide smart disk arrays; phase 2 will expand this to include file systems; and phase 3 will support parallel databases, data searches, and other application-specific functions. The initial target of the work is storage servers for groups of high-powered workstations, although the techniques are applicable to several different problems.<>