A storage processor for a block storage RAID array services disk storage
block requests from one or more hosts. At its heart, a application
specific integrated chip (ASIC) supports a store and forward data transfer
regime in that host to disk transfers are made by placing data in storage
processor memory under control of the storage processor, operated on by
the ASIC, and sent to the disk array. Efficient handling of ordering is,
preferably, provided by hardware logic-based masking of interrupts and by
other mechanisms. Embodiments help to insure that shared data paths are
flushed of non-critical data quickly to sustain more critical data, for
example, that required to sustain high throughput.
