`
`Appl. No.
`Applicant
`Filed
`TC/A.U.
`Examiner
`
`: Divisional Application of 09/974,082
`: Han-gyoo KIM
`: Herewith
`: 2455 (anticipated)
`: Faruk HAMZA (anticipated)
`
`Docket No.
`Customer No.
`Confirmation No.
`
`3720-128
`6449
`
`PRELIMINARY AMENDMENT
`
`Commissioner for Patents
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
`
`Dear Sir:
`
`Please enter the following amendments before calculation of the filing fee and
`
`examination of the merits.
`
`Amendments to the Specification begin on page 2 of this paper.
`
`Amendments to the Claims begin on page 3 of this paper.
`
`Remarks begin on page 7 of this paper.
`
`Petitioners Microsoft Corporation and HP Inc. - Ex. 1002, p. 1
`
`
`
`Divisional Application of U.S. appln no. 09/974,082
`Preliminary Amendment
`Page 2
`
`Amendments to the Specification:
`
`Please replace the first paragraph of the current specification, appearing on page
`
`1, with the following:
`
`CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION§.
`
`This application is a divisional of U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 09/974,082,
`
`filed on October 9, 2001, and claims the benefit of co pending U.S. Provisional
`
`Application Ser. No. 60/240,344, filed Oct. 13, 2000, entitled "Disl< System Adapted to
`
`Be Directly Attached to ~Jetworl<." the entire disclosures of which are incorporated
`
`herein by reference.
`
`Petitioners Microsoft Corporation and HP Inc. - Ex. 1002, p. 2
`
`
`
`Divisional Application of U.S. appln no. 09/974,082
`Preliminary Amendment
`Page 3
`
`Amendments to the Claims:
`
`1.
`
`(Currently Amended) A network-attached device ffisk (NAO) access system
`
`wherein a host, having an internal host system bus and running an operating system,
`
`controls an external device ffisk through a front end network connecting the host and
`
`other devices for carrying general-purpose network traffic including storage as well as
`
`other application traffic using a certain network protocol, the system comprising:
`
`a network interface card (NIC) installed at the host for providing a general
`
`purpose network connection between the host and the network and via the network to
`
`other devices coupled to the network;
`
`a network-attached device ffisk (NAO) device having a data storage one or more
`
`ffiSks-to store data, the NAO device attached coupled to the network[[,]] for receiving
`
`device level ffisk access commands from the host in data link frames according to the
`
`certain network protocol through the network; and
`
`a device driver, running at the host, for creating a virtual host bus adapter in
`
`software controlling the NAO device through the network via the NIC, the device driver
`
`enumerating NAO that are available over the network, not directly attached to the host
`
`internal system bus, to make the host recognize the NAO as a host local device;
`
`wherein the virtual host bus adapter controlll.o.g[[s]] the NAO device in a way
`
`indistinguishable from the way as a physical host bus adapter device controls the same
`
`type of [[a]] device so that the host recognizes the NAO device as if it is a local device
`
`connected directly to the system bus of the host.
`
`2.
`
`(Original) The NAO system of claim 1, wherein the network is a wired network.
`
`Petitioners Microsoft Corporation and HP Inc. - Ex. 1002, p. 3
`
`
`
`Divisional Application of U.S. appln no. 09/974,082
`Preliminary Amendment
`Page4
`
`3.
`
`(Original) The NAO system of claim 1, wherein the network is a wireless network.
`
`4.
`
`(Original) The NAO system of claim 1, wherein the NIC is an Ethernet card.
`
`5.
`
`(Original) The NAO system of claim 1, wherein the operating system is the UNIX
`
`family of operating systems.
`
`6.
`
`(Original) The NAO system of claim 5, wherein the device driver comprises a
`
`device file and device driver routines for the device driver to register the device driver to
`
`the host.
`
`7.
`
`(Original) The NAO system of claim 6, further comprising a device accessing
`
`thread for accessing the NAO device.
`
`8.
`
`(Original) The NAO system of claim 6, further comprising a device searching
`
`thread for searching for a device attached to the network.
`
`9.
`
`(Original) The NAO system of claim 6, further comprising a network connection
`
`setting thread for making a connection between the device driver and the NAO device.
`
`10.
`
`(Original) The NAO system of claim 6, wherein the NAO disk further comprises a
`
`plurality of individual disk partitions.
`
`Petitioners Microsoft Corporation and HP Inc. - Ex. 1002, p. 4
`
`
`
`Divisional Application of U.S. appln no. 09/974,082
`Preliminary Amendment
`Page 5
`
`11.
`
`(Original) The NAO system of claim 10, wherein the device driver comprises a
`
`plurality of individual device drivers, each individual device driver for controlling the
`
`individual disk partition whereby each individual disk partition is accessed as an
`
`independent local disk.
`
`12.
`
`(Original) The NAO system of claim 10, wherein the device driver comprises a
`
`plurality of individual partitions, each driver partition for controlling each individual disk
`
`partition.
`
`13.
`
`(Original) The NAO system of claim 1, further comprising a second NAO device,
`
`a second device driver, and a unified device driver combining the device driver and the
`
`second device driver so that the NAO device and the second NAO device are
`
`recognized as logically a single local device.
`
`14.
`
`(Original) The NAO system of claim 1, wherein the driver includes: a bus driver
`
`for creating the virtual host adapter to access the NAO device as fit is a local device
`
`connected directly to the system bus of the host; and a port driver for communicating
`
`the disk access command from the host to the NAO device through a network port.
`
`15.
`
`(Original) The NAO system of claim 14, wherein the operating system is the
`
`Windows family of operating systems.
`
`Petitioners Microsoft Corporation and HP Inc. - Ex. 1002, p. 5
`
`
`
`Divisional Application of U.S. appln no. 09/974,082
`Preliminary Amendment
`Page 6
`
`16.
`
`(Original) The NAO system of claim 1, wherein the NAO device further comprises:
`
`a disk controller for controlling the disk; and
`
`a network adapter for receiving the disk access command through the network.
`
`17.
`
`(Original) The NAO system of claim 16, wherein said one or more disks are
`
`formatted as local disks.
`
`18.
`
`(Original) The NAO system of claim 16, further comprising a filter program
`
`providing a utility function.
`
`19.
`
`(Original) The NAO system of claim 18, wherein the utility function includes the
`
`function of controlling sharing of access among multiple hosts.
`
`20.
`
`(Original) The NAO system of claim 18, wherein the utility function includes the
`
`function of controlling transfer of access right of one host to another.
`
`21.
`
`(Original) The NAO system of claim 18, wherein the utility function includes the
`
`function of providing automatic back-up of the NAO device.
`
`22.
`
`(Original) The NAO system of claim 18, wherein the utility function includes the
`
`function of controlling access to the NAO device.
`
`23-85.
`
`(Cancelled)
`
`Petitioners Microsoft Corporation and HP Inc. - Ex. 1002, p. 6
`
`
`
`Divisional Application of U.S. appln no. 09/974,082
`Preliminary Amendment
`Page 7
`
`REMARKS
`
`The above amendments to the specification and claims have been made to place
`
`the application in better condition for examination. The amendment to claim 1 was
`
`entered in the parent application 09/974,082 (the '"082 Application") prior to the
`
`restriction requirement issued February 2, 2005. No new matter is added. Claims 23-
`
`85 are cancelled without prejudice or disclaimer to the recited subject matter. The
`
`remaining claims, claims 1-22, correspond to the Office's grouping of claims under
`
`invention I as set forth in the restriction requirement issued in the '082 Application.
`
`Respectfully submitted,
`
`By
`
`/Oliver L. Edwards/
`Oliver L. Edwards
`Registration No. 64,711
`Attorneys for Applicant
`ROTHWELL, FIGG, ERNST & MANBECK, P.C.
`1425 K Street, N.W., Suite 800
`Washington, D.C. 20005
`Telephone: (202)783-6040
`
`1696626_1
`
`Petitioners Microsoft Corporation and HP Inc. - Ex. 1002, p. 7
`
`
`
`Electronic Patent Application Fee Transmittal
`
`Application Number:
`
`Filing Date:
`
`Title of Invention:
`
`DISK SYSTEM ADAPTED TO BE DIRECTLY ATTACHED TO NETWORK
`
`First Named Inventor/Applicant Name:
`
`Han-gyoo KIM
`
`Filer:
`
`Oliver Lee Edwards/Jessica Fu
`
`Attorney Docket Number:
`
`3720-128
`
`Filed as Small Entity
`
`Utility under 35 USC 111 (a) Filing Fees
`
`Description
`
`Fee Code
`
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`
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`
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`
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`
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`
`52
`
`Miscellaneous-Filing:
`
`Petition:
`
`Petitioners Microsoft Corporation and HP Inc. - Ex. 1002, p. 8
`
`
`
`Description
`
`Fee Code
`
`Quantity
`
`Amount
`
`Sub-Total in
`USO($)
`
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`
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`
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`
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`
`Total in USD ($)
`
`514
`
`Petitioners Microsoft Corporation and HP Inc. - Ex. 1002, p. 9
`
`
`
`Electronic Acknowledgement Receipt
`
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`
`Application Number:
`
`6950633
`
`12701335
`
`International Application Number:
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`
`9778
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`
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`
`First Named Inventor/Applicant Name:
`
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`
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`
`06449
`
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`
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`
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`
`Oliver Lee Edwards
`
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`
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`
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`
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`
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`
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`
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`
`Charge any Additional Fees required under 37 C.F.R. Section 1.17 (Patent application and reexamination processing fees)
`
`Petitioners Microsoft Corporation and HP Inc. - Ex. 1002, p. 10
`
`
`
`Charge any Additional Fees required under 37 C.F.R. Section 1.19 (Document supply fees)
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`Petitioners Microsoft Corporation and HP Inc. - Ex. 1002, p. 12
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`Application Data Sheet 37 CFR 1.76
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`3720-128
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`Application Number
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`Title of Invention
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`I DISK SYSTEM ADAPTED TO BE DIRECTL y ATTACHED TO NETWORK
`
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`Petitioners Microsoft Corporation and HP Inc. - Ex. 1002, p. 13
`
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`DISK SYSTEM ADAPTED TO BE DIRECTLY ATTACHED TO NETWORK
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`Signature
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`/Oliver L. Edwards/
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`First Name
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`Oliver L.
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`I Last Name I Edwards
`
`Date (YYYY-MM-DD) 2010-02-04
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`Registration Number
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`64711
`
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`COMPLETED FORMS TO THIS ADDRESS. SEND TO: Commissioner for Patents, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.
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`EFS Web 2.2.2
`
`Petitioners Microsoft Corporation and HP Inc. - Ex. 1002, p. 15
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`
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`EFS Web 2.2.2
`
`Petitioners Microsoft Corporation and HP Inc. - Ex. 1002, p. 16
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`
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`DISK SYSTEM ADAPTED TO BE DIRECTLY AITACHED
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`TO NETWORK
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`Inventor: Han-gyoo Kim
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`REIATED APPLICATION
`
`This application claims the benefit of co-pending U.S. Provisional Application
`Ser. No. 60/240,344, filed October 13, 2000, entitled "Disk System Adapted to Be
`Directly Attached to Network."
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`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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`Technical Field
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`This invention in general relates to computer systems. More specifically, this
`invention relates to a disk system or interface that can be directly attached to a network.
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`Description of the Related Art
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`As the Internet becomes popular, the amount of data that needs to be stored has
`drastically increased. Especially, there is a high demand for a high-capacity disk drive
`to store multimedia data.
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`For example, a demand for a disk system having a disk
`capacity of terabytes per server is not unusual.
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`A tape drive or a CD drive may be used to store such amount of data, but its
`performance and user convenience are not matched to those of a hard disk drive.
`However, increasing the capacity of a hard disk in a conventional server system presents
`some problems.
`
`There are NAS (Network Attached Storage) products that can be connected to
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`1
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`Petitioners Microsoft Corporation and HP Inc. - Ex. 1002, p. 17
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`
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`a network, usually Ethernet, to provide a pre-configured disk capacity along with
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`integrated system/storage management using the NFS (Network File System) protocol,
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`the CIFS (Common Internet File System) protocol, or both on top of the IP protocol
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`used on the Internet. The primary purpose of these protocols is to exchange files
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`between independently operating computers. Therefore, the client using the NAS for
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`file access experiences the difference between its local storage and the storage in the
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`NAS systems.
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`The NAS is basically a stripped-down version of a file server having mainly
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`the functions of storing and retrieving files. Accordingly, increasing a disk capacity
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`using a NAS product amounts to adding a separate file server in practice, which
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`presents many shortcomings. Since an NAS disk is not seen as a local disk to the
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`client, the installation, movement, and administration of an NAS disk should be done
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`only through the operating system and software offered as part of the NAS system. An
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`NAS disk is installed in the inside bus of the NAS system, leading to a limitation to the
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`number of disks that can be installed. Since the NAS system has a hard disk under its
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`own operating system, the client cannot use an arbitrary file system to access the hard
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`disk. Further, the NAS system requires an IP address. Overall, not only the
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`installation and administration costs per disk are more expensive than those of a local
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`disk, but also user convenience is severely restricted.
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`There is SAN {Storage Area Network) that uses the Fibre Channel technology.
`
`To use the devices connected to a SAN, a special-type of switch is needed. For
`
`example, Fiber Channel uses a Fibre Channel hub or a Fibre Channel switch. The
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`SAN has some shortcomings. Typically, a separate file server is used.
`
`In general, the
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`SAN equipment is expensive, and so is the administration cost of the SAN system
`
`2
`
`Petitioners Microsoft Corporation and HP Inc. - Ex. 1002, p. 18
`
`
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`because, for example, it often requires an administrator with a specialized knowledge on
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`the system.
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`Therefore, there is a need for an interface that allows a disk system to be
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`directly attached to a network, while still being accessed like a local disk without the
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`need of adding an additional file server or special equipment.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`It is an object of the present invention to provide a disk system that can be
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`directly attached to a network connecting to a host without going through a network file
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`system.
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`Another object is to provide a disk system that can be recognized and used as a
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`local disk to a host without requiring additional facility such as an additional file server,
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`a special switch, or even an IP address, if appropriate.
`
`Still another object of the present invention is to provide a disk system that can
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`be conveniently connected to a server without much intervention of network/server
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`administration.
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`Yet another object is to provide a low-cost disk system, many of which can be
`
`plugged into existing network ports to readily satisfy a disk capacity demand.
`
`Further object is to provide an interface that allows a device attachable to a bus
`to be plugged into a network port.
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`The foregoing and other objects are accomplished by providing a network(cid:173)
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`attached disk (NAD) system that includes an NAD device for receiving a disk access
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`command from a host through a network, a device driver at the host for controlling the
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`NAD device through the network, where the device driver recognizes the NAD device
`
`3
`
`Petitioners Microsoft Corporation and HP Inc. - Ex. 1002, p. 19
`
`
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`as a local devic~. The host may run the UNIX or Windows family of operating
`
`systems. The NAD device includes a disk for storing data, a disk controller for
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`controlling the disk, and a network adapter for receiving a disk access command from
`
`the host through a network port.
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an environment where a network-attached disk
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`(NAD) system of the present invention is used.
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`FIG. 2 is an illustration of how multiple NAD devices may be accessed by
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`multiple hosts through a network.
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`FIG. 3 is an example of how multiple NAD devices are accessed by multiple
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`hosts.
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`FIG. 4 is another example of how each disk inside an NAD may be treated as a
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`separate disk.
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`FIG. 5 is an illustration of how a block device driver, specifically an NAD
`device driver, is registered and unregistered under the UNIX operating system.
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`FIG. 6 is an illustration of the relation among the directory, device file, device
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`driver, and device.
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`FIG. 7 is an illustration of how a request function directly i