US Patent 7330862 Zero copy write datapath

A technique enhances a write data path within a storage operating system executing on a storage system. As used herein, the write data path defines program logic used by a file system of the storage operating system to process write requests directed to data served by the file system. The technique enhances the write data path of the storage system by providing a “zero copy” write data path embodied as a function of the storage operating system that eliminates a copy operation for a write request received at the storage system. The eliminated operation is a data copy operation from a list of input buffers to buffers used by the file system.