Electrical computers and digital processing systems: memory – Storage accessing and control – Specific memory composition
Patent
1995-08-17
1999-02-23
Gossage, Glenn
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: memory
Storage accessing and control
Specific memory composition
711170, 39518204, 39518205, G06F 1300
Patent
active
058754563
ABSTRACT:
A Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) system that is adaptable to host Input/Output traffic, wherein the RAID configuration is hidden from the host computer, and wherein the system uses various methods for striping and organizing data across the array when disks are added or removed. The system dynamically determines the RAID configuration used to store host data. To maximize response time and avoid a write penalty, small write operations are mapped into RAID 1 configurations, and medium and large write operations are mapped into RAID 3 configurations. The data are migrated into RAID 5 configurations as a background operation, to minimize the disk space lost. The system hides configuration changes necessary for the addition and/or removal of disks to/from the disk array by unstriping data, adding or deleting (removing) a disk and then restriping data over all the disks. The methods may include steps of dividing data blocks into a plurality of square portions, and exchanging data in sets of blocks of each of the square portions, with the exchanging step including locating a diagonal set of blocks within a selected square portion, and exchanging all sets of blocks equidistant from the diagonal, on opposite sides of the diagonal, and in a line perpendicular to the diagonal. While these changes are in progress, the disk array remains on-line and most host data is available for access and modification.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4092732 (1978-05-01), Ouchi
patent: 4761785 (1988-08-01), Clark et al.
patent: 4817035 (1989-03-01), Timsit
patent: 4870643 (1989-09-01), Bultman et al.
patent: 4899342 (1990-02-01), Potter et al.
patent: 4914656 (1990-04-01), Dunphy, Jr. et al.
patent: 4993030 (1991-02-01), Krakauer et al.
patent: 5208813 (1993-05-01), Stallmo
patent: 5235601 (1993-08-01), Stallmo et al.
patent: 5258984 (1993-11-01), Menon et al.
patent: 5265098 (1993-11-01), Mattson et al.
patent: 5274799 (1993-12-01), Brant et al.
patent: 5390327 (1995-02-01), Lubbers et al.
patent: 5392244 (1995-02-01), Jacobson et al.
patent: 5519849 (1996-05-01), Malan et al.
patent: 5524204 (1996-06-01), Verdoorn, Jr.
Hall Randy K.
Stallmo David C.
Gossage Glenn
nStor Corporation
Young James R.
LandOfFree
Storage device array and methods for striping and unstriping dat does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Storage device array and methods for striping and unstriping dat, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Storage device array and methods for striping and unstriping dat will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-315828