摘要:
A method is disclosed to supply power to one or more battery-backup assemblies. The method supplies a first controller, a second controller, a first battery-backup assembly, and a second battery-backup assembly. The method further supplies a power bus interconnected to the first controller, the second controller, the first battery-backup assembly, and the second battery-backup assembly, and a first power supply and a second power supply interconnected with the power bus. The method provides power to the first controller and to the second controller and to the first battery-backup assembly over a first period of time, and provides power to the first controller and to the second controller and to the second battery-backup assembly over a second period of time, where the first period of time differs from the second period of time.
摘要:
A method is disclosed to preserve data integrity during loss of power to an information storage and retrieval system. Applicants' method converts a plurality of sectors having a first sector format to a plurality of sectors having a second sector format. If a power failure warning is received during the sector format conversion process, the method prefetches the next second sector, overlays the next first sector onto part of all of that prefetched second sector, and saves the newly-written second sector before loss of utility power. After restoration of utility power to the information storage and retrieval system, Applicants' method writes that newly-written second sector to an information storage medium.
摘要:
In a RAID storage system, a parity value is generated. The storage system includes a RAID adapter, a plurality of disk array processors managing corresponding sets of RAID storage drives, and a connecting fabric. The RAID adapter initiates a parity generation operation, parallel instructions are dispatched for the array processors to each generate a partial parity value from data blocks on drives on respective managed RAID storage drives, the partial parity value is received in the RAID adapter from each array processor, and the partial parity values are combined in the RAID adapter to generate a complete parity value. The parity value may be an actual parity block to be stored on a hard disk drive or may be a reconstructed data block in the event of a failed drive.
摘要:
An apparatus to detect a fiber channel miscabling event includes a module configured to identify a connection made between first and second unlike devices in a fiber channel topology. If an unlike connection identified to have been made the module enables an upstream port of the second device, leaving a downstream port of the second device disabled. A method to detect a fiber channel miscabling event includes detecting a fiber channel cable connection configuration, determining whether a connection is made between first and second unlike fiber channel units, and enabling an upstream port of the second fiber channel unit while keeping a downstream port of the second fiber channel unit disabled if an unlike connection is determined to have been made.
摘要:
A method is disclosed to configure one or more storage arrays. The method supplies a data storage and retrieval system comprising (N) data storage device assemblies, wherein each of said (N) data storage device assemblies comprises (M) data storage devices, wherein (N) is greater than or equal to 2, and wherein (M) is greater than or equal to 2. The method configures a first storage array to comprise the (i)th data storage device disposed in two or more of said (N) data storage device assemblies, wherein (i) is greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to (M).
摘要:
A method is disclosed to reconfigure a storage array. The method supplies a data storage and retrieval system comprising (N) data storage device assemblies, wherein each of those (N) data storage device assemblies comprises (M) data storage devices, wherein (N) is greater than or equal to 2, and wherein (M) is greater than or equal to 2. The method configures those (N) data storage device assemblies to comprise a spare data storage device assembly and a first storage array comprising the remaining (N−1) data storage device assemblies. In the event Applicants' method detects a failed data storage device disposed in the first storage array, then the method forms a second storage array comprising the first storage array, except the failed data storage device, in combination with a data storage device disposed in the spare data storage device assembly.
摘要:
In a fibre channel, arbitrated loop (FC-AL) network environment, an operating speed of devices within a switch domain within the network is optimized. The FC-AL switch domain is isolated from an attached storage controller, and a first signal is transmitted to each of a plurality of storage devices within the domain. The first signal comprises a request that each storage device transmit inquiry data to a control and management node (CMN) within the domain. In response to receipt of the inquiry data from each storage device, the speeds at which each storage device is operable are identified and an operational speed is then established for the domain. The established speed may be the fastest speed at which all devices can operate. Alternatively, one or more slower devices may be bypassed and the established speed may be the fastest speed at which all remaining devices can operate.
摘要:
A storage system includes a RAID adapter, disk array switches, sub-processors, and hard disk drives (HDDs). The system permits the isolation of a suspected faulty HDD to allow diagnostics to be performed without impacting operation of the rest of the system. Upon detection of a possible fault in a target HDD, a private zone is established including the target HDD and one of the sub-processors, thereby isolating the target HDD. The sub-processor performs diagnostic operations, then transmits its results to the adapter. A faulty HDD can then be fully isolated and the private zone is disassembled, allowing the sub-processor to rejoin the network.
摘要:
A storage system includes a RAID adapter, disk array switches, sub-processors, and hard disk drives (HDDs). A disk-related operation is initiated in the RAID adapter. The RAID adapter dispatches a command to a disk array processor (or sub-processor) in an enclosure for the processor to perform the operation on one or more drives. The adapter may dispatch the command to a processor in a single enclosure through a disk array switch or to processors in multiple enclosures through switches in the upstream enclosures. The adapter is then free to perform other functions. The processor commences the specified operation on one or more selected drives, either sequentially one at a time or sequentially more than one (or all) at a time. Upon completion of the operation, the results are transmitted by the processor and received by the adapter. Thus, by offloading the task to the distributed sub-processors, the burden on the RAID adapter is significantly reduced, system bandwidth usage is reduced, and access to other drives within the enclosure (as well as within other enclosures) may be maintained. Tasks which may be offloaded in such a manner include, but are not limited to, drive firmware updating, drive scrubbing and secure data erasure.
摘要:
A method is disclosed to assign network addresses in a storage array disposed in a data storage and retrieval system comprising (P) data storage devices disposed in (N) data storage device assemblies. The method configures the (N) data storage device assemblies to comprise a spare data storage device assembly and a first storage array comprising (N−1) active data storage device assemblies, wherein each data storage device configured in the first storage array is assigned a network address, and wherein one of the spare data storage device disposed in the spare data storage device assembly is assigned a network address. In the event the method detects a failed data storage device disposed in the first storage array, then the method forms a second storage array comprising the first storage array, except the failed data storage device, in combination with the (i)th spare data storage device.