Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
124 words
An apparatus for injecting errors into a RAID disk subsystem for test purposes, comprising: a host connected to said RAID disk subsystem, said host having a device for communicating test scenarios that inject errors into said RAID disk subsystem; logical referents for use in said test scenarios, for specifying placement of errors and types of errors to be caused in said RAID disk subsystem; a test script system coupled with said host for parsing said logical referents into physical addresses and commands in tasks and then scheduling said tasks and conveying them to a tester for execution with said RAID disk subsystem, so that errors may be injected into said RAID disk subsystem without first being corrected by said RAID disk subsystem's normal processes.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
124 words
An apparatus for injecting errors into a RAID disk subsystem for test purposes, comprising: a host connected to said RAID disk subsystem, said host having a device for communicating test scenarios that inject errors into said RAID disk subsystem; logical referents for use in said test scenarios, for specifying placement of errors and types of errors to be caused in said RAID disk subsystem; a test script system coupled with said host for parsing said logical referents into physical addresses and commands in tasks and then scheduling said tasks and conveying them to a tester for execution with said RAID disk subsystem, so that errors may be injected into said RAID disk subsystem without first being corrected by said RAID disk subsystem's normal processes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said test script system further includes buffers for saving the contents of said RAID disk subsystem before tests are executed and from which said contents can be restored after tests are executed, so that said RAID disk subsystem can be returned to its pre-test state.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said host includes a pre-existing library of disk test commands for disks in said RAID disk subsystem.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said RAID disk subsystem further includes an interface capable of sending and receiving commands that bypass said RAID disk subsystem's normal protocol, to create certain types of errors.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
70 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said test script system includes: a parser for analyzing logical referents in command, address selector, and data fields to create sequences for testing; and a report stripe function which uses said RAID disk subsystem's stripe placement algorithms to provide physical disk locations and block addresses to said test script system, so that said logical referents can be translated into physical disks and track addresses.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said test script system includes a scheduler for scheduling tasks to be performed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said test script system includes a tester for communicating directly with said RAID disk subsystem to carry out said test tasks.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said test script system includes a report function that analyzes test results and creates a report.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
128 words
A method for injecting errors into a RAID disk subsystem for test purposes, comprising the steps of: connecting a host to said RAID disk subsystem, said host having a device for communicating test scenarios that inject errors into said RAID disk subsystem; defining logical referents for use in said test scenarios, for specifying placement of errors and types of errors to be caused in said RAID disk subsystem; coupling a test script system with said host for parsing said logical referents into physical addresses and commands in tasks and then scheduling said tasks and conveying them to a tester for execution with said RAID disk subsystem, so that errors may be injected into said RAID disk subsystem without first being corrected by said RAID disk subsystem's normal processes.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
128 words
A method for injecting errors into a RAID disk subsystem for test purposes, comprising the steps of: connecting a host to said RAID disk subsystem, said host having a device for communicating test scenarios that inject errors into said RAID disk subsystem; defining logical referents for use in said test scenarios, for specifying placement of errors and types of errors to be caused in said RAID disk subsystem; coupling a test script system with said host for parsing said logical referents into physical addresses and commands in tasks and then scheduling said tasks and conveying them to a tester for execution with said RAID disk subsystem, so that errors may be injected into said RAID disk subsystem without first being corrected by said RAID disk subsystem's normal processes.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said step of coupling a test script system to said host further includes the step of saving the contents of said RAID disk subsystem before tests are executed into buffers from which said contents can be restored after tests are executed, so that said RAID disk subsystem can be returned to its pre-test state.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of including a pre-existing library of disk test commands for disks in said RAID disk subsystem.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of sending and receiving commands that bypass said RAID disk subsystem's normal protocol, to create certain types of errors.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method of claim 12 further comprising the steps of: analyzing logical referents in command, address selector, and data fields to create sequences for testing; and using said RAID disk subsystem's stripe placement algorithms to provide physical disk locations and block addresses to said test script system, so that said logical referents can be translated into physical disks and track addresses.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of scheduling tasks to be performed.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of communicating directly with said RAID disk subsystem to carry out said tasks.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of analyzing test results; and creating a report.