US6101615A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for improving sequential writes to RAID-6 devices
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1998-04-08
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Granted: 2000-08-08
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Expires: 2018-04-08
Abstract
Abstract A method is provided for reducing the number of transactions for multi-segmented host system write operations in a RAID 6 device. The method comprises sending a write command for new multiple data segments to a plurality of data drives in the RAID 6 device via a RAID 6 controller. The RAID 6 device has data segments stored in stripes on the data drives and parity drives within the RAID 6 device. Parity is calculated for old data segments, new data segments and old parity on the parity drives to determine a new parity. The new parity is then written to one parity drive of the multiple parity drives within the RAID 6 device, thereby reducing the number of read and write transactions between the controller and the drives within the RAID 6 device.
Inventors
- 👤 Gary Robert Lyons
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 22:40
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/07; G06F11/08; G06F11/10; G06F11/1076; G06F2211/00; G06F2211/10; G06F2211/1002; G06F2211/1057
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
84 words
A method for reducing the number of transactions for multi-segmented host system write operations in a RAID-6 device, comprising the steps of: writing multiple new data segments to at least one data stripe on said RAID-6 device; writing a first new parity, corresponding to a single said data stripe, to a single vertical parity drive and a single horizontal parity drive; and writing a second new parity, corresponding to a second single said data stripe, beginning after the end of said first new parity.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
84 words
A method for reducing the number of transactions for multi-segmented host system write operations in a RAID-6 device, comprising the steps of: writing multiple new data segments to at least one data stripe on said RAID-6 device; writing a first new parity, corresponding to a single said data stripe, to a single vertical parity drive and a single horizontal parity drive; and writing a second new parity, corresponding to a second single said data stripe, beginning after the end of said first new parity.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 1, wherein writing said multiple new data segments to said RAID-6 device, further comprises: writing said data segments to stripes on multiple data drives within said RAID-6 device; and writing said new parity in a continuous fashion to a predetermined vertical and horizontal parity drive within said RAID-6 device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method of claim 2, wherein writing said new parity to a predetermined vertical and horizontal parity drive within said RAID-6 device, further comprises: writing said new horizontal parity of a single data drive stripe to a predetermined location on said horizontal parity drive; and writing said new vertical parity of said single data drive stripe to a predetermined location on said single vertical parity drive.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said step of writing said second new parity, corresponding to a second single said data stripe, beginning said write after the end of said first new parity further comprises: continuing to write new parity of subsequent data stripes, in order, to a location following the preceding new parity write.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1, further comprises: regenerating data segments by reading said new parity of said data segments from a single horizontal or vertical parity drive if two drives of said plurality of data drives fails.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1, further comprises: regenerating data segments by reading said new parity of said data segments from a single horizontal or vertical parity drive if one drive of said plurality of data drives fails.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 1, further comprises: regenerating data segments by reading said new parity of said data segments from a single horizontal or vertical parity drive if one data drive of said plurality of data drives fails and one parity drive fails.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising: instructions within said computer readable medium for regenerating data segments by reading said new parity of said data segments from a single horizontal or vertical parity drive if one data drive of said plurality of data drives fails and one parity drive fails.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
95 words
An apparatus for reducing the number of transactions for multi-segmented write operations in a RAID-6 device, comprising: a host system; a controller connected to said host system, for reading and writing multiple new data segments to at least one data stripe on said RAID-6 device; means for writing a first new parity, corresponding to a single said data stripe, to a single vertical parity drive and a single horizontal parity drive; means for writing a second new parity, corresponding to a second single said data stripe, beginning after the end of said first new parity.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
95 words
An apparatus for reducing the number of transactions for multi-segmented write operations in a RAID-6 device, comprising: a host system; a controller connected to said host system, for reading and writing multiple new data segments to at least one data stripe on said RAID-6 device; means for writing a first new parity, corresponding to a single said data stripe, to a single vertical parity drive and a single horizontal parity drive; means for writing a second new parity, corresponding to a second single said data stripe, beginning after the end of said first new parity.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
58 words
The controller of claim 9, wherein means for writing said multiple data segments to said RAID-6 device, further comprises: means for writing said data segments to stripes on multiple data drives within said RAID-6 device; and means for writing said new parity in a continuous fashion to a predetermined vertical and horizontal parity drive within said RAID-6 device.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
55 words
The controller of claim 10, wherein said means for writing said second new parity, corresponding to a second single said data stripe, beginning said write after the end of said first new parity further comprises: means for writing new parity of subsequent data stripes, in order, to a location following the preceding new parity write.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
70 words
The controller of claim 9, wherein means for writing said new parity to a predetermined vertical and horizontal parity drive within said RAID-6 device, further comprises: means for writing said new horizontal parity of a single data stripe to a predetermined location on said horizontal parity drive; and means for writing said new vertical parity of said single data stripe to a predetermined location on said single vertical parity drive.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
40 words
The controller of claim 9, further comprising: means for regenerating said data segments by reading said new parity of said data segments from a single horizontal or vertical parity drive if two drives of said plurality of data drives fails.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
The controller of claim 13, further comprising: means for regenerating said data segments by reading said new parity of said data segments from a single horizontal or vertical parity drive if one data drive fails.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
53 words
The controller of claim 14, wherein said controller further comprising, means for regenerating data segments if one data drive of said multiple data drives and one parity drive of said at least two parity drives fails by reading said new parity of said data segments from a single horizontal or vertical parity drive.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
111 words
A computer program product within a computer readable medium having instructions for reducing the number of transactions for multi-segmented host system write operations in a RAID-6 device, comprising: instructions within said computer readable medium for writing multiple new data segments to at least one data stripe on said RAID-6 device; instructions within said computer readable medium for writing a first new parity, corresponding to a single said data stripe, to a single vertical parity drive and a single horizontal parity drive; and instructions within said computer readable medium for writing a second new parity, corresponding to a second single said data stripe, beginning after the end of said first new parity.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
111 words
A computer program product within a computer readable medium having instructions for reducing the number of transactions for multi-segmented host system write operations in a RAID-6 device, comprising: instructions within said computer readable medium for writing multiple new data segments to at least one data stripe on said RAID-6 device; instructions within said computer readable medium for writing a first new parity, corresponding to a single said data stripe, to a single vertical parity drive and a single horizontal parity drive; and instructions within said computer readable medium for writing a second new parity, corresponding to a second single said data stripe, beginning after the end of said first new parity.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
76 words
The computer program product of claim 16, wherein instructions for writing said multiple data segments to at least one data stripe on said RAID-6 device, further comprises: instructions within said computer readable medium for writing said data segments to stripes on multiple data drives within said RAID-6 device; and instructions within said computer readable medium for writing said new parity in a continuous fashion to a predetermined vertical and horizontal parity drive within said RAID-6 device.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
83 words
The computer program product of claim 17, wherein instructions for writing said new parity to a predetermined vertical and horizontal parity drive within said RAID-6 device, further comprises: instructions within said computer readable medium for writing said new horizontal parity of a single data drive stripe to a predetermined location on said horizontal parity drive; and instructions within said computer readable medium for writing said new vertical parity of said single data stripe to a predetermined location on said single vertical parity drive.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
62 words
The computer program product of claim 16, wherein writing said second new parity, corresponding to a second single said data stripe, beginning said write after the end of said first new parity, further comprises: instructions within said computer readable medium for continuing to write new parity of subsequent data stripes, in order, to a location following the preceding said new parity write.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
36 words
The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising: instructions within said computer readable medium for regenerating data segments by reading said new parity of said data segments from a single horizontal or vertical parity drive.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
46 words
The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising instructions within said computer readable medium for regenerating data segments by reading said new rarity of said data segments from a single horizontal or vertical parity drive if one drive of said plurality of data drives fails.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5499253A
Cited
JPH10240453A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-08-08 | 2004-02-07 | 2004-08-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-08-08 | 2008-02-07 | 2008-08-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-08-08 | 2012-02-07 | 2012-08-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |