US6151665A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for mirroring blocks of information in a disc drive storage system
Assignee: EMC Corp
•
Filing: 1999-03-26
•
Granted: 2000-11-21
•
Expires: 2019-03-26
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for managing blocks of information in a disc drive storage system. One embodiment is directed to a disc drive storage system that employs a plurality of disc drives, and that mirrors blocks of information on different physical locations within at least two of the disc drives. Another embodiment is directed to the handling of a hot spot by temporarily employing another disc drive as a temporary mirror to enable parallel access to blocks of information within the hot spot.
Inventors
- 👤 Steven M. Blumenau
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 16:04
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/06; G06F3/0601; G06F3/0602; G06F3/061; G06F3/0628; G06F3/0646; G06F3/065; G06F3/0668; G06F3/0671; G06F3/0683; G06F3/0689; G11; G11B; G11B20/00; G11B20/00007; G11B20/10; G11B20/12; G11B20/1217; G11B20/1252; G11B20/18; G11B20/1883; G11B20/1889; G11B2020/1218; G11B2020/1232; G11B2020/1264; G11B2020/1265; G11B2020/1267; G11B2220/00; G11B2220/20; G11B2220/25; G11B2220/2508; G11B2220/2516; G11B5/00; G11B5/012; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99951; Y10S707/99952; Y10S707/99953
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 52
Claim 1
Independent Claim
268 words
A method of managing blocks of information in a computer system, the computer system including a data processing system and a disc drive storage system coupled thereto, wherein the data processing system writes the blocks of information to the disc drive storage system for storage thereon, the disc drive storage system including a plurality of disc drives that each includes at least one disc, the plurality of disc drives including a first disc drive including a first disc and a second disc drive including a second disc, each of the discs having a surface including a plurality of information tracks, each of the tracks including a plurality of sectors, each sector for storing one of the blocks of information, each sector having a physical sector address that identifies a physical location of the sector on the surface of the disc, the method comprising a step of: (A) mirroring at least one block of information that is written to the first disc at a first physical sector address on the second disc at a second physical sector address that is different than the first physical sector address so that the at least one block of information written to the first disc is mirrored at a different physical location on the second disc; wherein the step (A) is implemented within the disc drive storage system so that in response to a same write I/O operation from the data processing system to the disc drive storage system, the disc drive storage system controls writing of the at least one block of information to both the first disc and the second disc.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
268 words
A method of managing blocks of information in a computer system, the computer system including a data processing system and a disc drive storage system coupled thereto, wherein the data processing system writes the blocks of information to the disc drive storage system for storage thereon, the disc drive storage system including a plurality of disc drives that each includes at least one disc, the plurality of disc drives including a first disc drive including a first disc and a second disc drive including a second disc, each of the discs having a surface including a plurality of information tracks, each of the tracks including a plurality of sectors, each sector for storing one of the blocks of information, each sector having a physical sector address that identifies a physical location of the sector on the surface of the disc, the method comprising a step of: (A) mirroring at least one block of information that is written to the first disc at a first physical sector address on the second disc at a second physical sector address that is different than the first physical sector address so that the at least one block of information written to the first disc is mirrored at a different physical location on the second disc; wherein the step (A) is implemented within the disc drive storage system so that in response to a same write I/O operation from the data processing system to the disc drive storage system, the disc drive storage system controls writing of the at least one block of information to both the first disc and the second disc.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
117 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one block of information written to the first disc includes a plurality of blocks of information written to the first disc at a first plurality of physical sector addresses, and wherein step (A) includes a step of mirroring each of the plurality of blocks of information written to the first disc at the first plurality of physical sector addresses on the second disc at a second plurality of physical sector addresses that is different than the first plurality of physical sector addresses so that each of the plurality of blocks of information written to the first disc is mirrored at a different physical location on the second disc.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
246 words
A method of managing blocks of information to be accessed on a disc drive storage system, the disc drive storage system including a plurality of disc drives that each includes at least one disc, the plurality of disc drives including a first disc drive including a first disc and a second disc drive including a second disc, each of the discs having a surface including a plurality of information tracks, each of the tracks including a plurality of sectors, each sector for storing one of the blocks of information, each sector having a physical sector address that identifies a physical location of the sector on the surface of the disc, the method comprising steps of: (A) mirroring at least one block of information that is written to the first disc at a first physical sector address on the second disc at a second physical sector address that is different than the first physical sector address so that the at least one block of information written to the first disc is mirrored at a different physical location on the second disc; and (B) mirroring at least one block of information that is written to the second disc at a third physical sector address on the first disc at a fourth physical sector address that is different than the third physical sector address so that the at least one block of information written to the second disc is mirrored at a different physical location on the first disc.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
246 words
A method of managing blocks of information to be accessed on a disc drive storage system, the disc drive storage system including a plurality of disc drives that each includes at least one disc, the plurality of disc drives including a first disc drive including a first disc and a second disc drive including a second disc, each of the discs having a surface including a plurality of information tracks, each of the tracks including a plurality of sectors, each sector for storing one of the blocks of information, each sector having a physical sector address that identifies a physical location of the sector on the surface of the disc, the method comprising steps of: (A) mirroring at least one block of information that is written to the first disc at a first physical sector address on the second disc at a second physical sector address that is different than the first physical sector address so that the at least one block of information written to the first disc is mirrored at a different physical location on the second disc; and (B) mirroring at least one block of information that is written to the second disc at a third physical sector address on the first disc at a fourth physical sector address that is different than the third physical sector address so that the at least one block of information written to the second disc is mirrored at a different physical location on the first disc.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
117 words
The method of claim 3, wherein the at least one block of information written to the first disc includes a plurality of blocks of information written to the first disc at a first plurality of physical sector addresses, and wherein step (A) includes a step of mirroring each of the plurality of blocks of information written to the first disc at the first plurality of physical sector addresses on the second disc at a second plurality of physical sector addresses that is different than the first plurality of physical sector addresses so that each of the plurality of blocks of information written to the first disc is mirrored at a different physical location on the second disc.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
117 words
The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one block of information written to the second disc includes a plurality of blocks of information written to the second disc at a third plurality of physical sector addresses, and wherein step (B) includes a step of mirroring each of the plurality of blocks of information written to the second disc at the third plurality of physical sector addresses on the first disc at a fourth plurality of physical sector addresses that is different than the third plurality of physical sector addresses so that each of the plurality of blocks of information written to the second disc is mirrored at a different physical location on the first disc.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 5, wherein each of the first, second, third and fourth plurality of physical sector addresses is a contiguous set of physical sector addresses.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
306 words
The method of claim 6, wherein the first plurality of physical sector addresses defines a first region on the surface of the first disc; wherein the third plurality of physical sector addresses defines a first region on the surface of the second disc; wherein step (A) includes a step of mirroring each of the plurality of blocks of information that is written to the first disc at the first plurality of physical sector addresses on the second disc at a second region on the surface of the second disc, the first region on the first disc including at least one track that is disposed closer to an outer edge of the first disc than any of the tracks in the second region on the second disc is disposed to an outer edge of the second disc; and wherein step (B) includes a step of mirroring each of the plurality of blocks of information that is written to the second disc at the third plurality of physical sector addresses on the first disc at a second region on the surface of the first disc, the first region on the second disc including at least one track that is disposed closer to the outer edge of the second disc than any of the tracks in the second region of the first disc is disposed to the outer edge of the first disc, the first region on the second disc further including at least one track that is disposed closer to the outer edge of the second disc than any of the tracks in the second region of the second disc, the first region on the first disc further including at least one track that is disposed closer to the outer edge of the first disc than any of the tracks in the second region of the first disc.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
360 words
A method of managing blocks of information to be accessed on a disc drive storage system, the disc drive storage system including a plurality of disc drives that each includes at least one disc, the plurality of disc drives including a first disc drive including a first disc and a second disc drive including a second disc, each of the discs having a surface including a plurality of information tracks, each of the tracks including a plurality of sectors, each sector for storing one of the blocks of information, each sector having a physical sector address that identifies a physical location of the sector on the surface of the disc, the method comprising a step of: (A) mirroring at least one block of information that is written to the first disc at a first physical sector address on the second disc at a second physical sector address that is different than the first physical sector address so that the at least one block of information written to the first disc is mirrored at a different physical location on the second disc; wherein the at least one block of information written to the first disc includes a plurality of blocks of information written to the first disc at a first plurality of physical sector addresses; wherein step (A) includes a step of mirroring each of the plurality of blocks of information written to the first disc at the first plurality of physical sector addresses on the second disc at a second plurality of physical sector addresses that is different than the first plurality of physical sector addresses so that each of the plurality of blocks of information written to the first disc is mirrored at a different physical location on the second disc; and wherein the method further includes a step of: (B) mirroring a plurality of blocks of information written to the second disc at the first plurality of physical sector addresses on the first disc at the second plurality of physical sector addresses so that each of the plurality of blocks of information written to the second disc is mirrored at a different physical location on the first disc.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
360 words
A method of managing blocks of information to be accessed on a disc drive storage system, the disc drive storage system including a plurality of disc drives that each includes at least one disc, the plurality of disc drives including a first disc drive including a first disc and a second disc drive including a second disc, each of the discs having a surface including a plurality of information tracks, each of the tracks including a plurality of sectors, each sector for storing one of the blocks of information, each sector having a physical sector address that identifies a physical location of the sector on the surface of the disc, the method comprising a step of: (A) mirroring at least one block of information that is written to the first disc at a first physical sector address on the second disc at a second physical sector address that is different than the first physical sector address so that the at least one block of information written to the first disc is mirrored at a different physical location on the second disc; wherein the at least one block of information written to the first disc includes a plurality of blocks of information written to the first disc at a first plurality of physical sector addresses; wherein step (A) includes a step of mirroring each of the plurality of blocks of information written to the first disc at the first plurality of physical sector addresses on the second disc at a second plurality of physical sector addresses that is different than the first plurality of physical sector addresses so that each of the plurality of blocks of information written to the first disc is mirrored at a different physical location on the second disc; and wherein the method further includes a step of: (B) mirroring a plurality of blocks of information written to the second disc at the first plurality of physical sector addresses on the first disc at the second plurality of physical sector addresses so that each of the plurality of blocks of information written to the second disc is mirrored at a different physical location on the first disc.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 8, wherein each of the first and second plurality of physical sector addresses is a contiguous set of physical sector addresses.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
313 words
The method of claim 9, wherein the first plurality of physical sector addresses defines a first region on the surface of the first disc and a corresponding first region on the surface of the second disc; wherein step (A) includes a step of mirroring each of the plurality of blocks of information that is written to the first disc at the first plurality of physical sector addresses on the second disc at a second region on the surface of the second disc, the first region on the first disc including at least one track that is disposed closer to an outer edge of the first disc than any of the tracks in the second region of the second disc is disposed to an outer edge of the second disc; and wherein step (B) includes a step of mirroring each of the plurality of blocks of information that is written to the second disc at the first plurality of physical sector addresses on the first disc at the second plurality of physical sector addresses, the second plurality of sector addresses defining a second region on the surface of the first disc, the first region on the second disc including at least one track that is disposed closer to the outer edge of the second disc than any of the tracks in the second region of the first disc is disposed to the outer edge of the first disc, the first region on the second disc further including at least one track that is disposed closer to the outer edge of the second disc than any of the tracks in the second region of the second disc, the first region on the first disc further including at least one track that is disposed closer to the outer edge of the first disc than any of the tracks in the second region of the first disc.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
215 words
A disc drive storage system for use in a computer system including the disc drive storage system and a data processing system, the disc drive storage system to store date written by the data processing system, the disc drive storage system comprising: a plurality of disc drives that each includes at least one disc, the plurality of disc drives including a first disc drive including a first disc and a second disc drive including a second disc, each of the discs having a surface including a plurality of information tracks, each of the tracks including a plurality of sectors, each sector for storing a block of information, each sector having a physical sector address that identifies a physical location of the sector on the surface of the disc; and a controller that, in response to a same write I/O operation from the data processing system to the disc drive storage system, mirrors at least one block of information that is written to the first disc at a first physical sector address, on the second disc at a second physical sector address that is different than the first physical sector address so that the at least one block of information written to the first disc is mirrored at a different physical location on the second disc.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
215 words
A disc drive storage system for use in a computer system including the disc drive storage system and a data processing system, the disc drive storage system to store date written by the data processing system, the disc drive storage system comprising: a plurality of disc drives that each includes at least one disc, the plurality of disc drives including a first disc drive including a first disc and a second disc drive including a second disc, each of the discs having a surface including a plurality of information tracks, each of the tracks including a plurality of sectors, each sector for storing a block of information, each sector having a physical sector address that identifies a physical location of the sector on the surface of the disc; and a controller that, in response to a same write I/O operation from the data processing system to the disc drive storage system, mirrors at least one block of information that is written to the first disc at a first physical sector address, on the second disc at a second physical sector address that is different than the first physical sector address so that the at least one block of information written to the first disc is mirrored at a different physical location on the second disc.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
119 words
The disc drive storage system of claim 11, wherein the at least one block of information written to the first disc includes a plurality of blocks of information written to the first disc at a first plurality of physical sector addresses, and wherein the controller includes means for mirroring each of the plurality of blocks of information written to the first disc at the first plurality of physical sector addresses on the second disc at a second plurality of physical sector addresses that is different than the first plurality of physical sector addresses so that each of the plurality of blocks of information written to the first disc is mirrored at a different physical location on the second disc.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
230 words
A disc drive storage system, comprising: a plurality of disc drives that each includes at least one disc, the plurality of disc drives including a first disc drive including a first disc and a second disc drive including a second disc, each of the discs having a surface including a plurality of information tracks, each of the tracks including a plurality of sectors, each sector for storing a block of information, each sector having a physical sector address that identifies a physical location of the sector on the surface of the disc; and a controller that mirrors at least one block of information, that is written to the first disc at a first physical sector address, on the second disc at a second physical sector address that is different than the first physical sector address so that the at least one block of information written to the first disc is mirrored at a different physical location on the second disc; wherein the controller includes means for mirroring at least one block of information that is written to the second disc at a third physical sector address on the first disc at a fourth physical sector address that is different than the third physical sector address so that the at least one block of information written to the second disc is mirrored at a different physical location on the first disc.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
230 words
A disc drive storage system, comprising: a plurality of disc drives that each includes at least one disc, the plurality of disc drives including a first disc drive including a first disc and a second disc drive including a second disc, each of the discs having a surface including a plurality of information tracks, each of the tracks including a plurality of sectors, each sector for storing a block of information, each sector having a physical sector address that identifies a physical location of the sector on the surface of the disc; and a controller that mirrors at least one block of information, that is written to the first disc at a first physical sector address, on the second disc at a second physical sector address that is different than the first physical sector address so that the at least one block of information written to the first disc is mirrored at a different physical location on the second disc; wherein the controller includes means for mirroring at least one block of information that is written to the second disc at a third physical sector address on the first disc at a fourth physical sector address that is different than the third physical sector address so that the at least one block of information written to the second disc is mirrored at a different physical location on the first disc.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
119 words
The disc drive storage system of claim 13, wherein the at least one block of information written to the first disc includes a plurality of blocks of information written to the first disc at a first plurality of physical sector addresses, and wherein the controller includes means for mirroring each of the plurality of blocks of information written to the first disc at the first plurality of physical sector addresses on the second disc at a second plurality of physical sector addresses that is different than the first plurality of physical sector addresses so that each of the plurality of blocks of information written to the first disc is mirrored at a different physical location on the second disc.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
120 words
The disc drive storage system of claim 14, wherein the at least one block of information written to the second disc includes a plurality of blocks of information written to the second disc at a third plurality of physical sector addresses, and wherein the controller further includes means for mirroring each of the plurality of blocks of information written to the second disc at the third plurality of physical sector addresses on the first disc at a fourth plurality of physical sector addresses that is different than the third plurality of physical sector addresses so that each of the plurality of blocks of information written to the second disc is mirrored at a different physical location on the first disc.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
36 words
The disc drive storage system of claim 15, wherein the controller includes means for forming each of the first, second, third and fourth plurality of physical sector addresses as a contiguous set of physical sector addresses.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
307 words
The disc drive storage system of claim 16, wherein the first plurality of physical sector addresses defines a first region on the surface of the first disc; wherein the third plurality of physical sector addresses defines a first region on the surface of the second disc; wherein the controller includes means for mirroring each of the plurality of blocks of information that is written to the first disc at the first plurality of physical sector addresses on the second disc at a second region on the surface of the second disc, the first region on the first disc including at least one track that is disposed closer to an outer edge of the first disc than any of the tracks in the second region on the second disc is disposed to an outer edge of the second disc; and wherein the controller include means for mirroring each of the plurality of blocks of information that is written to the second disc at the third plurality of physical sector addresses on the first disc at a second region on the surface of the first disc, the first region on the second disc including at least one track that is disposed closer to the outer edge of the second disc than any of the tracks in the second region of the first disc is disposed to the outer edge of the first disc, the first region on the second disc further including at least one track that is disposed closer to the outer edge of the second disc than any of the tracks in the second region of the second disc, the first region on the first disc further including at least one track that is disposed closer to the outer edge of the first disc than any of the tracks in the second region of the first disc.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
336 words
A disc drive storage system, comprising: a plurality of disc drives that each includes at least one disc, the plurality of disc drives including a first disc drive including a first disc and a second disc drive including a second disc, each of the discs having a surface including a plurality of information tracks, each of the tracks including a plurality of sectors, each sector for storing a block of information, each sector having a physical sector address that identifies a physical location of the sector on the surface of the disc; and a controller that mirrors at least one block of information, that is written to the first disc at a first physical sector address, on the second disc at a second physical sector address that is different than the first physical sector address so that the at least one block of information written to the first disc is mirrored at a different physical location on the second disc; wherein the at least one block of information written to the first disc includes a plurality of blocks of information written to the first disc at a first plurality of physical sector addresses; wherein the controller includes means for mirroring each of the plurality of blocks of information written to the first disc at the first plurality of physical sector addresses on the second disc at a second plurality of physical sector addresses that is different than the first plurality of physical sector addresses so that each of the plurality of blocks of information written to the first disc is mirrored at a different physical location on the second disc; and wherein the controller further includes means for mirroring a plurality of blocks of information written to the second disc at the first plurality of physical sector addresses on the first disc at the second plurality of physical sector addresses so that each of the plurality of blocks of information written to the second disc is mirrored at a different physical location on the first disc.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
336 words
A disc drive storage system, comprising: a plurality of disc drives that each includes at least one disc, the plurality of disc drives including a first disc drive including a first disc and a second disc drive including a second disc, each of the discs having a surface including a plurality of information tracks, each of the tracks including a plurality of sectors, each sector for storing a block of information, each sector having a physical sector address that identifies a physical location of the sector on the surface of the disc; and a controller that mirrors at least one block of information, that is written to the first disc at a first physical sector address, on the second disc at a second physical sector address that is different than the first physical sector address so that the at least one block of information written to the first disc is mirrored at a different physical location on the second disc; wherein the at least one block of information written to the first disc includes a plurality of blocks of information written to the first disc at a first plurality of physical sector addresses; wherein the controller includes means for mirroring each of the plurality of blocks of information written to the first disc at the first plurality of physical sector addresses on the second disc at a second plurality of physical sector addresses that is different than the first plurality of physical sector addresses so that each of the plurality of blocks of information written to the first disc is mirrored at a different physical location on the second disc; and wherein the controller further includes means for mirroring a plurality of blocks of information written to the second disc at the first plurality of physical sector addresses on the first disc at the second plurality of physical sector addresses so that each of the plurality of blocks of information written to the second disc is mirrored at a different physical location on the first disc.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
34 words
The disc drive storage system of claim 18, wherein the controller includes means for forming each of the first and second plurality of physical sector addresses as a contiguous set of physical sector addresses.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
300 words
The disc drive storage system of claim 19, wherein the first plurality of physical sector addresses defines a first region on the surface of the first disc and a corresponding first region on the surface of the second disc; wherein the controller includes means for mirroring each of the plurality of blocks of information that is written to the first disc at the first plurality of physical sector addresses on the second disc at a second region on the surface of the second disc, the first region on the first disc including at least one track that is disposed closer to an outer edge of the first disc than any of the tracks in the second region of the second disc is disposed to an outer edge of the second disc; and wherein the controller includes means for mirroring each of the plurality of blocks of information that is written to the second disc at the first plurality of physical sector addresses on the first disc at a second region on the surface of the first disc, the first region on the second disc including at least one track that is disposed closer to the outer edge of the second disc than any of the tracks in the second region of the first disc is disposed to the outer edge of the first disc, the first region on the second disc further including at least one track that is disposed closer to the outer edge of the second disc than any of the tracks in the second region of the second disc, the first region on the first disc further including at least one track that is disposed closer to the outer edge of the first disc than any of the tracks in the second region of the first disc.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
262 words
A method of managing a disc drive storage system in a computer system that includes a data processing system and the disc drive storage system to store information written from the data processing system, the disc drive storage system including a plurality of disc drives that includes at least M disc drives, each of the plurality of disc drives including at least one disc so that the system includes at least M discs corresponding to the M disc drives, the disc drive storage system storing a logical volume including a plurality of blocks of information, each of the M discs storing at least N of the plurality of blocks of information of the logical volume, the method comprising the steps of: (A) identifying a temporary need for increased performance in accessing at least one of the plurality of blocks of information in the logical volume; (B) mirroring the at least one of the plurality of blocks of the logical volume on an additional disc drive without altering an arrangement of the plurality of blocks of the logical volume stored in the M disc drives; and (C) performing at least two read operations of the at least one of the plurality of blocks of the logical volume in parallel from the additional disc drive and at least one of the M disc drives; wherein the step (B) is implemented within the disc drive storage system so that the disc drive storage system controls writing of the at least one of the plurality of blocks of the logical volume to the additional disc drive.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
262 words
A method of managing a disc drive storage system in a computer system that includes a data processing system and the disc drive storage system to store information written from the data processing system, the disc drive storage system including a plurality of disc drives that includes at least M disc drives, each of the plurality of disc drives including at least one disc so that the system includes at least M discs corresponding to the M disc drives, the disc drive storage system storing a logical volume including a plurality of blocks of information, each of the M discs storing at least N of the plurality of blocks of information of the logical volume, the method comprising the steps of: (A) identifying a temporary need for increased performance in accessing at least one of the plurality of blocks of information in the logical volume; (B) mirroring the at least one of the plurality of blocks of the logical volume on an additional disc drive without altering an arrangement of the plurality of blocks of the logical volume stored in the M disc drives; and (C) performing at least two read operations of the at least one of the plurality of blocks of the logical volume in parallel from the additional disc drive and at least one of the M disc drives; wherein the step (B) is implemented within the disc drive storage system so that the disc drive storage system controls writing of the at least one of the plurality of blocks of the logical volume to the additional disc drive.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 21, further including a step of discontinuing mirroring of the at least one of the plurality of blocks of the logical volume on the additional disc when the temporary need for increased performance has ended.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 21, wherein the logical volume includes N blocks of information so that each of the M disc drives stores a full copy of the logical volume, and wherein step (B) includes a step of mirroring less than the entire logical volume on the additional disc drive.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 23, wherein the step (A) is implemented within the disc drive storage system so that the disc drive storage system identifies the temporary need for increased performance.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 23, wherein the step (B) includes a step of mirroring the at least one of the plurality of blocks of the logical volume on an additional disc drive that includes a fixed storage medium.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 21, wherein the step (A) is implemented within the disc drive storage system so that the disc drive storage system identifies the temporary need for increased performance.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 26, wherein the step (B) includes a step of mirroring the at least one of the plurality of blocks of the logical volume on an additional disc drive that includes a fixed storage medium.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 26, wherein each of the at least M disc drives includes a fixed storage medium, and wherein the step (B) includes a step of mirroring the at least one of the plurality of blocks of the logical volume on an additional disc drive that includes a fixed storage medium.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 21, wherein the step (B) includes a step of mirroring the at least one of the plurality of blocks of the logical volume on an additional disc drive that includes a fixed storage medium.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 21, wherein each of the at least M disc drives includes a fixed storage medium, and wherein the step (B) includes a step of mirroring the at least one of the plurality of blocks of the logical volume on an additional disc drive that includes a fixed storage medium.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
225 words
A disc drive storage system for use in a computer system including the disc drive storage system and a data processing system, the disc drive storage system to store date written by the data processing system, the disc drive storage system comprising: a plurality of disc drives that includes at least M disc drives, each of the plurality of disc drives including at least one disc so that the disc drive storage system includes at least M discs corresponding to the M disc drives, the M disc drives storing a logical volume including a plurality of blocks of information, each of the M discs storing at least N of the plurality of blocks of information of the logical volume; and a controller that, in response to identification of a temporary need for increased performance in accessing at least one of the plurality of blocks of information in the logical volume, mirrors the at least one of the plurality of blocks of the logical volume on an additional disc drive without altering an arrangement of the plurality of blocks of the logical volume stored in the M disc drives, and performs at least two read operations of the at least one of the plurality of blocks of the logical volume in parallel from the additional disc drive and at least one of the M disc drives.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
225 words
A disc drive storage system for use in a computer system including the disc drive storage system and a data processing system, the disc drive storage system to store date written by the data processing system, the disc drive storage system comprising: a plurality of disc drives that includes at least M disc drives, each of the plurality of disc drives including at least one disc so that the disc drive storage system includes at least M discs corresponding to the M disc drives, the M disc drives storing a logical volume including a plurality of blocks of information, each of the M discs storing at least N of the plurality of blocks of information of the logical volume; and a controller that, in response to identification of a temporary need for increased performance in accessing at least one of the plurality of blocks of information in the logical volume, mirrors the at least one of the plurality of blocks of the logical volume on an additional disc drive without altering an arrangement of the plurality of blocks of the logical volume stored in the M disc drives, and performs at least two read operations of the at least one of the plurality of blocks of the logical volume in parallel from the additional disc drive and at least one of the M disc drives.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
43 words
The disc drive storage system of claim 31, wherein the controller includes means for discontinuing mirroring of the at least one of the plurality of blocks of the logical volume on the additional disc when the temporary need for increased performance has ended.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
18 words
The disc drive storage system of claim 32, wherein the additional disc drive includes a fixed storage medium.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
18 words
The disc drive storage system of claim 32, wherein the controller identifies the temporary need for increased performance.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
52 words
The disc drive storage system of claim 31, wherein the logical volume includes N blocks of information so that each of the M disc drives stores a full copy of the logical volume, and wherein the controller includes means for mirroring less than the entire logical volume on the additional disc drive.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
18 words
The disc drive storage system of claim 35, wherein the additional disc drive includes a fixed storage medium.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
18 words
The disc drive storage system of claim 35, wherein the controller identifies the temporary need for increased performance.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
50 words
The disc drive storage system of claim 31, wherein the controller includes means for performing at least three read operations of the at least one of the plurality of blocks of the logical volume in parallel from the additional disc drive and at least two of the M disc drives.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
18 words
The disc drive storage system of claim 38, wherein the additional disc drive includes a fixed storage medium.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
18 words
The disc drive storage system of claim 39, wherein the controller identifies the temporary need for increased performance.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
18 words
The disc drive storage system of claim 31, wherein the additional disc drive includes a fixed storage medium.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
22 words
The disc drive storage system of claim 31, wherein each of the at least M disc drives includes a fixed storage medium.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
18 words
The disc drive storage system of claim 31, wherein the controller identifies the temporary need for increased performance.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
18 words
The disc drive storage system of claim 43, wherein the controller identifies the temporary need for increased performance.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5511177A
Cited
US5724539A
Cited
US5636356A
Cited
US5724552A
Cited
US5584018A
Cited
US5611069A
Cited
US5828820A
Cited
US5819310A
Cited
US5901327A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-11-21 | 2004-05-22 | 2004-11-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-11-21 | 2008-05-22 | 2008-11-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-11-21 | 2012-05-22 | 2012-11-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |