International Business Machines Corporation

Bruce A Woller

David Alan Burton

Noel Simen Otterness

Joseph Paul Hughes

An apparatus, system, and process are disclosed for maintaining data in an electronic storage array during multiple, concurrent drive failures. A first drive failure is recognized and the storage system controller subsequently enters a first operating mode. The storage system controller then recognizes a second drive failure and enters a second operating mode, which is different from the first operating mode, in response to the second drive failure. The second operating mode allows the storage system controller and a recovery module to access the data of the second failed drive in a controlled manner in order to attempt to recover the data on the first failed drive. Also, a pinned data module may allow write data to be written to a pinned data drive, instead of a failed drive, while the storage system controller is operating in the second operating mode.

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Boulder, CO, United States of America

Bruce A Woller