Digital Equipment Corporation

Broadcom Corporation

Adaptec, Inc.

Raidcore, Inc.

Broadcom Company

Eric S Noya

Randy M Arnott

Jeffrey T Wong

Chris Robert Franklin

Mitchell N Rosich

Richard Napolitano

Paul Richard Shaughnessy

Stanley Luke

Timothy Lee Hoskins

Bryan K Panner

Alexander C McLeod

Chester Juzsczak

Herbert W Silverman

Patrick R Bashford

Donald N Allingham

Angela E Overman

Ralph F Ware, Jr

Paul S Grist

A method, system and computer program product for a generic data storage interface for local and remote networked storage is provided. It comprises providing a data storage interface accessible by an operating system, transmitting data from an application running on the operating system to the data storage interface and selectively storing the data using the same data storage interface in either a local or a remote networked storage location. Firmware for the common data storage interface assigns a unique identifier that classifies an I/O request as a local or remote networked I/O request and adds the I/O request to a common stack for local and remote networked data storage elements. When an I/O request is removed from the stack, the unique identifier is used to identify the I/O request as a local or remote networked I/O request. Local I/O requests are executed via a local bus such as PCI, or SCSI. Remote networked I/O requests require a connection to one or more remote networked storage elements via a network. Memory space in a cache may be allocated for both local or remote networked I/O requests. DMA transfer may be employed for both local and remote networked I/O requests. Both local and remote networked I/O requests are executed using the same firmware and the same data interface.

Combined local and network storage interface

A method and system for copying operating system information to said at least two storage devices, selectively hiding at least one, but not all, of the storage devices from being accessed by the operating system, and selectively revealing one or more of said hidden storage devices as needed to permit access to the information stored therein.

Method and system for backing up and restoring online system information

Self-generated automated tests can use a pseudo-random number generator to select one or more arguments that are passed to programs and scripts. The random arguments are driven by a configuration file where the limits for the parameters are defined. Multidimensional functions with multidimensional parameters can be tested. Test duration can be limited by time, number of iterations, or by any of the multidimensional functions or parameters. A pseudo-random seed for each test is recorded so that a test case can be reproduced if a failure is detected or otherwise.

Self-generated test automation

Method and computer program product for backing up and restoring online system information

A finite state machine (FSM) for a redundant array of independent disk includes a single process context that maintains an entire finite state required for input/output operations performed in a RAID system. The finite state is only updated in response to calls and call-backs. The call-backs can include procedure returns and interrupt signals. The call is received directly from an application program, and the call-backs are received from a driver and passed back directly to the application software by the finite state machine.

Finite state machine with a single process context for a RAID system

A method and system enables data redundancy across servers, networks, and controllers by using standard redundant files as underlying storage for RAID subsystem configurations. A redundant array of independent disk (RAID) subsystem includes a front-end interface configured to process non-redundant requests received from a primary file system communicating with an application program. A back-end interface of the RAID subsystem is configured to process redundant requests corresponding to the non-redundant requests. The redundant requests to be issued to a secondary file system communicates with a block mode device including multiple physical storage devices.

File mode RAID subsystem

A configurable RAID subsystem includes a user data array connected to a user application via a block I/O path, and a configuration array connected to a configuration application via the same block I/O path. The user data array processes user data access commands executed by the user application; and the configuration application processes configuration commands, the user data access commands and the configuration commands communicated to the user data array and the configuration array respectively, via the block I/O path. A dynamic identification is assigned to the user data array by the configuration array, and a static identification is assigned to the configuration array.

Method and system for configuring RAID subsystems with block I/O commands and block I/O path

The present invention provides a RAID controller coupled to a host computer system through a primary PCI bus. The RAID controller includes a PCI application bridge, a RAID processor and chipset, and an expansion ROM. The PCI application bridge is coupled to interface data and command transfers between the primary PCI bus and a secondary PCI bus. The RAID processor and chipset is coupled to said secondary PCI bus for controlling access to said one or more RAID arrays. The expansion ROM is configured to store device specific codes and BIOS codes for initializing said RAID controller and said host computer system for boot-up. For initializing said RAID controller, the said RAID processor and chipset accesses said device specific codes in said expansion ROM. The RAID processor and chipset provides a first address corresponding to said BIOS codes in said expansion ROM to said PCI bus application bridge. The PCI application bridge translates a host address from said host computer system using said first address to access said BIOS codes for initializing said host computer system.

Intelligent expansion ROM sharing bus subsystem

A system and method for detecting unchanged parity in a random data block write operation to a disk array, and for acting upon such detection is provided. A direct memory access and exclusive-OR (DMA/XOR) engine transfers data between the host processor, a cache memory and the disk array, which can be configured as a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) having a stripe storage block structure across multiple drives and separate parity blocks. The DMA/XOR engine reads the states of the original stored data block, the new data block to-be-written and the original parity, and performs XOR operations, combining the data to derive the data difference. If the data difference result is zero, indicating no data difference, then the write of new parity and new data to respective blocks is omitted, and/or other optimizing functions are performed.

System and method for detecting of unchanged parity data

A system and method for detecting block(s)of data transferred to a disk array from a host processor system, in which the block(s) have unique, identifiable values or patterns, is provided. A direct memory access (DMA) engine is resident on the bus structure between the host and the disk array, which can be configured as a redundant array of independent disks (RAID). A cache memory is also resident on the bus and is adapted to cache write data from the host under control of a cache manager prior to storage thereof in the disk array. The DMA engine is adapted to detect predetermined patterns of data as such data is transferred over the bus therethrough. Such data can include a series of consecutive zeroes or another repetitive pattern. Based upon predetermined criteria, the DMA instructs the cache manager that an identified repetitive pattern is being transferred, and the cache manager takes appropriate action to optimize the transaction in view of the specific repetitive nature of the block or blocks of data being detected.

System and method for detection of disk storage blocks containing unique values

A file array storage architecture comprises a file system that is distributed across a data processing platform consisting of a host computer coupled to an adapter over a high-speed, low latency interface and an input/output subsystem that is located entirely on the adapter. The distributed nature of the architecture enables implementation of the file system in accordance with a modified client-server computing model; that is, the architecture includes a client file system executing on the host computer and a server file system executing on the adapter.

File array storage architecture having file system distributed across a data processing platform

A file away storage architecture comprises a file system that is distributed across a data processing platform consisting of a host computer coupled to an adapter over a high-speed, low latency interface and an input/output subsystem that is located entirely on the adapter. The distributed nature of the architecture enables implementation of the file system in accordance with a modified client-server computing model; that is, the architecture includes a client file system executing on the host computer and a server file system executing on the adapter.

A data storage system includes a multi-tasking processor which manages a write cache to identify adjacent blocks held in the write cache which are to be included in a next write operation, while at the same time handling data transfer requests from a system host. The processor monitors the write cache and when the cache has fewer than a predetermined number of storage locations free, initiates a block-merge task. The processor then determines which block in the write cache is least recently used and, based on virtual block numbers assigned to the data blocks, identifies the blocks in the write cache which are adjacent to the least recently used block and are within the same chunk as that block. The processor maintains a list of these adjacent blocks and the locations in which the blocks are held in the write cache. Thereafter, when the cache has fewer than a lower predetermined number of adjacent blocks free, the processor transfers block identifiers and the addresses of the blocks in the write cache to the data storage device, which allows the data storage device to retrieve the data blocks from the write cache in the order in which they are to be stored on the storage device.

Growing community of inventors

Groton, MA, United States of America

Eric S Noya