Lsi Logic Corporation

Netapp, Inc.

Paul Ernest Soulier

Brad D Besmer

Stephen B Johnson

Bradley J Davis

Michael Darrell Kimminau

Joseph M Maloy

The present invention is directed to a method and system for efficient write journal entry management maintaining minimum write journal information stored in a nonvolatile memory through utilizing an additional structure in a fast volatile memory. The method and system may manage write journaling of a file volume including multiple fixed sized regions and assign a persistent 1-bit synchronization status (the write journal information) to each data region. In addition, a non-persistent I/O counter (the additional structure) for each region to manage the persistent 1-bit synchronization status during run-time. The present invention may provide a mechanism to determine when write I/O operations have not successfully completed to a specific region of the file volume.

Method and system for efficient write journal entry management for a distributed file system

Methods and associated structure for mapping of data stripes and stripes in a RAID levelE storage subsystem such that associated stripes of multiple physical stripes are physically contiguous. This mapping eliminates the need for duplicative reading (or writing) of stripes unrelated to the underlying I/O request performed to reduce the total number of I/O requests. This mapping also serves to limit the number of I/O requests required to read multiple stripes to the number of disk drives in the array and the number required to write multiple stripes and their corresponding mirrors to twice the number of disk drives in the array. The effects of this mapping therefore simplify RAID levelE management in RAID controller with constrained memory and processing resources.

Methods and structure for multi-drive mirroring in a resource constrained raid controller

A system for automatically migrating a portion of a collection of information located on source data carrier(s) into an assemblage of data carriers, having: a computer memory for pass-through of a first strip of the collection; the assemblage has at least a first storage medium to which at least a first sub-portion of the first strip is written from computer memory; and once the portion of the collection has been so migrated according to a predetermined structure, a remaining portion of the collection can be written to the source data carrier (to include the source data carrier in the assemblage), the remaining portion being ordered (crunched) in conformity with the predetermined structure.

Method of automatically migrating information from a source to an assemblage of structured data carriers and associated system and assemblage of data carriers

Methods of operation and systems for a standardized scatter/gather list processor component within DMACs and intelligent IOPs. The standardized circuit architecture and methods provide a register interface and associated processing capabilities to simplify firmware processing to save and restore context information regarding block transfer operations that are paused and resumed prior to completion. Furthermore, the invention provides for architecture and associated methods for processing of standard scatter/gather list elements by a standardized scatter/gather list processor embedded within DMACs and IOPs. Specifically, as applied in the context of SCSI or Fibre Channel IOPs, the scatter/gather list processor of the present invention simplifies IOP firmware processing to save the current block transfer context on occurrence of a SCSI disconnect and to restore the saved context on occurrence of a SCSI reselect.

Methods and structure for recursive scatter/gather lists

An enclosure module for accommodating a plurality of peripheral devices having: a computerized control unit in electrical communication with a user interface, a first and second bus with a bus expansion logic element therebetween that allows for operation of the buses as a single logical bus or as independent buses, termination circuitry for signal-appropriate bus termination, and a first and second plurality of connectors, each for electrical connection with one of the peripheral devices. The user interface to accept a first input (and can include a second, third, fourth, and so on, input) for optional manual configuration of a respective operational feature of the enclosure module, and if the input(s) is not registered, the feature can be automatically configured without the particular information provided by the input. The connectors can each have a multi-connect assembly for connection with a first, second, and third type connector. Also, an associated method of configuring a plurality of operational features, at least one of which can be done manually, of an enclosure module that can accommodate a plurality of peripheral devices having the steps of: providing a computerized control unit in electrical communication with a user interface, a first and second bus with a bus expansion logic element therebetween, termination circuitry for signal-appropriate bus termination, and a first and second plurality of connectors, each for electrical connection with a device; entering, through the user interface, a first input to manually configure at least one of the operational features; and if no such input is registered, automatically configuring the operational feature.

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Colorado Springs, CO, United States of America

Paul Ernest Soulier