Hewlett-packard Development Company, L.p.

Seagate Technology Incorporated

Digital Equipment Corporation

Compaq Computer Corporation, Inc.

Formulus Black Corporation

Hewlett-packard Development, L.p.

Xiotech Corporation

Stephen J Sicola

Susan Gaye Elkington

Clark Edward Lubbers

Anuja Korgaonkar

James Francis McCarty

Randy Hess

Jason Leveille

Michael D Walker

Richard Franklin Lary

Bruce A Sardeson

James Edwin Pherson

Bill A Pagano

Dennis Spicher

Roger Oakey

Jesse L Yandell

Robert A Ellis

James Perry Jackson

William Pagano

Ronald H McLean

Bruce Roberts

Wayne H Umland

Randal S Marks

William K Miller

Paul D Guttormson

Theodore E Bruning, Iii

Julia A Hodges

Gerald L Golden

Ryan J Johnson

Bert Martens

Karen E Workman

Randy L Roberson

Andrei Khurshudov

David Peter DeCenzo

Diana Shen

Thomas F Fava

Wayne Umland

Frank M Nemeth

Allen Kelton

Charles M Sander

Clay T Wade

Seyedamin Rooholamin

Boyu Ni

Mark J Conrad

Richard Bruce Roberts

Yin Zhang

Gautham Reddy Kunta

Mark Shepp

Randolph Scott Crupper

Mike Hare

Brian Schow

Michael J Hare

Nafees Ahmed Abdul

Yaojie Lu

Some embodiments described herein are directed to memory page or bad block monitoring and retirement algorithms, systems and methods for random access memory (RAM). Reliability issues or errors can be detected for multiple memory pages using one or more retirement criterion. In some embodiments, when reliability errors are detected, it may be desired to remove such pages from operation before they create a more serious problem, such as a computer crash. Thus, bad block retirement and replacement mechanisms are described herein.

Systems and methods for memory failure prevention, management, and mitigation

In some embodiments, systems, methods, and devices disclosed herein are directed to RAM-based computer systems, methods, and devices that offer improved performance over conventional computer systems. In some embodiments, the RAM-based computer systems, devices, and methods described herein can function without reliance on conventional storage devices and thus are not subject to the bottleneck in processing speed associated with conventional storage devices. Rather, in some embodiments, the RAM-based computer systems, devices, and methods described herein include and/or utilize a processor and RAM, wherein the RAM is used for mass data storage, without reliance on a conventional hard drive, solid state drive, or any other peripheral storage device.

Random access memory (RAM)-based computer systems, devices, and methods

Apparatus and method for aggregating storage elements. In accordance with various embodiments, a virtual storage space is formed across a plurality of storage elements each comprising an array of data storage devices. A virtual controller comprises a first storage element aggregator (SEA) configured to issue a first command to a selected storage element in response to receipt by the first SEA of a first host command. The virtual controller further comprises a second SEA configured to concurrently issue a second command to the selected storage element in response to receipt by the second SEA of a second host command.

Aggregating storage elements using a virtual controller

Apparatus and method for arranging a virtual storage space with a cyclical wrapping grid function. The virtual storage space is formed from a physical memory and comprises a plurality of larger grains of selected storage capacity, each divided into a power of two number of smaller grains. Each of the larger grains are distributed across a non-power of two number of storage elements so that each of the storage elements receives the same number of smaller grains.

Virtual storage space with cyclical wrapping grid function

Apparatus and associated methodology involving use of a multiple-core processor. A reserved hard allocation of resources partition (HARP) dedicates physical resources for operably supporting a first processing function. The dedicated resources of the reserved HARP include a reserved physical memory that is sized in relation to data processing requirements of the first processing function. The dedicated resources of the first HARP also include a command buffer residing in the reserved physical memory. The dedicated resources of the first HARP also include a reserved physical core of the multiple core processor. The apparatus also includes a second HARP having resources that are used for operably supporting a different second processing function. The second HARP resources operably put transaction requests from the second processing function to the command buffer in the first HARP.

Hard allocation of resources partitioning

A method for communicating between devices in a network includes creating an I/O tunnel between a first device and a second device through the network. The I/O tunnel is associated with I/O resources in both the first device and the second device, and wherein at least one of the I/O resources comprises a buffer resource. A data transfer operation may be sent between the first device and the second device by consuming at least some of the I/O resources associated with the I/O tunnel. A plurality of commands or a plurality of responses can be aggregated into a single buffer resource. Upon completion of the data transfer operation, the I/O resources that are consumed are automatically renewed.

Data transfer protocol for data replication between multiple pairs of storage controllers on a SAN fabric

Disclosed is a storage system and method that provides multi-path bus and component interconnection and isolation in a data storage system. A plurality of data storage devices in a removable assembly are connected to a fabric that is configurable to connect some or all of the data storage devices (or 'drives') to a drive controller and configurable to isolate one or more data storage devices from the drive controller. Multiple controllers, fabrics, and interconnecting buses may be employed to provide redundancy in the event of a connector, bus, or controller failure. Computer program code operating in a host, interface controller, and/or drive controller configures the fabric to isolate failed devices and may be employed to optimize data transfer rates. Data storage devices may be multi-ported. The fabric may comprise any device or devices capable of configurably interconnecting data storage devices to one or more controllers and may comprise multiplexers, cross point switches, port bypass controllers. Fabrics may also provide translation or conversion of one bus or interface format to another format.

Multipath redundant storage system architecture and method

An apparatus and associated method is provided with a virtualization engine connected to a remote device over a network for passing access commands between the remote device and a storage space. The data storage system also has a plurality of intelligent storage elements that are uniquely addressable by the virtualization engine for passing the access commands, wherein the intelligent storage elements are configured for migrating data from a first intelligent storage element to a second intelligent storage element independently of access commands being simultaneously passed between the virtualization engine and the first intelligent storage element.

Distributed storage system with global sparing

A data storage system apparatus and associated method with a virtualization engine connectable to a remote device over a network for passing access commands between the remote device and a storage space. A plurality of intelligent storage elements (ISEs) are configured for replicating data from a first ISE to a second ISE independently of access commands being simultaneously passed between the virtualization engine and the first ISE.

Distributed storage system with global replication

A data storage apparatus and associated method is provided wherein a software system is resident in a memory space and is configured to encode data retrieved from a first number of logical units into a single channel in order to store the data in a second number of logical units.

Distributed storage system with accelerated striping

A system for communicating between two devices in a network in which a semi-persistent tunnel is established between the two devices in advance of data communication. The semi-persistent tunnel includes resources that are pre-allocated in a first device at a first end of the communication link by a second device at the second end of the communication link. The first and second devices implement a plurality of processes for handling data transfer operations. Preferably, the semi-persistent tunnel also includes resources that are pre-allocated in a device at the second end of the communication link by the device at the first end of the communication link to allow bi-directional communication. Data transfer operations transmitted through the tunnel include an identification of specific resources of the pre-allocated resources that are to handle the data transfer operation. Data transfer operations also include a vector identifying a particular process among the plurality of processes that implement the data transfer operation.

Data transfer protocol for data replication between multiple pairs of storage controllers on a san fabric

A data storage system adapted to maintain redundant data storage sets at a destination location(s) is disclosed. The data storage system establishes a copy set comprising a source volume and a destination volume. Data written to a source volume is automatically copied to the destination volume. The data storage system maintains a data log that may be activated when the destination volume is inaccessible due to, for example, a malfunction in the destination storage system or in the communication link between the source system and the destination system. I/O commands and the data associated with those commands are written to the data log, and after a destination system becomes available the information in the data log is merged into the destination volume to conform the data in the destination volume to the data in the source volume. The data log competes for disk capacity with other volumes on the system, and log memory is allocated as needed. In operation, the array controllers monitor connection status between array controllers in a DRM group. When a connection failure is detected the controllers determine which of the remaining controllers determine whether the source controller remains online, and if not then which destination controller should assume the role of the source controller.

Automatic site failover

A system in which data operations for a data replication group are received in-order, and buffered. When the operations are complete, they are stored in a non-volatile memory atomically with a group sequence number. The cache is preferably mirrored. This creates a persistent association between the data operation and the sequence number. After the atomic store is performed in at least one non-volatile cache, the data operation is propagated to another member of the data replication group along with the group sequence number. In the other member, the data operation is cached at least once in a non-volatile cache atomically with the group sequence number. In this manner, the set of group sequence numbers for a plurality of operations forms a continuous ordering of the data operations.

System and method for maintaining order for a replicated multi-unit I/O stream

A very large virtual volume (e.g., in excess of 500 GB) is formed by distributing the disks in eleven, six-disk RAID-5 sets across the six busses of a primary local back-end controller. A spare disk is provided on each of the six busses. Each RAID-5 set is protected from the failure of a single disk by the spare disks on the busses, which can use the parity data stored in a RAID-5 set to rebuild the data stored on a failing disk and thereby restore redundancy to the RAID-5 set. Each RAID-5 set is also protected from the failure of a bus by the parity inherent in RAID-5. The RAID-5 sets are striped by a front-end controller connected to the primary local back-end controller, and the striped RAID-5 sets are presented to a host computer as a very large virtual volume. If the individual disks are 9.1 GB in size, the size of the very large virtual volume can reach 500.5 GB. If desired, additional groups of eleven, six-disk RAID-5 sets can be formed on additional back-end controllers for purposes of redundancy, cloning (which generates a copy of the data that can be used for off-line backup without interrupting read/write activities on the virtual volume), and disaster tolerance through remote storage. These additional groups of RAID-5 sets along with the RAID-5 sets from the primary local back-end controller, can be formed into mirror sets by the front-end controller, which then stripes the mirror sets and presents the striped mirror sets to the host computer as the very large virtual volume.

Apparatus and method for providing very large virtual storage volumes using redundant arrays of disks

Growing community of inventors

Palmer Lake, CO, United States of America

Stephen J Sicola