Xiotech Corporation

Todd R Burkey

David Scott Ebsen

Steven M Howe

Fumin Zhang

Randal Rysavy

A method and system for data storage provides a digital fast-write storage device, a plurality of digital slow-write storage devices, and a controller. The digital fast-write storage device might be a solid state drive. The digital slow-write storage devices might be conventional rotational media drives. Typically, read operations are directed to the fast-write storage device. The slow-write storage devices provide redundancy by mirroring the contents of the high-speed storage device. Data on the slow-write storage devices is organized in stripes, allowing data to be written in parallel. The number of slow-write storage devices can be chosen to compensate for the speed differential on write operations. In some embodiments, the controller will represent the storage system as a virtual disk drive.

Compensating for write speed differences between mirroring storage devices by striping

A method, apparatus and program storage device for providing geographically isolated failover using instant RAID swapping in mirrored virtual disks are disclosed. The closed loop control mechanism provides not only continuous self-tuning to the storage system, but also allows the system to perform the initial configuration better.

Method, apparatus and program storage device for providing geographically isolated failover using instant RAID swapping in mirrored virtual disks

A method, apparatus and program storage device for providing virtual disk service hints based storage. Virtual disk service hints are provided. The virtual disk service hints are analyzed to determine a configuration model to implement. The storage system is then configured according to the configuration model identified using the virtual disk service hint.

Method, apparatus and program storage device for providing virtual disk service (VDS) hints based storage

A method of upgrading firmware during background operation in a storage area network (SAN) including at least one storage controller having programmable memory and RAM, where the at least one storage controller for controls data access between at least one host server and at least one storage device. The method includes temporarily suspending data access commands from the at least one host server, upgrading firmware stored in programmable memory, and copying a current version of firmware in a first memory address of RAM to a second memory address in the RAM. The current version of firmware in the first memory address in RAM is overwritten with the upgraded version of firmware. The controller is reinitialized, and data access commands from the at least one host server to the at least one storage device are provided by the at least one storage controller.

Method for updating memory resident firmware as a background operation

A method and apparatus for reinitializing firmware in the event of a fault in a storage area network comprising at least one storage controller having programmable memory and RAM, said at least one storage controller for controlling data access between at least one host server and a storage device. The method is provided during background operations, and includes detecting a fault and suspending data access commands from the at least one host server. The firmware stored in programmable memory is reinstalled, and the at least one storage controller is reinitialized. The reinstallation of the firmware and reinitializing of the controller is quickly completed such that data access commands from the at least one host server to the at least one storage device are satisfied prior to the host server timing out and initiation a data access error message.

Method and apparatus for recovering from a non-fatal fault during background operations

A method and apparatus for mirroring data stored in a storage device in a mass storage system by caching mirror coherency synchronization operation requests (break mirror and/or snapshot) from the operating system of a server and rapidly sending an acknowledgement to the server that the mirror operation has been completed. Thereafter, the mass storage system performs the flushing and mirroring processes to establish a mirror of the storage device at a time that is appropriate and convenient for the mass storage system to perform such mirroring. To facilitate such a mirror operation at a later time, the mass storage system may utilize a mirror table containing information concerning the mirror request. This information enables the mass storage system to subsequently flush the cache of data that is pertinent to a time before the mirror request occurred. Consequently, the mirror operation only mirrors data that would have been available for mirroring at the time the mirror request was received from the server. In this manner, the servers are not halted to facilitate mirroring and the mass storage system may mirror the storage device at a convenient time.

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Savage, MN, United States of America

Todd R Burkey