Digi-data Corporation

Topaz Systems, Inc.

Tomlinson G Rauscher

Paul Chronopoulos

Nikos Leoutsarakos

Raymond Duchesne

Geoffrey J Griffith

John London

Nathalie Benoit

Oliver Lan

A system and method for conducting an electronic signing ceremony is provided. The electronic signing ceremony may include a number of defined steps performed by one or more people on a number of documents in a predetermined order. An activity, such as providing a digital signature, may be associated with each document and/or page of each document. The electronic signing ceremony system and method consolidates and streamlines the process of originating, organizing, signing, verifying, storing, and retrieving multiple documents requiring multiple signatures from one or more people virtually anywhere and at any time.

Signing ceremony system and method

A RAID system which functions despite any single point of failure is disclosed. The system has two or more controllers, a multiplicity of direct access storage devices arranged in racks, redundant connectors throughout, and an independent backplane, cables, power supply, and cooling system for each controller and for each rack of direct access storage devices. In a second embodiment, no backplane or midplane is included in the RAID system; rather each controller is connected directly with the direct access storage devices.

Raid system with multiple controllers and proof against any single point of failure

The RAID system of this invention is able to function with undiminished capacity despite the failure of any one DASD, connector, or storage array controller. A signal is produced when any component fails, thereby alerting the operator of the need to replace the failed component. The reliability of this RAID system is achieved by using two connectors for each connection, by using a spare DASD for each channel of DASD, and by providing a passive storage array controller able to assume the identify of and take over the control of the DASD controlled by a failed storage array controller. This is a reliable, inexpensive system for achieving unprecedented reliability in the storage and delivery of data.

RAID system having channel capacity unaffected by any single component failure

The RAID system disclosed here uses arbitrated fiber channels or switch fabric to connect multiple host computers and storage array controllers (SAC). Each SAC is designated a primary SAC for an array of storage units, which it normally serves as controller, and as a secondary SAC for another array of storage units. A primary SAC, secondary SAC, and array of storage units is termed a storage unit set. When the primary SAC or associated host computer fails, the failure is detected by an interface chip, which causes the secondary SAC to assume the identify of the primary controller. Using system configuration information from the DASDs, the secondary SAC then controls the storage units of the storage unit set along with the storage units of which it is primary SAC. With this configuration, there is no need for switch apparatus between the storage arrays and there is no interference because dual ported storage units are used.

Growing community of inventors

Ellicott City, MD, United States of America

Tomlinson G Rauscher