Adaptec, Inc.

Yafu J Ding

Chang-Tying Wu

Eric Cheng

Tony G Kwan

Guido Maffezzoni

Michael M Goshey

David A Coleman

Gilbert Chang-Tying Wu

Robert S Hudson

An invention is disclosed for a segregated user interface for parameter configuration in a multi-path failover system. The segregated user interface includes a user interface module capable of receiving configuration parameters for the multi-path failover system from a user. Further included is an object module that is capable of receiving the configuration parameters from the user interface module. The object module provides functionality and can detect the current controller status of controllers and the current device status of devices. In addition, the object module is capable of configuring a failover driver using the configuration parameters received from the user interface module.

Methods and apparatus for a segregated interface for parameter configuration in multi-path failover system

Method and apparatus for a segregated interface for parameter configuration in a multi-path failover system

An invention is disclosed for intelligent load balancing in a mult-path computer system. Initially, an input/output (I/O) request to access the computer I/O device is intercepted. Then, to properly balance data path traffic, the number of I/O requests that have been sent along each data path of a plurality of data paths providing access to the computer I/O device is detected, and a failure probability is calculated for each data path paths based on the number of I/O requests that have been sent along each data path. A data path is then selected that has a failure probability lower than the failure probability of other data paths of the plurality of data paths and the computer I/O device is accessed using the selected data path.

Intelligent load balancing for a multi-path storage system

A invention is disclosed that provides intelligent failover in a multi-path computer system. Initially, a plurality of data paths to a computer input/output (I/O) device is provided, wherein the plurality of data paths to the computer I/O device are represented as a single logical computer I/O device. Then, during operation, an I/O request to access the computer I/O device is intercepted. A data path from the plurality of data paths to the computer I/O device is then selected, and the computer I/O device is accessed using the selected data path.

Method and apparatus for intelligent failover in a multi-path system

Disclosed is a system for establishing a communication link between a client computer and a peripheral device that is remotely networked to the client computer. The system includes a translation adapter that is networked with the client computer through a first network adapter of the translation adapter. The translation adapter includes a SCSI controller that connects to the peripheral device. The system also includes a SCSI-to-TCP/IP driver that is loaded on the client computer and is configured to detect when the translation adapter is networked to the client computer, and is further configured to generate a TCP/IP packet. In addition, the system includes a second network adapter that is connected to the client computer and configured to receive the TCP/IP packet that is generated by the SCSI-to-TCP/IP driver. The second network adapter is further configured to transmit the TCP/IP packet to the first network adapter of the translation adapter, and the translation adapter is configured to translate the TCP/IP packet into a SCSI command that is communicated to the peripheral device that is connected to the translation adapter.

System for sharing peripheral devices over a network and method for implementing the same

A method for managing a secondary storage device connected to a computer system having a primary storage device includes hooking a partition session selector device driver in a layered drive structure. An application programming interface call to obtain information related to storage devices connected to the computer system is then performed. The application programming interface call is trapped and the partition session selector device driver is communicated with directly via an interface call to manage a user accessible representation of the primary and secondary storage devices. The interface call communicating with the partition session selector device driver may obtain information related to the secondary storage device, and the method may further include the operation of obtaining information related to storage devices connected to the computer system from a system registry to compile a complete set of data relating to the physical and logical representations of the primary and secondary storage devices. A computer readable media for managing a secondary storage device connected to a computer system having a primary storage device also is described.

Method for managing primary and secondary storage devices in an intelligent backup and restoring system

A method and computer readable media having program instructions for preparing a storage media are provided. The method includes partitioning a selected storage media into two or more partitions. Once partitioned, a kernel mode driver interface is called in order to create a logical device control block (DCB) on-the-fly for each of the two or more partitions. The method the follows to formatting each of the two or more partitions. The method includes identifying partitions that have not been previously formatted, associating the created logical DCBs with physical device control block information of the identified partitions, assigning drive letters to the identified partitions, and associating the drive letters with the physical device control block information. The drive preparation is configured to be performed without having to reboot the computer system driving the preparation after the partitioning or after the formatting. The user preparing the storage media can therefore immediately begin using and saving data to the newly prepared drive.

Method and apparatus for partitioning and formatting a storage media without rebooting by creating a logical device control block (DCB) on-the-fly

Methods for selecting a boot partition from a single drive of a computer are disclosed. In one example, a method includes receiving a boot request and accessing a signature sector of the single drive to ascertain a first serial number for a first boot partition and a second serial number for a second boot partition. The method then proceeds to scanning the single drive to identify the first boot partition using the first serial number and identify the second boot partition using the second serial number. A selection window requesting user selection of either the first boot partition or the second boot partition is then generated. The method then proceeds to modifying a boot flag of the single drive in response to the user selection, and the modifying of the boot flag is configured to identify one of the first boot partition and the second boot partition as a partition containing an operating system for booting the computer. In accordance with this example, the method further includes hiding a non-selected partition.

Methods for selecting a boot partition and hiding a non-selected partition

A system for enabling booting to a desired drive of a computer system having a floppy drive, an IDE/EIDE storage drive, and a SCSI storage drive. The system includes a floppy disk that is configured to be inserted into the floppy drive. The floppy disk contains a media containing program instructions that are configured to be executed upon initiating a system BIOS of the computer system. The execution of the program instructions includes executing a boot code stored on the media of the floppy disk. The boot code is configured to scan a number of PCI buses of the computer system to identify host adapters that are connected to respective ones of the number of PCI buses. Further, the system includes executing a BIOS code for each of the host adapters which causes an assignment of drive numbers to devices connected to the host adapters and the computer system. Then, swapping the assignment of drive numbers such that the desired drive is assigned a drive number 80h. The master boot record (MBR) of the desired drive will then be accessed upon an INT 13 call, which causes the completion of the boot process that enables an operating system (OS) stored in the desired drive.

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Milpitas, CA, United States of America

Yafu J Ding