The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 22, 1996
Filed:
Nov. 04, 1993
Timothy W Gentry, Wichita, KS (US);
Gerald J Fredin, Wichita, KS (US);
Daniel A Riedl, Andover, KS (US);
AT&T Global Information Solutions Company, Dayton, OH (US);
Hyundai Electronics America, San Jose, CA (US);
Symbios Logic, Fort Collins, CO (US);
Abstract
A method for partitioning a disk array into logical storage units distinct from the physical storage units within the array. A set of individual drives within the array are partitioned into multiple partitions. Corresponding partitions from the individual drives are grouped together to form a logical unit which is addressed as, and functions as, an independent disk array. The partitions within the logical unit are addressed as, and function as, disk drives within the logical array. Thus, a single set of disk drives may be divided into two or more logical storage units, each functioning as an independent disk array, and each employing a different RAID level scheme for storing data. Alternatively, multiple sets of disk drives within the array can combined together into a logical storage unit which functions as a single set of drives. Corresponding drives from each set of drives are addressed as a single disk drive within the logical unit. Thus a logical unit is formed having twice or more the capacity of a single set of disk drives. Finally, The two logical disk arrays described above may be utilized together to organize a plurality of disk drives into several logical arrays, some formed from partitions of disk drives, some from combining groups of unpartitioned disk drives, and others formed from combining unpartitioned drives together with partitions of drives. Each logical array may employ a different scheme for storing data.