Direct copying between disk blocks in memory onto a network as sequential access files

Abstract

In the multimedia network, in order to archive or play multimedia data for a production, a multitude of disk file blocks are retrieved from a multitude of files striped across a multitude of disk storage systems through a commutator to the input of an input/output unit. The disk file blocks are copied from the input into disk file blocks in a buffer of the memory of the unit. Then the unit creates a address-size list of data portions in the buffer for archiving the disk files of the production or for playing a multimedia data stream for the production. Then the unit executes a copy command given the address of the list which uses indirection for copying the specified portions of the buffer onto an output of the unit to store the data into an archival tape storage system or to play the production in a multimedia data stream. Also, using the above method, a production may be simultaneously archived and played by the same unit. In a related process, in order to restore the archived production or to record a multimedia data stream, the unit creates an address-size list for copying data from an input of the unit into portions of disk file blocks in a buffer in the memory of the unit. Then the unit executes a copy command given the address of the list which uses indirection for copying the data from the input of the unit into the specified portions of the buffer. Then the unit copies the disk file blocks onto an output through the commutator into disk files striped across a multitude of disk storage systems. Also, these two processes may be utilized in the same unit to simultaneously both restore a production from archival tape storage and to play the production as a multimedia data stream.