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:
Feb. 20, 2001
Filed:
Jan. 05, 1998
Michael Wayne White, LaFayette, CO (US);
Patrick James Tomsula, Arvada, CO (US);
David Serls, Littleton, CO (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A method and system in accordance with the present invention provides additional addressable space on a disk for use by a host processor using a virtual data storage subsystem. The method and system includes defining at least one of a plurality of extended image devices on a disk and requesting an instant image to be addressed to an extended image device utilizing channel command words by a host processor. The method and system also includes reading the instant image utilizing commands, such as channel command words or common descriptor blocks, by the host processor. In a method and system in accordance with the present invention, a plurality of extended image devices are defined as extensions of a primary functional device. Data may be transferred between at least one of the plurality of extended images and the primary functional device, or between at least one of the plurality of extended image devices and another of the plurality of extended image devices. An advantage of a method and system in accordance with the present invention is the availability of additional addressable space which may be used by the host processor for accomplishing the subsystem's functions, such as the copying of track pointers. By extending the amount of addressable space, the host processor is alleviated from having to conduct a search for available space within a primary functional device whenever space on the device becomes scarce.