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:
Jul. 10, 2012
Filed:
Feb. 05, 2010
Toshiya Seki, Odawara, JP;
Eiju Katsuragi, Odawara, JP;
Takashi Sakaguchi, Odawara, JP;
Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A storage controller having a plurality of storage device and a control circuit providing a plurality of virtual volumes, to each of which a storage area in a plurality of pool volumes provided with the plurality of storage devices can be mapped for writing data in response to a write access sent from an information processing apparatus to a logical area in one of the plurality of virtual volumes, respectively. The control circuit, according to a search of the plurality of pool volumes for a certain storage area in which a certain data pattern is written, release the certain storage area from mapping to a logical area in the plurality of virtual volume, so that the control circuit can use the released certain storage area for mapping to a virtual volume of the plurality of virtual volume as a destination of another write access from the information processing apparatus.