×

Dynamically scalable disk array

  • US 20020191311A1
  • Filed: 01/29/2002
  • Published: 12/19/2002
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2001
  • Status: Abandoned Application
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A dynamically scalable storage system, comprising:

  • a first plurality of disk drives for storing distributed parity groups, each distributed parity group comprising storage blocks, said storage blocks comprising one or more data blocks and a parity block, each of said storage blocks stored on a separate disk drive such that no two storage blocks from a given distributed parity group reside on the same disk drive;

    file system metadata to describe a location of each of said storage blocks by specifying a disk identifier and a logical block identifier of a first logical block of each storage block;

    a processor configured to manage said file system metadata, said processor configured to recognize when a new disk drive is added to said first plurality of disk drives to produce a second plurality of disk drives, said processor further configured to cause one or more existing storage blocks from said first plurality of disk drives to be moved to said new disk drive to balance usage of all drives in said second plurality of disk drives, said processor further configured to update said file system metadata to point to storage blocks moved to said new disk drive.

View all claims
  • 12 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×