Method of billing for utilization of a data storage array, and an array controller therefor
First Claim
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1. A method of enabling billing a host or hosts for their utilisation of a data storage array having allocated to it a number of areas to which data can be written, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) forming a respective table of area usage for each area;
b) allocating an area or areas to the host or hosts as required; and
c) responding to data written by a host to a sector of an area allocated to the host by writing to the respective table a record of a used sector.
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Abstract
Utilisation by hosts of a data storage array is billed by allocating to the array a number of areas to which data can be written. A table of area usage is formed for each area. An area or areas are allocated to hosts as required. In response to data being written by a host to a sector of an area, a record of used sector is written to the respective table. On the basis of the information in the area usage tables, hosts are billed for the actual level of utilisation of the allocated area or areas.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of enabling billing a host or hosts for their utilisation of a data storage array having allocated to it a number of areas to which data can be written, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) forming a respective table of area usage for each area;
b) allocating an area or areas to the host or hosts as required; and
c) responding to data written by a host to a sector of an area allocated to the host by writing to the respective table a record of a used sector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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- 12. An array controller for the control of data storage in a data storage array, the data storage array being divided into areas, the array controller including an area usage table for each respective area in which a record is kept of sectors of the respective area which have been written to, and from which data on the level of usage of each area are exported at intervals to a billing module.
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17. A method of enabling billing for utilisation of a data storage array having allocated to it a plurality of areas of storage capacity, comprising the steps of:
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a) forming a respective area usage table for each area;
b) responding to data written to a sector of an area by a user of said area by writing to the respective area usage table a record of a used sector; and
c) from time to time exporting information on the level of usage of said area from the area usage table to a billing module. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A method of enabling billing a user for actual utilisation of an area of storage capacity of a data storage array divided into a plurality of areas of storage capacity, comprising the steps of:
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a) creating a corresponding area usage table for each area;
b) responding to the user of an area writing data to a sector of said area by writing to the corresponding area usage table a record of a used sector; and
c) from time to time exporting information on the level of usage by the user of said area from the area usage table to a billing module. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A method of obtaining information on the level of usage of a data storage array nominally divided into a plurality of areas of storage capacity, the method being performed without knowledge of the data format or of the data stored therein, comprising the steps of:
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a) forming a respective area usage table for each area; and
b) responding to data being written to a sector of an area by writing to the respective area usage table a record of a sector used. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of obtaining information on the level of usage of a data storage array nominally divided into a plurality of areas and accessed remotely by a host or hosts, the method being performed without knowledge of the host or hosts file systems or of the data format or of the data stored in the array, comprising the steps of:
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a) forming a respective area usage table for each area;
b) allocating to a host or hosts an area or areas as required; and
c) responding to data written by a host to a sector of an area by writing to the respective area usage table a record of a sector used.
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Specification