Serial EEPROM for volume identification and drive specific information storage in a hard disk drive library

• US 20040143703A1
• Filed: 01/21/2003
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Klein, Craig Anthony, Karp, James Mitchell, Winarski, Daniel James, Emberty, Robert George
• Granted Patent: US 7,080,203 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1096 Parity calculation or recalculation after configuration or reconfiguration of the system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0601 Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0673 Single storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2516 Hard disks
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/65 wherein solid state memory is used for storing indexing information or metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/125 the apparatus comprising a plurality of recording/reproducing devices, e.g. modular arrangements, arrays of disc drives

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing, in an automated data storage system having a plurality of removable data storage devices, independent memory devices associated with and physically attached to respective removable data storage devices for storing volume identification, RAID bundle information where applicable, and other drive specific information about their respective removable data storage devices. The removable data storage devices are typically hard disk drives, and the independent memory devices are preferably serial electrically-erasable programmable read-only memory (“EEPROM”) solid state memory devices. The EEPROM operates independently of the operation of its respective removable hard disk drive, does not require that the hard disk drive be powered up, and continues to operate in the presence of a catastrophic failure of the hard disk drive.

Claims

1. An automated data storage system for storing and retrieving a plurality of removable data storage devices, the storage system having a back-plane and a plurality of storage cells for storing the removable data storage devices when the removable storage devices are not electrically connected to the back-plane, comprising:

individual memory devices associated with and physically attached to respective removable data storage devices for storing device specific information, said memory devices operating independently of the operation of their respective removable data storage devices;

a memory interface for transferring data with said memory device;

a picker robot for transferring said removable data storage device from one of said storage cells to said back-plane, and for positioning said memory interface at said removable data storage device; and

a drive information database for accepting and maintaining information from said memory interface.

2. The automated data storage system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of removable data storage devices comprises a plurality of carriers, each carrier further comprising a removable hard disk drive and a memory device associated therewith.

3. The automated data storage system of claim 1, wherein said removable data storage device is a member of a RASM and said device specific information comprises the VOLID of all members of the RASM.

4. The automated data storage system of claim 1, wherein said removable data storage device comprises a removable hard disk drive.

5. The automated data storage system of claim 4, wherein said memory devices are electrically-erasable programmable read-only memory (“

EEPROM”

) devices.

6. The automated data storage system of claim 4, wherein said device specific information comprises a VOLID.

7. The automated data storage system of claim 4, wherein said removable hard disk drive is a member of a RAID and said device specific information includes the VOLID of the members of the RAID.

8. The automated data storage system of claim 4, wherein said device specific information comprises a directory of all files stored on said removable hard disk drive.

9. The automated data storage system of claim 4, wherein said device specific information comprises a partition table of said removable hard disk drive.

10. The automated data storage system of claim 4, wherein said device specific information comprises a model designation of said removable hard disk drive.

11. The automated data storage system of claim 4, wherein said device specific information comprises error statistics of said removable hard disk drive.

12. The automated data storage system of claim 4, wherein said device specific information comprises usage statistics of said removable hard disk drive.

13. The automated data storage system of claim 4, wherein said memory device is a non-volatile random access memory (“

NVRAM”

).

14. The automated data storage system of claim 4, wherein said memory device is a magnetic tunnel junction random access memory.

15. The automated data storage system of claim 4, wherein said drive information database comprises a removable hard drive inventory table.

16. The automated data storage system of claim 4, wherein said memory device holds information to assist in processes for recovering or rebuilding data from a corrupted removable hard disk drive.

17. The automated data storage system of claim 1, wherein said memory interface is disposed on said picker robot.

18. A data storage system for storing and retrieving digital information comprising:

a data storage device;

an individual memory device associated with and physically attached to said data storage device for storing device specific information, said individual memory device operating independently of the operation of said data storage device.

19. The data storage system of claim 18, wherein said data storage system comprises a carrier, said carrier further comprising a hard disk drive and a memory device associated therewith.

20. The data storage system of claim 18, wherein said device specific information comprises a VOLID.

21. The data storage system of claim 18, wherein said data storage device comprises a hard disk drive.

22. The data storage system of claim 21, wherein said individual memory device is an electrically-erasable programmable read-only memory (“

EEPROM”

) device.

23. The data storage system of claim 21, wherein said device specific information comprises a VOLID.

24. The data storage system of claim 21, wherein said data storage system is a member of a RAID.

25. The data storage system of claim 21, wherein said device specific information comprises a directory of all files stored on said hard disk drive.

26. The data storage system of claim 21, wherein said device specific information comprises a partition table of said hard disk drive.

27. The data storage system of claim 21, wherein said device specific information comprises a model description of said hard disk drive.

28. The data storage system of claim 21, wherein said device specific information comprises error statistics of said hard disk drive.

29. The data storage system of claim 21, wherein said device specific information comprises usage statistics of said hard disk drive.

30. The data storage system of claim 21, wherein said individual memory device is a non-volatile random access memory (“

NVRAM”

).

31. The data storage system of claim 21, wherein said individual memory device is a magnetic tunnel junction random access memory.

32. The data storage system of claim 21, wherein said individual memory device holds information to assist in the processes for recovering or rebuilding data from a corrupted hard disk drive.

33. A method for accessing information specific to a removable data storage device in an automated data storage system without accessing the data storage device itself, comprising:

storing in a memory device associated with and physically connected to said removable storage device information that is specific to said data storage device; and

reading said information specific to said removable storage device without accessing said removable storage device.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising writing to said memory device said information specific to said removable storage device without accessing said removable storage device.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein said removable data storage device is a member of a RASM and said device specific information comprises the VOLID of all members of the RASM.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein said removable storage device comprises a removable hard disk drive.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein said information specific to said removable hard disk drive comprises a VOLID.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein said removable hard disk drive is a member of a RAID and said device-specific information includes the VOLIDs of the members of the RAID.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein said information specific to said removable hard disk drive comprises a directory of all files stored on said removable hard disk drive.

40. The method of claim 36, wherein said information specific to said removable hard disk drive comprises a partition table of said removable hard disk drive.

41. The method of claim 36, wherein said information specific to said removable storage device comprises a model designation of said removable hard disk drive.

42. The method of claim 36, wherein said device specific information comprises error statistics of said removable hard disk drive.

43. The method of claim 36, wherein said device specific information comprises usage statistics of said removable hard disk drive.

44. The method of claim 33, further comprising using a robot to grasp said removable data storage device and connect it to a memory device interface for accessing said information specific to said removable data storage device.

45. A method for accessing information specific to a data storage device without accessing the data storage device itself, comprising:

storing in an individual memory device associated with and physically connected to said data storage device information that is specific to said data storage device; and

reading said information specific to said data storage device without accessing said data storage device.

46. The method of claim 45, further comprising writing to said individual memory device said information specific to said data storage device without accessing said data storage device.

47. The method of claim 45, wherein said data storage device is a member of a RASM and said device specific information comprises the VOLID of all members of the RASM.

48. The method of claim 45, wherein said data storage device comprises a hard disk drive.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein said information specific to said hard disk drive comprises a VOLID.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein said hard disk drive is a member of a RAID and said device-specific information includes the VOLIDs of the members of the RAID.

51. The method of claim 48, wherein said information specific to said hard disk drive comprises a directory of all files stored on said hard disk drive.

52. The method of claim 48, wherein said information specific to said hard disk drive comprises a partition table of said hard disk drive.

53. The method of claim 48, wherein said information specific to said storage device comprises a model designation of said hard disk drive.

54. The method of claim 48, wherein said device specific information comprises error statistics of said hard disk drive.

55. The method of claim 48, wherein said device specific information comprises usage statistics of said hard disk drive.