Apparatus, system, and method for active data verification in a storage system

• US 20060031722A1
• Filed: 08/04/2004
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Nielsen, Karl Allen, Kolvick, Robert John Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,526,686 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/52
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1076 Parity data used in redundant arrays of independent storages, e.g. in RAID systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/1088 Scrubbing in RAID systems with parity
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/415 Redundant array of inexpensive disks [RAID] systems
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/36 Monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing for digital recording G11B20/00 and s.gr.; for monitoring, testing or measuring of TV recorders of the type covered by H04N5/76 and subgroups, see H04N17/06

Abstract

An apparatus, system and method of verifying data are provided. Active data are identified among data on a storage device, records the location of the active data, and the integrity of the active data are verified. In one embodiment, data in segments adjacent to the active data segments are also identified and verified for improved data reliability. The data verification may be used to increase data reliability with low system resource usage.

Claims

1. An apparatus for verifying data, the apparatus comprising:

an active data identification module configured to identify active data and record the location of the active data on a storage device; and

an active data verification module configured to verify the active data.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the active data verification module is configured to verify the active data by calculating an error code for the active data and comparing the calculated error code with a stored error code wherein the active data is invalid if the calculated error code and the stored error code are not equivalent.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the active data verification module is further configured to calculate the stored error code for data written to the storage device, and wherein the stored error code is stored with the active data.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the active data verification module is further configured to recover the active data if the active data is invalid.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the active data verification module is further configured to recover the active data from redundant data.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, the active data identification module is further configured to set a first identifier grouping the active data to be verified and to set a second identifier grouping the active data stored during the verification of the active data with the first identifier wherein the active data with the second identifier is verified subsequent to the verification of the active data with the first identifier.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the active data identification module further configured to identify data segments adjacent to the active data segments.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the active data verification module is further configured to verify data segments adjacent to active data segments on the storage device.

9. A data verifying storage device, comprising:

a storage device having an active data identification module configured to identify active data and record the location of the active data on the storage device; and

the storage device further provided with an active data verification module configured to verify the active data.

10. A system for verifying data, the system comprising:

a storage device configured to store and retrieve data; and

a controller configured to identify active data among data on the storage device, record the location of the active data, and verify the integrity of the active data.

11. The system of claim 10, the storage device further comprising a hard disk.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to verify the active data by calculating an error code for the active data and compare the calculated error code with a stored error code, wherein the active data is invalid if the calculated error code and the stored error code are not equivalent.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to recover the active data if the active data is invalid.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to recover the active data from redundant data.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to identify and verify data segments adjacent to the active data segments of the storage device.

16. A computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable code configured to carry out a method for verifying data, the method comprising:

identifying active data on a storage device;

recording the location of the active data; and

verifying the active data.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises verifying the active data by calculating an error code for the active data and comparing the calculated error code with a stored error code wherein the active data is invalid if the calculated error code and the stored error code are not equivalent.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises calculating the stored error code for data written to the storage device, the stored error code stored with the data.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises recovering the active data responsive to determining the active data is invalid.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises recovering the active data from redundant data.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises setting a first identifier grouping the active data to be verified and setting a second identifier grouping the active data stored during the verification of the active data with the first identifier, wherein the active data with the second identifier is verified subsequent to the verification of the active data with the first identifier.

22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, the method further comprising identifying and verifying data segments adjacent to the active data segments.

23. A method for verifying data, the method comprising:

identifying active data on a storage device;

recording the location of the active data; and

verifying the active data.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising verifying the active data by calculating an error code for the active data and comparing the calculated error code with a stored error code wherein the active data is invalid if the calculated error code and the stored error code are not equivalent.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising calculating the stored error code for data written to the storage device, the stored error code stored with the data.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising recovering the active data if the active data is invalid.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising recovering the active data from redundant data stored.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising setting a first identifier grouping the active data and setting a second identifier grouping the active data stored during the verification of the active data with the first identifier wherein the active data with the second identifier is verified subsequent to the verification of the active data with the first identifier.

29. The method of claim 23, further comprising identifying and verifying data segments adjacent to the active data segments.

30. An apparatus for verifying data, the apparatus comprising:

means for identifying active data on a disk;

means for recording the location of the active data; and

means for verifying the active data.