Offline caching of control transactions for storage devices

• US 20060080471A1
• Filed: 10/13/2004
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Golds, David P., Powell, Therron L., Carter-Schwendler, Carl M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,581,036 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/6
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0866 for peripheral storage systems, e.g. disk cache
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0632 by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0683 Plurality of storage devices

Abstract

A system and method using hardware and software components enable a storage module to collect and maintain control transaction data (e.g., directives/events) when a storage device of the module is offline or in a low power configuration. The storage module contains a nonvolatile memory cache and a module controller, and also may include a separate power source, an output display and input mechanism so that when offline, the user may display and navigate among catalog information corresponding to stored content to set up deferred events related to the content. When reconnected to a general-computing host system, the host system obtains the control transaction data from the storage module, and processes the data into file-system related events and other events to perform actions to the storage device and/or to other resources coupled to the host computer system. The host system may also cache transaction control data on the storage module'"'"'s cache.

Claims

16. In a computing environment, a system comprising:

a storage device; and

a storage module that couples to the storage device, the storage module including a memory that contains a control transaction data set of at least one cached control event related to the storage device, and a controller coupled to the memory to output data corresponding to the control transaction data set when the storage module is coupled to a host computer system.

1. In a computing environment, a method comprising:

maintaining a control transaction data set containing at least one control event in a memory of a storage module that is separate from a primary storage medium of the storage module, including when the storage module is decoupled from a host computer system; and

applying the control transaction data set when the storage module is operational on a host computer system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the control transaction data set comprises generating a file I/O request that is directed to the primary storage medium.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving at least part of the control transaction data set when the storage module is decoupled from the host computer system.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising providing a user interface coupled to the storage module that is operational when the storage module is decoupled from the host computer system, and wherein receiving at least part of the control transaction data set comprises detecting interaction with the user interface.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the user interface includes a display, and further comprising, presenting data on the display that is representative of at least one control event stored in the memory.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the user interface includes a display, and further comprising, presenting labeling data on the display that is representative of at least some of the content stored on the storage device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the control transaction data set comprises deleting at least one file from the primary storage medium.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the control transaction data set comprises backing up data from a data source to the primary storage medium.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the control transaction data set to the storage device comprises backing up data from the primary storage medium to a data destination.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the control transaction data set comprises copying a file from the primary storage medium to a data destination.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the control transaction data set comprises scheduling an event.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the control transaction data set comprises installing a software program from data on the primary storage medium.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the control transaction data set comprises downloading and initiating a script onto the host computer system.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the storage module is coupled to a host computer system, and further comprising, receiving at least part of the control transaction data set from the host computer system.

15. One or more computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions which when executed perform the method of claim 1.

17. The system of claim 16 further comprising a user interface that is operational to receive at least one command that corresponds to a control event when the storage module is decoupled from a host computer system.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the storage module includes a power source for powering the user interface and the controller when the storage module is decoupled from a host computer system.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the user interface comprises a display and an input mechanism.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the user interface includes a display that presents data representative of at least one control event stored in the memory.

21. The system of claim 17 wherein the user interface includes a display that presents labeling data representative of at least some of the content stored on the storage device.

22. The system of claim 16 wherein the storage module is hot-pluggable into a host computer system.

23. The system of claim 16 wherein the storage module couples to a host computer system via a single communications link that handles I/O communications to the storage device and control transaction data set communications to the controller, and wherein the storage module includes a bridge that separates the I/O communications from the control transaction data set communications.

24. The system of claim 16 wherein the storage module couples to a host computer system via at least two distinct communications links, including at least one communications link that handles I/O communications to and from the storage device and another communications link that handles control transaction data set communications from the controller.

25. At least one computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions, which when executed perform a method, comprising:

receiving a control transaction data set containing a control event to apply to a storage device when coupled to a host computer system;

storing the control transaction data set in a memory that is accessible independent of whether the storage device is coupled to the computer system; and

detecting when the storage device is coupled to a suitable host computer system, and when so coupled, accessing the memory to output data corresponding to the control transaction data set.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 24 wherein the user interface includes a display, and further comprising, presenting data representative of at least one selectable control event.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 24 wherein the user interface includes a display, and further comprising, presenting labeling data representative of at least some of the content stored on the storage device.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 24 wherein receiving a control transaction data set comprises receiving at least one control event from a host computer system.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 24 wherein outputting the data corresponding the control transaction data set results in deleting at least one file from the storage device.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 24 wherein outputting the data corresponding the control transaction data set results in backing up data from a data source to the storage device.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 24 wherein outputting the data corresponding the control transaction data set results in backing up data from the storage device to a data destination.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 24 wherein outputting the data corresponding the control transaction data set results in copying a file from the storage device to a data destination.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 24 wherein outputting the data corresponding the control transaction data set results in scheduling an event.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 24 wherein outputting the data corresponding the control transaction data set results in installing an application from data on the storage device.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 24 wherein outputting the data corresponding the control transaction data set results in downloading and initiating a script onto the host computer system.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 24 wherein detecting when the storage device is coupled to a suitable host computer system comprises evaluating an identifier of the host computer system.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 24 wherein detecting when the storage device is coupled to a suitable host computer system comprises evaluating current user information of the host computer system.

25-1. The computer-readable medium of claim 24 wherein receiving the control transaction data set comprises receiving a command on a user interface that is operational independent of whether the storage device is coupled to a computer system.

38. In a computing environment, a system comprising:

a storage device;

a memory that contains control event-related information;

a controller coupled to the memory;

a connection for selectively coupling the controller and the storage device to a host computer system;

a user interface coupled to the controller, the user interface comprising an input mechanism and a display; and

a power source that powers the user interface and the controller to enable access to the memory and control of the user interface to entry of the control event-related information when the controller is not coupled to a host computer system.

39. The system of claim 38 wherein the memory, controller, interface and a user interface are incorporated into a cartridge that couples with the storage device.

40. The system of claim 39 wherein the power source is incorporated into the cartridge.

41. The system of claim 38 wherein the storage device comprises a media reader having one or more removable media loaded therein.

42. The system of claim 38 wherein the display presents data representative of at least one control event.

43. The system of claim 38 wherein the display presents labeling data representative of at least some of the content stored on the storage device.

44. The system of claim 38 wherein the input mechanism provides a command to the controller, and wherein the controller configures the control transaction data set in response to the command.