Virtual Disk Drive System and Method
First Claim
1. A disk drive system, capable of dynamically allocating data in a pool of storage, comprising:
- a RAID subsystem having the pool of storage; and
a disk manager having at least one disk storage system controller;
wherein the RAID subsystem and the disk manager dynamically allocate data across the pool of storage and a plurality of disk drives based on RAID-to-disk mapping.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A disk drive system and method capable of dynamically allocating data is provided. The disk drive system may include a RAID subsystem having a pool of storage, for example a page pool of storage that maintains a free list of RAIDs, or a matrix of disk storage blocks that maintain a null list of RAIDs, and a disk manager having at least one disk storage system controller. The RAID subsystem and disk manager dynamically allocate data across the pool of storage and a plurality of disk drives based on RAID-to-disk mapping. The RAID subsystem and disk manager determine whether additional disk drives are required, and a notification is sent if the additional disk drives are required. Dynamic data allocation and data progression allow a user to acquire a disk drive later in time when it is needed. Dynamic data allocation also allows efficient data storage of snapshots/point-in-time copies of virtual volume pool of storage, instant data replay and data instant fusion for data backup, recovery etc., remote data storage, and data progression, etc.
107 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A disk drive system, capable of dynamically allocating data in a pool of storage, comprising:
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a RAID subsystem having the pool of storage; and
a disk manager having at least one disk storage system controller;
wherein the RAID subsystem and the disk manager dynamically allocate data across the pool of storage and a plurality of disk drives based on RAID-to-disk mapping. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of dynamic data allocation, comprising the steps of:
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defining a default size of disk space of a RAID subsystem which forms a pool of storage;
writing data;
allocating the data in the pool of storage;
determining occupancy rate of the disk space of the RAID subsystem based on historical occupancy rate of the disk space of the RAID subsystem;
determining whether additional disk drives are required; and
sending a notification to the RAID subsystem if the additional disk drives are required. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of dynamically allocating data of a RAID storage system, comprising the steps of:
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generating at least one virtual volume of disk space blocks from a plurality of RAID devices;
managing a page pool of storage that maintains a list of free disk space blocks of the at least one virtual volume;
allocating the disk space blocks of the at least one virtual volume; and
writing data to the allocated disk space blocks. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A disk drive storage system for dynamically allocating data of a RAID storage system, comprising:
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abstract means for generating at least one abstraction of disk space blocks from a plurality of RAID devices;
management means for managing a list of free disk space blocks of the at least one abstraction;
allocating means for allocating the disk space blocks of the at least one abstraction; and
writing means for writing data to the allocated disk space blocks.
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Specification