INSTRUCTION CARDS FOR STORAGE DEVICES

• US 20100318810A1
• Filed: 06/10/2009
• Published: 12/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Strom, Marius, Olarig, Sompong Paul, Lionetti, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 9,330,282 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/190
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/79 in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/80 in storage media based on magnetic or optical technology, e.g. disks with sectors preventing unauthorised reproduction or copying of disc-type recordable media G11B20/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2143 Clearing memory, e.g. to prevent the data from being stolen

Abstract

A card can be communicationally coupled to a storage device. The card can then cause the storage device to perform stand-alone tasks without a computing device. The card can invoke instructions already present in the firmware of the storage device or the card can first copy instructions to the firmware and then invoke them. The card can cause the storage device to perform actions, such as a secure erase, and the storage device can remain inaccessible until such actions are performed, even if power is interrupted. The card can also receive information from the storage devices and then use that information with a new storage device to, for example, enable the new storage device to take the place of, and reconstruct the data of, the old storage device in a storage array directly from other storage devices in the array and without burdening a computing device or array controller.

Claims

1. A method of causing a storage device that is capable of storing computer-readable information to perform at least one action while communicationally disconnected from a computing device, the method comprising the steps of:

communicationally coupling a card, comprising card instructions, to the storage device and thereby causing the card instructions to invoke firmware instructions to be processed by at least one processing unit of the storage device, the processing of the firmware instructions by the at least one processing unit causing the storage device to perform the at least one action, wherein the storage device comprises firmware comprising the firmware instructions; and

wherein further the at least one action is an only action directed to data storage performed by the storage device until the performance of the at least one action is completed, irrespective of any intervening power interruptions to the storage device.

2. The method of claim 1, where the communicationally coupling the card to the storage device further causes instructions to be copied from the card to the firmware, wherein the invoked firmware instructions are the copied instructions.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

communicationally coupling the card to another storage device;

communicationally coupling the other storage device to an array of storage devices;

communicationally disconnecting the other storage device from the array of storage devices; and

communicationally disconnecting the card from the other storage device, all prior to the communicationally coupling the card to the storage device; and

, after the communicationally coupling the card to the storage device, communicationally coupling the storage device to the array of storage devices.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the card further comprises storage array information about the array of storage devices, the storage array information having been stored on the card by the other storage device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one action comprises copying data from the array of storage devices to reconstruct, on the storage device, data previously stored on the other storage device when the other storage device was last communicationally coupled to the array of storage devices.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one action comprises a multi-pass secure erase of data stored on the storage device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the communicationally coupling the card to the storage device comprises inserting the card into a connector on the storage device.

8. A storage device for storing computer-readable information, the storage device comprising:

one or more computer-readable storage media having data stored thereon;

one or more processing units;

firmware comprising firmware instructions that are executable by the one or more processing units, the execution of which causes the storage device to perform at least one action, while communicationally disconnected from a computing device; and

a card interface for communicationally coupling the storage device to a card comprising card instructions for invoking the firmware instructions, such that they are executed by the one or more processing units, when the card is communicationally coupled to the storage device.

9. The storage device of claim 8, wherein the invoked firmware instructions were copied from the card prior to being invoked by the card instructions.

10. The storage device of claim 8, wherein the at least one action is an only action directed to data storage performed by the storage device until the performance of the at least one action is completed irrespective of any intervening power interruptions to the storage device.

11. The storage device of claim 8, wherein the firmware comprises additional firmware instructions for storing, on the card, information associated with a storage array comprising the storage device.

12. The storage device of claim 8, wherein the at least one action comprises reconstructing, on the one or more computer-readable media, data, from storage devices of a storage array, that was previously stored on another storage device to which the card was previously communicationally connected, wherein the storage device replaces the other storage device in the storage array.

13. The storage device of claim 8, wherein at least one action comprises a multi-pass secure erase of the data stored on the one or more computer-readable storage media.

14. The storage device of claim 8, wherein the card interface comprises a connector.

15. A card for causing a storage device that is capable of storing computer-readable information to perform at least one action while communicationally disconnected from a computing device, the card comprising:

at least one communicational interface; and

card instructions that invoke firmware instructions to be processed by at least one processing unit of the storage device, the processing of the firmware instructions by the at least one processing unit causing the storage device to perform the at least one action, wherein the storage device comprises firmware comprising the firmware instructions; and

wherein further the at least one action is an only action directed to data storage performed by the storage device until the performance of the at least one action is completed irrespective of any intervening power interruptions to the storage device.

16. The card of claim 15, further comprising additional card instructions that copy instructions from the card to the firmware of the storage device, wherein the invoked firmware instructions are the copied instructions.

17. The card of claim 15, further comprising storage array information stored on the card by a storage device of the storage array.

18. The card of claim 15, wherein the at least one action comprises reconstructing, on the storage device, data from storage devices of a storage array, the data having been previously stored on another storage device to which the card was previously communicationally connected, wherein the storage device replaces the other storage device in the storage array.

19. The card of claim 15, wherein the at least one action comprises a multi-pass secure erase of data stored on the storage device.

20. The card of claim 15, further comprising a physical triggering device for initiating the invocation of the firmware instructions by the card instructions.