Method of and apparatus for computer hard disk drive protection and recovery

• US 6,816,982 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2001
• Issued: 11/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gonen Ravid
• Original Assignee: Gonen Ravid
• Inventors: Ravid, Gonen
• Primary Examiner(s): Iqbal, Nadeem
• Application Number:
  US09/805,705
• Publication Number:
  US 20020133747A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,337 Days
• Field of Search: 714/20, 714/13, 714/6, 714/7, 714/25, 714/27, 714/42, 714/43, 714/47, 714/8, 711/133, 711/159
• US Class Current: 714/20
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1456 Hardware arrangements for backup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1466 to make the backup process non-disruptive

Abstract

A method of and apparatus for computer hard disk drive (HDD) protection and recovery. The apparatus includes a HDD controller board and a back-up HDD, both installed in a computer system having a working HDD. The apparatus utilizes hardware switches electrically coupled to the controller board, including a HDD selection switch and a copy command button. During normal operations, the switch remains switched to the working HDD, and as a result, the back-up HDD is switched off and remains transparent to the computer system and therefore protected from software viruses and other intrusions. The method includes a first-time image back-up process. When there is a failure of the working HDD, the back-up HDD can be instantly used as a normal HDD by switching the switch to the back-up HDD, so the computer system can be up and running without any interruption. Once the working HDD is fixed or replaced, all contents on the back-up HDD can be copied back to the working HDD by simply press the copy button while the Switch is switched to the back-up HDD, to restore the working HDD. Upon completion of this recovery process, the switch can be switched back to the working HDD, which allows the working HDD to be used as a normal working HDD again.

Claims

1. An apparatus for hard disk drive (HDD) protection and recovery, to be used in conjunction with a computer system having a working HDD, comprising:

a. a controller board installed in said computer system and electronically coupled with said working HDD;

b. a back-up HDD electronically coupled with said controlled board;

c. a hardware switch connected to said controller board and switchable between an “

A”

position for selecting said working HDD and a “

B”

position for selecting said back-up HDD;

d. said controller board having a switching circuit for controlling data transfer between said computer system and said working and back-up HDDs;

e. said controller board also having a control circuit for controlling said switching circuit, such that when said switch is switched to said “

A”

position, said working HDD is connected with said computer system while said back-up HDD is isolated from said computer system to protect the contents on said back-up HDD, and when said switch is switched to said “

B”

position after a malfunction of said working HDD, said back-up HDD is connected with said computer system and used as a substitute working HDD while said working HDD is repaired or replaced without interruption to the normal operation of said computer system;

f. said control circuit further comprising means for controlling a copy process which copies contents of a selected HDD to a non-selected HDD; and

g. a copy button also connected to said controller board for initiate said copy process, which may be performed initially after installation of said controller board and said back-up HDD to create an image back-up of all contents of said working HDD in said back-up HDD, or periodically during normal operation of said computer system to completely, incrementally or selectively update the contents of said back-up HDD such that they are concurrent with those of said working HDD, or after repairing or replacing said working HDD after a HDD failure to restore the contents of said working HDD from said back-up HDD.

2. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said controller board further comprises a status register connected to said computer system and said controller circuit of said controller board.

3. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said control circuit of said controller board further comprises a sequencer means for accelerate said copying process.

4. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising at least one status indicator connected to said controller board for indicating the status of said working HDD and said back-up HDD.

5. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said controller board further comprises an on-board central processing unit (CPU) electronically coupled with said controller circuit for controlling the functions of said controller board.

6. The apparatus in accordance with claim 5, said controller board further comprises a data buffer electronically coupled with said computer system and said CPU.

7. The apparatus in accordance with claim 6, said controller board further comprises a random access memory device electronically coupled with said CPU and said data buffer.

8. The apparatus in accordance with claim 6, said controller board further comprises a read-only memory device electronically coupled with said CPU and said data buffer.

9. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said back-up HDD is a separate logic drive on said working HDD.

10. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said controller board is a built-in component of said back-up HDD.

11. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said working HDD and said back-up HDD are separate logic drives on a single HDD and said controller board is a built-in component of the single HDD.

12. A method of hard disk drive (HDD) protection and recovery, comprising the steps of:

a. installing a controller board in a computer system which has a working HDD and electronically coupling the controller board with the working HDD;

b. installing a back-up HDD and electronically coupling the back-up HDD with said controlled board;

c. providing a hardware switch connected to said controller board and switchable between an “

A”

position for selecting said working HDD and a “

B”

position for selecting said back-up HDD, such that when said switch is switched to said “

A”

position, said working HDD is connected with said computer system while said back-up HDD is isolated from said computer system to protect the contents on said back-up HDD, and when said switch is switched to said “

B”

position after a malfunction of said working HDD, said back-up HDD is connected with said computer system and used as a substitute working HDD while said working HDD is repaired or replaced without interruption to the normal operation of said computer system;

d. providing a copy button connected to said controller board for initiating a copy process which copies contents of a selected HDD to a non-selected HDD;

e. making an initial back-up by pressing said copy button after installation of said controller board and said back-up HDD, while said switch is switched to said “

A”

position, to create an image back-up of all contents of said working HDD in said back-up HDD;

f. making periodic back-ups by pressing said copy button during normal operation of said computer system to completely, incrementally or selectively update the contents of said back-up HDD such that they are concurrent with those of said working HDD,

g. switching said switch to said “

B”

position after a malfunction of said working HDD, to connect said back-up HDD with said computer system such that it is used as a substitute working HDD while said working HDD is repaired or replaced without interruption to the normal operation of said computer system;

h. restoring the contents of said working HDD from said back-up HDD, after said working HDD is repaired or replaced, by pressing said copy button while said switch is switched to said “

B”

position, to completely or selectively copy the contents of said back-up HDD to said working HDD.

13. The method in accordance with claim 12, further comprising the step of switching said switch back to said “

A”

position after said restoring step, to connect said working HDD with said computer system such that it is again used for normal operations of said computer system.

18. The method in accordance with claim 12, further comprising the step of completely or selectively copying the contents of said back-up HDD back to said working HDD after said working HDD is repaired or replaced, by pressing said copy button while said switch is switched to said “

B”

position.

14. A method of hard disk drive (HDD) protection and recovery, comprising the steps of:

a. installing a controller board in a computer system which has a working HDD and electronically coupling the controller board with the working HDD;

b. installing a back-up HDD and electronically coupling the back-up HDD with said controlled board;

c. providing a hardware switch connected to said controller board and switchable between an “

A”

position for selecting said working HDD and a “

B”

position for selecting said back-up HDD, such that when said switch is switched to said “

A”

position, said working HDD is connected with said computer system while said back-up HDD is isolated from said computer system to protect the contents on said back-up HDD, and when said switch is switched to said “

B”

position after a malfunction of said working HDD, said back-up HDD is connected with said computer system and used as a substitute working HDD while said working HDD is repaired or replaced without interruption to the normal operation of said computer system; and

d. providing a copy button connected to said controller board for initiating a copy process which copies contents of a selected HDD to a non-selected HDD.

15. The method in accordance with claim 14, further comprising the step of making an initial back-up by pressing said copy button after installation of said controller board and said back-up HDD, while said switch is switched to said “

A”

position, to create an image back-up of all contents of said working HDD in said back-up HDD.

16. The method in accordance with claim 14, further comprising the step of making periodic back-ups by pressing said copy button during normal operation of said computer system to completely, incrementally or selectively update the contents of said back-up HDD such that they are concurrent with those of said working HDD.

17. The method in accordance with claim 14, further comprising the step of switching said switch to said “

B”

position after a malfunction of said working HDD, to connect said back-up HDD with said computer system such that it is used as a substitute working HDD while said working HDD is repaired or replaced without interruption to the normal operation of said computer system.

19. An apparatus for hard disk drive (HDD) protection and recovery used in conjunction with a computer system having a motherboard and a working HDD, comprising:

a. control means for implementing a control logic on said motherboard of said computer system and electronically coupled with said working HDD;

b. a back-up HDD electronically coupled with said control means;

c. a hardware switch connected to said control means and switchable between an “

A”

position for selecting said working HDD and a “

B”

position for selecting said back-up HDD;

d. said control means having a switching circuit for controlling data transfer between said computer system and said working and back-up HDDs;

e. said control means also having a control circuit for controlling said switching circuit, such that when said switch is switched to said “

A”

position, said working HDD is connected with said computer system while said back-up HDD is isolated from said computer system to protect the contents on said back-up HDD, and when said switch is switched to said “

B”

position after a malfunction of said working HDD, said back-up HDD is connected with said computer system and used as a substitute working HDD while said working HDD is repaired or replaced without interruption to the normal operation of said computer system;

f. said control circuit further comprising means for controlling a copy process which copies contents of a selected HDD to a non-selected HDD; and

g. a copy button also connected to said control means for initiate said copy process, which may be performed initially after installation of said controller board and said back-up HDD to create an image back-up of all contents of said working HDD in said back-up HDD, or periodically during normal operation of said computer system to completely, incrementally or selectively update the contents of said back-up HDD such that they are concurrent with those of said working HDD, or after repairing or replacing said working HDD after a HDD failure to restore the contents of said working HDD from said back-up HDD.

20. The apparatus in accordance with claim 19, wherein said back-up HDD is a separate logic drive on said working HDD.

21. The apparatus in accordance with claim 19, further comprising an least one status indicator connected to said control means for indicating the status of said working HDD and said back-up HDD.

22. An apparatus for hard disk drive (HDD) protection and recovery used in conjunction with a computer system having a working HDD, comprising:

a. control means for implementing a control logic on said working HDD and electronically coupled with said computer system;

b. a back-up HDD electronically coupled with said control means;

c. a hardware switch connected to said control means and switchable between an “

A”

position for selecting said working HDD and a “

B”

position for selecting said back-up HDD;

d. said control means having a switching circuit for controlling data transfer between said computer system and said working and back-up HDDs;

e. said control means also having a control circuit for controlling said switching circuit, such that when said switch is switched to said “

A”

position, said working HDD is connected with said computer system while said back-up HDD is isolated from said computer system to protect the contents on said back-up HDD, and when said switch is switched to said “

B”

position after a malfunction of said working HDD, said back-up HDD is connected with said computer system and used as a substitute working HDD while said working HDD is repaired or replaced without interruption to the normal operation of said computer system;

f. said control circuit further comprising means for controlling a copy process which copies contents of a selected HDD to a non-selected HDD; and

g. a copy button also connected to said control means for initiate said copy process, which may be performed initially after installation of said controller board and said back-up HDD to create an image back-up of all contents of said working HDD in said back-up HDD, or periodically during normal operation of said computer system to completely, incrementally or selectively update the contents of said back-up HDD such that they are concurrent with those of said working HDD, or after repairing or replacing said working HDD after a HDD failure to restore the contents of said working HDD from said back-up HDD.

23. The apparatus in accordance with claim 22, further comprising an least one status indicator connected to said control means for indicating the status of said working HDD and said back-up HDD.

24. An apparatus for hard disk drive (HDD) protection and recovery used in conjunction with a computer system having a working HDD, comprising:

a. a back-up HDD control means for implementing a control logic and electronically coupled with said computer system;

b. a hardware switch connected to said control means and switchable between an “

A”

position for selecting said working HDD and a “

B”

position for selecting said back-up HDD;

c. said control means having a switching circuit for controlling data transfer between said computer system and said working and back-up HDDs;

d. said control means also having a control circuit for controlling said switching circuit, such that when said switch is switched to said “

A”

position, said working HDD is connected with said computer system while said back-up HDD is isolated from said computer system to protect the contents on said back-up HDD, and when said switch is switched to said “

B”

position after a malfunction of said working HDD, said back-up HDD is connected with said computer system and used as a substitute working HDD while said working HDD is repaired or replaced without interruption to the normal operation of said computer system;

e. said control circuit further comprising means for controlling a copy process which copies contents of a selected HDD to a non-selected HDD; and

f. a copy button also connected to said control means for initiate said copy process, which may be performed initially after installation of said controller board and said back-up HDD to create an image back-up of all contents of said working HDD in said back-up HDD, or periodically during normal operation of said computer system to completely, incrementally or selectively update the contents of said back-up HDD such that they are concurrent with those of said working HDD, or after repairing or replacing said working HDD after a HDD failure to restore the contents of said working HDD from said back-up HDD.

25. The apparatus in accordance with claim 24, further comprising an least one status indicator connected to said control means for indicating the status of said working HDD and said back-up HDD.