Virtual disk drive system and method
First Claim
1. A method of data progression in a disk drive system, comprising the steps of:
- determining a cost of operating for each of a plurality of RAID devices;
classifying each of the plurality of RAID devices based on the cost;
continuously checking data on the RAID devices to determine whether there is data to be moved from one classification of RAID device to another; and
moving data stored on RAID devices of one classification to RAID devices of another classification.
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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.
154 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of data progression in a disk drive system, comprising the steps of:
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determining a cost of operating for each of a plurality of RAID devices; classifying each of the plurality of RAID devices based on the cost; continuously checking data on the RAID devices to determine whether there is data to be moved from one classification of RAID device to another; and moving data stored on RAID devices of one classification to RAID devices of another classification. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A disk drive system, comprising:
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a RAID subsystem comprising a pool of storage; and a disk manager having at least one disk storage system controller configured to; determine an operating cost of each of a plurality of RAID devices of the RAID subsystem; check data on the plurality of RAID devices to determine whether there is data to be moved from one RAID device to another of different operating cost; and move data stored on RAID devices of one operating cost to RAID devices of another. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A disk drive system capable of data progression, comprising:
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calculation means for determining a cost of operating for each of a plurality of RAID devices; classification means for classifying each of the plurality of RAID devices based on the cost; status checking means for continuously checking data on the RAID devices to determine whether there is data to be moved from one classification of RAID device to another; and transfer means for moving data stored on RAID devices of one classification to RAID devices of another classification.
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Specification