Method for storing and accessing data from a multi-controller and multi-actuator storage device

• US 7,492,542 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2007
• Issued: 02/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: van Zyl, Jacques M. J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sniezek; Andrew L.
• Application Number:
  US11/847,328
• Publication Number:
  US 20070297083A1
• Time in Patent Office: 538 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 360/69
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/04 Arrangements for preventing, inhibiting, or warning against double recording on the same blank or against other recording or reproducing malfunctions
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/4806 specially adapted for disk drive assemblies, e.g. assembly prior to operation, hard or flexible disk drives G11B5/488 - G11B5/54 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/5578 Multiple actuators addressing the same disk, e.g. to improve data rate or access rate

Abstract

A method of storing and accessing data from a storage device. The method includes providing a storage that includes a first interface associated with a read-write head configured to read and write data to the storage, the storage further having a second interface associated with a read-only head configured to only read data from the storage, where the first interface includes a hardware selection switch for configuring a first head assembly carrying the read-write head to read data from and write data to the storage, and where the second interface includes a second hardware selection switch for configuring a second head assembly carrying the read-only head to only read data from the storage, and where a first computer connected to the first interface can both read and write data to the storage, while a second computer connected to the second interface can only read data from the storage.

Claims

1. A method of storing and accessing data from a data storage device, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a data storage device comprising a first interface associated with a read-write head configured to read data from and write data to said data storage device, said data storage device further having a second interface associated with a read-only head configured to only read data from said data storage device, wherein said first interface comprises a hardware selection switch for configuring a first head assembly carrying said read-write head to read data from and write data to said data storage device, and wherein said second interface comprises a second hardware selection switch for configuring a second head assembly carrying said read-only head to only read data from said data storage device;

connecting at least a first computing device to said first interface for exchanging data and transmitting commands to and from said first computing device, wherein said first computing device connected can both read data from and write data to said data storage device; and

connecting at least a second computing device to said second interface for accessing data and transmitting commands to and from said at least second computing device, wherein said second computing device connected can only read data from said data storage device.

2. The method of storing and accessing data from a data storage device according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

establishing a plurality of parameters for a common drive controller coupled to each of said first interface and said second interface of said data storage device;

determining, using a logical state for one or more of said plurality of parameters, a current state of at least one data storage disk within said data storage device for which a data function is received before executing said data function request in order to avoid a failure associated with said at least one data storage disk; and

transmitting to said common drive controller said data function request that is received, wherein said read-write head associated with said first interface does not use a same data storage disk address argument as said read-only head associated with said second interface.

3. The method of storing and accessing data from a data storage device according to claim 2, wherein said first interface associated with said first head assembly carrying said read-write head of said data storage device is configured to determine a respective logical state associated with a first parameter corresponding to whether or not said at least one data storage disk is on or off, and wherein said first interface is configured to determine a respective logical state associated with a second parameter corresponding to whether or not said read-write head is in a secure position before executing a read or write function.

4. The method of storing and accessing data from a data storage device according to claim 3, wherein said second interface associated with said second head assembly carrying said read-only head of said data storage device is configured to determine said respective logical state associated with said first parameter corresponding to whether or not said at least one data storage disk is on or off, and wherein said second interface is configured to determine said respective logical state associated with said second parameter corresponding to whether or not said read-only head is in a secure position before executing a read function.

5. The method of storing and accessing data from a data storage device according to claim 4, wherein said first interface is adapted to connect to an administrator server and wherein said second interface is adapted to connect to a network server.