Virtual disk drive system and method
First Claim
1. A method of data fusion, comprising the steps of:
- generating at least one virtual volume of disk space blocks from a plurality of RAID devices;
allocating the disk space blocks of the at least one virtual volume;
writing data to the allocated disk space blocks;
automatically generating a snapshot for each of the at least one virtual volume at predetermined time intervals; and
storing an address index of each snapshot such that each snapshot of the at least one virtual volume can be instantly located via the stored address index.
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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.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of data fusion, comprising the steps of:
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generating at least one virtual volume of disk space blocks from a plurality of RAID devices; allocating the disk space blocks of the at least one virtual volume; writing data to the allocated disk space blocks; automatically generating a snapshot for each of the at least one virtual volume at predetermined time intervals; and storing an address index of each snapshot such that each snapshot of the at least one virtual volume can be instantly located via the stored address index. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of data fusion, 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; automatically generating a snapshot of the pool of storage at predetermined time intervals; and storing an address index of the snapshot such that the snapshot of the pool of storage can be instantly located via the stored address index. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A disk drive system, capable of fusing data, comprising:
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a RAID subsystem having a pool of storage; at least one virtual volume of disk space blocks from a plurality of RAID devices of the RAID subsystem; and a disk manager having at least one disk storage system controller, the system controller automatically generating a snapshot for each of the at least one virtual volume at predetermined time intervals and storing an address index of each snapshot in the associated virtual volume such that the snapshot of the virtual volume can be instantly located via the stored address index.
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20. A disk drive system, capable of fusing data, comprising:
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abstract means for generating at one least abstraction of disk space blocks from a plurality of RAID devices; allocating means for allocating the disk space blocks of the at least one abstraction; writing means for writing data to the allocated disk space blocks; fusing means for automatically generating a snapshot for each of the at least one abstraction at predetermined time intervals; and storing means for storing an address index of each snapshot such that each snapshot can be instantly located via the stored address index.
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Specification