Virtual disk drive system and method
First Claim
1. A disk drive system manager, comprising:
- means for classifying each of a plurality of storage devices based on the cost;
means for checking data on the storage devices to determine whether there is data to be moved from one classification of storage device to another; and
means for moving data stored on one or more storage devices of one classification to one or more storage devices of another classification;
wherein data is moved to a lower cost storage device based on a decrease in the access pattern of the data.
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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.
221 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A disk drive system manager, comprising:
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means for classifying each of a plurality of storage devices based on the cost; means for checking data on the storage devices to determine whether there is data to be moved from one classification of storage device to another; and means for moving data stored on one or more storage devices of one classification to one or more storage devices of another classification; wherein data is moved to a lower cost storage device based on a decrease in the access pattern of the data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of data progression in a disk drive system, comprising:
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classifying each of a plurality of storage devices based on the cost; checking data on the storage devices to determine whether there is data to be moved from one classification of storage device to another; and moving data stored on one or more storage devices of one classification to one or more storage devices of another classification; wherein data is moved to a lower cost storage device based on a decrease in the access pattern of the data. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification