Instruction cards for storage devices

• US 9,330,282 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2009
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Strom, Marius, Olarig, Sompong Paul, Lionetti, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): HENDERSON, ESTHER BENOIT
• Application Number:
  US12/481,806
• Publication Number:
  US 20100318810A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,519 Days
• Field of Search: 713/193
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/79 in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/80 in storage media based on magnetic or optical technology, e.g. disks with sectors preventing unauthorised reproduction or copying of disc-type recordable media G11B20/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2143 Clearing memory, e.g. to prevent the data from being stolen

Abstract

A card can be communicationally coupled to a storage device. The card can then cause the storage device to perform stand-alone tasks without a computing device. The card can invoke instructions already present in the firmware of the storage device or the card can first copy instructions to the firmware and then invoke them. The card can cause the storage device to perform actions, such as a secure erase, and the storage device can remain inaccessible until such actions are performed, even if power is interrupted. The card can also receive information from the storage devices and then use that information with a new storage device to, for example, enable the new storage device to take the place of, and reconstruct the data of, the old storage device in a storage array directly from other storage devices in the array and without burdening a computing device or array controller.

Claims

1. A method of causing storage devices that are capable of storing computer-readable information to perform at least one action while communicationally disconnected from a computing device, the method comprising the steps of:

communicationally coupling, to a first storage device, a card that comprises card instructions and that is physically distinct from, and separable from, the first storage device, the first storage device being part of an array o storage devices;

communicationally disconnecting the first storage device from the array of storage devices;

communicationally disconnecting the card from the first storage device;

communicationally connecting a second storage device that is different from and independent of the first storage device to the array of storage devices; and

communicationally coupling the card to the second storage device, thereby causing the card instructions to invoke firmware instructions to be processed by at least one processing unit of the second storage device, the processing of the firmware instructions by the at least one processing unit causing the second storage device to reacquire computer-readable information previously stored on the first storage device from other storage devices of the array of storage device, wherein the second storage device comprises firmware comprising the firmware instructions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least part of the invoked firmware instructions were stored on the firmware of the second storage device prior to the communicational coupling of the card to the second storage device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the card further comprises storage array information about the array of storage devices, the storage array information having been stored on the card by the first storage device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the communicationally coupling the card to the second storage device comprises establishing a wireless communicational connection between the card and the second storage device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein once the firmware instructions are invoked by the card instructions, the second storage device performs no other action directed to data storage until the reacquiring the computer-readable information is completed, irrespective of any intervening power interruptions to the second storage device and irrespective of any intervening communicational decoupling of the card from the second storage device.

14. The method of claim 3, wherein the storage array information identifies how the first storage device was utilized within the array of storage devices and comprises communicational information for other storage devices of the array of storage devices.

5. A storage device for storing computer-readable information, the storage device comprising:

one or more computer-readable storage media having data stored thereon;

one or more processing units;

storage device memory comprising firmware instructions that are executable by the one or more processing units, the execution of which causes the storage device to perform at least one action, while communicationally disconnected from a computing device; and

a card interface for communicationally coupling the storage device to a card that is physically distinct from, and separable from, the storage device, the card comprising card instructions for invoking the firmware instructions, such that they are executed by the one or more processing units, when the card is communicationally coupled to the storage device;

wherein the at least one action comprises reconstructing, on the one or more computer-readable, media, data, from storage devices of a storage array, that was previously stored on another storage dev to which the card was previously communicationally connected, wherein the storage device replaces the other storage device in the storage array.

6. The storage device of claim 5, wherein the firmware instructions were stored on the storage device memory prior to the communicational coupling of the card to the storage device.

7. The storage device of claim 5, wherein the storage device memory comprises additional firmware instructions for storing, on the card, information associated with a storage array comprising the storage device.

8. The storage device of claim 5, wherein, once the firmware instructions are invoked b the card instructions, the storage device performs no other action directed to data storage until the at least one action is completed, irrespective of any intervening power in interruptions to the storage device and irrespective of any intervening communicational decoupling of the card from the storage device.

9. The storage device of claim 5, wherein the card interface is a wireless connection.

15. The storage device of claim 5, wherein the storage device memory comprises a second set of firmware instructions that delay, after being invoked by the card instructions, the execution of the firmware instructions that cause the performance of the at least one action, and wherein further, if the card is communicationally disconnected from the storage device during the delay, the execution of the firmware instructions causing the performance of the at least one action is cancelled.

16. The storage device of claim 7, wherein the information stored on the card by the additional firmware instructions identifies how the storage device was utilized within the storage array and comprises communicational information for other storage devices of the storage array.

18. The storage device of claim 7, wherein once the firmware instructions are invoked by the card instructions, the storage device performs no other action directed to data storage until the reacquiring the computer-readable information is completed, irrespective of any intervening power interruptions to the storage device and irrespective of any intervening communicational decoupling of the card from the storage device.

19. The storage device of claim 7, wherein the storage array information identifies how the prior storage device was utilized within the array of storage devices and comprises communicational information for other storage devices of the array of storage devices.

10. A card that is physically distinct from, and separable from, a storage device, the card comprising:

at least one communicational interface;

card instructions that invoke firmware instructions to be processed by at least one processing unit of the storage device, while the storage device is communicationally disconnected from a computing device, the processing of the firmware instructions by the at least one processing unit causing the storage device to reacquire computer-readable information previously stored on a prior storage device from other storage devices of an array of storage devices of which the storage device is a part; and

storage array information about the array of storage devices, the storage array information having been stored on the card by the prior storage device;

wherein the storage device comprises firmware comprising the firmware instructions; and

wherein further the card comprises a physical connecting structure or shape.

11. The card of claim 10, wherein at least part of the invoked firmware instructions were stored on the firmware of the storage device prior to a communicational coupling of the card to the storage device.

12. The card of claim 10, further comprising a physical triggering device for initiating the invocation of the firmware instructions by the card instructions.

17. The card of claim 10, further comprising an exterior color to distinguish the card from other cards comprising card instructions that cause storage devices to perform other actions.