Abstract: The present invention provides a disk drive storage defragmentation system, comprising providing a cache buffer system coupled to a host system, coupling a disk drive storage system to the cache buffer system, performing a defragmantation process on the disk drive storage system utilizing the cache buffer system and servicing a data access request by the host system from the cache buffer system.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for efficiently operating on RAID systems. A fast access buffer comprising an off-disk fast access memory module supports RAID operations such as recovery or reconfiguration operations, thereby minimizing or reducing the need for on-disk destructive zones and/or reducing disk drive I/O activities. In some cases the fast access memory module to serves as a read/write cache, reducing the need for frequent disk accesses of a small number of data blocks. Fast off-disk memory such as RAM enables rapid operation on in-buffer data blocks. Access to the material stored in the RAID devices may be enabled, partially enabled or disabled during RAID operations involving the fast access memory module and some data access operations may be synchronized with RAID operations. In some cases, data may be served from the fast access memory module, thereby providing rapid access to material stored in a RAID device during RAID operations.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for preparing data for encrypted transmission. According to the current invention, a data bitstream may be processed to create side information. After extracting, generating and/or acquiring the side data, some or all of the data bitstream may be encrypted and then combined to create a combined data bitstream, ready for transmission. Subsequently, the combined data bitstream may be transmitted over a network. By processing a data bitstream to extract metadata about the bitstream before encrypting the data, some processing such as splicing, bit rate switching and/or statistical multiplexing done after encryption may be executed without requiring costly de-encryption/re-encryption steps based, in part, on inspecting the contents of the side data. The bitstream may represent video, audio, image or other data types. In some examples according to the current invention, a combined data bitstream may comprise multiple bitstreams, each at a different bit rate.

Abstract: A data storage system (30) includes multiple storage devices arranged in an array. A column in the array includes storage devices (12, 14, 16) mounted on a tray (22). The storage devices (12, 14, 16) and the tray (22) form an air channel (28) for efficient heat dissipation. The data storage system (30) may include multiple columns inserted in multiple slots of a chassis (35), thereby forming a memory board.