Abstract: An apparatus is equipped with a disk block reallocator that operates to generate an improved alternate disk block allocation to a current disk block allocation, if possible. The disk block reallocator includes a reallocation optimizer that operates to generating the improved alternate disk block allocation employing a model to model a sequence of accesses against the current disk block allocation, and a number of model pruning criteria to prune the model.

Abstract: An optimized CD/DVD authoring method is disclosed. Either a pre-final version of a CD/DVD having a first block allocation or a disk image of the pre-final version of the CD/DVD with the first block allocation is first created. An alternate block allocation to the first block allocation that yields improved overall access time for the content of the CD/DVD is generated, if possible, based on the order a selected subset or the entire content of the CD/DVD is accessed. A final version of the CD/DVD is then generated using the alternate block allocation.

Abstract: An arbitration method for access to a serial bus includes the steps of monitoring for the presence of an arbitration reset gap on the serial bus, and arbitrating for an access, if needed, upon recognizing the presence of an arbitration reset gap on the serial bus. The method further comprises the steps of determining if immediately arbitrating for an additional access without waiting for the presence of another arbitration reset gap on the serial bus is authorized, upon successfully arbitrating for an access. If immediately arbitrating for an additional access is authorized, and the additional access is needed, arbitration for the additional access is immediately made. A method for controlling arbitration for access to a serial bus includes the step of programming bus agents with information for the bus agents to determine whether immediately arbitrating for additional accesses to the serial bus are authorized.

Abstract: Security from an unwanted intrusion into a computer system is provided by coupling a host component with a peripheral component using a high-speed serial bus having a high-speed physical layer and using features of the bus to implement the security. In an embodiment, the high-speed serial bus has a secondary bus layer that is used to implement a number of the security features of the invention.

Abstract: A mechanism and method for quiescing a SCSI bus by asserting the busy signal just prior to the SCSI signal pins making contact or decoupling during a hot modification. A hot modification is an insertion, removal or exchange of a device coupled to a SCSI interface bus while the system is operating (e.g., not powered down). By asserting the busy line for a predetermined and short period of time during the disturbance of the SCSI signal pins, glitches or noise introduced by the coupling or decoupling of the signal lines is isolated and prevented from causing transmission errors over the SCSI bus. According to the system described, any communication over the SCSI bus made just prior to the hot modification is allowed to complete before the signal pins are interrupted. For hot insertions, the system utilizes longer pins on the connector to assert the busy line just before coupling of the other pins of the connector.

Abstract: A mass storage device having a storage medium on which digital signals can be stored. The mass storage device is coupleable to a computer through a high-speed serial bus. The high-speed serial bus has a latency and a signal transmission rate sufficient to enable transmission of digital signals between the mass storage device and the computer without interim storage of the digital signals in a buffer inside the mass storage device. The computer has a processor capable of processing the digital signals and the digital signals may be transmitted between the mass storage device and the computer without processing of the digital signals by a processor in the mass storage device.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method facilitate the sharing of a SCSI address ID between a SCSI initiator and a target device. The SCSI standard does not prohibit ID sharing under a set of operating conditions defined by this invention. The shared ID is preferably used for controlling an environmental monitor device that controls the power of disk drives on the SCSI bus, detects their status and configuration, and monitors environmental conditions within a mass storage system cabinet. Power to individual disk drives is switched under control of the computer operating system so that start-up surge current to the disk drives is limited. This allows defective drives to be powered down and replaced without powering down the remaining good drives. SCSI termination power distribution is improved so that connector reversals can be detected and resulting current surges limited. Termination power control and status is under program control.

Abstract: A method for detection of a sequential data stream which can be performed in a data storge subsystem without host computer intervention is disclosed featuring examination of the channel program processed during a read operation for signals indicative that the data is not part of a sequential data stream, for example, embedded seek instructions. If a particular channel program for does not contain such indications, the successive record or records may then be staged to a faster access memory device such as a solid-state cache. The invention is described in a plug-compatible, software-transparent configuration.

Abstract: A method of operation of a memory array for storage of records of differing predetermined sizes is disclosed which features division of the array into domains which are substantially integral multiples of the predetermined record sizes. In a preferred embodiment the domain allocation may be varied adaptively in accordance with usage so as to enable more efficient use of the array.

Abstract: A method for detection of a sequential data stream which can be performed without host computer intervention is disclosed featuring examination of a data record and channel program during read operations for signals indicative that the data is not part of a sequential data stream, for example, embedded seek instructions. If a particular sought for record does not contain such indications, the successive record or records may then be staged to a faster access memory device such as a solid-state cache. The invention is described in a plug-compatible, software-transparent configuration.

Abstract: A method of operation of a memory array for storage of records of differing predetermined sizes is disclosed which features division of the array into domains which are substantially integral multiples of the predetermined record sizes. In a preferred embodiment the domain allocation may be varied adaptively in accordance with usage so as to enable more fully efficient use of the array.