Abstract: A method and system for autoconfiguring redundant arrays of memory storage devices contained within receptacles having one or more slots containing hardware sufficient to accept and electrically communicate with such memory storage devices. The capacities of the memory storage device receptacles for accepting memory storage devices are determined, and used to define an initial positioning of devices in at least one memory storage device receptacle. One or more asymmetrical groupings of memory storage devices is defined to permit an equation of electrically detected relative positions of the memory storage devices with actual physical positions within the receptacle. Thereafter, additional devices are added into the receptacles such that the ability to equate electrically detected relative positions of the devices with physical positions is preserved.

Abstract: A multimedia datastreaming system includes one of a plurality of differing pre-existing file systems each supporting a set of zero copy function interfaces. A method is provided for supporting the zero copy function of a datastream file with the pre-existing file system. A general purpose file system interface is established to the pre-existing file systems. The general purpose file system interface is then invoked to affect zero copy transfer of the datastream from a producer module to a consumer module. An initial prefetch of data associated with the datastream file is initiated in response to an I/O command issued from a multimedia file system daemon, such prefetch being from mass storage to a buffer in shared memory in an interrupt context.