Plurality Of Memory Devices (e.g., Array, Etc.) Patents (Class 714/6.2)
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Patent number: 8122295Abstract: A circuit is operated to detect unstable memory cells from among a plurality of memory cells in at least one page. A determination is made from an initial status of data stored in a memory cell whether no read error occurs when the data is read at a standard read voltage level, whether a read error occurs and the read error is correctable, and whether a read error occurs and the read error is uncorrectable. Responsive to determining that a read error occurs that is correctable, a further determination is made as to whether the memory cell is correctable by reading the data stored in the memory cell at a correction read voltage level, which has a different voltage level from the standard read voltage level, and by determining whether a read error occurring in the data read at the correction read voltage level is correctable or uncorrectable.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2010Date of Patent: February 21, 2012Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Seon-taek Kim, Yoon-young Kyung
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Patent number: 8122287Abstract: A RAID storage system is provided with a plurality of disk drive modules in communication with a processor through a RAID controller. Tools and processes are provided for managing failure of individual modules in the RAID, identifying and managing excess spare modules, and migrating modules among array sites to produce uniform or near-uniform array sites.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2010Date of Patent: February 21, 2012Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Jerald Herry D'Souza, Vijay Francis Gregary Lobo
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Patent number: 8122284Abstract: Reciprocal data storage protection is combined with “N+1” hardware provisioning and on-demand resynchronization to guarantee full data availability without impairing performance. Pairs of nodes are identified that act as backups for each other, where each node stores a secondary copy of data allocated to its reciprocal, paired node. A single extra node is brought online to take over the role of a failed node and assumes the role of the primary node it replaced.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2010Date of Patent: February 21, 2012Inventors: Tracy M. Taylor, Craig Leckband, Yongmin Chen
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Publication number: 20120042200Abstract: The SSD performs to encode input data from the host device into BCH code having data length Sdr and code length Scr sequentially (step S100 and step S110) and controls RRAM to stores the encoded data (step S120) when the write requesting signal is input from the host device. When the number of BCH code that becomes data of one page of the flash memory after being decoded is stored to RRAM (step S130), the SSD controls RRAM to read out data stored in RRAM (step S140), performs error correction and decoding to the read data as BCH code having the data length Sdr and the code length Scr, and controls the flash memory to store the encoded data.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 5, 2011Publication date: February 16, 2012Applicant: THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYOInventors: Ken TAKEUCHI, Mayumi FUKUDA
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Publication number: 20120042201Abstract: Memory devices and methods are described that include serially chained memory devices. In one or more of the configurations shown, a serial chain of memory devices includes a number of memory devices, and an error recovery device at an end of the chain. In one configuration shown, the serial chain of memory devices includes a chain of devices where each device is a stacked die memory device. Methods are described that show using the error recovery device in write operations and data recovery operations.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 24, 2011Publication date: February 16, 2012Inventor: David R. Resnick
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Patent number: 8117497Abstract: A method and apparatus for the detection and correction of soft errors existing within an integrated circuit (IC). Run-time check stops are utilized in conjunction with processor-based, hardware mechanisms to detect and correct soft errors. At run-time, each check stop facilitates a snap shot of the hardware and/or software state of the IC to be stored into hardware and/or software based memory. Should a soft error be detected, execution is halted and the executable state of the IC that conforms to a previous check-stop location may be re-established after the soft error(s) are optionally corrected. In alternate embodiments, hardware based mechanisms may be exclusively utilized to both detect and correct the soft errors.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2008Date of Patent: February 14, 2012Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.Inventor: Austin H. Lesea
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Patent number: 8117411Abstract: Data written in the primary logical volume of the first storage device are transmitted to the third storage device via the second storage device, the data being written in the same location as the primary logical volume within the secondary logical volume in the third storage device; when transmission of the data stops among the first to the third storage devices, the respective second storage device and the third storage device manage locations in the secondary logical volume where the data held thereby are to be written; and, when transmission of the data resumes among the first to the third storage devices, the locations in the secondary logical volume managed by the respective second and the third storage devices are aggregated, the data to be written in the respective aggregated location in the secondary logical volume being transmitted from the first storage device to the third storage device via the second storage device.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2011Date of Patent: February 14, 2012Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Shintaro Inoue, Katsuhiro Okumoto
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Patent number: 8112663Abstract: An apparatus comprising a logically contiguous group of at least three drives, a first loop, a second loop, and a compression/decompression circuit. Each of the drives comprises (i) a first region configured to store compressed data of a previous drive, (ii) a second region configured to store uncompressed data of the drive, (iii) a third region configured to store compressed data of a next drive. The first loop may be connected to the next drive in the logically contiguous group. The second loop may be connected to the previous drive of the logically contiguous group. The compression/decompression circuit may be configured to compress and decompress the data stored on each of the drives.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2010Date of Patent: February 7, 2012Assignee: LSI CorporationInventors: Pavan P S, Vivek Prakash, Mahmoud K. Jibbe
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Publication number: 20120030507Abstract: A data storage device includes an interface that is configured to interface with a host, a command bus, multiple memory devices that are operably coupled to the command bus and a controller that is operably coupled to the interface and to the command bus. The controller is configured to receive a verify on write command from the host using the interface, write data to one of the memory devices, read the data from the memory device, calculate an error correction code for the data as the data is being read, verify the data was written correctly to the memory device using the error correction code and communicate results to the host using the interface.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 10, 2011Publication date: February 2, 2012Applicant: GOOGLE INC.Inventors: Albert T. Borchers, Andrew T. Swing, Robert S. Sprinkle, Jason W. Klaus
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Patent number: 8108713Abstract: Distributed data, having been stored in a distributed storage system as a collection of distributed data elements, is recovered based on connection of multiple user nodes, each user node having stored selected distributed data elements as a corresponding portion of the distributed data during replication of the distributed data elements throughout the distributed storage system. Each distributed data element is identifiable by a corresponding unique object identifier (OID). Each user node includes a discovery resource for discovering reachable user nodes, a local cache configured for identifying at least the corresponding portion of the distributed data based on the respective OIDs, and an identification service module configured for resolving a data object to a corresponding OID, via the corresponding local cache, or based on sending a query to the reachable user nodes. Hence, user nodes can recover distributed data based on exchanging resolution information and OID information.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2010Date of Patent: January 31, 2012Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.Inventors: Bryan C. Turner, John Toebes, Douglas Jay Walker
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Patent number: 8103902Abstract: To provide a storage apparatus in which a plurality of drives in a unit are separately treated and the unit can be easily exchanged for another unit even when RAID groups are freely composed. The storage apparatus includes a plurality of drive cases in each of which a plurality of units are detachably mounted, each of the units including a plurality of drives that are detachably, and a controller case in which a disk control section is provided, wherein the disk control section comprises a RAID group creation section for creating a RAID group using the plurality of disks and an exchange indicating section for giving a notice that a unit is ready to exchange after rebuilding or copying of data in disks included in the unit at the time of exchange of the unit.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2008Date of Patent: January 24, 2012Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Masahiro Arai, Ikuya Yagisawa, Yoichi Mizuno, Naoto Matsunami
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Patent number: 8090987Abstract: An imaging apparatus having an automatic backup function and a method for controlling the same are disclosed which can more securely store particular data, considered to be important by the user, in a memory of the imaging apparatus, and can automatically read out the particular data. The imaging apparatus includes a tuner which receives data containing at least one of audio data and video data, a main storage unit which stores data containing at least one of audio data and video data, and a controller which determines backup data, to be stored in a backup storage unit, from the data stored in the main storage unit, copies data determined as the backup data, and stores the copied data in the backup storage unit, whereby the imaging apparatus has an automatic data backup function.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2006Date of Patent: January 3, 2012Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.Inventors: Dong Joon Lee, Kwan Seung Baek
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Patent number: 8090979Abstract: Availability of an information system including a storage apparatus and a computer is improved. First and second storage apparatuses execute remote copy of copying data written into a first primary volume from the computer to a second primary volume, at least one of the first and second storage apparatuses executes local copy of copying the data written into the first or second primary volume in a self-storage apparatus to the corresponding first or second secondary volume, and the computer switches the destination of a write request of the data from the first storage apparatus to the second storage apparatus in case of a failure occurring in the first storage apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2010Date of Patent: January 3, 2012Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Yasuo Watanabe, Yasutomo Yamamoto, Kenta Ninose, Yoshiaki Eguchi, Takashige Iwamura, Hisao Homma
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Patent number: 8090980Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product are provided for providing data redundancy in a plurality of storage devices. In operation, storage commands are received for providing data redundancy in accordance with a first data redundancy scheme. Additionally, the storage commands are translated for providing the data redundancy in accordance with a second data redundancy scheme. Furthermore, the translated storage commands are outputted for providing the data redundancy in a plurality of storage devices.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2007Date of Patent: January 3, 2012Assignee: SandForce, Inc.Inventor: Radoslav Danilak
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Patent number: 8082465Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for detecting a failed storage device within an “n” device array. The “n” device array is configured to store “n” device array formatted data. The “n” device array is reconfigured into an “n?1” device array. The “n” device array formatted data is written to the “n?1” device array in an “n?1” device array format.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2010Date of Patent: December 20, 2011Assignee: EMC CorporationInventors: Kiran Madnani, David W. DesRoches
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Publication number: 20110307736Abstract: Approaches for recovering nodes and adding new nodes to object stores maintained on one or more solid state devices. At a surviving node, in a cluster of nodes, replicating, to a recovering node in the cluster of nodes, all requests to modify data stored in a first data store thereon that are received by the surviving node. The surviving node performing a bulk copy operation to copy data, stored in the first data store, to a second data store maintained on the recovering node. The surviving node (a) replicates all requests to modify data received by the surviving node and (b) performs a bulk copy operation in parallel.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 11, 2011Publication date: December 15, 2011Inventors: Johann GEORGE, Brian W. O'KRAFKA
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Patent number: 8078905Abstract: A method is used in restoring configurations of data storage system. A captured configuration is produced from capturing a configuration of a data storage system. The configuration includes a mapping of hierarchical objects. The captured configuration is used to help ensure that the configuration is not corrupted.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2009Date of Patent: December 13, 2011Assignee: EMC CorporationInventors: Utkarsh Vipul, Manish Patel, Xuan Tang, Scott Von Rhee, David Haase
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Patent number: 8074107Abstract: Replicated instances in a database environment provide for automatic failover and recovery. A monitoring component can periodically communicate with a primary and a secondary replica for an instance, with each capable of residing in a separate data zone or geographic location to provide a level of reliability and availability. A database running on the primary instance can have information synchronously replicated to the secondary replica at a block level, such that the primary and secondary replicas are in sync. In the event that the monitoring component is not able to communicate with one of the replicas, the monitoring component can attempt to determine whether those replicas can communicate with each other, as well as whether the replicas have the same data generation version. Depending on the state information, the monitoring component can automatically perform a recovery operation, such as to failover to the secondary replica or perform secondary replica recovery.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2009Date of Patent: December 6, 2011Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Swaminathan Sivasubramanian, Grant Alexander MacDonald McAlister
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Patent number: 8074103Abstract: A computer is programmed to execute a diagnostic procedure either on a pre-set schedule or asynchronously in response to an event, such as an error message, or a user command. When executed, the diagnostic procedure automatically checks for integrity of one or more portions of data in the computer, to identify any failure(s). In some embodiments, the failure(s) may be displayed to a human, after revalidation to exclude any failure that no longer exists.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2008Date of Patent: December 6, 2011Assignee: Oracle International CorporationInventors: Mark Dilman, Michael James Stewart, Wei-Ming Hu, Balasubrahmanyam Kuchibhotla, Margaret Susairai, Hubert Ken Sun
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Patent number: 8069301Abstract: A data control apparatus includes a mapping-table managing unit that manages a mapping table that is associated with a corrupted-data recovery function of recording data and error correcting code data as redundant data that is given separately from the data, distributed and stored in units of stripe blocks in the plural nonvolatile semiconductor memory devices, the mapping table containing arrangement information of the data and the error correcting code data; a determining unit that determines whether to differentiate frequencies of writing the data into the semiconductor memory devices; and a changing unit that changes the arrangement information by switching the data stored in units of the stripe blocks managed using the mapping table to differentiate the frequencies of writing the data into the semiconductor memory devices, when the determining unit determines that the frequencies of writing the data into the semiconductor memory devices are to be differentiated.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2009Date of Patent: November 29, 2011Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Kazuhiro Fukutomi, Hideaki Sato, Shinichi Kanno, Shigehiro Asano
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Patent number: 8069384Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure relates to scanning reassigned data storage locations. In one example, a reassignment table is accessed to identify a deallocated data storage location and scan the deallocated data storage location for media defects.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2009Date of Patent: November 29, 2011Assignee: Seagate Technology LLCInventors: Bo Wei, Patrick Tai Heng Wong, MingZhong Ding
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Patent number: 8065481Abstract: A RAID system is provided which can be implemented as a hardware RAID system while avoiding certain shortcomings of previous RAID systems. The RAID system makes it possible to avoid or reduce the number of buffers or processors and can take advantage of drive logic to achieve RAID functions or enhancements. RAID functionality can be provided in a manner to accommodate one or more ATA drive interfaces. To avoid drive replacement problems, host requests for drive serial numbers are responded to with a mirror serial number. In one embodiment, the read address is used to select which drive will perform a read operation.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2004Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: Seagate Technology LLCInventors: Bernhard Hiller, Pantelis Alexopoulos, Don Brunnett, Chandra Buddhavaram, Thierry Chatard, David Chew, Samuel R. Duell, Jeff Griffiths, Johanna Hernandez, Robert L. Kimball, Eric Kvamme, LeRoy Leach, Michael Lee, James McGrath, Kathleen Fitzgerald, legal representative, Robert Milby, Bruce Schardt, Maurice Schlumberger, Erhard Schreck, Richard Sonnenfeld
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Patent number: 8065558Abstract: A data volume rebuilder reduces the time required to reconstruct lost data in a RAID protected data volume operating with a failed physical disk drive. A data volume rebuilder uses the remaining functioning physical disk drives in the RAID protected data volume operating with the failed disk to regenerate the lost data and populate a virtual hot spare store allocated in a separate RAID protected data volume. The recovered data is distributed across the physical disk drives supporting the virtual hot spare store. Once the virtual hot spare store is populated, the data volume can recover from a subsequent failure of a second physical disk drive in either RAID group. After replacement of the failed physical disk drive, the data volume rebuilder moves the recovered data from the virtual hot spare store to the new physical disk drive.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2009Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: LSI CorporationInventors: Ross E. Zwisler, Brian D. McKean
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Patent number: 8046629Abstract: A redundant array of independent disks (RAID) system comprises N storage arrays, wherein each of the N storage arrays comprise a target processing module and 1 to M hard disk drives, where M and N are integers greater than 1. A data processing module selectively assigns error checking and correcting (ECC) processing for data blocks to selected ones of the target processing modules in a non-overlapping manner. A switch module provides communication paths between the data processing module and the N storage arrays and between each one of the N storage arrays and others of the N storage arrays.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2007Date of Patent: October 25, 2011Assignee: Marvell World Trade Ltd.Inventor: Pantas Sutardja
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Patent number: 8046628Abstract: Memory devices and methods are described that include serially chained memory devices. In one or more of the configurations shown, a serial chain of memory devices includes a number of memory devices, and an error recovery device at an end of the chain. In one configuration shown, the serial chain of memory devices includes a chain of devices where each device is a stacked die memory device. Methods are described that show using the error recovery device in write operations and data recovery operations.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2009Date of Patent: October 25, 2011Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventor: David R. Resnick
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Patent number: 8041989Abstract: A system and method for providing a high fault tolerant memory system. The system includes a memory system having a memory controller, a plurality of memory modules and a mechanism. The plurality of memory modules are in communication with the memory controller and with a plurality of memory devices. The plurality of memory devices include at least one spare memory device for providing memory device sparing capability. The mechanism is for detecting that one of the memory modules has failed possibly coincident with a memory device failure on an other of the memory modules. The mechanism allows the memory system to continue to run unimpaired in the presence of the memory module failure and the possible memory device failure.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2007Date of Patent: October 18, 2011Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Luis A. Lastras-Montano, James A. O'Connor, Luiz C. Alves, William J. Clarke, Timothy J. Dell, Thomas J. Dewkett, Kevin C. Gower
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Patent number: 8041879Abstract: A flash memory system includes a flash controller for controlling operation of at least two flash memory devices. A page buffer is allocated within each flash memory device, such that one page buffer functions as a designated target buffer and another page buffer functions as a mirror buffer. The flash controller transmits the page data to two flash memory devices simultaneously, such that no backup of the page data is required to be kept in the flash controller. Hence, there is no delay in writing the next page data from a host computer to the flash controller.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2005Date of Patent: October 18, 2011Assignee: SanDisk IL LtdInventor: Eran Erez
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Publication number: 20110252274Abstract: A system comprising a plurality of storage systems, which uses storage devices of multiple levels of reliability. The reliability as a whole system is increased by keeping the error code for the relatively low reliability storage disks in the relatively high reliability storage system. The error code is calculated using hash functions and the value is used to compare with the hash value of the data read from the relatively low reliability storage disks.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 8, 2010Publication date: October 13, 2011Inventors: Tomohiro KAWAGUCHI, Akira YAMAMOTO
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Patent number: 8037349Abstract: A system and associated method for replicating data based on capacity optimization. A local node receives the data associated with a key. The local node within a local domain communicates with nodes of remote domains in a system through a communication network. Each domain has its own distributed hash table that partitions key space and assigns a certain key range to an owner node within the domain. For new data, the local node queries owner nodes of domains in the system progressively from the local domain to remote domains for a duplicate of the new data. Depending on a result returned by owner nodes and factors for replication strategies, the local node determines a replication strategy and records the new data in the local node pursuant to the replication strategy.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2009Date of Patent: October 11, 2011Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Nagapramod S. Mandagere, Seshashayee S. Murthy, Mark A. Smith, Sandeep M. Uttamchandani, Pin Zhou
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Patent number: 8037348Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure relates to implementing a temporary reassignment of data based on a vibration condition. An exemplary method includes implementing a data operation for a portion of data and detecting a data error during the data operation. The method further includes obtaining an indication of a vibration condition associated with a device with which the data operation is performed and implementing a temporary reassignment of the portion of data based on the vibration condition.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2007Date of Patent: October 11, 2011Assignee: Seagate Technologies LLCInventors: Bo Wei, HuaYuan Chen, Steven TianChye Cheok, JinQuan Shen
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Publication number: 20110246818Abstract: A fault-tolerant storage system is provided. The storage system is composed of a controller having a plurality of processors and other units. When an error occurs in any one of the components in the controller, the storage system cuts off an I/O path of the controller, specifies the failed component in the cutoff status, and invalidates the failed component. After invalidating the failed component, the storage system determines whether it is operable only with the normal components, cancels (releases) the cutoff of the I/O path when it determines that it is operable, and resumes operation by rebooting.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 13, 2011Publication date: October 6, 2011Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Masanori Takada, Shuji Nakamura, Kentaro Shimada
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Patent number: 8032784Abstract: A simultaneous failure occurrence degree calculation section calculates a simultaneous failure occurrence degree a value of which becomes smaller with an increase in a difference between numeric values indicative of manufacture date information on a computer which performs a process on the basis of a duplication combination management program. A combination pattern generation section then combines two of a plurality of storage apparatus and generates a plurality of combination patterns. A simultaneous failure occurrence degree adding section then calculates a total of simultaneous failure occurrence degrees corresponding to combinations of storage apparatus for each of the plurality of combination patterns. A duplication combination pattern determination section then determines that a combination pattern for which the total of simultaneous failure occurrence degrees is the smallest is a duplication combination pattern.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2009Date of Patent: October 4, 2011Assignee: Fujitsu LimitedInventors: Tatsuo Kumano, Kazutaka Ogihara, Masahisa Tamura, Yoshihiro Tsuchiya, Tetsutaro Maruyama, Takashi Watanabe, Yasuo Noguchi, Riichiro Take
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Patent number: 8032785Abstract: Disclosed are ways of providing a highly flexible high availability storage system. Disk drive carriers for insertion into enclosures in a storage system include several disk drives. The enclosures accept carriers that include drives of different sizes, and drives compatible with different storage technologies, for instance Fibre Channel, SATA, or SAS. Drives oriented in their carriers in a manner that allows them to be connected to a common medium via identical flex circuits that are configured based on the orientation of the drives. Redundant controllers include redundant serial buses for transferring management information to the carriers. The carriers include a controller for monitoring the multiple serial buses and producing storage technology specific management commands for the disk drives.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2007Date of Patent: October 4, 2011Assignee: EMC CorporationInventors: Jeffrey A. Brown, Steven D. Sardella, Mickey Steven Felton, Joseph P. King, Jr., Stephen E. Strickland, Bernard Warnakulasooriya, Ralph C. Frangioso, Jr.
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Patent number: 8028137Abstract: Systems and methods of selective data mirroring are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a device is disclosed that includes a data storage medium and a controller operably coupled to the data storage medium. The controller configured to selectively enable a data mirroring function to copy data in a first data storage location of the data storage medium to one or more second data storage locations of the data storage medium when the one or more second data storage locations do not have valid primary data stored to them.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2007Date of Patent: September 27, 2011Assignee: Seagate Technology LLCInventors: Joseph L. Wach, Timothy Richard Feldman
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Publication number: 20110231674Abstract: Disclosed is a storage system enclosure. A midplane receives, from a controller coupled to the midplane, a first drive status signal and a second drive status signal. The first drive status signal and the second drive status signal are associated with a storage device. The first drive status signal indicates a fault condition associated with the storage device. The second drive status signal indicates that an action is allowed on the storage device. A drive power control supplies or removes power from the storage device in response to the state of the first drive status signal and the second drive status signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2008Publication date: September 22, 2011Inventors: Jason M. Stuhlsatz, Mohamad El-Batal, Keith Holt
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Publication number: 20110231699Abstract: A method begins by a processing module obtaining an encoded data slice and an associated slice name. The method continues with the processing module determining a dispersed storage (DS) unit for storing the encoded data slice based on at least one of the encoded data slice and the associated slice name and estimating a performance level of the DS unit to produce an estimated DS unit performance level. The method continues with the processing module sending the encoded data slice to the DS unit for storage therein and when the estimated DS unit performance level compares unfavorably with a performance threshold, facilitating storage of the encoded data slice in temporary memory to produce a temporarily stored encoded data slice, wherein the temporarily stored encoded data slice is retrieved in response to a retrieval request when confirmation of the DS unit storing the encoded data slice has not been received.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 31, 2010Publication date: September 22, 2011Applicant: CLEVERSAFE, INC.Inventors: S. Christopher Gladwin, Ilya Volvovski, Greg Dhuse, Jason K. Resch
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Patent number: 8024603Abstract: The invention is directed to a storage system including a storage subsystem providing a data storage service to a host computer, and a management device managing the storage subsystem. The management device issues a command to a controller in the storage subsystem for migrating data on a migration-source volume to a migration-destination volume in accordance with a predetermined task. When the migration-destination volume is not available for use for some reason, and when the data migration is not completed normally, the management device searches an alternative volume in accordance with migration-destination requirements including essential and arbitrary requirements, and then issues a command for data migration to thus found alternative volume. With such a configuration, even if a migration-destination volume is not available for use for some reason during data migration, any other volume can be used as a migration destination in accordance with the migration-destination requirement(s).Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2008Date of Patent: September 20, 2011Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Yasutaka Kono, Yukinori Sakashita
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Publication number: 20110225451Abstract: A method begins by a processing module determining that a data storage request is a cloud data storage request. The method continues with the processing module determining at least one of a cloud storage access reliability indication and a cloud storage data reliability indication for the data storage request. The method continues with the processing module sending the data storage request and the at least one of cloud storage access reliability indication and cloud storage data reliability indication to a cloud storage system.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 4, 2011Publication date: September 15, 2011Applicant: CLEVERSAFE, INC.Inventors: Wesley Leggette, Jason. K. Resch
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Patent number: 8020032Abstract: A set of disks in a plurality of disk arrays are configured to have one or more spare partitions. Upon detecting a faulty disk in a faulty array, the method involves the steps of: (a) migrating data in the faulty array containing the faulty disk to one or more spare partitions; (b) reconfiguring the faulty array to form a new array without the faulty disk; (c) migrating data from one or more spare partitions in the set of disks to the reconfigured new array; (d) monitoring to identify when overall spare capacity falls below a predetermined threshold; and when the predetermined threshold is exceeded, scheduling a service visit for replacement of the failed disks.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2007Date of Patent: September 13, 2011Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Bulent Abali, Mohammad Banikazemi, James Lee Hafner, Daniel Edward Poff, Krishnakumar Rao Surugucchi
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Publication number: 20110219259Abstract: A Flash-based memory system comprises a plurality of Flash memory devices, a Flash controller communicating independently with each Flash memory device to perform memory operations, a power circuit providing power the Flash memory devices, and a CPU configured to perform a controlled powering down procedure upon detecting a power failure. In some embodiments, the Flash-based memory system includes a backup power source having a charge storage device and charging circuitry, the CPU configured to perform one or more test procedures on the charge storage device to provide an indication of a charge storage capacity of the charge storage device. A plurality of Flash-based memory systems may be mounted on a Flash-based memory card, and multiple such Flash-based memory cards may be combined into a Flash-based memory module. A number of Flash-based memory modules may then be removably mounted in a rack-mountable housing to form unitary Flash-based memory unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2010Publication date: September 8, 2011Applicant: TEXAS MEMORY SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Holloway H. Frost, Don D. Davis, Adrian P. Glover, Lance W. Shelton
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Patent number: 8015442Abstract: In a storage device incorporating a plurality of kinds of disk drives with different interfaces, the controller performs sparing on a disk drive, whose errors that occur during accesses exceed a predetermined number, by swapping it with a spare disk drive that is prepared beforehand.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2010Date of Patent: September 6, 2011Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventor: Seiki Morita
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Patent number: 8015440Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for data storage with progressive redundant array of independent drives (“RAID”). A storage request receiver module, a striping module, a parity-mirror module, and a parity progression module are included. The storage request receiver module receives a request to store data of a file or of an object. The striping module calculates a stripe pattern for the data. The stripe pattern includes one or more stripes, and each stripe includes a set of N data segments. The striping module writes the N data segments to N storage devices. Each data segment is written to a separate storage device within a set of storage devices assigned to the stripe. The parity-mirror module writes a set of N data segments to one or more parity-mirror storage devices within the set of storage devices. The parity progression module calculates a parity data segment on each parity-mirror device in response to a storage consolidation operation, and stores the parity data segments.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2007Date of Patent: September 6, 2011Assignee: Fusion-IO, Inc.Inventors: David Flynn, David Atkisson, Jonathan Thatcher, Michael Zappe
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Patent number: 8010835Abstract: Realigning storage devices arranged as storage arrays when one of the storage arrays enters a critical state after failure of a storage device is disclosed. The method is particularly useful for RAID groups of storage devices. The method may be used with hard disk drives, solid-state drives, and other storage devices arranged as groups. The method includes identifying when a storage array of a plurality of storage arrays is in a critical condition. A critical condition storage array and a healthy storage array are identified. Both the critical condition storage array and the healthy storage array are rebuilt. The rebuilding includes configuring the critical condition storage array to include a storage device from the healthy storage array and configuring the healthy storage array to function with one less storage device. The method may be implemented in hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof.Type: GrantFiled: November 11, 2008Date of Patent: August 30, 2011Assignee: DataDirect Networks, Inc.Inventor: Dan Olster
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Patent number: 7996637Abstract: Data written in the primary logical volume of the first storage device are transmitted to the third storage device via the second storage device, the data being written in the same location as the primary logical volume within the secondary logical volume in the third storage device; when transmission of the data stops among the first to the third storage devices, the respective second storage device and the third storage device manage locations in the secondary logical volume where the data held thereby are to be written; and, when transmission of the data resumes among the first to the third storage devices, the locations in the secondary logical volume managed by the respective second and the third storage devices are aggregated, the data to be written in the respective aggregated location in the secondary logical volume being transmitted from the first storage device to the third storage device via the second storage device.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2008Date of Patent: August 9, 2011Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Shintaro Inoue, Katsuhiro Okumoto
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Publication number: 20110191628Abstract: A computer executes a data allocation control program to control allocation of data in a plurality of disk nodes. A redundancy restoration module executes a redundancy restoration procedure by commanding disk nodes to create a new copy of redundancy-lost data. An error message reception module receives a write error message indicating a write error in a storage device during the redundancy restoration procedure and records an identifier of the faulty storage device in an error record memory. A copy command module identifies accessed data in the faulty storage device and commands a relevant disk node to create a copy of the identified data in the faulty storage device in the case where there is no redundant copy of the data.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2010Publication date: August 4, 2011Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITEDInventors: Yasuo NOGUCHI, Hideki Sakurai
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Patent number: 7991952Abstract: Provided are a storage system and a method of controlling a storage system in which respective real storage areas of a plurality of disk drives contained in the storage system contain management units, and a control device of the storage system assigns a real storage area of a plurality of first disk drives to the virtual storage area, distributedly stores the data in the plurality of management units of the assigned real storage area, distributedly stores, upon receiving a request for adding a second disk drive, the data stored in the plurality of management units of the plurality of first disk drives in the plurality of management units of the plurality of first disk drives and the second disk drive, and assigns the real storage area of the plurality of first disk drives and the second disk drive to an unused virtual storage area.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2008Date of Patent: August 2, 2011Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Kenta Shiga, Akira Nishimoto
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Patent number: 7992037Abstract: Exemplary systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the present invention may provide a plurality of data services by employing splittable, mergable and transferable redundant chains of data containers. The chains and containers may be automatically split and/or merged in response to changes in storage node network configurations and may be stored in erasure coded fragments distributed across different storage nodes. Data services provided in a distributed secondary storage system utilizing redundant chains of containers may include global deduplication, dynamic scalability, support for multiple redundancy classes, data location, fast reading and writing of data and rebuilding of data due to node or disk failures.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2009Date of Patent: August 2, 2011Assignee: NEC Laboratories America, Inc.Inventors: Cezary Dubnicki, Cristian Ungureanu
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Patent number: 7992035Abstract: A response of a disk device during rebuild can be sped up. A disk array control device determines whether or not there is a normal read request during rebuild. If there is a read request during rebuild, data is read by sequentially switching a plurality of disk devices in a certain block size unit lower than a block size in which each disk device reads data during normal read.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2007Date of Patent: August 2, 2011Assignee: Fujitsu LimitedInventors: Hidejiro Daikokuya, Mikio Ito, Kazuhiko Ikeuchi
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Patent number: 7992036Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for restoring cluster server data at a volume level. A setup module opens at least one source volume of a cluster server for a volume-level restore, flushes each buffer for the at least one source volume, closes the at least one source volume, disables file system checks for the cluster disks, saves disk signatures of the cluster disks, and disables device-level checks for the cluster disks. A copy module copies data with a volume-level restore from the at least one snapshot volume to the at least one source volume. A reset module rewrites the saved disk signatures to the cluster disks, re-enables the device-level checks for the cluster disks, and resets at least one volume attribute on the at least one source volume.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2007Date of Patent: August 2, 2011Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Neeta Garimella, Delbert Barron Hoobler, III
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Publication number: 20110185226Abstract: A RAID group is configured and operated by using multiple storage drives 171 and expanders 112 and 121 connected with the storage drives 171. If a failure related to any storage drive 171 is detected, a storage system 10 which issues a broadcast and a discover command to the communication path of the storage drive 171 manages a broadcast inhibiting flag for setting the information showing whether to inhibit transmission of broadcast per storage drive 171. If a failure occurs to a storage drive 171 constituting a RAID group whose redundancy is lost, the storage system 10 sets the broadcast inhibiting flag to inhibiting the broadcast transmission, and if a failure related to the storage drive 171 occurs and the broadcast inhibiting flag of the storage drive 171 is being set to inhibiting the transmission, inhibits the transmission of the broadcast.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 2, 2009Publication date: July 28, 2011Inventors: Yusuke Douchi, Hiroshi Izuta