Abstract: A protocol bridge includes a cache for caching data from a plurality of data storage devices, and for servicing data requests from a plurality of initiators. Data is cached for every data access operation such that the most frequently accessed data remains replicated in the cache.

Abstract: A protocol bridge includes a cache for caching data from a plurality of data storage devices, and for servicing data requests from a plurality of initiators. Data is cached for every data access operation such that the most frequently accessed data remains replicated in the cache.

Abstract: A SAS expander configured to operate as a SAS expander hub receives IO requests from connected SAS expanders and relays the IO requests to SAS expanders connected to data storage devices capable of servicing such IO requests.

Abstract: A data-processing system and method are disclosed, which generally includes a plurality of components connected to a bus within a data-processing apparatus utilizing one or more input/output interfaces (e.g., IOCTL) in communication with the bus. A dynamic interface is implemented, which includes a plurality of interface modules that permits varying data-processing applications to scan, identify and interface with the plurality of components utilizing the input/output interface, thereby increasing data-processing application development efficiency relative to one or more components within the data-processing system.

Abstract: A customizable option ROM image that allows a user to modify certain features of a ROM image is described. In one embodiment, a plurality of configuration ROM image modules is provided to a user. These modules may be bundled in a single file along with a software interface application that allows the user to customize one or more of the modules. In particular, the software application provides a simple interface so that a user may identify and change particular ROM image features. Thereafter, a ROM image is built using the modules, some of which may have been modified, so that it may be installed within the customer's system.

Abstract: A data-processing apparatus, method and program product generally include identifying one or more SAS expanders and one or more link thereof associated with an SAS domain of a data-processing apparatus. Link and reset data can be automatically injected onto the link(s) and the SAS expander(s) associated with the SAS domain, in response to identifying the SAS expander(s) and one or more links thereof. The presence of the link(s) within the SAS domain can then be verified, in response to automatically injecting the link and reset data onto one or more links and one or more SAS expanders in order to test the links and the SAS expanders associated with the SAS domain.

Abstract: The present invention provides disk coercion by generating coercion percentages or values that can be used to coerce various disks according to each disk's particular labeled size or capacity. In one embodiment, a disk size is received and a base coercion scaling factor is provided such that the received disk size is coerced according to the base coercion scaling factor if the labeled disk capacity is below a disk size threshold. The coercion scaling factor increases for labeled disk capacity above the disk threshold. If the labeled disk capacity is above the disk size threshold, then a coercion scaling factor is provided according to the rate of increase of coercion scaling factors and the labeled disk capacity.

Abstract: A data-processing apparatus, method and program product generally include identifying one or more SAS expanders and one or more link thereof associated with an SAS domain of a data-processing apparatus. Link and reset data can be automatically injected onto the link(s) and the SAS expander(s) associated with the SAS domain, in response to identifying the SAS expander(s) and one or more links thereof. The presence of the link(s) within the SAS domain can then be verified, in response to automatically injecting the link and reset data onto one or more links and one or more SAS expanders in order to test the links and the SAS expanders associated with the SAS domain.

Abstract: The present invention provides disk coercion by generating coercion percentages or values that can be used to coerce various disks according to each disk's particular labeled size or capacity. In one embodiment, a disk size is received and a base coercion scaling factor is provided such that the received disk size is coerced according to the base coercion scaling factor if the labeled disk capacity is below a disk size threshold. The coercion scaling factor increases for labeled disk capacity above the disk threshold. If the labeled disk capacity is above the disk size threshold, then a coercion scaling factor is provided according to the rate of increase of coercion scaling factors and the labeled disk capacity.

Abstract: A customizable option ROM image that allows a user to modify certain features of a ROM image is described. In one embodiment, a plurality of configuration ROM image modules is provided to a user. These modules may be bundled in a single file along with a software interface application that allows the user to customize one or more of the modules. In particular, the software application provides a simple interface so that a user may identify and change particular ROM image features. Thereafter, a ROM image is built using the modules, some of which may have been modified, so that it may be installed within the customer's system.

Abstract: A data-processing system and method are disclosed, which generally includes a plurality of components connected to a bus within a data-processing apparatus utilizing one or more input/output interfaces (e.g., IOCTL) in communication with the bus. A dynamic interface is implemented, which includes a plurality of interface modules that permits varying data-processing applications to scan, identify and interface with the plurality of components utilizing the input/output interface, thereby increasing data-processing application development efficiency relative to one or more components within the data-processing system.

Abstract: An operating system's input/output control (IOCTL) interface can communicate with one or more device drivers, which may be implemented as Message Passing Technology (MPT) based drivers. At start-up and at user-defined intervals, Message Passing Interface (MPI) pass-through messages can be sent utilizing the IOCTL interface. Such messages can be formatted as Configuration Page Request messages, and can then return data that includes the current negotiated rates and widths for all devices connected via the bus. Whenever a drop in rate occurs for any device connected to the bus, the event will be logged, and the user informed. Utilizing such technology, device transfer rates can be automatically tracked performance degradation thereof reported.