Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product for performing an instant copy of data are disclosed. Various instance copy mechanisms are provided for copying data upon receiving a write operation command to write data to a data location in one of an initial physical storage area and an additional physical storage area. An instant copy operation is performed to copy data from the data location to write new data to the data location. The instance copy operation includes generating a pointer to one of the new data and original data in the data location and updating the pointer to one of the original data or new data in the data location upon writing data to the data location.

Abstract: A communication system permitting temporary connections for specific, predictable data transfer performance is presented. The communication system includes a requesting computer system, a responding computer system, and communication paths for establishing connections between the requesting computer system and the responding computer system. The requesting computer system can establish a temporary initial control connection with the responding computer system through a first communication path. A temporary negotiating connection is established with the responding computer system. Data transfer characteristics are negotiated with the responding computer using the temporary negotiating connection. A temporary data connection is established through a set including at least one communication path based on the negotiated data transfer characteristics, the set not including the first communication path.

Abstract: A jacket for a lock latch, a lock latch incorporating such a jacket that allows a second slide member of a slide to engage and couple a first slide member of the slide without requiring manual manipulation of the lock latch, and a slide incorporating the same are provided. The jacket is slidably coupled to the lock latch which is coupled to the second slide member and is slidably moveable between a first position and a second position along the lock latch. When the second slide member is retracted relative to the first slide member during coupling of the second slide member to the first slide member, the jacket moves to the first position preventing the lock latch from interlockingly coupling with the first slide member. When the second slide member is extended relative to the first slide member, the jacket moves to a second position allowing for the interlocking coupling of the lock latch with the first slide member.

Abstract: A system and method for providing families of inter-related copies of metadata in which the copies of metadata are logically linked. With the system and method, a mapping table or portion of a mapping table used to manage instant copies of data, i.e. a metadata table, may have multiple identical copies of the metadata table that form a family of inter-related metadata tables. These copies of the metadata table are guaranteed, through the mechanisms of the system and method, to be consistent with each other. Changes to any metadata table in the family are propagated to all the other metadata tables in the family regardless of the physical location at which the metadata table is stored. Thus, the copies of the metadata table may be distributed to remote physical locations and be used to access the same set of data stored in one physical location, while remaining consistent with each other copy of the metadata table stored at other physical locations.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided that couples to a slide member of at least a two member slide forming a self-closing slide. The mechanism comprises a housing having a slot guiding an actuator. The actuator is spring coupled to the housing. The actuator engages a second slide member of the slide when the second slide member approaches a closed position. The spring generates a force for moving the actuator and the engaged second slide along the slot to a slide closed position.

Abstract: A self closing slide is provided having a first slide member slidably coupled to a second slide member. A slot is provided on the first slide member that receives an actuator of a self closing mechanism coupled to the second slide member. The mechanism comprises a housing having a slot guiding the actuator. The actuator is spring coupled to the housing. The actuator engages a portion of the first slide member when received in the slot for closing the first slide member relative to the second slide member.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for implementing structure level pointers in a data storage system are provided. With the apparatus and method, a compound pointer system is provided in which fixed level pointers are augmented with associated pointers to metadata describing lower level structures. The companion metadata describes these lower level structures in a manner independent of the actual data stored within the lower level structures. With such an enhanced compound pointer system, an instant copy mechanism can process the pointers to the underlying structures and take instant copies of much finer detail. This allows individual records of data to be represented by the pointer system without having the overhead of carrying a pointer to all the individual records. The instant copy mechanism not only copies the fixed level pointers, but resolves the companion pointers to individual subsets of a general granularity for the instances of the instant copy domains.

Abstract: A data storage system for remote access to stored data. The innovative system uses a storage library to contain magnetic hard disks and automatically replaces the hard disks upon failure, without human intervention. Failed disks are removed from the library by a robot, deposited from the library, upon which time they are further processed for delivery to the manufacturer, or for disposal. Replacement disk drives are accessed by the robot from within the library to replace the removed storage element. The system's robot is not only moving individual storage elements, but also of moving the access cables connecting the storage elements to the external network. Using this capability, the number of access cables is reduced without requiring added human intervention.

Abstract: A data storage system for remote access to stored data. The innovative system uses a storage library to contain magnetic hard disks (for example) and automatically replaces the hard disks upon failure, without human intervention. Failed disks are removed from the library by a robot, deposited from the library, upon which time they are further processed for delivery to the manufacturer, for example, or for disposal. Replacement disk drives are accessed by the robot from within the library to replace the removed storage element. The system's robot is capable of not only moving individual storage elements, but also of moving the access cables connecting the storage elements to the external network. Using this capability, the number of access cables is reduced without requiring added human intervention.

Abstract: A drawer slide assembly with an outer slide member with an elongate planar web including a parallel offset portion, having upper and lower bearing raceways along the length of the web, an intermediate slide member with a elongate planar web, having inner and outer upper and lower bearing raceways along the length of the web, and an inner slide member having an elongate planar web with upper and lower bearing raceways along the length of the web, with bearings disposed between and in rolling engagement with the respective outer and intermediate slide members, and intermediate and inner slide members.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to handle multiple sets of removable media within a storage system. A first set of removable media are mounted on a set of drives. Data is accepted until the first set of removable media is filled. A second set of removable media is mounted on the drives, while the first set of removable media is removed. When the change in removable media is complete, writing of data proceeds on the second set of removable media. Data may be buffered while the change in removable media occurs. Alternatively, two sets of removable media may be mounted at the same time. When the first set of removable media is filled to a selected amount, the second set of removable media may then be used to write the data. A third set of removable media is set up or mounted for use, while the first set of removable media is removed.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and firmware device for directly downloading data from a server in a network to a firmware device, bypassing any unencrypted transmission through computer system with which the firmware device may be associated, so that copies of the data are not as readily made is disclosed. A computer sends a request to a server to download the particular data to a particular firmware device. The server contacts the firmware device directly through the network to initiate the transfer. The server and firmware device communicate over an encrypted data channel so as to prevent any third party, including the aforementioned computer, from intercepting and storing the transmitted data.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and data storage device for downloading data with variable quality (including audio or video data) from a server in a network to a computer or network-connected storage device is disclosed.

Abstract: A method for using existing internal mapping mechanisms to dynamically map data in a computer storage subsystem is provided. The invention comprises using a dynamic mapping mechanism to mark (e.g., via a D-Mark) a data location and then using pointers to direct write requests for the data location to a side file. The new data is then written in the side file and a housekeeping operation reconciles the old and new data locations.

Abstract: A jacket for a lock latch, a lock latch incorporating such a jacket that allows a second slide member of a slide to engage and couple a first slide member of the slide without requiring manual manipulation of the lock latch, and a slide incorporating the same are provided. The jacket is slidably coupled to the lock latch which is coupled to the second slide member and is slidably moveable between a first position and a second position along the lock latch. When the second slide member is retracted relative to the first slide member during coupling of the second slide member to the first slide member, the jacket moves to the first position preventing the lock latch from interlockingly coupling with the first slide member. When the second slide member is extended relative to the first slide member, the jacket moves to a second position allowing for the interlocking coupling of the lock latch with the first slide member.

Abstract: A guide tab and a multiple member slide incorporating such guide tab are provided. The guide tab is coupled to one slide member of the slide. When actuated, the guide tab activates a latch allowing another slide member of the slide to decouple from the slide.

Abstract: A self closing slide is provided having a first slide member slidably coupled to a second slide member. A slot is provided on the first slide member that receives an actuator of a self closing mechanism coupled to the second slide member. The mechanism comprises a housing having a slot guiding the actuator. The actuator is spring coupled to the housing. The actuator engages a portion of the first slide member when received in the slot for closing the first slide member relative to the second slide member.

Abstract: A system is provided to support dynamically changeable virtual mapping schemes in a data processing system. The present invention separates processing of data unit requirements from the selection of which storage subsystems to use for storage by using a storage methodologies inventory. A stored data management subsystem contains one or more hosts. A plurality of data storage elements is functionally coupled to the one or more hosts. The plurality of data storage elements is organized using a plurality of layers of mapping tables. The plurality of layers of mapping tables provides unique identification of location of the data such that individual data entries in a mapping table is variable and self-defining with respect to the amount of data managed. In addition, the present system provides various instant copy mechanisms for copying data upon receiving a write operation to either a source or copy data.

Abstract: A drawer slide assembly includes an adjustable detent mechanism to provide adjustable hold in force and inhibit inadvertent opening of the drawer. The drawer slide assembly comprises an outer, an intermediate and an inner slide member. Each of the members are slidably engaged with the adjacent slide member. An adjustable detent mechanism is mounted on the inner slide member adjacent the front end of the slide. The adjustable detent mechanism defines an envelope in which an adjustable arm is rotatably positioned to bear against the envelope at selected positions to adjust the shape of the envelope and thereby provide a variable detent or hold in force depending upon the position selected by the user. The force necessary to open the drawer is determined by the amount of detent or hold in force selected.

Abstract: A data storage system for storing data for a host processor includes physical data storage devices each having data storage attributes and an outboard storage manager. The outboard storage manager is operable with the physical data storage devices for presenting to the host processor a virtual data storage image having a desired data storage attribute for a particular data storage application by organizing the physical data storage devices in an arrangement suitable for providing the desired data storage attribute irrespective of the data storage attributes of the physical data storage devices such that the combined physical data storage device arrangement emulates the virtual data storage image. The outboard storage manager is operable to transfer data between the host processor and the organized physical data storage device arrangement via the virtual data storage image.