Abstract: A method and storage controller for providing active-active RAID functionality within storage controller device(s). An embodiment may utilize zoning capabilities to assign a subset of physical storage devices with each storage controller. One or more storage controllers may detect that a storage controller/server has failed and may reconfigure zoning of the physical storage devices originally zoned in with the failed storage controller such that the physical storage devices of the failed zone are zoned out of the failed zone and zoned in with at least one of the remaining functional storage controllers. A reverse process may be used on recovery. An embodiment may further represent each of the physical devices zoned in with a storage controller as at least one virtual storage device and configure an additional comprehensive zone incorporating the storage controllers such that each storage controller has access to all physical storage devices through the virtual storage devices.

Abstract: A method and storage controller for providing active-active RAID functionality within storage controller device(s). An embodiment may utilize zoning capabilities to assign a subset of physical storage devices with each storage controller. One or more storage controllers may detect that a storage controller/server has failed and may reconfigure zoning of the physical storage devices originally zoned in with the failed storage controller such that the physical storage devices of the failed zone are zoned out of the failed zone and zoned in with at least one of the remaining functional storage controllers. A reverse process may be used on recovery. An embodiment may further represent each of the physical devices zoned in with a storage controller as at least one virtual storage device and configure an additional comprehensive zone incorporating the storage controllers such that each storage controller has access to all physical storage devices through the virtual storage devices.

Abstract: Methods and structure for customizable BIOS in a peripheral device adapter. The controller of a peripheral device adapter senses a selection indicative of a desired customized BIOS configuration. BIOS information is updated to reflect the desired customized selection. In one embodiment, customization may be by updating portions of a default BIOS configuration with updated information stored in a selected custom BIOS information element. In another embodiment, each custom BIOS information element may store an entire snapshot of BIOS information customized for a particular application. The selected custom BIOS information may then be copied to a BIOS memory or BIOS memory accesses may be mapped to the selected custom BIOS information element.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for configuring a set of controllers. The configuration of multiple controllers may be achieved through a combination of a host application and a controller application. A host application and a controller application are employed to configure the set of controllers in which the host application is employed to relay commands from the controller application to other controllers as well as provide other functions, such as, for example, a user interface to receive input for configuring the controllers. A request is sent from the controller application executing on a selected controller within the set of controllers to the host application executing in host memory. The request is for an execution of a command in at least one of the set of controllers in response to a requirement to configure the set of controllers.

Abstract: Methods and associated structure operable within a SCSI-based storage subsystem to adapt the storage controller for use with non-SCSI disk drives. A firmware layer of the present invention intercepts SCSI read/write requests and pass through command blocks (CDBs) generated by the storage management core of the controller and translates the requests and command structures into corresponding command structures for transmission to a non-SCSI disk drive. In like manner, the firmware layer of the present invention receives status information from non-SCSI disk drives and translates the status information into corresponding SCSI compatible status information. In one exemplary preferred embodiment, a storage subsystem designed for interaction with SCSI disk drives may be adapted in accordance with the present invention to utilize lower-cost, commodity disk drives such as IDE compatible disk drives.

Abstract: Methods and associated structure operable within a SCSI-based storage subsystem are provided to adapt the storage controller for use with non-SCSI storage enclosures. A firmware layer of the present invention intercepts SCSI read/write requests and pass-through command blocks (CDBs) generated by the storage management core of the controller and translates the requests and command structures into corresponding command structures for transmission to a non-SCSI storage enclosure. In like manner, the firmware layer of the present invention receives status information from non-SCSI storage enclosures and translates the status information into corresponding SCSI compatible status information. In one exemplary preferred embodiment, a storage subsystem designed for interaction with SCSI storage enclosures may be adapted in accordance with the present invention to utilize lower-cost, IDE compatible storage enclosures.

Abstract: Methods and associated structure operable within a SCSI-based storage subsystem are provided to adapt the storage controller for use with non-SCSI storage enclosures. A firmware layer of the present invention intercepts SCSI read/write requests and pass-through command blocks (CDBs) generated by the storage management core of the controller and translates the requests and command structures into corresponding command structures for transmission to a non-SCSI storage enclosure. In like manner, the firmware layer of the present invention receives status information from non-SCSI storage enclosures and translates the status information into corresponding SCSI compatible status information. In one exemplary preferred embodiment, a storage subsystem designed for interaction with SCSI storage enclosures may be adapted in accordance with the present invention to utilize lower-cost, IDE compatible storage enclosures.

Abstract: Methods and structure for customizable BIOS in a peripheral device adapter. The controller of a peripheral device adapter senses a selection indicative of a desired customized BIOS configuration. BIOS information is updated to reflect the desired customized selection. In one embodiment, customization may be by updating portions of a default BIOS configuration with updated information stored in a selected custom BIOS information element. In another embodiment, each custom BIOS information element may store an entire snapshot of BIOS information customized for a particular application. The selected custom BIOS information may then be copied to a BIOS memory or BIOS memory accesses may be mapped to the selected custom BIOS information element.

Abstract: Methods and associated structure operable within a SCSI-based storage subsystem to adapt the storage controller for use with non-SCSI disk drives. A firmware layer of the present invention intercepts SCSI read/write requests and pass through command blocks (CDBs) generated by the storage management core of the controller and translates the requests and command structures into corresponding command structures for transmission to a non-SCSI disk drive. In like manner, the firmware layer of the present invention receives status information from non-SCSI disk drives and translates the status information into corresponding SCSI compatible status information. In one exemplary preferred embodiment, a storage subsystem designed for interaction with SCSI disk drives may be adapted in accordance with the present invention to utilize lower-cost, commodity disk drives such as IDE compatible disk drives.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for configuring a set of controllers. The configuration of multiple controllers may be achieved through a combination of a host application and a controller application. A host application and a controller application are employed to configure the set of controllers in which the host application is employed to relay commands from the controller application to other controllers as well as provide other functions, such as, for example, a user interface to receive input for configuring the controllers. A request is sent from the controller application executing on a selected controller within the set of controllers to the host application executing in host memory. The request is for an execution of a command in at least one of the set of controllers in response to a requirement to configure the set of controllers.

Abstract: A method for reconfiguration of a disk drive array is provided. For the method of the present invention, an array controller in a disk drive array examines the original configuration of the disk drive array (the source configuration) and the desired configuration (the destination configuration). Based on this examination, the array controller determines if the reconfiguration process may be optimized. To optimize the reconfiguration process, the array controller determines if a combination of changes to system parameters and possible rebuilding operations can replace the migration process. If this is possible, the reconfiguration process is modified to eliminate data migration. Otherwise, data migration is performed. In this way, the present invention provides a method that dramatically increases the speed of reconfiguration for some source and destination configurations.