Abstract: A cable having one or more conductors surrounded by at least an inner semiconductive layer, an insulation layer and an outer semiconductive layer, in that order. The insulation layer has at least 90 wt % of a polymer composition, said polymer composition having 80.0 to 99.9 wt % of an LDPE homopolymer or copolymer; and 0.1 to 20.0 wt % of: an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene having a Mw of at least 1,000,000; or a single site catalysed medium density polyethylene (MDPE) having a density of 925 to 940 kg/m3 or a single site catalysed linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) having a density of 910 to 925 kg/m3.

Abstract: A cable comprising one or more conductors surrounded by at least an inner semiconductive layer, an insulation layer and an outer semiconductive layer, in that order, wherein said insulation layer comprises at least 90 wt % of a polymer composition, said polymer composition comprising (I) 80.0 to 99.9 wt % of an LDPE homopolymer or copolymer; and (II) 0.1 to 20.0 wt % of: (i) an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene having a Mw of at least 1,000,000; or (ii) a single site catalysed medium density polyethylene (MDPE) having a density of 925 to 940 kg/m3 or a single site catalysed linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) having a density of 910 to 925 kg/m3.

Abstract: The disclosed invention includes methods and kits for the removal of white blood cells from samples of immunomagnetically enriched rare cells by treating the sample with a leukocyte marker conjugated to a hapten which adheres to the white blood cells and treating the resulting product with a second medium that adheres to the hapten of the white blood cells that are labeled with the leukocyte marker conjugated to hapten and removing the labeled white blood cells.

Abstract: The disclosed invention includes methods and kits for the removal of white blood cells from samples of immunomagnetically enriched rare cells by treating the sample with a leukocyte marker conjugated to a hapten which adheres to the white blood cells and treating the resulting product with a second medium that adheres to the hapten of the white blood cells that are labeled with the leukocyte marker conjugated to hapten and removing the labeled white blood cells.

Abstract: The disclosed invention includes methods and kits for the removal of white blood cells from samples of immunomagnetically enriched rare cells by treating the sample with a leukocyte marker conjugated to a hapten which adheres to the white blood cells and treating the resulting product with a second medium that adheres to the hapten of the white blood cells that are labeled with the leukocyte marker conjugated to hapten and removing the labeled white blood cells.

Abstract: For data processing in a computing storage environment by a processor device, the computing storage environment incorporating at least high-speed and lower-speed caches, and managed tiered levels of storage, a Solid State Device (SSD) tier is variably shared between the lower-speed cache and the managed tiered levels of storage such that the managed tiered levels of storage are operational on large data segments, and the lower-speed cache is allocated with the large data segments, yet operates with data segments of a smaller size than the large data segments and within the large data segments.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program for destaging a track from cache to a storage device. The destaged track is retained in the cache. Verification is made of whether the storage device successfully completed writing data. Indication is made of destaged tracks eligible for removal from the cache that were destaged before the storage device is verified in response to verifying that the storage device is successfully completing the writing of data.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for predicting storage device failure. A technology descriptor module associates a technology descriptor with a storage device. A failure threshold module sets a predictive failure threshold for the storage device in response to the technology descriptor. In one embodiment, a workload management detection module detects workload management of the storage device. A threshold modification module may modify the predictive failure threshold in response to detecting the workload management of the storage device. A performance detection module detects a storage device error that exceeds the modified predictive failure threshold as a storage device predictive failure.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a flexible, tubular device e.g. a bellows with an internal diameter up to 60 millimeters, said device comprising one or more corrugated convolutions (2), said convolutions having an overall bell-like shape with rounded top portions (T) and rounded bottom portions (B,B?).

Abstract: A data storage system includes a host computer, a data storage device, and a communication bus connecting the host computer to the data storage device. The host computer is adapted to issue a specialized initiation command, such as a format command with a unique parameter or a unique send diagnostic command. Once received by the data storage device, the specialized initiation command is decoded by a command processor which, in turn, directs a memory controller to execute an internal initiation of target sectors residing on data storage media within the data storage device. The memory controller places sector data in a temporary memory device, such as a random-access memory (“RAM”), including a plurality of zeroes appended to a logical redundancy check (“LRC”) value. Once compiled, this sector data is written to the data storage media. In this way, target sectors of the data storage media are initialized with LRC information without requiring large amounts of data being transmitted over the communication bus.

Abstract: A bad track in a disk device in a data storage system is recovered by determining which cluster in the system the bad track belongs to. If the track belongs to the cluster that discovered that the track was bad, that cluster recovers the track by locating a good copy of the track, staging the good copy of the track to cache, and destaging the good copy of the track storage unit from the cache to all copies of the track, whether good or bad, in the data storage system. If the track belongs to another cluster, the cluster that discovered that the track was bad sends a message to the other cluster to inform it of the bad track, and the other cluster recovers the bad track. In another aspect, all tracks are owned by one server or server cluster, which performs the staging and destaging.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed to check integrity when handling data. The method provides a storage array which includes a plurality of sectors. The method defines (N) data state identifiers and (N) parity state identifiers. The method receives a command to handle data, where that command designates a target sector. The method determines the data state identifier assigned to the target sector, determines the parity state identifier assigned to the target sector, and compares the data state identifier and the parity state identifier. If the method determines that the data state identifier and the parity state identifier are the same, the method performs the command to handle data. Alternatively, if the method determines that the data state identifier and the parity state identifier differ, the method generates an error message.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture, wherein a command is received at a first computational device coupled to a first adapter that is capable of allowing access to a data storage to the first computational device. The first computational device sends the command to a second computational device. The command is processed by a second adapter coupled to the second computational device, wherein the second adapter allows the second computational device to access the data storage, and wherein the second adapter accesses memory in the first computational device to process the command. In certain embodiments, the first adapter that allows the first computational device to access the data storage has failed.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method of verifying data are provided. Active data are identified among data on a storage device, records the location of the active data, and the integrity of the active data are verified. In one embodiment, data in segments adjacent to the active data segments are also identified and verified for improved data reliability. The data verification may be used to increase data reliability with low system resource usage.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program for destaging a track from cache to a storage device. The destaged track is retained in the cache. Verification is made of whether the storage device successfully completed writing data. Indication is made of destaged tracks eligible for removal from the cache that were destaged before the storage device is verified in response to verifying that the storage device is successfully completing the writing of data.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method quickly backs up data in an emergency situation and reduces battery backup dependence. The apparatus may include a backup module and a dedicated computer readable storage device. The backup module interfaces with system memory and selectively transmits modified data to the storage device in response to a detected system failure. The dedicated storage device stores the modified data around the outer edge of a hard disk in order to increase write performance. The system may include the backup module, the storage device, a plurality of client devices, and a plurality of storage devices. The method includes storing modified and unmodified data, detecting a system failure, and transmitting modified data stored in a memory module to a dedicated computer readable backup device. Upon rebooting the device, the method may include restoring the modified data to the system memory and destaging the modified data to the plurality of storage devices.

Abstract: A method, system, and article of manufacture for recovering from a track format error detected by a host computer associated with a storage controller associated with a storage disk array. The recovery method begins with saving a copy of the track format information associated with the data track that triggered the track format error in a predetermined location. Next, the track format information associated with the data track that caused the error is invalidated and the subject data is restaged. Subsequently, the restaged data is compared to the saved copy of the track format information to determine if the track format error exists with respect to the restaged data. If the track format error is detected with respect to the restaged data, the method further consists of reconstructing the data, preferably by performing a reconstruct read recovery.

Abstract: Method, system and computer program product are provided to improve the reliability of data transfers from RAID systems. Although some read errors may be detected by the RAID controller, other errors may not be; undetected errors may affect the integrity of the data. In accordance with the present invention, the host or client issues a first command to the RAID controller to read specified data. After the RAID controller obtains the data from the RAID drives and transmits it to the host, the host verifies the data to detect any errors. If an error is detected by the host, the host issues a second command to the RAID controller to reconstruct the specified data, rather than merely re-read the data. The reconstructed data is then transmitted to the host. Consequently, previously undetected and uncorrected errors may be detected and corrected by the host.

Abstract: A method for replacing a failed storage device in a storage device array includes detecting that the storage device has failed, and reconstructing data that was stored on the failed storage device. The method also includes commencing writing the reconstructed data on each of a plurality of spare storage devices, without verifying that the reconstructed data is successfully written, and finishing writing the reconstructed data on at least one of the spare storage devices. The method further includes beginning validating that the reconstructed data was successfully written, on each of the spare storage devices that the writing was finished on. A write complete message indicating that the reconstructed data was successfully written is received from at least one of the spare storage devices, and, a spare storage device from which a write complete message was received is accepted into the storage device array to replace the failed storage device.

Abstract: A fluid bed for producing and/or processing a particulate material, said bed comprising a container constituted by two convex parts, through which a perforated plate for supporting a fluidized particle layer is fixed. Nozzles for injection of a treatment liquid are provided in the perforated plate and above the plate filtering means are provided for removal of particles entrained by the fluidizing gas.