Abstract: A method is provided for dynamic installation of a driver on a computer system. The computer system has a first operator processor with a first memory and an operating system, a second processor with a second memory and operating code configurable to accept a driver, and a data channel supporting communication between the first processor and the second processor, the first processor sending requests to the second processor for processing.

Abstract: A fault tolerant disk management system supports compound disks which are mirrored, so as to tolerate single point faults in any one physical disk of the compound disk. The system further minimizes the exposure of data stored on such a compound disk arising from additional single point failures in other physical disks of the compound disk. The system may be implemented as a software method for removing a physical disk from a logical compound disk without breaking up the compound disk or any mirror of which the compound disk may be a part. The removed physical disk may then be reinserted into the compound disk and mirror after repair. Further, the system provides fault responses which may be varied in accordance with an indication of criticality of each disk to the system.