Abstract: An apparatus including a storage array, a primary controller, a secondary controller and a solid state device. The storage array may be configured to be accessed by a plurality of controllers. A first of the plurality of the controllers may be configured as the primary controller configured to read and write to and from the storage array during a normal condition. A second of the plurality of the controllers may be configured as the secondary controller configured to read and write to and from the storage array during a fault condition. The solid state device may be configured to (i) store data and (ii) be accessed by the storage array and the secondary controller.

Abstract: Disclosed is a low power consumption storage array. Read and write cycles are separated so that a multiple disk array can be spun down during periods when there are no write requests. Cooling fans are operated with a pulse-width modulated signal in response to cooling demand to further reduce energy consumption.

Abstract: An apparatus including a storage array, a primary controller, a secondary controller and a solid state device. The storage array may be configured to be accessed by a plurality of controllers. A first of the plurality of the controllers may be configured as the primary controller configured to read and write to and from the storage array during a normal condition. A second of the plurality of the controllers may be configured as the secondary controller configured to read and write to and from the storage array during a fault condition. The solid state device may be configured to (i) store data and (ii) be accessed by the storage array and the secondary controller.

Abstract: A system and method for providing firmware update for network connected storage subsystem components is disclosed. In one embodiment, the storage system is registered via a secured process using a client management module of a firmware update management module residing in a client device associated with the storage system. The storage system includes a plurality of storage subsystems. Further, an inventory list including each storage subsystem component in each of the plurality of storage subsystems along with its associated firmware code level is formed by the client management module. Furthermore, the inventory list along with an associated firmware code level of the storage system is stored by a registration management module of the firmware update management module residing in a registration server coupled to the client device via the network.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising an array controller and a frame buffer. The array controller may be configured to read/write data to/from a drive array in response to one or more input/output requests. The frame buffer may be implemented within the array controller and may be configured to perform (i) a first data integrity check to determine a first type of data error and (ii) a second data integrity check to determine a second type of data error. The frame buffer may log occurrences of the first type of error and the second type of error in a field transmitted with the data. The field may be used to determine a source of possible corruption of the data.

Abstract: A method for establishing a secure connection between a first computer and a second computer, comprising the steps of (A) generating a signature authentication pair on the first computer, (B) receiving a plurality of authentication pairs that may or may not include the signature authentication pair, (C) detecting whether the signature authentication pair is received in the authentication pairs and (D) if the signature authentication pair is detected, creating a secure connection between the first computer and the second computer.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a first of a plurality of array modules and a second of a plurality of array modules. The first of the plurality of array modules may be configured to connect a first one or more of a plurality of host devices to a first one or more of a plurality of storage arrays. The first array module may comprise a primary controller and a secondary controller. The second of the plurality of array modules may be configured to connect a second one or more of the plurality of host devices to a second one or more of the plurality of storage arrays. The second array module may comprise a primary controller and a secondary controller. Control of access to the storage arrays may be transferred to the secondary controller of the first array module during a failure of the primary controller of the first array module.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising an interface circuit and a controller. The interface circuit may be configured to calculate a speed signal in response to data traffic measured over a network. The controller may be configured to present and receive data from an array in response to (a) the speed signal and (b) one or more input/output requests. The interface circuit may generate the speed signal in response to a plurality of predetermined factors. The controller may present and receive the data at one of a plurality of speeds in response to the speed signal.

Abstract: A method for storing data and two sets of distributed mirrored data disposed as data stripes which permits data recovery without the necessity of parity calculations, is described. Redundant data are stored in groups of five physical hard drives which are logically segmented into stripe groups, each stripe group having three data stripe sets wherein one data stripe is protected by two distributed mirror stripes in accordance with an algorithm. The present method provides protection for all one- and two-disk failures and certain three-disk drive failures, for each physical five disk group, and retains a usable disk capacity of 33%.

Abstract: A method, system, and apparatus a method for remote data back up with de-duplication and recovery from clustered secondary storage arrays are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes writing a set of data of a primary storage module (e.g., may be coupled to the secondary storage cluster with a fiber channel network) to a secondary storage module of a secondary storage cluster, writing an other set of data of the primary storage module to an other secondary storage module coupled to the secondary storage module, writing the set of data from the secondary storage module to the other secondary storage module of the secondary storage cluster (e.g., the other secondary storage module may contain both the set of data and the other set of data), and writing the other set of data from the other secondary storage module to the secondary storage module.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising an array controller and a frame buffer. The array controller may be configured to read/write data to/from a drive array in response to one or more input/output requests. The frame buffer may be implemented within the array controller and may be configured to perform (i) a first data integrity check to determine a first type of data error and (ii) a second data integrity check to determine a second type of data error. The frame buffer may log occurrences of the first type of error and the second type of error in a field transmitted with the data. The field may be used to determine a source of possible corruption of the data.

Abstract: A method for establishing a secure connection between a first computer and a second computer, comprising the steps of (A) generating a signature authentication pair on the first computer, (B) receiving a plurality of authentication pairs that may or may not include the signature authentication pair, (C) detecting whether the signature authentication pair is received in the authentication pairs and (D) if the signature authentication pair is detected, creating a secure connection between the first computer and the second computer.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a first of a plurality of array modules and a second of a plurality of array modules. The first of the plurality of array modules may be configured to connect a first one or more of a plurality of host devices to a first one or more of a plurality of storage arrays. The first array module may comprise a primary controller and a secondary controller. The second of the plurality of array modules may be configured to connect a second one or more of the plurality of host devices to a second one or more of the plurality of storage arrays. The second array module may comprise a primary controller and a secondary controller. Control of access to the storage arrays may be transferred to the secondary controller of the first array module during a failure of the primary controller of the first array module.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising an interface circuit and a controller. The interface circuit may be configured to calculate a speed signal in response to data traffic measured over a network. The controller may be configured to present and receive data from an array in response to (a) the speed signal and (b) one or more input/output requests. The interface circuit may generate the speed signal in response to a plurality of predetermined factors. The controller may present and receive the data at one of a plurality of speeds in response to the speed signal.

Abstract: A method for configuring resources in a storage array, comprising the steps of (a) determining if a data access is a first type or a second type, (b) if the data access is the first type, configuring the storage array as a reliable type configuration, (c) if the data access is the second type, configuring the storage array as a secure type configuration.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a first switch and a second switch. The first switch may include a first plurality of ports, where a first of the ports is connected to a first host device, a second of the ports is connected to a first target device, and a third of the ports is connected to a network. The first target device may include a first storage LUN. The second switch may include a second plurality of ports, where a first of the ports is connected to a second host device, a second of the ports is connected to a second target device, and a third of the ports is connected to the network. The second target device may include a second storage LUN. The first storage LUN and the second storage LUN form a data mirror.

Abstract: A first physical capacity of a first physical storage device is determined. A second physical capacity of a second physical storage device that has a physical capacity greater than the first physical capacity is determined. A storage space pool comprising at least a first logical drive, a second logical drive, and a third logical drive is created. The first logical drive corresponds to the first storage device and has the same capacity as the first physical capacity. The second logical drive corresponds to a first portion of the second storage device. The third logical drive corresponds to a second portion of the second storage device. The first portion and the second portion having at least the first physical capacity. Thus, two portions having at least the first physical capacity are utilized on the second physical drive instead of just one portion.

Abstract: A RAID storage array having a controller and plurality of disk drives is configured into a plurality of groups. The plurality of disk drives are in a plurality of drive trays. The controller includes a main memory. A set of configuration information is stored on a central nonvolatile memory device. The set of configuration information includes group configuration information corresponding to each group of the plurality of groups with which a corresponding disk drive is associated. The set of configuration information is stored on a plurality of remote nonvolatile memory devices that are each associated with at least one of the plurality of drive trays. A bootware control process is loaded into the main memory. The bootware control process is executed. A plurality of service layer processes are loaded into the main memory. The plurality of service layer processes are executed in parallel under the control of the bootware control process.

Abstract: A system and method for providing firmware update for network connected storage subsystem components is disclosed. In one embodiment, the storage system is registered via a secured process using a client management module of a firmware update management module residing in a client device associated with the storage system. The storage system includes a plurality of storage subsystems. Further, an inventory list including each storage subsystem component in each of the plurality of storage subsystems along with its associated firmware code level is formed by the client management module. Furthermore, the inventory list along with an associated firmware code level of the storage system is stored by a registration management module of the firmware update management module residing in a registration server coupled to the client device via the network.

Abstract: A system comprising a host, a solid state device, and an abstract layer. The host may be configured to generate a plurality of input/output (IO) requests. The solid state device may comprise a write cache region and a read cache region. The read cache region may be a mirror of the write cache region. The abstract layer may be configured to (i) receive the plurality of IO requests, (ii) process the IO requests, and (iii) map the plurality of IO requests to the write cache region and the read cache region.