Abstract: An information handling system includes first and second memories, and first, second, and third servers. The first server includes a first active application for servicing first input/output requests associated with a first disk, and for storing first state information in the first memory. The second server includes a second active application for servicing second input/output requests associated with a second disk, and for storing second state information in the second memory. The third server includes first and second standby applications, and is configured to monitor the first and second active applications, to detect a failure of the first active application, to suspend the second standby application and to activate the first standby application in response to the failure of first active application.

Abstract: An information handling system includes first and second memories, and first, second, and third servers. The first server includes a first active application for servicing first input/output requests associated with a first disk, and for storing first state information in the first memory. The second server includes a second active application for servicing second input/output requests associated with a second disk, and for storing second state information in the second memory. The third server includes first and second standby applications, and is configured to monitor the first and second active applications, to detect a failure of the first active application, to suspend the second standby application and to activate the first standby application in response to the failure of first active application.

Abstract: An information management system is disclosed and includes a bootstrap server and at least one additional component. Further, the system includes an animated installation manual file stored within the bootstrap server. The animated installation manual is configured to be presented to a user upon an initial boot of the bootstrap server. Additionally, the animated installation manual can be automatically generated based on configuration information received from the user.

Abstract: A system for a host-based RAID solution in a shared storage environment is provided in which the compute blades of a system are coupled to one or multiple concentrators. The concentrators serve as a switch or expander to couple each of the compute blades to a shared storage resource. Within the shared storage resource, a set of drives is configured in a RAID array. The shared disk drives are partitioned so that each partition is dedicated to one of the compute blades of the system. Multiple sets of drives may be used so that the collective set of drives can be configured as part of a RAID volume that includes mirroring between at least two of the drives of the RAID volume, such as RAID 1 or RAID 0+1, in which each set of drives is a mirror of the other set of drives and the content associated with each of the compute blades is striped across multiple drives in each of the two sets of drives.

Abstract: An information handling system can include an asymmetric RAID device. The information handling system comprises a RAID controller and a RAID volume. The RAID volume includes a first disk and a second disk attached to the RAID controller, wherein the first disk provides faster access than the second disk. In a particular embodiment, the first disk is an SSD and the second disk is a HDD. The RAID controller may be configured to support symmetric or asymmetric write operations.

Abstract: An information management system is disclosed and includes a bootstrap server and at least one additional component. Further, the system includes an animated installation manual file stored within the bootstrap server. The animated installation manual is configured to be presented to a user upon an initial boot of the bootstrap server. Additionally, the animated installation manual can be automatically generated based on configuration information received from the user.

Abstract: A system for a host-based RAID solution in a shared storage environment is provided in which the compute blades of a system are coupled to one or multiple concentrators. The concentrators serve as a switch or expander to couple each of the compute blades to a shared storage resource. Within the shared storage resource, a set drives is configured in a RAID array. The shared disk drives are partitioned so that each partition is dedicated one of the compute blades of the system. Multiple sets of drives may be used so that the collective set of drives can be configured as part of a RAID volume that includes mirroring between at least two of the drive of the RAID volume, such as RAID 1 or RAID 0+1, in which each set of drives is a mirror of the other set of drives and the content associated with each of the compute blades is striped across multiple of the drives in each of the two sets of drives.

Abstract: A method for masking logical storage devices from a host on a storage area network and a storage controller and storage system for using such a method are disclosed. The method includes receiving instructions for associating a subset of a plurality of logical storage devices with a particular host. A request from the particular host is received. The request includes a request for identification of available logical storage devices. The request is responded to by identifying the subset of logical storage devices as available.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a system and method of performing failover in a storage area network. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a computer network includes a host and a storage system associated with the host. The storage system has a first controller with a first port and a second controller with a second port. The first controller is assigned a common node name and the first port is assigned a first port name. The second controller is assigned a common node name and the second port is assigned a second port name. More specifically a multipathing driver is operable to determine a signal path for a communication sent to a storage device associated with the first controller and the second controller and operable to perform failover operations if the signal path fails.

Abstract: A system and method for shared storage in a computer networking environment are provided. The system includes a fabric and a server coupled to the fabric. The server is operable to be coupled to a computer network and receive data from the network. The system further includes a physical storage device coupled to the fabric. The physical storage device is operable to store data received from the network. The system further includes a bridge coupled to the fabric and a dedicated backup storage device coupled to the bridge. The dedicated backup storage device is operable to store data received from the physical storage device.

Abstract: Disclosed is an array controller for controlling the transfer of data from a host system to an array of data storage devices, comprising a processor connected via a local bus to a data buffer in which data is staged during said transfer. The array controller is provided with a buffer controller for controlling the operation of the buffer and is further provided with channel hardware for manifesting a plurality of data channels, selectable by the local bus address, over which data is transferred in and out of the data buffer.

Abstract: A media streamer (10) includes at least one storage node (16, 17) for storing a digital representation of a video presentation. The Video presentation requires a time T to present in its entirety, and is stored as a plurality of N data blocks, each data block storing data corresponding approximately to a T/N period of the video presentation.

Abstract: A systematic method for detecting which head in a multiple head storage device contains errors and may be misaligned, and correcting for misalignment so that the data can be recovered. The apparatus includes a data buffer for storing a block of interleaved data read from the multiple head storage device, status bits, error detection circuitry for determining from the interleaved data, which if any of the heads is misaligned and for setting the status bits, data recovery control logic responsive to the status bits for sending control signals to the multiple head storage device for causing the misaligned head to move its position by small increments and to read data until the status bits indicate that the misaligned head has become aligned, and circuitry responsive to the status bits for writing data from the newly realigned head over the data which was read when that head was misaligned.

Abstract: In a programmed machine, such as an peripheral controller, programmed operations are executed in a one of several operational contexts. Each context may be initiated by a corresponding interruption signal. Any context which has been activated remains active until quiesced by program execution. One of the active contexts is a current context in which all instruction executions are currently occurring. In each cycle of the programmed machine, all active contexts and received and stored interruption signals, each for respective ones of the contexts, are compared to find the context highest priority context. Such highest priority context is compared with the current context priority for determining whether or not the programmed machine should change current contexts.

Abstract: A page modification method in a printer subsystem of the partial page buffer composing type. A printer subsystem receives a packet containing a page of characters, coded overlays/elisions, and combining data from an external source. The packet is translated into a linked list of character placement representations for each of the doubly indexed coded characters within the page. Elisions from the page are made by inhibiting the formation of a linked list segment for each character sequence within elision markers set out in the page. In contrast, coded character overlays are appended to the list as addenda. The list governs the placement of characters into a partial page buffer, whose contents are system accessible in row major order.