Abstract: The invention is directed to techniques that include an error detection code (e.g., a CRC code) and cleared bytes (e.g., zeroes) with data (e.g., CKD data). The use of cleared bytes with CKD data enables detection of corrupt CKD data by simply generating a CRC code based on an entire data block and comparing that generated CRC code with an initial CRC code appended to the CKD data within that data block. One arrangement of the invention is directed to a data storage system that includes a circuit having a memory pipeline that receives a stream of data elements, and provides a series of byte groups that includes the stream of data elements, an error detection code and a set of cleared bytes to a set of storage devices. Each of the series of byte groups provided by the memory pipeline has a same byte width. The inclusion of the error detection code and the set of cleared bytes enables consistent alignment of each byte group in the series.

Abstract: The invention is directed to techniques that include an error detection code (e.g., a CRC code) and cleared bytes (e.g., zeroes) with data (e.g., CKD data). The use of cleared bytes with CKD data enables detection of corrupt CKD data by simply generating a CRC code based on an entire data block and comparing that generated CRC code with an initial CRC code appended to the CKD data within that data block. One arrangement of the invention is directed to a data storage system that includes a circuit having a memory pipeline that receives a stream of data elements, and provides a series of byte groups that includes the stream of data elements, an error detection code and a set of cleared bytes to a set of storage devices. Each of the series of byte groups provided by the memory pipeline has a same byte width. The inclusion of the error detection code and the set of cleared bytes enables consistent alignment of each byte group in the series.