Abstract: The present invention discloses a scalable high-speed cache system in a storage network. It gives a solution to the bottleneck problem that the speed of seeking on the hard disk is slow, and realizes the high speed respondence to the input/output of the server. The present invention includes a high-speed cache system in a storage network which is constituted with at least one high-speed cache module which is connected to the network, a storage network manager constitutes with at least one storage network management module. The said storage network management module is constituted with hardware platform unit and software platform unit. The said hardware platform unit uses an embedded system platform or a server platform. The said high-speed cache system in a storage network is managed by the storage network manager, and it can be shared by the server and the disk storage system which is connected to the storage network.

Abstract: A data management method for network storage system that said network storage system includes a storage network, a cluster of storage servers that provide data storage services for application servers connecting to the storage network and storage space corresponding to each storage server, setting a core manager in storage server, said core manager centralizing the metadata of all storage servers in a common storage space; separating the metadata from said storage servers to make a storage server become a storage manager and the storage spaces corresponding to each storage server form the common storage space, allocating the storage space of metadata in said common storage space, and managing the corresponding relationship between metadata and said storage manager.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a scalable high-speed cache system in a storage network. It gives a solution to the bottleneck problem that the speed of seeking on the hard disk is slow, and realizes the high speed respondence to the input/output of the server. The present invention includes a high-speed cache system in a storage network which is constituted with at least one high-speed cache module which is connected to the network, a storage network manager constitutes with at least one storage network management module. The said storage network management module is constituted with hardware platform unit and software platform unit. The said hardware platform unit uses an embedded system platform or a server platform. The said high-speed cache system in a storage network is managed by the storage network manager, and it can be shared by the server and the disk storage system which is connected to the storage network.

Abstract: A method for dynamically measuring the spatial position and orientation of a slider used in a magnetic disk drive operates by directing one or more beams of light through a microscope to an interface between the slider and the magnetic disk. The light beam reflected from the slider-disk interface is used to derive the spacing between the surface of the disk and the multiple points on the slider so that the spatial position of the slider can be determined. The number of measured points on the slider is at least equal to the number of degrees of freedom of the slider so that the spatial position of the slider can be fully determined.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus (10) and method for monitoring the load/unload process of a head-gimbal assembly (HGA) (14), disk (12) and ramp (16) combination. A ramp strain arm (18) is used to monitor the entire load/unload process. The ramp strain arm (18), on which the ramp (16) is mounted, includes force sensors (46,48) that measure the friction force between the HGA (14) and ramp (16) as well as the air-bearing force on the slider (30) of the HGA (14) during the load/unload process. The signals form the force sensors (46,48) are input to a computer (22) through an interface circuit (24) for recording and analysis in order to evaluate the performance of the combination of the HGA (14), disk (12) and ramp (16).

Abstract: A method for dynamically measuring the spatial position and orientation of a slider used in a magnetic disk drive operates by directing one or more beams of light through a microscope to an interface between the slider and the magnetic disk. The light beam reflected from the slider- disk interface is used to derive the spacing between the surface of the disk and the multiple points on the slider so that the spatial position of the slider can be determined. The number of measured points on the slider is at least equal to the number of degrees of freedom of the slider so that the spatial position of the slider can be fully determined.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring the flying height of a slider above a disk surface and in-situ monitoring the slider disk interface comprising the steps of: providing a beam of light; providing a slider disk interface comprising a disk having a substantially transparent substrate and a thin film layer, a slider for carrying a read/write element, the slider having a reflective surface; and an air bearing having a thickness d3 for supporting the slider above the disk; directing the beam of light to the slider disk interface through the disk, the thin film layer, the air bearing and then to the reflective surface of the slider; and measuring one of the intensity and phase information of the light reflected from the slider disk interface to provide an indication of the thickness d3 of the air bearing and/or of the thin film layer.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus (10) and method for monitoring the load/unload process of a head-gimbal assembly (HGA) (14), disk (12) and ramp (16) combination. A ramp strain arm (18) is used to monitor the entire load/unload process. The ramp strain arm (18), on which the ramp (16) is mounted, includes force sensors (46,48) that measure the friction force between the HGA (14) and ramp (16) as well as the air-bearing force on the slider (30) of the HGA (14) during the load/unload process. The signals form the force sensors (46,48) are input to a computer (22) through an interface circuit (24) for recording and analysis in order to evaluate the performance of the combination of the HGA (14), disk (12) and ramp (16).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring the flying height of a slider above a disk surface and in-situ monitoring the slider disk interface comprising the steps of: providing a beam of light; providing a slider disk interface comprising a disk having a substantially transparent substrate and a thin film layer, a slider for carrying a read/write element, the slider having a reflective surface, and an air bearing having a thickness d3 for supporting the slider above the disk; directing the beam of light to the slider disk interface through the disk, the thin film layer, the air bearing and then to the reflective surface of the slider; and measuring one of the intensity and phase information of the light reflected from the slider disk interface to provide an indication of the thickness d3 of the air bearing and/or of the thin film layer.