Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a device for detecting accessible capacity in an external hard drive. The disclosed device may detect reduced accessible capacity in an external hard drive due to an modification or deletion of either the Host-Protected Area or the Device Configuration Overlay table.

Abstract: A programmable controller includes a CPU unit, a communication unit and peripheral units connected together through an internal bus. The communication unit has a bus master function, including a cache memory for recording IO data stored in the memory of an input-output unit. When a message is received, it is judged whether the IO data stored in the memory of the input-output unit specified by this message is updated or not. If the data are not updated, a response is created based on the IO data stored in the IO data stored in the cache memory. If the data are updated, the input-output unit is accessed and updated IO data are obtained and a response is created based on the obtained IO data.

Abstract: An MTP-capable USB device and methods for use therewith are disclosed. The USB device is provided with circuitry operative to communicate with a host device using a media transfer protocol and receive a command from the host device to play content stored in the memory of the USB device. In one embodiment, the USB device is free of a user input device for providing a command to the circuitry to play content stored in the memory. In another embodiment, the USB device is free of a display device. In yet another embodiment, the USB device comprises a housing comprising a USB Flash drive form factor. Other embodiments are provided, and each of these embodiments can be used alone or in combination with one another.

Abstract: A block-based storage system that maximizes data throughput while minimizing data loss has a non-volatile mass storage media for receiving and non-volatilly storing WRITE data and a volatile write cache for receiving and caching WRITE data until the WRITE data has been written to the non-volatile mass storage media. A controller includes a processor in communication with the volatile write cache for writing data to the volatile write cache and a non-volatile recovery memory in communication with the processor is supplied for receiving and non-volatilly storing a copy of all data that the processor writes to the volatile write cache so that any data cached in the volatile write cache which is lost due to a loss of power may be re-written to the volatile write cache from the recovery memory.

Abstract: A path controller controls a plurality of paths, including switching between those paths in response to an error notice. Upon detection of a path connection timeout at the path controller, a target driver submits an I/O abort request to a disk array device. The target driver also forwards an error notice to the path controller when it is received. A Fibre Channel driver controls a Fibre Channel adapter. In response to an I/O abort request submitted by the target driver, the Fibre Channel driver blocks every operation on the disk array device, as well as sending an error notice to the target driver.

Abstract: A dynamic cache policy manager for a mass memory may be used to decide whether a data request is to be routed to the cache or directly to the mass memory, based on estimated delays in processing the request. The choice may be based, at least partially, on the size of the respectively queues for the cache and mass memory. For write requests, the choice may be based on how many erase blocks are available in the cache.

Abstract: In a data storage system, failed disk drives are switched temporarily off-line to be quickly rebuilt by executing a journaling/rebuild algorithm which tracks the updates to the failed disk drive into a journal structure created in a non-volatile memory. The journal information is used to update those data sections of the disk drive affected by updates after the disk drive is failed. The journal information is stored in bit maps indicating which portions of the disk drive have been updated with new data while the disk was failed. As an option, the system permits verification of data consistency on the data section of the disk drive which have not been affected by the updates. The journaling/rebuild of failed disks is applicable, among others, to RAID data storage systems.

Abstract: A storage apparatus comprises at least one housing A in which a storage device and a controller are provided, at least one housing B in which a storage device and a peripheral device are provided, and a transmission path for connecting the storage device and the controller of the housing A, and the storage device of the housing B to enable communication therebetween. The storage apparatus is capable of controlling operation of the storage device of the housing B according to an operating state of the storage device of the housing A through communication via the transmission path; and controlling operation of the peripheral device according to an operating state of the storage device of the housing B.

Abstract: To provide a storage medium control device capable of preventing decrease in the reliability of data saving with a non-redundant structure. Provided is a storage medium control device capable of communicating with a higher-order device, for managing/controlling an information storage device main body configured with physical storage media to be capable of storing information with a non-redundant structure. The device includes: a region allotment processing device for allotting each physical recording medium to a user useable region and to a substitute sector region, respectively; a fault sector detecting device for checking sectors of the user useable region allotted by the region allotment processing device in initialization processing of the non-redundant structure to detect a fault sector from which information cannot be read out; and a fault sector exchange processing device for exchanging the detected fault sector of the user useable region with a normal sector of the substitute sector region.

Abstract: Data blocks are loaded in multi-block fetch units from a disc. Cache management policy is selects data blocks for non-retention in cache memory so as to reduce the number of fetch units that must be fetched. Use is made of the large multi-block fetch unit size to profit from the possibility to load additional blocks essentially without additional power consumption when a fetch unit has to be fetched to obtain a block. Selection of data blocks for non-retention is biased toward combinations of data blocks that can be fetched together for a next use in one fetch unit. Between fetching of fetch units the disc drive is switched from a read mode to a power saving mode, wherein at least part of the disc drive is deactivated, so that energy consumption is reduced. Retention is managed at a granularity of data blocks, that is, below the level of the fetch units.

Abstract: A system and method for managing the storage of data in non-volatile memory is described. In an aspect, the data may be described by metadata and a transaction log file that are checkpointed from a volatile memory into the non-volatile memory. Actions that take place between the last checkpointing of a metadata segment and log file segment are discovered by scanning the non-volatile memory blocks, taking account of a record of the highest sector in each block that is known to have been recorded. Any later transactions are discovered and used to update the recovered metadata so that the metadata correctly represents the stored data.

Abstract: A controller for a disk drive includes first memory storing first write operations and second write operations received in a first order. A processor arranges the first write operations and the second write operations in a second order based on respective track sectors associated with the first and the second write operations. The second order is different than the first order. A memory controller transfers write operation data corresponding to the first write operations and the second write operations to a disk formatter in the second order in response to a single command from the processor.

Abstract: A storage-access apparatus includes a first support device including a first base; at least one first storage-access device and at least one first storage device, disposed on the first base and arranged in a first circle; a second support device including a second base; at least one second storage-access device and at least one second storage device, disposed on the second base and arranged in a second circle; and a transporting device, wherein the first storage-access device, the first storage device, the second storage-access device and the second storage device each has plural compartments, the transporting device corresponds to the compartments, and the first storage-access device and the first storage device can rotate relative to the second storage-access device and the second storage device. Accordingly, the storage-access apparatus can be employed in depositing and picking up products independently. Also disclosed is a storage system including, among others, the storage-access apparatus.

Abstract: A method for implementing dynamic refresh protocols for DRAM based cache includes partitioning a DRAM cache into a refreshable portion and a non-refreshable portion, and assigning incoming individual cache lines to one of the refreshable portion and the non-refreshable portion of the cache based on a usage history of the cache lines. Cache lines corresponding to data having a usage history below a defined frequency are assigned to the refreshable portion of the cache, and cache lines corresponding to data having a usage history at or above the defined frequency are assigned to the non-refreshable portion of the cache.

Abstract: A storage system for improving efficiency in accessing flash memory and method for the same are disclosed. The present invention provides a cache unit for temporarily storing data prior to writing in the flash memory or reading from the flash memory. In reading process, after data stored in a flash memory is accessed by a host, the cache unit holds the data. Upon subsequent read requests to read the same data, the data is cached accordingly, thereby shortening a preparation time for reading the data from the flash memory. In writing process, a host requests write a series of requests to write data into the flash memory, the data is gathered and is stored in the cache unit until the cache unit is full. A cluster of data in the cache unit is accordingly written into the flash memory, so that a preparation time for writing the data into the flash memory is also shortened.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for solid-state storage as cache for high-capacity, non-volatile storage. The apparatus, system, and method are provided with a plurality of modules including a cache front-end module and a cache back-end module. The cache front-end module manages data transfers associated with a storage request. The data transfers between a requesting device and solid-state storage function as cache for one or more HCNV storage devices, and the data transfers may include one or more of data, metadata, and metadata indexes. The solid-state storage may include an array of non-volatile, solid-state data storage elements. The cache back-end module manages data transfers between the solid-state storage and the one or more HCNV storage devices.

Abstract: A system and method of recovering cached data can be used when a particular physical storage device becomes unsuitable for storing data. In one aspect, the method can include providing the information handling system including a logical volume and a cache. The cache includes data that is to be stored within a particular physical storage device. The method can also include persisting the data within a different physical storage device. In one embodiment, the different physical storage device can be used to temporarily store the data when a logical volume is inaccessible. After the particular physical storage device becomes suitable to persist the data, the logical volume can be restored. The method can further include persisting the data within the particular or a replacement physical storage device. In another aspect, a system can be configured to carry out the methods described herein.

Abstract: A data recording apparatus that writes data on/reads data from a hard disk drive in response to a data-write/read command received from an upper control device is provided. The data recording apparatus includes a command-aggregating device and a command-issuing device. The command-aggregating device is configured to generate an aggregate command by aggregating contents of a plurality of commands under the conditions that the plurality of commands are of the same kind continuously received from the control device and logical block addresses designated by the plurality of commands are consecutive addresses. The command-issuing device is configured to issue the aggregate command generated by aggregating the plurality of commands to a hard disk drive controller that controls the hard disk drive.

Abstract: There is provided an electronic apparatus including a plurality of hard disk drives having a standby state and an active state as power application state. The electronic apparatus includes a drive setting portion to set each of the plurality of hard disk drives to a cache hard disk drive or a storage hard disk drive so as to use one hard disk drive in the active state as a cache hard disk drive and use a remaining hard disk drive as a storage hard disk drive, and a power control portion to control application of power to each of the hard disk drives according to setting by the drive setting portion.

Abstract: The present invention provides a data processing apparatus capable of maintaining consistency of specific data without switching between a write-back method and a write-through method. A first microcomputer of an engine ECU performs data updating in the write-back method. In the case of performing data writing process on specific data, the data writing process is performed on dummy data having the same index and a different tag (i.e., a forced write-back). Consequently, the specific data written in a cache memory is evicted from the cache memory immediately by writing of the dummy data and is written in a main-storage RAM. Therefore, without switching the write-back method to the write-through method, the same specific data can be stored in both of the cache memory and the main-storage RAM.

Abstract: A method of prefetching data in a hard disk drive includes searching for a logic block address (LBA) of data requested by an external apparatus in a history of a non-volatile cache of the hard disk drive, and if the LBA of the data is stored in the history, storing data recorded in a LBA stored after the LBA of the data requested by the external apparatus from among LBAs stored in the history in a buffer of the hard disk drive.

Abstract: An apparatus and system are disclosed for optimizing fast access data storage on segmented tape media. The apparatus, in one embodiment, is configured to selectively write data to a tape storage medium. The selection module may select data for storage as one of fast access and slower access. Fast access data may be stored on the first segment, or fast access portion, of a tape storage medium to provide optimal speed for data retrieval. Slower access data may be stored on the remaining available storage space of the tape storage medium. Additionally, read requests for fast access data may be accessed more quickly than read requests for slower access data. Thus, user data may be selected and written to a tape storage medium relative to a preferred access time.

Abstract: A storage apparatus sets up part of non-volatile cache memory as a cache-resident area, and in an emergency such as an unexpected power shutdown, backs up dirty data of data cached in volatile memory to an area other than the cache-resident area in the non-volatile cache memory, together with the relevant cache management information. Further, the storage apparatus monitors the amount of the dirty data in the volatile cache memory so that the dirty data cached in the volatile cache memory is reliably contained in a backup area in the non-volatile memory, and when the dirty data amount exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the storage apparatus releases the cache-resident area to serve as the backup area.

Abstract: For protecting data during transmission between a host device and a data storage device, the host device encrypts command-related information and sends the encrypted command-related information to the data storage device. The data storage device decrypts the encrypted command-related information, interprets the decrypted command-related information to generate interpreted commands, and executes the interpreted commands.

Abstract: A volatile or nonvolatile cache memory can cache mass storage device read data and write data. The cache memory may become inaccessible, and I/O operations may go directly to the mass storage device, bypassing the cache memory. A log of write operations may be maintained to update the cache memory when it becomes available.

Abstract: A data caching method comprising identifying whether data stored in a first data block on a storage medium is cacheable; setting a first cacheability attribute associated with the first data block in a data structure to identify whether the data in the first data block is cacheable; monitoring I/O requests submitted for accessing target data in the first data block; determining whether the target data is cacheable based on the first cacheability attribute; and applying algorithms that implement cache policy to the target data, in response to determining that the target data is cacheable.

Abstract: A memory system is described, where a plurality of memory modules is connected to a memory controller. The power status of each of the memory modules is controlled, depending on the functions being performed by the memory module. When no read or write operation is being performed on a particular memory module, at least a portion of the circuitry may be operated in a lower power mode. A memory circuit associated with the memory module may be placed in a low power mode by disabling a clock. The memory circuit data integrity may be secured by issuing refresh commands while when the memory circuit is in the lower power mode, by enabling the clock, issuing the refresh command, and disabling the clock after completion of the refresh operation.

Abstract: A data caching method comprising monitoring read and write requests submitted for accessing target data in a first data block on a storage medium; identifying a sequence of access requests for target data as a first stream; and determining whether the first stream is suitable for direct disk access based on inter-arrival times of the read or write requests in the stream.

Abstract: A method for controlling writing for a tape recorder that is connected to a host and sequentially records, as a transaction, a plurality of records that are transferred from the host and stored in a buffer is provided, including receiving a synchronous command for a first transaction from the host; in response to the synchronous command, sequentially writing the plurality of records stored in the buffer to a tape as the first transaction; receiving the size of a second transaction following the first transaction from the host; calculating time for a backhitch associated with an operation of the synchronous command for the first transaction on the basis of the size; and performing the backhitch on the basis of the time for the backhitch.

Abstract: A storage controller and method are provided. The storage controller includes control sections including storage sections into which data transmitted from a host unit is cached, one of the control sections being a main control section which controls firmware update in the control sections. The main control section includes an instruction updater sending an update instruction to a sub control section in the control sections in which firmware is to be updated, and an area instructor requesting the sub control section to transmit area information, the sub control section including an area information obtainer obtaining, according to the instruction from the area instructor and an area information transmitter transmitting to the area instructor; and an area setter setting the location of the cache area in the storage section on the basis of the instruction.

Abstract: A storage control apparatus controls a logical volume using a plurality of recording media. The storage control apparatus includes: a management database that manages information of the recording media, type of the logical volume using the recording media, and state of the logical volume, and a control section that sets, when receiving a first instruction of changing a non-mirrored volume set in advance in the management database to a mirrored volume, the non-mirrored volume as a mirrored volume in a non-redundant state which is a state where only one of recording media constituting a mirroring pair exists, in the management database and performs rebuild processing of the mirrored volume in the non-redundant state.

Abstract: A migration destination storage creates an expansion device for virtualizing a migration source logical unit. A host computer accesses an external volume by way of an access path of a migration destination logical unit, a migration destination storage, a migration source storage, and an external volume. After destaging all dirty data accumulated in the disk cache of the migration source storage to the external volume, an expansion device for virtualizing the external volume is mapped to the migration destination logical unit.

Abstract: Provided are methods and systems for multi-caching. The methods and systems provided can enhance network content delivery performance in terms of reduced response time and increased throughput, and can reduce communication overhead by decreasing the amount of data that have to be transmitted over the communication paths.

Abstract: A method for controlling a storage system including a host computer, and a first and a second storage control apparatuses each receiving a data input/output request from the host computer and executing a data input/output process for a storage device in response to the request, comprises connecting a first communication path between the host computer and the first apparatus; connecting a second communication path between the first apparatus and the second apparatus; receiving by the first apparatus a first data input/output request from the host computer through the first path; when the first apparatus has judged that the first request is not for the first apparatus, transmitting by the first apparatus a second data input/output request corresponding to the first request, to the second apparatus through the second path; and by the second apparatus, receiving the second request and executing a data input/output process corresponding to the second request received.

Abstract: A storage system including a storage device which includes media for storing data from a host computer, a medium controller for controlling the media, a plurality of channel controllers for connecting to the host computer through a channel and a cache memory for temporarily storing data from the host computer, wherein the media have a restriction on a number of writing times. The storage device includes a bus for directly transferring data from the medium controller to the channel controller.

Abstract: Logical data stores are placed on storages to minimize store request time. The stores are sorted. A store counter and a storage counter are each set to one. (A), (B), and (C) are repeated until the storage counter exceeds the number of storages within the array. (A) is setting a load for the storage specified by the storage counter to zero. (B) is performing (i), (ii), and (iii) while the load for the storage specified by the storage counter is less an average determined load over all the storages. (i) is allocating the store specified by the store counter to the storage specified by the storage counter; and, (ii) is incrementing the load for this storage by this storage's request arrival rate multiplied by an expected service time for the requests of this store. (iii) is incrementing the store counter by one. (C) is incrementing the storage counter by one.

Abstract: A storage system comprises a router, which receives and transfers commands; a plurality of RAID modules; and a switch, which receives commands from the router and transmits the commands to any of the plurality of RAID modules. Each RAID module comprises a plurality of media drives, a RAID group is provided by the plurality of media drives. Each RAID module comprises an independent RAID group which does not extend into other RAID groups. In the storage system, the router performs transfer of commands without performing analysis of commands, and a processor within the RAID module performs command analysis.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for sharing a device between multiple hosts. The apparatus, system, and method include an RDMA setup module and an RDMA execution module. The RDMA setup module prepares a solid-state storage controller for an RDMA operation to transfer data of a file or of an object between the solid-state storage controller and a requesting device in response to a storage request. The storage request may be substantially free of the data, and the solid-state storage controller may control a solid-state storage via a storage input/output (“I/O”) bus. The solid-state controller controls storage of data in the solid-state storage, and the requesting device is connected to the solid-state controller through a computer network. The RDMA execution module executes the RDMA operation to transfer the data between the requesting device and the solid-state storage controller.

Abstract: Methods and associated structures for utilizing write-back cache management modes for local cache memory of disk drives coupled to a storage controller while maintaining data integrity of the data transferred to the local cache memories of affected disk drives. In one aspect hereof, a state machine model of managing cache blocks in a storage controller cache memory maintains blocks in the storage controller's cache memory in a new state until verification is sensed that the blocks have been successfully stored on the persistent storage media of the affected disk drives. Responsive to failure or other reset of the disk drive, the written cache blocks may be re-written from the copy maintained in the cache memory of the storage controller. In another aspect, an alternate controller's cache memory may also be used to mirror the cache blocks from the primary storage controller's cache memory as additional data integrity assurance.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a storage unit comprising: a channel control portion for receiving a data input/output request; a cache memory for storing data; a disk control portion for performing input/output processing on data in accordance with the data input/output request; and a plurality of disk drives for storing data, wherein at least two of the disk drives input data to and output it from the disk control portion at different communication speeds. Further, the storage unit has a plurality of communication paths provided to connect at least one of the disk drives in such a manner as to constitute a loop defined by the FC-AL fiber channel standards, so that the communication speeds can be set differently for these different communication paths.

Abstract: There is provided a novel storage system in which the number of signal lines will not increase even if the number of storage devices to be connected in a RAID system increases, and a novel data transfer method to enable a high-speed data transfer even when the transfer rate of the IDE device side is low. A RAID system (10) which is a storage system in which a RAID controller (11) connected to an ATA host and a plurality of IDE devices (12A to 12D, and 22A to 22D) are connected by an IDE bus, characterized in that at least two or more IDE devices are connected to one channel of the IDE bus and said RAID controller and each of said IDE devices are connected by a common data bus and a common address bus within the same channel.

Abstract: A storage controller is provided to prevent access performance from dropping. The storage controller comprises a processor unit, a network controller, and a cache memory, and a disk controller connected to a logical volume. The processor unit includes: a file creating module which creates a file in the logical volume; an arrangement information management module which manages information on an arrangement of the file created in the logical volume; and a file presenting module which presents the file as a virtual volume based on the arrangement information stored in the cache memory.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for implementing feedback directed deferral on nonessential direct access storage device (DASD) operations. A kernel DASD I/O manager maintains a queue depth count value for a DASD unit and maintains a busy flag that indicates when the queue depth count value is greater than a predefined threshold. The kernel DASD I/O manager defers optional operations responsive to the busy flag being set for the DASD unit.

Abstract: Provided are a storage apparatus and its data management method capable of preventing the loss of data retained in a volatile cache memory even during an unexpected power shutdown. This storage apparatus includes a cache memory configured from a volatile and nonvolatile memory. The volatile cache memory caches data according to a write request from a host system and data staged from a disk drive, and the nonvolatile cache memory only caches data staged from a disk drive. Upon an unexpected power shutdown, the storage apparatus immediately backs up the dirty data and other information cached in the volatile cache memory to the nonvolatile cache memory.

Abstract: When a first channel processor from among a plurality of channel processors receives an I/O request from a host system, a second channel processor, which is to execute a part of the processing to respond to the I/O request, is selected from among the channel processors based on the LM directories of the respective channel processors. The selected second channel processor checks whether there is a cache hit. If there is a cache hit, it transfers the data from the cache memory to the buffer memory. The first channel processor then processes the I/O request using the data transferred to the buffer memory.

Abstract: A memory card that adapts its operation according to the application to which it applied or the conditions under which it is operated. This allows the card to dynamical self optimize. In a first set of embodiments, the card uses host profiling where it will learn about the host during host-card interactions and the card's controller will optimize its algorithms accordingly. In another set of embodiments, the host and card will report to one another their capabilities for a quality of service negotiation. A further set of embodiments allows the storage device to memorize access sequences issued by the host under various predefined conditions, such as host reset or a power on boot sequence. The storage device can use this information to optimize operation for the expected commands. On deviation from an expected sequence, the device would memorize the new command sequence and save it, thus operating in a self-adaptive manner.

Abstract: A control technique for resident information or release of resident information in a cache memory is provided, by which residence is set into a cache memory without regard of a logical volume where a dataset is present, and an unused resident area in the cache memory is automatically deleted. In an information processing system, a host system has a resident management program for automatically acquiring a logical volume name from a dataset name specified by the user with reference to catalog information for managing dataset stored in the logical volume and instructing the dataset on the logical volume having the corresponding logical volume name to be resident. Further, a disk array system has microprogram for making the dataset on the logical volume having the corresponding logical volume name resident in the cache memory in response to the instruction to set residence from the resident management program.

Abstract: An atomic write descriptor associated with stripe buffer list metadata.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention provides a disk-to-tape storage system including a front-end portion and a hack-end portion. The front-end portion ha, a first interface for receiving storage commands and data over a network from an application performing a backup or archive operation. The received storage commands conform to a standardised command format. The back-end portion has a second interface for transmitting storage commands and the received data for storage in a tape library. The disk-to-tape storage system is operable to transform the received storage commands from the standardised command format into an appropriate format for the transmitted storage commands so as to maintain direct accessibility by the application of the received data as stored in the tape library.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program for destaging a track from cache to a storage device. The destaged track is retained in the cache. Verification is made of whether the storage device successfully completed writing data. Indication is made of destaged tracks eligible for removal from the cache that were destaged before the storage device is verified in response to verifying that the storage device is successfully completing the writing of data.