Abstract: A processor receives, from an input device, input data for processing. Upon determining that the input data corresponds to an artificial intelligence (AI) application, the processor generates an AI command for performing read or write operations for a memory device that is configured to store data for a plurality of applications including the AI application, the AI command characterized by an operational code and including information about one or more components of the AI application corresponding to the input data. The processor sends the AI command and the input data to a storage controller managing the memory device, wherein the read or write operations for the memory device are performed by the storage controller using the operational code and the information included in the AI command. The processor receives, from the storage controller, a result of the read or write operations performed on the memory device.

Abstract: A method for performing disaster recovery in a clustered environment comprises identifying, at a master device, a first indexer from a set of indexers to serve as a primary indexer for responding to queries pertaining to a subset of data. The method also comprises assigning, at the master device, a generation identifier indicating that the first indexer is the primary indexer for the subset of data. Responsive to an event prompting a change in a primary indexer designation for the subset of data, the method comprises identifying, at the master device, a second indexer from the set of indexers to serve as the primary indexer for responding to queries pertaining to the subset of data. Further, the method comprises assigning, at the master device, a new generation identifier indicating that the second indexer is the primary indexer for the subset of data.

Abstract: A data storage device includes a non-volatile memory (NVM) device and a controller coupled to the NVM device. The controller is configured to create a bad block table that tracks bad blocks of the NVM device, send the bad block table to a host memory location, and check the bad block table to determine whether a block to be read or written to is bad. The controller is further configured to request information on a bad block from the bad block table located in the host memory location, determine that the requested information is not available from the host memory location, and retrieve the requested information from a location separate from the host memory location. A sum of the times to generate a request to check the flat relink table, execute the request, and retrieve the requested information is less than a time to process a host command.

Abstract: A memory system includes a memory device including memory blocks, each memory block including a memory cell capable of storing a multi-bit data item. The memory device includes a write booster region including at least one memory block among the plurality of memory blocks, the at least one memory block including a memory cell storing a single-bit data item. A controller is configured to assign a memory block in the write booster region to a host performance booster (HPB) region when the memory block is closed and transmit to a host an indication that the memory block is assigned to the HPB region.

Abstract: The disclosure is related to an apparatus and methods for addressing variations in bit error rates amongst data storage segments. In a particular embodiment, an apparatus includes a controller that detects variations in bit error rates amongst different segments of a plurality of segments in a storage medium. The controller also adjusts a read/write operation parameter according to the detected variations amongst the bit error rates in the plurality of segments.

Abstract: Techniques are described for constructing maximum transition run (MTR) modulation code based upon a multi-level (ML) run-length limited (RLL) finite state machine (FSM) that implements different sets of penalties. A processor is configured to receive information from a hard disk drive (HDD) via a read channel and recover data from the HDD using MTR modulation code. A memory has computer executable instructions configured for execution by the processor to model a magnetic recording channel as a partial response channel, model a source of information to the magnetic recording channel to provide an optimized Markov source, and construct an MTR modulation code to mimic the optimized Markov source based upon an FSM having a limited transition run length and a multi-level periodic structure. The FSM provides at least two different sets of penalties in a period.

Abstract: Systems, circuits, devices and/or methods related to systems and methods for data processing, and more particularly to systems and methods for media defect detection.

Abstract: A storage system assigns one or more large disks in a storage enclosure as a common dedicated hot spare that is used by multiple RAID groups. Storage space equivalent to the smallest physical disk in a RAID group is allocated on the common dedicated hot spare. A mapping of this allocated storage space to the RAID group is maintained in nonvolatile memory. When a disk fails in the RAID group, the allocated storage space on the common dedicated hot spare receives a rebuild of the failed disk. Once the rebuild is complete, the allocated storage space acts as part of the RAID group. When the failed disk is replaced, the data on the allocated storage space is copied to the replacement disk. Once the copy is complete, the allocated storage space is once again set to act as a dedicated hot spare to the RAID group.

Abstract: A method for handling media errors during a read operation on a data storage device. The method comprises detecting that a first file and a second file are duplicates, wherein the first file is stored on a first storage device. Metadata is written to the first storage device in association with the first file, wherein the metadata identifies the location of the second file that is a duplicate of the first file. Later, an application program requests a first read operation to read the first file. In response to a media error that results from the first read operation, the method reads the metadata associated with the first file to identify the location of the second file, performs a second read operation to read the second file instead of the first file, and provides the second file to the application program in satisfaction of the requested first read operation.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for media defect detection.

Abstract: A method for determining priority of recovery for a RAID implementation includes detecting a first failure of the RAID implementation; detecting a second failure of the RAID implementation; assigning a first priority to the first failure and a second priority to the second failure; and setting the priority of the recovery based on the first priority and the second priority.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a tape drive system includes a soft detector for executing a first forward loop of a detection algorithm on a first block of signal samples during a first time interval; and logic for executing forward and reverse loops during several time intervals; and logic adapted for outputting a first decoded block of signal samples based on the executing the decoding algorithm on the first block during a sixth time interval, wherein a sum of second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth time intervals are about equal in duration to the first time interval.

Abstract: Based on information security rules, it is not possible to take out a failure HDD to the exterior of a facility for replacement without erasing data therefrom. According to the present storage sub-system, a slot in which failure has occurred and a slot not registered to a configuration information of a storage sub-system are used to simultaneously perform correction copy to a spare HDD and data erase of the failure HDD in parallel, so as to enable the failure HDD to be brought out to the exterior of the storage facility. Further, time required from when failure has occurred to the HDD to data recovery is shortened, so as to prevent deteriorated redundancy that may be caused by another failure occurring during data recovery and to reduce the risk of data loss.

Abstract: Methods and systems for two device failure tolerance in a RAID 5 storage system. Features and aspects hereof provide for allocating a spare storage device in the storage system for use with a standard RAID level 5 storage volume to form an enhanced RAID level 5 volume. Additional redundancy information is generated and stored on the spare storage device such that the enhanced RAID level 5 volume is operated by the storage controller so as to survive a failure of up to two of the storage devices of the enhanced volume. The allocated spare storage device may be reallocated by the storage controller for another purpose in which case the storage controller continues to operate the enhanced volume as a standard RAID level 5 volume that can only tolerate a single failure of a storage device of the volume.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to correcting erasures in a storage array. A read stripe is received from a plurality of n storage devices. The read stripe includes an array of entries arranged in m rows and n columns with each column corresponding to one of the storage devices. The entries include data entries and mr+s parity entries. Each row contains at least r parity entries generated from the data entries according to a partial maximum distance separable (PMDS) code. It is determined that the read stripe includes at least one erased entry, at most mr+s erased entries and that no row has more than r+s erased entries. The erased entries are reconstructed from the non-erased entries, resulting in a recovered read stripe.

Abstract: A method of operation of a disk storage system includes: providing a disk storage controller; coupling a first physical disk to the disk storage controller; detecting a failure of the first physical disk; and rebuilding a first logical drive, after replacing the first physical disk, including: selecting a selected stripe of the first logical drive, detecting a selected stripe status of the selected stripe, and marking the selected stripe as on-line in the selected stripe status.

Abstract: A method of performing automatic remapping in a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) includes issuing a read command for performing a read operation to read data from a hard disk of the RAID, and remapping a bad sector the data is located in to an unused good sector of the hard disk when the bad sector is encountered during the read operation.

Abstract: A technique for avoiding a ping-pong effect on active-passive paths in a storage system managing one or more logical storage units (LUNs) on behalf of one or more host systems. A first path to the LUNs is designated as an active path and a second path to the LUNs is designated as a passive path. The first path is also designated as a preferred path to the LUNs. In response to a path failure in which a host system cannot access the LUNs on the first path, a failover operation is implemented wherein the second path is designated as the active path and the first path is designated as the passive path. The designation of the first path as the preferred path to the LUNs is not changed. Subsequent failback operations are conditionally inhibited so that only the failover host that initiated the failover is permitted to initiate a failback.

Abstract: A method for maintaining reliable communication on a link between an expander and a storage device is provided. The method includes detecting, by a processor coupled to the link, an error corresponding to the link, and maintaining a count of detected errors for the link, by the processor. The method also includes determining, by the processor, if the count of detected errors is above a first error threshold. If the count of detected errors is not above the first error threshold, then the method repeats the detecting, maintaining, and determining steps. If the count of detected errors is above the first error threshold, then the method provides the processor placing the storage device into a segregated zone.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for improved building of a hot spare storage device in a RAID storage system while avoiding reading of stale data from a failed storage device. In the recovery mode of the failed device, all data is write protected on the failed device. A RAID storage controller may copy as much readable data as possible from the failed device to the hot spare storage device. Unreadable data may be rebuilt using redundant information of the logical volume. Write requests directed to the failed device cause the addressed logical block address (LBA) to be marked as storing stale data. When a read request is directed to such a marked LBA, the read request returns an error status from the failed device to indicate that the data is stale. The RAID controller then rebuilds the now stale data for that LBA from redundant information of the logical volume.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus describe processing of data for recording to a storage device. An apparatus includes, in at least one aspect, a plurality of buffers and circuitry configured to encode data stored in one buffer of the plurality of buffers concurrently with storing data in another buffer of the plurality of buffers and to write the encoded data from the one buffer to a storage device concurrently with encoding the stored data in the other buffer.

Abstract: A system is provided. The system detects a dropped write from a hard disk drive (HDD). The system includes two or more HDDs, each being configured to define a data block spread across the two or more HDDs. The data block is configured to regenerate a checksum across the full data block during a read operation to detect the dropped write.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes logic adapted for receiving information relating to disk drive media (DDM) failures in an installed base of DDM across multiple virtual tape servers, a storage device adapted for storing the information relating to the DDM failures in a data repository, and a processor adapted for analyzing the information stored in the data repository to identify problems in an installed base of DDM, the analysis comprising analyzing comparative DDM failure data comprising vectors. In another embodiment, a method for managing DDM failures includes receiving DDM failure information in virtual tape servers, storing the DDM failure information in a data repository, and analyzing the information to identify problems in an installed base of DDM. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are also described according to more embodiments.

Abstract: A hard disk backplane for supporting a number of hard disks includes a display unit for displaying the present status of the hard disks, and a programmable logic chip. The display unit includes at least one seven segment LED display. The status displayed includes an indication of a normal working or an indication otherwise for abnormal working. The programmable logic chip is configured for obtaining signals as to the present status of the plurality of hard disks, and driving the at least one seven segment LED display to display the status based on the signals.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to erasure correcting codes for storage arrays. An aspect of the invention includes receiving a read stripe from a plurality of storage devices. The read stripe includes a block of pages arranged in rows and columns, with each column corresponding to one of the storage devices. The pages include data pages and parity pages, with the number of parity pages at least one more than the number of rows and not a multiple of the number of rows. The method further includes reconstructing at least one erased page in response to determining that the read stripe includes the at least one erased page and that the number of erased pages is less than or equal to the number of parity pages. The reconstructing is responsive to a multiple erasure correcting code and to the block of pages. The reconstructing results in a recovered read stripe.

Abstract: Systems and methods for writing data on a magnetic tape having a plurality of partitions and accessed by a tape drive having an associated tape drive processor in communication with a host computer having an associated host processor include storing a read-only partition identifier associated with each of the plurality of partitions, comparing a requested write partition identifier with the stored read-only partition identifiers, and writing data to the requested write partition only if the associated read-only identifier indicates that the requested write partition is not a read-only partition.

Abstract: In a method for managing test results of an electronic device, the electronic device includes one or more expansion slots. The method selects a hard disk drive to insert into each expansion slot, executes a read-write test on each expansion slot, and saves test result(s) of the tests on each expansion slot into a file. Before managing the test results, the method sets a file name for each expansion slot for which test results is to be managed, and selects a test item from the read-write test. The method determines test results which expansion slots with are required to be managed and determines a test order of the expansion slots. After the test results are imported, the method amends a file name corresponding to each expansion slot according to the test order, and manages the test results of each expansion slot.

Abstract: A method includes providing a persistent common view of a virtual shared storage system. The virtual shared storage system includes a first shared storage system and a second shared storage system, and the persistent common view includes information associated with data and instructions stored at the first shared storage system and the second shared storage system. The method includes automatically updating the persistent common view to include third information associated with other data and other instructions stored at a third shared storage system in response to adding the third shared storage system to the virtual shared storage system.

Abstract: A method begins by a processing module dispersed storage error encoding data to produce encoded data slices and updating directory metadata regarding storing the data in a dispersed storage network (DSN) memory to produce updated directory metadata. The method continues with the processing module dispersed storage error encoding the updated directory metadata to produce encoded directory metadata slices and transmitting one or more data slice write requests to the DSN that each include a first transaction number. The method continues with the processing module transmitting one or more directory metadata write requests to the DSN memory, wherein the one or more directory metadata write requests includes a second transaction number, and when a favorable write response condition exists, transmitting a commit request to the DSN memory to commit storage of at least one of: the encoded data slices and the encoded directory metadata slices.

Abstract: A system and method test serial attached SCSI (SAS) hard disk drives (HDDs) of a computing device. The computing device includes a SAS backpanel, and the SAS backpanel includes one or more connectors that are respectively connected to the SAS HDDs. An identification (ID) of each of the connectors and an SCSI address of each of the SAS HDDs are obtained. A predefined file is created, and the obtained ID of each connector and the SCSI address of each SAS HDD are recorded into the predefined file. An SCSI address of a SAS HDD to be tested is obtained from the predefined file, and functions of the SAS HDD are tested. An ID of the connector connected to the SAS HDD is obtained from the predefined file, and is displayed on a display device if one or more of the functions are abnormal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to enable data integrity checking of a block of data while the block of data is being transferred from a volatile memory to a non-volatile storage device is provided. The data integrity checking is performed in conjunction with Direct Memory Access operations and Redundant Array of Independent Disk (RAID) operations. In addition, data integrity checking of syndrome blocks in the RAID is performed during transfers to/from the storage devices in the RAID system and during RAID update and RAID data reconstruction operations.

Abstract: A method begins by a processing module receiving data of a file for storage in a dispersed storage network (DSN) memory and determining a segmentation scheme for storing the data. The method continues with the processing module determining how to store the data in accordance with the segmentation scheme to produce information for storing the data and generating an entry within a segment allocation table associated with the file, wherein the entry includes the information for storing the data and the segmentation scheme. The method continues with the processing module facilitating storage of the segment allocation table in the DSN memory. The method continues with the processing module segmenting the data in accordance with the segmentation scheme to produce a plurality of data segments and facilitating storage of the plurality of data segments in the DSN memory in accordance with the information for storing the data.

Abstract: Described is the backup and/or restore of virtual disks In general, metadata is backed up for restoring a virtual disk. To restore the disk, a physical disk is created, with the virtual disk the created on a partition of the physical disk. Backup and restore is described for nested virtual disks, including for block level restore. Further described is backing up of critical virtual disks and their containers, and virtual disk backup with respect to basic disks and dynamic volumes.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes a storage subsystem having an array of storage devices; a receiving component for receiving an error message; a determining component for determining that the error message indicates that a storage device has failed; a collecting component for collecting an array record having storage device characteristics of the failed storage device; a collating component for collating a candidate record having a plurality of candidate entries; a comparing component for comparing storage device characteristics of the failed storage device of the array record with the storage device characteristics of each of the candidate entries; and an identifying component for identifying a first candidate storage device having storage device characteristics that match the storage device characteristics of the failed storage device or a second candidate storage device having storage device characteristics most similar to the storage device characteristics of the failed storage device.

Abstract: A method begins by a processing module decoding a set of encoded data slices to produce a decoded data segment and determining whether the decoded data segment includes an error. When the decoded data segments includes the error, the processing module identifies one or more errant encoded data slices by decoding another set of encoded data slices to produce another decoded data segment. The method continues with the processing module determining whether the other decoded data segment includes the error. When the other decoded data segment does not include the error, the processing module identifies the one or more errant encoded data slices and corrects the one or more errant encoded data slices. When the other decoded data segment includes the error, the processing module repeats, for yet another set of encoded data slices, the decoding step, the determining step, and the identifying and correcting step or the repeating steps.

Abstract: A method begins by a first device obtaining data for transmission to a second device and partitioning the data to produce a plurality of data portions. The method continues with the first device dispersed storage error encoding the plurality of data portions using a plurality of sets of error coding dispersal storage function parameters to produce a plurality of sets of encoded data slices and transmitting the plurality of sets of encoded data slices to the second device via a network. The method continues with a second device receiving at least a decode threshold number of encoded data slices and dispersed storage error decoding the at least a decode threshold number of encoded data slices to produce a decoded data portion for each set of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices. The method continues with the second device recapturing the data from a plurality of decoded data portions.

Abstract: A system and method for performing a mirror set based error handling during a consistency check operation on a RAID 1E disk array is disclosed. In one embodiment, in a method for performing a mirror set based medium error handling during a consistency check (CC) operation on a RAID 1E disk array, a read operation is performed on a current row. The RAID 1E disk array is formed using mirror sets having rows, where each mirror set includes a pair of disks, and the rows include at least one block in each of the pair of disks. A list of all medium errors found in the current row is formed. The medium errors found in the current row are grouped on mirror set basis and the medium errors that do not have a corresponding medium error in substantially same block in other disk in a mirror set are recovered.

Abstract: When write data D is high rewritten data, a PC 10 controls a DRAM 24 to store the write data D (steps S100 and S110). When the write data D is not the high rewritten data, the PC 10 outputs an RRAM write request signal and the write data D to an SSD (step S100 and S120). A memory controller of the SSD input the RRAM write request signal controls the RRAM and an SRAM to store the write data D in the RRAM or the SRAM. This treatment enables data stored in the DRAM to be rewritten frequently. Therefore, the decrease of number of times of refresh operation of the DRAM and the decrease of power consumption are accomplished.

Abstract: One code (a compressed redundant code) is created based on a plurality of first redundant codes, each created on the basis of a plurality of data units, and this compressed redundant code is written to a nonvolatile storage area. This compressed redundant code is used to restore either a data element constituting a multiple-failure data, or a first redundant code corresponding to the multiple-failure data, which is stored in an unreadable sub-storage area of a partially failed storage device, and to restore the data element constituting the multiple-failure data which is stored in a sub-storage area of a completely failed storage device, based on the restored either data element or first redundant code, and either another data element constituting the multiple-failure data or the first redundant code corresponding to the multiple-failure data.

Abstract: A boot method under a boot sector failure in a hard disk is provided, which includes the following steps. First, a detection unit is utilized to determine whether a boot sector in the hard disk fails. After determining that the boot sector fails, the detection unit utilizes a second boot file stored in a solid state disk (SSD) for booting. Meanwhile, the detection unit drives a pickup head in the hard disk to skip the failed boot sector and move to a normal sector in the hard disk, so as to boot a computer and enable the hard disk to operate normally.

Abstract: There is provided a computer-implemented method for selecting from a plurality of full configurations of a storage system an operational configuration for executing an application. An exemplary method comprises obtaining application performance data for the application on each of a plurality of test configurations. The exemplary method also comprises obtaining benchmark performance data with respect to execution of a benchmark on the plurality of full configurations, one or more degraded configurations of the full configurations and the plurality of test configurations. The exemplary method additionally comprises estimating a metric for executing the application on each of the plurality of full configurations based on the application performance data and the benchmark performance data. The operational configuration may be selected from among the plurality full configurations based on the metric.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a disk storage apparatus includes a write module, an operation module, and a controller. The write module is configured to write data, in units of blocks, in a designated write area of a disk. The operation module is configured to perform an exclusive OR operation on the blocks of data. The controller is configured to control the write module, causing the write module to write, in a designated block, recovery data that is a result of the exclusive OR operation on all data blocks written in the designated write area.

Abstract: A system including a plurality of servers, a client, and a metadata server is described herein. The servers each store tracts of data, a plurality of the tracts comprising a byte sequence and being distributed among the plurality of servers. To locate the tracts, the metadata server generates a table that is used by the client to identify servers associated with the tracts, enabling the client to provide requests to the servers. The metadata server also enables recovery in the event of a server failure. Further, the servers construct tables of tract identifiers and locations to use in responding to the client requests.

Abstract: A system comprising a plurality of storage systems, which uses storage devices of multiple levels of reliability. The reliability as a whole system is increased by keeping the error code for the relatively low reliability storage disks in the relatively high reliability storage system. The error code is calculated using hash functions and the value is used to compare with the hash value of the data read from the relatively low reliability storage disks.

Abstract: A method for integrating data and header protection in tape drives includes receiving an array of data organized into rows and columns. The array is extended to include one or more headers for each row of data in the array. The method provides two dimensions of error correction code (ECC) protection for the data in the array and a single dimension of ECC protection for the headers in the array. A corresponding apparatus is also disclosed herein.

Abstract: Systems and methods for reading and writing a set of data using a journaling service are provided. The journaling service may be used to identify and record data storage operations associated with one or more shares of data stored in one or more share locations. The journaling service may use logs to record each of the read and write requests to the share locations. In some embodiments, the log may be a queue data structure that stores information associated with failed data storage operations. In some embodiments, the journaling service may leverage both memory and disk storage in order to maintain the journaling queue. In some embodiments, the journaling queue may maintain information associated with the state of each share location. In some embodiments, this information may be used by the journaling service to determine when to monitor and record information regarding data storage operations associated with the share locations.

Abstract: Disclosed is a storage system enclosure. A midplane receives, from a controller coupled to the midplane, a first drive status signal and a second drive status signal. The first drive status signal and the second drive status signal are associated with a storage device. The first drive status signal indicates a fault condition associated with the storage device. The second drive status signal indicates that an action is allowed on the storage device. A drive power control supplies or removes power from the storage device in response to the state of the first drive status signal and the second drive status signal.

Abstract: A dispersed storage device for use within a dispersed storage network operates to select a set of dispersed storage units for storage of a data object by slicing an encoded data segment of a data object into error coded data slices, determining slice metadata for the error coded data slices, determining memory characteristics of dispersed storage units capable of storing the error coded data slices and selecting the set of dispersed storage units for storing the error coded data slices based on the slice metadata and the memory characteristics.

Abstract: A method begins by a processing module receiving data for storage and interpreting the data to identify the data as redundant array of independent disks (RAID) data. The method continues with the processing module interpreting the RAID data to identify at least one of RAID block data and RAID parity data. When the RAID data includes RAID block data and RAID parity data the method continues with the processing module encoding the RAID block data in accordance with error coding dispersal storage function parameters to produce at least one set of encoded data slices and outputting the at least one set of encoded data slices to a dispersed storage network memory.

Abstract: A computer executes a data allocation control program to control allocation of data in a plurality of disk nodes. A redundancy restoration module executes a redundancy restoration procedure by commanding disk nodes to create a new copy of redundancy-lost data. An error message reception module receives a write error message indicating a write error in a storage device during the redundancy restoration procedure and records an identifier of the faulty storage device in an error record memory. A copy command module identifies accessed data in the faulty storage device and commands a relevant disk node to create a copy of the identified data in the faulty storage device in the case where there is no redundant copy of the data.