Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for management of available, possibly redundant, circuits, in particular memory circuits, possibly found in defective processors, to repair defective circuits, in particular memory circuits, such as shared memory, wherein functional memory of a potentially-deactivated available circuit may be activated and used in place of dysfunctional memory of an enabled circuit.

Abstract: A memory sub-system and a method for operating the same. The memory sub-system includes (a) a main memory, (b) an ECC circuit, (c) a hard fail identifier circuit, (d) a repair circuit, (e) a redundant memory, and (f) a threshold setting circuit. The ECC circuit is capable of (i) detecting a first bit fail, (ii) sending an error flag signal to the hard fail identifier circuit, (iii) sending a first location address, a first bit location of the first bit fail, and a repaired data from the first location address to the hard fail identifier circuit. The hard fail identifier circuit is capable of (i) determining the number of times of failure occurring at the first bit fail, (ii) determining whether the number of times of failure is equal to a predetermined threshold value, and (iii) if so, sending a threshold reached signal.

Abstract: A storage subsystem such as an array of disk drives, method of managing disk drives in the storage subsystem and program product therefor. The storage subsystem may be a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) and the individual disks drives may be Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology (SMART) capable drives. When one of the drives gives an indication of an impending failure, a disk image of the failing disk is built on an available spare disk. Once the image is complete, the failing disk may be replaced without down time for rebuilding a failed disk.

Abstract: If a disk fails, another disk is used to rebuild the data of the failed disk on a first spare disk. When finishing being rebuilt, the first spare disk is separated from the disk array apparatus. Data to be updated while the first spare disk separated is written in another disk and managed by a bit map. The first spare disk is connected to the disk array apparatus at the position of the failed disk, then only the updated data is rebuilt on the first spare disk using another disk.

Abstract: The present invention is a system for optimizing the reconstruction and copyback of data contained on a failed disk in a multi-disk mass storage system. A system in accordance with the present invention may comprise the following: a processing unit requiring mass-storage; one or more disks configured as a RAID system; an associated global hot spare disk; and interconnections linking the processing unit, the RAID and the global hot spare disk. In a further aspect of the present invention, a method for the reconstruction and copyback of a failed disk volume utilizing a global hot spare disk is disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention is a system for optimizing the reconstruction and copyback of data contained on a failed disk in a multi-disk mass storage system. A system in accordance with the present invention may comprise the following: a processing unit requiring mass-storage; one or more disks configured as a RAID system; an associated global hot spare disk; and interconnections linking the processing unit, the RAID and the global hot spare disk. In a further aspect of the present invention, a method for the reconstruction and copyback of a disconnected RAID disk utilizing a global hot spare disk is disclosed. The method includes: disconnecting a RAID component disk; reconstructing data from the disconnected RAID disk onto a global hot spare disk; reconnecting the disconnected RAID component disk; and copying the reconstructed data from the global hot spare disk back to the reconnected RAID component disk.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method of recovering damage of a hard disk having different types of partitions. The method can be exercised in an electronic device including several operating hard disks and a backup hard disk, and these operating hard disks are all created an unrecoverable configuration partition and at least one recoverable configuration partition. When any partition of the operating hard disks is damaged, then the electronic device will create the partitions same as those in the damaged operating hard disk into the backup hard disk.

Abstract: Availability of an information system including a storage system that performs remote copy between two or more storage apparatuses and a host computer using such storage system is improved. A third storage apparatus including a third volume is coupled to a first storage apparatus, a fourth storage apparatus including a fourth volume is coupled to a second storage apparatus, the first and third storage apparatuses perform remote copy of copying data stored in a first volume to the third volume, the first and second storage apparatuses perform remote copy of copying data stored in the first volume to a second volume, and the third and fourth storage apparatuses perform remote copy of copying data stored in the third volume to the fourth volume.

Abstract: Provided are a system and method for using a plurality of virtual backup service paths to dynamically switch between storage devices based on a plurality of scenarios. In one example multiple backup service groups are defined. Multiple scenarios that each reference at least one virtual backup service path are also defined. Each virtual backup service path may be defined by at least one network address identifying a storage device. One of the scenarios is selected based on a service level of one or more storage devices, and the virtual backup service path identified by the selected scenario is chosen as a backup destination for at least one of the service groups.