Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
714007000 | Reconfiguration (e.g., adding a replacement storage component) | 35 |
20080209264 | Method for Automatic Dump Assurance - A computer implemented method, an apparatus, and a computer usable program product are provided for adjusting a dump file space in a data processing system. Events with a potential to cause a dump are detected in a data processing system. A dump file size is estimated based on the detected events. The estimated dump file size is compared to the size of an allocated dump file space. A value results from the comparison reflecting the difference between the estimated dump file size and the size of the allocated dump file space. If the allocated dump file space is insufficient to hold a dump file of the estimated size, storage space is reclaimed and the allocated dump file space is expanded to at least the estimated size. | 08-28-2008 |
20080229144 | FLEXIBLE ROW REDUNDANCY SYSTEM - A row redundancy system is provided for replacing faulty wordlines of a memory array having a plurality of banks. The row redundancy system includes a remote fuse bay storing at least one faulty address corresponding to a faulty wordline of the memory array; a row fuse array for storing row fuse information corresponding to at least one bank of the memory array; and a copy logic module for copying at least one faulty address stored in the remote fuse bay into the row fuse array; wherein the copy logic module is programmed to copy the at least one faulty address into the row fuse information stored in the row fuse array corresponding to a predetermined number of banks in accordance with a selectable repair field size. | 09-18-2008 |
20080263393 | STORAGE CONTROLLER AND STORAGE CONTROL METHOD - Spare disk drives are provided to a chassis for storing storage devices, and, when any one of the storage devices configuring RAID fails, the storage controller copies data of the failed storage device to a spare storage device, and recognizes an additional storage device inserted into the spare disk drive as the spare storage device. Thereafter, when the foregoing storage device fails, the storage controller reproduces data of the failed storage device, copies this data to an additional storage device inserted into the spare disk drive, and recognizes the additional storage device inserted into the spare disk drive as a spare storage device. Subsequently, when the foregoing storage device fails, the storage controller reproduces data of the failed storage device and copies this data to an additional storage device inserted into the spare disk drive. RAID 6 is maintained thereby. | 10-23-2008 |
20090044047 | ACCESSING REMOVABLE STORAGE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO OBTAIN REPLACEMENT INSTRUCTIONS INDICATING WHETHER TO REPLACE REMOVABLE STORAGE - Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for accessing removable storage management services to obtain replacement instructions indicating whether to replace removable storage. Replacement information indicating whether to replace at least one of a plurality of managed removable storages is obtained by interfacing with a service computer over a network. Read/write error information for the at least one removable storage is gathered and transmitted to the service computer. Replacement instructions indicating whether to replace the at least one removable storage are received from the service computer. | 02-12-2009 |
20090049335 | System and Method for Managing Memory Errors in an Information Handling System - A method for handling memory defects during the POST phase and memory calibration in single processor and multiprocessor information handling systems is disclosed whereby information regarding the location of a known memory defect is utilized to optimize the performance of an information handling system. Memory defects within system memory are identified and replaced during operation with error free memory space. | 02-19-2009 |
20090063895 | SCALEABLE AND MAINTAINABLE SOLID STATE DRIVE - Methods and apparatus for maintaining a solid state disk drive facilitate expansion of storage capacity and maintenance of internal memory storage media, for example, are disclosed. Memory modules are adapted for removable installation in a solid state drive allowing for expansion of drive storage capacity and servicing of failed or worn out memory storage media. Data can be managed to mitigate loss during expansion, maintenance and servicing of the solid state drive. | 03-05-2009 |
20090070626 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR OPERATING SYSTEM BARE-METAL RECOVERY - A system and method of recovering a system on replacement hardware includes booting the replacement hardware from an operating system disk. A recovery media is coupled to the replacement hardware to provide access to system information for restoring programming to replacement hardware. A specific file is provided on the recovery media that is looked for during the booting of the replacement hardware. When the specific file is found, recovery specific system information is loaded onto the replacement hardware to facilitate a recovery process. | 03-12-2009 |
20090094480 | Alternatively Activating a Replaceable Hardware Unit - A data processing system having a plurality of hardware units providing a predetermined set of functional capabilities. The data processing system is configurable to allow selectively electronically enabling at least a subset of the functional capabilities. The system comprises a portion for receiving a replaceable hardware unit. The system also comprises a control unit for determining a type of the replaceable hardware unit. The control unit is configured to determine the subset of functional capabilities to be electronically enabled and electronically enabling the determined subset of functional capabilities if the replaceable hardware unit is of a first type. The control unit is also configured to enable entire functional capabilities of the replaceable hardware unit if the replaceable hardware unit is of a second type. | 04-09-2009 |
20090100291 | MEMORY DEVICE AND METHOD FOR REPAIRING A SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY - A block repair device is used in a Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) having a primary array with a defective cell and a redundant array with a redundant row. The block repair device stores a block repair configuration that determines the dimensions (e.g., the number of rows and columns spanned) of a repair block. Routing circuitry is configured by the stored block repair configuration to output some row and column address bits from received row and column addresses in a selected ratio. Comparison circuitry compares the row and column address bits output by the routing circuitry with the address of the defective cell that defines the repair block. When a match occurs, the comparison circuitry implements a block repair by activating the redundant row and by causing data to be written to or read from the activated redundant row instead of the primary array. | 04-16-2009 |
20090113237 | STORAGE CONTROL DEVICE, STORAGE CONTROL METHOD AND STORAGE CONTROL PROGRAM - A storage control device includes a first rebuilding unit rebuilding information stored in one of a plurality of storages that fails by using information stored in the plurality of storages excluding said failed storage and storing rebuilt information in a spare storage replaced with the failed storage, a second rebuilding unit rebuilding information stored in two of said plurality of storages that fail by using information stored in said plurality of storages excluding the two failed storages and storing rebuilt information in two spare storages replaced with the two failed storages, and a rebuilding control unit for controlling said first rebuilding unit and second rebuilding unit where one of said spare storages fails during rebuilding the data stored in said two failed storages to replace the failed spare storage with other spare storage whereby said second rebuilding unit continues rebuilding the data. | 04-30-2009 |
20090125754 | APPARATUS, SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR IMPROVING SYSTEM RELIABILITY BY MANAGING SWITCHED DRIVE NETWORKS - An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for improving system reliability by managing switched drive networks. An off-network pool of storage devices is logically isolated from an array of storage devices. A detection module detects a failed storage device. A repositioning module logically repositions storage devices that are not performing operations. A rebuilding module may rebuild data from the failed storage device. | 05-14-2009 |
20090144583 | Memory Circuit - The invention provides a memory circuit comprising a plurality of storage cells for storing data and redundant spare storage cells for replacing defective storage cells, and a memory access logic for accessing said storage cells connected to a replacement setting register which is writeable during operation of said memory circuit to store replacement settings. | 06-04-2009 |
20090172468 | METHOD FOR PROVIDING DEFERRED MAINTENANCE ON STORAGE SUBSYSTEMS - A set of disks in a plurality of disk arrays are configured to have one or more spare partitions. Upon detecting a faulty disk in a faulty array, the method involves the steps of: (a) migrating data in the faulty array containing the faulty disk to one or more spare partitions; (b) reconfiguring the faulty array to form a new array without the faulty disk; (c) migrating data from one or more spare partitions in the set of disks to the reconfigured new array; (d) monitoring to identify when overall spare capacity falls below a predetermined threshold; and when the predetermined threshold is exceeded, scheduling a service visit for replacement of the failed disks. | 07-02-2009 |
20090177918 | STORAGE REDUNDANT ARRAY OF INDEPENDENT DRIVES - A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program product for managing redundant array of independent drives. In response to a failure of a hard disk in a first RAID array, the process calculates an amount of free capacity available across a set of remaining hard disks in the first RAID array. The set of remaining hard disks comprises every hard disk associated with the first RAID array except the failed disk. In response to a determination that the amount of free capacity is sufficient to re-create the first RAID array at a same RAID level, the process reconstructs the first RAID array using an amount of space in the set of remaining drives utilized by the first RAID array and the free capacity to form a new RAID array without utilizing a spare hard disk. | 07-09-2009 |
20090187786 | PARITY DATA MANAGEMENT SYSTEM APPARATUS AND METHOD - An apparatus for parity data management receives a write command and write data from a computing device. The apparatus also builds a parity control structure corresponding to updating a redundant disk array with the write data and stores the parity control structure in a persistent memory buffer of the computing device. The apparatus also updates the redundant disk array with the write data in accordance with a parity control map and restores the RAID controller parity map from the parity control structure as part of a data recovery operation if updating the redundant disk array with the write data is interrupted by a RAID controller failure resulting in a loss of the RAID controller parity map. In certain embodiments, the parity control structure is a RAID controller parity map. | 07-23-2009 |
20090193290 | System and Method to Use Cache that is Embedded in a Memory Hub to Replace Failed Memory Cells in a Memory Subsystem - A memory system, data processing system, and method are provided for using cache that is embedded in a memory hub device to replace failed memory cells. A memory module comprises an integrated memory hub device. The memory hub device comprises an integrated memory device data interface that communicates with a set of memory devices coupled to the memory hub device and a cache integrated in the memory hub device. The memory hub device also comprises an integrated memory hub controller that controls the data that is read or written by the memory device data interface to the cache based on a determination whether one or more memory cells within the set of memory devices has failed. | 07-30-2009 |
20090199042 | Disk Array System and Control Method Thereof - A disk array system, upon detecting a failure in any data disk from among a plurality of data disks providing one or more RAID groups, conducting a correction copy to any spare disk, using one or more other data disks belonging to the same RAID group as the data disk causing the failure. When the data disk causing the failure has been replaced with a new data disk, the disk array system alters the management so that the data disk can be managed as a spare disk, and the spare disk can be managed as a data disk. | 08-06-2009 |
20090259882 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING DISK DRIVES WITH UNREPORTED DATA CORRUPTION - A RAID controller uses a method to identify a storage device of a redundant array of storage devices that is returning corrupt data to the RAID controller. The method includes reading data from a location of each storage device in the redundant array a first time, and detecting that at least one storage device returned corrupt data. In response to detecting corrupt data, steps are performed for each storage device in the redundant array. The steps include reading data from the location of the storage device a second time without writing to the location in between the first and second reads, comparing the data read the first and second times, and identifying the storage device as a failing storage device if the compared data has a miscompare. Finally, the method includes updating the location of each storage device to a new location and repeating the steps for the new location. | 10-15-2009 |
20090271659 | RAID REBUILD USING FILE SYSTEM AND BLOCK LIST - This embodiment (a system) addresses and reduces the RAID build time by only rebuilding the used blocks and omitting the unused blocks. This starts after a disk drive from a RAID system is failed and replaced and storage controller starts the process of rebuilding the data on the new disk drive. Storage controller determines the logical volumes that must be rebuilt, send a message requesting only used blocks for these logical volumes from the volume manager and then uses this information and only rebuild the used blocks for the failed disk system. | 10-29-2009 |
20090282285 | Semiconductor Integrated Circuit, Design Support Software System, And Automatic Test Pattern Generation System - A semiconductor integrated circuit has a memory circuit having memory cells, a first register, a second register, a register selection circuit having an input to which an output of the first register and an output of the second register are connected, a memory bypass circuit which is located between a first switching circuit and a second switching circuit, and connected to the inputs and the outputs of the memory circuit. The register selection circuit is switched to the output signals of the first register when performing testing by way of the memory circuit, and switched to output signals of the second register when performing testing by way of the memory bypass circuit. | 11-12-2009 |
20090327803 | STORAGE CONTROL DEVICE AND STORAGE CONTROL METHOD - A RAID is configured using plural nonvolatile semiconductor memory devices to enable recovery of data stored in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory devices, and data is read from the nonvolatile semiconductor memory device included in the RAID in response to a data reading request inputted from outside. When an error occurs during the reading, data for which the reading error occurs is recovered, and rewritten into an area of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory device in which the reading error occurs. | 12-31-2009 |
20100031082 | Prioritized Rebuilding of a Storage Device - Rebuilding a storage device after failure of a storage device is disclosed. The method is particularly useful for RAID groups of hard disks. The method may also apply to other storage media arranged as a group. The method includes rebuilding a hard disk in a non-linear fashion according to a heuristic analysis of logical units of the failed hard disk. The method may be implemented in hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof. | 02-04-2010 |
20100050016 | PREVENTING WRITE CORRUPTION IN A RAID ARRAY - A method and related computer program product of preventing write corruption in a redundant array in a computer system, comprising detecting a write failure from a calling application to at least one disk of the redundant array, writing failure information to non-volatile storage; returning an I/O error to the calling application; reading the failure information from the non-volatile storage during the next system reboot; and reconfiguring the array to eliminate the failed disk. | 02-25-2010 |
20100083040 | Expander Circuit For A Solid State Persistent Storage Device That Provides A Plurality Of Interfaces To Corresponding Storage Controllers - A system includes a solid state persistent storage device, and a plurality of storage controllers to manage access of the solid state persistent storage device. An expander circuit is connected to the solid state persistent storage device and has a plurality of computer-based bus interfaces connected to the corresponding plurality of storage controllers. | 04-01-2010 |
20100122115 | Storage Device Realignment - Realigning storage devices arranged as storage arrays when one of the storage arrays enters a critical state after failure of a storage device is disclosed. The method is particularly useful for RAID groups of storage devices. The method may be used with hard disk drives, solid-state drives, and other storage devices arranged as groups. The method includes identifying when a storage array of a plurality of storage arrays is in a critical condition. A critical condition storage array and a healthy storage array are identified. Both the critical condition storage array and the healthy storage array are rebuilt. The rebuilding includes configuring the critical condition storage array to include a storage device from the healthy storage array and configuring the healthy storage array to function with one less storage device. The method may be implemented in hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof. | 05-13-2010 |
20100169707 | FAILURE HANDLING USING OVERLAY OBJECTS ON A FILE SYSTEM USING OBJECT BASED STORAGE DEVICES - A system and method for data storage in an array. A system includes a client coupled to a storage subsystem including data storage locations addressable as rows and columns in an array. Each column comprises a separate storage device. Each row includes redundant data. For a given row, a coordinating storage device coordinates the computation and storage of redundant data. The system detects a failure of a storage region and in response, configures an overlay storage device to temporarily overlay the failed region, maintains an association between the overlay device and the failed region, and maintains a record of changes made to the overlay device while the region is in a failed state. In response to detecting that the failed region has been restored, the system uses the association to identify the overlay device and uses the record of changes made to the overlay device to resynchronize the failed region. | 07-01-2010 |
20100174940 | INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - An information processing apparatus has a first storage unit and a second storage unit and operates in one of a normal power mode and a power saving mode. When the information processing apparatus is operating in the power saving mode, if an error occurs in a storage process, the power mode of the information processing apparatus is switched to the normal power mode and the storage process is executed again. The storage process is a process in which when the first storage unit is replaced with a new storage unit, information equivalent to that stored in the first storage unit is stored in the new storage unit. | 07-08-2010 |
20100218040 | Method and Apparatus for an Improved File Repository - A method and apparatus for of storing data comprising monitoring a plurality of storage units within a mass storage area and detecting when a storage unit within the mass storage area is overloaded. The method further comprising randomly distributing the data on the overloaded storage unit to the other storage units within the mass storage area. | 08-26-2010 |
20100223496 | Highly Reliable Storage System and Internal Network Thereof - The disk controller has a plurality of channel control units, a plurality of cache memories, a plurality of disk control units, and a plurality of internal switch units. Each channel control unit or disk control unit sends to one of the cache memory units a request packet requesting execution of processing. The cache memory unit sends a response packet in response to the received request packet. Each internal switch unit monitors the request packet sent from the channel control unit or disk control unit, and judges whether or not the response packet to the request packet has passed through the internal switch unit within a first given time period since the passage of the request packet. In the case where the response packet has not passed through the internal switch unit within the first given time period, the internal switch unit sends a failure notification. | 09-02-2010 |
20100229033 | STORAGE MANAGEMENT DEVICE, STORAGE MANAGEMENT METHOD, AND STORAGE SYSTEM - A storage system includes data storage devices, spare storage devices used when a failure occurs in a data storage devices, a group management unit that divides the data storage devices into groups and implements a redundancy, a data storage device restoration unit that assigns the spare storage device as a replacement when a failure occurs, and a configuration change unit changing configuration of the group to which the data storage devices belong. The configuration change unit includes, a spare storage device securing unit that secures the spare storage device, a change processor that writes data concerning the group into the spare storage device, and a change restoration unit that performs continuation of the configuration change, or restoration of the group to a state in a start, using the data written into the spare storage device when the configuration change of the group is interrupted. | 09-09-2010 |
20100251012 | Data Volume Rebuilder and Methods for Arranging Data Volumes for Improved RAID Reconstruction Performance - A data volume rebuilder reduces the time required to reconstruct lost data in a RAID protected data volume operating with a failed physical disk drive. A data volume rebuilder uses the remaining functioning physical disk drives in the RAID protected data volume operating with the failed disk to regenerate the lost data and populate a virtual hot spare store allocated in a separate RAID protected data volume. The recovered data is distributed across the physical disk drives supporting the virtual hot spare store. Once the virtual hot spare store is populated, the data volume can recover from a subsequent failure of a second physical disk drive in either RAID group. After replacement of the failed physical disk drive, the data volume rebuilder moves the recovered data from the virtual hot spare store to the new physical disk drive. | 09-30-2010 |
20100251013 | METHOD FOR PROCESSING BAD BLOCK IN REDUNDANT ARRAY OF INDEPENDENT DISKS - A method for processing a bad block in a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) is presented, which is characterized by a software RAID constructed by a scale computer interface disk, and adapted to backup data in a bad block in the software RAID. The method includes invoking an access error program to intercept an access instruction for a data block in the software RAID when the data block is a bad block; searching a disk number and a logical block address of the data block in the software RAID according to the access instruction; selecting the scale computer interface disk; and mapping data stored in the data block, the disk number, and the logical block address to a reserved local memory of the scale computer interface disk. Through the above steps, the data in the bad block can be mapped to a normal block, thus maintaining the data integrity. | 09-30-2010 |
20100275057 | Data Storage Device In-Situ Self Test, Repair, and Recovery - A method, apparatus, and computer program product for performing a set of operations on a data storage device is provided. A data storage device is flagged as suspect. The adapter suspends the suspect data storage device from participation in the RAID array, assigns the suspect data storage device to a pool of data storage devices to be retested, selects a data storage device from a pool of spare data storage devices, rebuilds contents of the suspect data storage device on the selected disk drive, assigns the substitute data storage device to the RAID array, invokes a diagnostic test on the suspect data storage device, and analyzes the diagnostic result. Responsive to the diagnostic result exceeding a threshold, the suspect data storage device is repaired. The adapter assigns the repaired data storage device to the pool of spare data storage devices and increments a counter of the repaired data storage device. | 10-28-2010 |
20110022889 | DISK ARRAY APPARATUS AND PHYSICAL DISK RESTORATION METHOD - The invention provides a disk array apparatus and a physical disk restoration method for managing a used area and an unused area of a faulty physical disk and shortening the time required for the physical disk to become usable by an external unit. The disk array apparatus includes: a unit for determining whether block areas of the physical disk are used areas or unused areas; a unit for recovering data in relation to block areas determined to be used areas and writing the recovered data to block areas of a spare disk corresponding to the used areas; a unit for transmitting a notification that the physical disk is usable to a host apparatus when data recovery is completed; and a unit for writing zero data to block areas of the spare disk corresponding to block areas determined to be unused areas after transmitting the notification. | 01-27-2011 |
20110029810 | AUTOMATED FAILURE RECOVERY OF SUBSYSTEMS IN A MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - Systems and methods for automated failure recovery of subsystems of a management system are described. The subsystems are built and modeled as services, and their management, specifically their failure recovery, is done in a manner similar to that of services and resources managed by the management system. The management system consists of a microkernel, service managers, and management services. Each service, whether a managed service or a management service, is managed by a service manager. The service manager itself is a service and so is in turn managed by the microkernel. Both managed services and management services are monitored via in-band and out-of-band mechanisms, and the performance metrics and alerts are transported through an event system to the appropriate service manager. If a service fails, the service manager takes policy-based remedial steps including, for example, restarting the failed service. | 02-03-2011 |