Method for partitioning disk drives within a physical disk array and selectively assigning disk drive partitions into a logical disk array
US5568629A · kind A · utility
Assignees
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 4, 1993 |
| Grant date | Oct 22, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 4, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11C29/74
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method for partitioning a disk array into logical storage units distinct from the physical storage units within the array. A set of individual drives within the array are partitioned into multiple partitions. Corresponding partitions from the individual drives are grouped together to form a logical unit which is addressed as, and functions as, an independent disk array. The partitions within the logical unit are addressed as, and function as, disk drives within the logical array. Thus, a single set of disk drives may be divided into two or more logical storage units, each functioning as an independent disk array, and each employing a different RAID level scheme for storing data. Alternatively, multiple sets of disk drives within the array can combined together into a logical storage unit which functions as a single set of drives. Corresponding drives from each set of drives are addressed as a single disk drive within the logical unit. Thus a logical unit is formed having twice or more the capacity of a single set of disk drives. Finally, The two logical disk arrays described above may be utilized together to organize a plurality of disk drives into several logical arrays, some fo…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.