Method and system for disk drive exercise and maintenance of high-availability storage systems

1 . A method for maintaining a particular disk drive in a storage system, wherein the storage system includes a plurality of disk drives and the particular disk drive that is powered-off, the method comprising:

powering-on the particular disk drive;

executing a test on the particular disk drive; and

powering-off the particular disk drive.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the test includes a buffer test.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the buffer test includes a write/read/compare test of sector buffer random access memory in the particular disk drive.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the test includes a write test on a plurality of heads in the particular disk drive.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the write test includes a write/read/compare operation on each head in the particular disk drive.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein write the test includes accessing non-user accessible sectors on the particular disk drive.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the test includes a random read test.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the random read test includes a read operation on randomly selected logical block addresses.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the random read test includes auto defect reallocation.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the test includes a read scan test.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the read scan test includes auto defect reallocation.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the read scan test is performed over an entire surface of the particular disk drive.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of disk drives is power-managed according to a power budget, the method further comprising:

determining that powering-on the particular disk drive would cause the power budget to be exceeded; and

postponing powering-on of the particular disk drive and executing the test.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of disk drives is power-managed according to a power budget, the method further comprising:

determining after powering-on the particular disk drive that a request to power-on an additional disk drive would cause the power budget to be exceeded;

suspending the test; and

powering-off the particular disk drive.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the test is performed after a predetermined interval.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the predetermined interval is approximately 30 days.

17 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting a request for access of the particular drive;

suspending the test to fulfill the request for access; and

resuming the test.

18 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining whether the test has failed; and

indicating whether the particular disk drive should be replaced in response to determining whether the test has failed.

19 . A method for maintaining data in a disk drive, the method comprising:

performing a check on the disk drive; and

if a predetermined criterion is not met as a result of the test then performing a recovery action.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the check includes a seek error rate.

21 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the check includes an RSC rate.

22 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the check includes a timeout error.

23 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the check includes a buffer test.

24 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the check includes a write test on a plurality of heads in the disk drive.

25 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the check includes a random read test.

26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the random read test includes auto defect reallocation.

27 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the check includes a read scan test.

28 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the read scan test includes auto defect reallocation.

29 . An apparatus for maintaining a particular disk drive in a storage system, wherein the storage system includes a plurality of disk drives and the particular disk drive that is powered-off, the apparatus comprising:

a power controller for controlling power to the disk drives and the particular disk drive; and

a test-moderator for executing a test on the particular disk drive;

whereby, the particular disk is powered-on by the power controller before the test is to be executed and the particular disk drive is powered-off after the test is executed.

30 . A machine-readable medium including instructions executable by a processor for maintaining a particular disk drive in a storage system, wherein the storage system includes a plurality of disk drives and the particular disk drive that is powered-off, the machine readable medium comprising:

one or more instructions for powering-on the particular disk drive;

one or more instructions for executing a test on the particular disk drive; and

one or more instructions for powering-off the particular disk drive.

31 . An apparatus for maintaining a particular disk drive in a storage system, wherein the storage system includes a plurality of disk drives and the particular disk drive that is powered-off, the apparatus comprising:

a processor for executing instructions; and

a machine-readable medium including:

one or more instructions for powering-on the particular disk drive;

one or more instructions for executing a test on the particular disk drive; and

one or more instructions for powering-off the particular disk drive.