IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,398,418
Granted Patent B2
US 7,398,418 · App. 11/689,862 · Granted Jul 8, 2008

Virtual disk drive system and method

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,398,418
App. No.
11/689,862
Granted
Jul 8, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

A disk drive system and method capable of dynamically allocating data is provided. The disk drive system may include a RAID subsystem having a pool of storage, for example a page pool of storage that maintains a free list of RAIDs, or a matrix of disk storage blocks that maintain a null list of RAIDs, and a disk manager having at least one disk storage system controller. The RAID subsystem and disk manager dynamically allocate data across the pool of storage and a plurality of disk drives based on RAID-to-disk mapping. The RAID subsystem and disk manager determine whether additional disk drives are required, and a notification is sent if the additional disk drives are required. Dynamic data allocation and data progression allow a user to acquire a disk drive later in time when it is needed. Dynamic data allocation also allows efficient data storage of snapshots/point-in-time copies of virtual volume pool of storage, instant data replay and data instant fusion for data backup, recovery etc., remote data storage, and data progression, etc.

Claims (33)

1. A method of data progression in a disk drive system, comprising the steps of:

determining a cost of operating for each of a plurality of RAID devices;

classifying each of the plurality of RAID devices based on the cost;

continuously checking data on the RAID devices to determine whether there is data to be moved from one classification of RAID device to another; and

moving data stored on RAID devices of one classification to RAID devices of another classification.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cost of each of the plurality of RAID devices is based on efficiency of the RAID devices.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the cost of each of the plurality of RAID devices is based on storage efficiency of the RAID devices.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the cost of each of the plurality of RAID devices is further based on physical cost of the RAID devices.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of RAID devices are classified in relation to each other.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising rebalancing the classification of RAID devices as storage disks are added.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein continuously checking data on the RAID devices comprises determining the access pattern and storage cost of the data.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein data is moved to lower operating cost RAID devices if the data has not been recently accessed.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein data is moved to lower operating cost RAID devices if the data comprises historical snapshot data.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein data is moved to lower operating cost RAID devices if a substantial portion of the storage space on the higher operating cost RAID devices is used up.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein data is moved to lower operating cost RAID devices if the storage space on the higher operating cost RAID devices is substantially used up.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein data is moved to higher operating cost RAID devices when data in the lower operating cost RAID devices starts to be used more frequently.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the disk drive system comprises storage space from at least one of a plurality of RAID types, such as RAID-0, RAID-1, RAID-5, and RAID-10.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein a RAID-10 device is converted into a RAID-5 device to more efficiently use physical disk space of the RAID device.

15. The method of claim 8 , wherein data is moved aggressively when storage resources are low.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising managing a page pool of storage including a separate list of free storage spaces for each classification of RAID devices.

17. A disk drive system, comprising:

a RAID subsystem comprising a pool of storage; and

a disk manager having at least one disk storage system controller configured to:

determine an operating cost of each of a plurality of RAID devices of the RAID subsystem;

check data on the plurality of RAID devices to determine whether there is data to be moved from one RAID device to another of different operating cost; and

move data stored on RAID devices of one operating cost to RAID devices of another.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the RAID subsystem further comprises a combination of at least one of a plurality of RAID types, such as RAID-0, RAID-1, RAID-5, and RAID-10.

19. The system of claim 18 , further comprising RAID types including RAID- 3 , RAID-4, RAID-6, and RAID-7.

20. A disk drive system capable of data progression, comprising:

calculation means for determining a cost of operating for each of a plurality of RAID devices;

classification means for classifying each of the plurality of RAID devices based on the cost;

status checking means for continuously checking data on the RAID devices to determine whether there is data to be moved from one classification of RAID device to another; and

transfer means for moving data stored on RAID devices of one classification to RAID devices of another classification.

Assignments (15)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053546/0001) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
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From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.); DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC CORPORATION (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MAGINATICS LLC); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MOZY, INC.); SCALEIO LLC
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From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.); DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC CORPORATION (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MAGINATICS LLC); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MOZY, INC.); SCALEIO LLC
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SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 22, 2020
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
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SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 21, 2019
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
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SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 21, 2016
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SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 21, 2016
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