Parallel data storage system
View Patent ↗A parallel data storage system for storing data received from, or retrieving data to, a host system using multiple data storage devices. The system includes an interface for communicating with the host system and a buffer configured to store data sectors received from the host system via the interface. A switch is used to selectively connect the interface and the data storage devices to the buffer to facilitate the transfer of data into and out of the buffer. The data sectors are transferred by segmenting each sector into multiple smaller data cells and distributing these data cells among the data storage devices using an arbitrated distribution method.
1. A method for storing data in an array of data storage devices, the method comprising the steps of:
determining a status of each of a plurality of data storage devices;
receiving a plurality of data units from a host system;
distributing the plurality of data units among data storage devices of the plurality of data storage devices determined to have a ready status; and
storing the plurality of data units in the respective data storage devices.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein determining a status of the plurality of data storage devices comprises the steps of:
initiating a diagnostic test in each of the plurality of data storage devices; and
receiving diagnostic test results from the plurality of data storage devices.
3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising the step of reporting the diagnostic test results to the host system.
4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein if the diagnostic test results of one of the plurality of data storage devices is an error, the method further comprises the step of resetting the plurality of data storage devices.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein distributing the plurality of data units comprises the steps of:
segmenting the data units into a plurality of data cells; and
distributing the data cells among a plurality of storage interfaces in communication with respective ones of the plurality of data storage devices having a ready status.
6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein all of the data cells segmented from the same data unit are distributed to the same storage interface.
7. The method according to claim 5 , wherein storing the plurality of data units comprises the steps of:
reassembling the data cells into their respective data units; and
transferring the reassembled data cells from the plurality of storage interfaces to the respective ones of the plurality of data storage devices having a ready status.
8. The method according to claim 5 , wherein receiving the plurality of data units from the host system comprises the steps of:
transferring the plurality of data units from the host system to a host interface; and
transferring the plurality of data units from the host interface to a buffer.
9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein distributing the data cells among the plurality of storage interfaces comprises the step of transferring the data cells from the buffer to the respective storage interfaces, wherein access to the buffer is allocated using an arbitration method.
10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the data cells are distributed among the plurality of storage interfaces using a routing algorithm.
11. A data management system, comprising:
a host interface configured to communicate with a host system;
a buffer configured to store data;
a plurality of storage interfaces configured to communicate with respective ones of a plurality of data storage devices; and
a controller configured to determine a status of each of the plurality of data storage devices, transfer data units received from a host system from the host interface to the buffer, and distribute the data units among data storage devices of the plurality of data storage devices determined to have a ready status for storing the plurality of data units in the respective data storage devices.
12. The data management system according to claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the status of each of the plurality of data storage devices by initiating a diagnostic test in each of the plurality of data storage devices and receiving diagnostic test results from the plurality of data storage devices.
13. The data management system according to claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to report the diagnostic test results to the host system.
14. The data management system according to claim 12 , wherein if the diagnostic test results of one of the plurality of data storage devices is an error, the controller is further configured to reset the plurality of data storage devices.
15. The data management system according to claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to segment the plurality of data units stored in the buffer into a plurality of data cells and to distribute the data cells among storage interfaces of the plurality of storage interfaces in communication with respective ones of the plurality of data storage devices determined to have a ready status.
16. The data management system according to claim 15 , wherein all of the data cells segmented from the same data unit are distributed to the same storage interface.
17. The data management system according to claim 16 , wherein the plurality of storage interfaces are configured to reassemble the data cells into their respective data units and to transfer the reassembled data units to the respective ones of the plurality of data storage devices.
18. The data management system according to claim 15 , further comprising a switch configured to selectively connect the host interface and the plurality of storage interfaces to the buffer.
19. The data management system according to claim 18 , wherein the controller is further configured to allocate access to the buffer by the storage interfaces in communication with respective ones of the plurality of data storage devices determined to have a ready status using an arbitration method.
20. The data management system according to claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to distribute the plurality of data cells among the storage interfaces using a routing algorithm.