Method and system for implementing multi-dimensional raid in an extensible storage array to optimize performance

1. A method for storing data comprising:

selecting a first RAID grid location in a RAID grid, wherein the first RAID grid location is flagged;

selecting a second RAID grid location in the RAID grid;

making a first determination that the second RAID grid location is not flagged;

in response to the first determination, loading first data associated with the second RAID grid location into a cache;

calculating a parity value for a corresponding set of RAID grid locations in a data grid using the first data in the cache, wherein the first RAID grid location and the second RAID grid location are in the set of RAID grid locations; and

storing at least a copy of the first data and the parity value in a storage array comprising persistent storage;

wherein prior to selecting the first RAID grid location:

identifying a set of storage modules that are present in the storage array;

making a second determination that at least one storage module is not present in the storage array;

in response to the second determination:

specifying that the first RAID grid location is a RAID grid location that is not associated with any of the set of storage modules; and

in response to the specifying, associating the first RAID grid location with a flag.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

selecting a third RAID grid location in the RAID grid

making a second determination that the third RAID grid location is flagged;

in response to the second determination, generating tracking information specifying that the third RAID grid location is flagged;

selecting a fourth RAID grid location in the RAID grid;

making a third determination that the fourth RAID grid location is not flagged;

in response to the third determination, loading third data associated with the fourth RAID grid location into the cache;

calculating a second parity value for a corresponding second set of RAID grid locations in the data grid using the second data in the cache and the tracking information, wherein the third RAID grid location and the fourth RAID grid location are in the second set of RAID grid locations; and

storing at least a copy of the second data and the second parity value in the storage.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the second parity value is a Q parity value.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second RAID grid location is associated with a physical location in a storage module of the set of storage modules in the storage array.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first parity value is a P parity value.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the persistent storage is solid state memory.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer readable program code, which when executed by a computer processor enables the computer processor to:

select a first RAID grid location in a RAID grid, wherein the first RAID grid location is flagged;

select a second RAID grid location in the RAID grid;

make a first determination that the second RAID grid location is not flagged;

in response to the first determination, load first data associated with the second RAID grid location into a cache;

calculate a parity value for a corresponding set of RAID grid locations in a data grid using the first data in the cache, wherein the first RAID grid location and the second RAID grid location are in the set of RAID grid locations; and

store at least a copy of the first data and the parity value in a storage array comprising persistent storage;

wherein prior to selecting the first RAID grid location:

identify a set of storage modules that are present in the storage array;

make a second determination that at least one storage module is not present in the storage array;

in response to the second determination,

specify that the first RAID grid location is a RAID grid location that is not associated with any of the set of storage modules; and

in response to the specifying, associate the first RAID grid location with a flag.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7 further comprising computer readable program code, which when executed by the computer processor enables the computer processor to:

select a third RAID grid location in the RAID grid;

make a second determination that the third RAID grid location is flagged;

in response to the second determination, generate tracking information specifying that the third RAID grid location is flagged;

select a fourth RAID grid location in the RAID grid;

make a third determination that the fourth RAID grid location is not flagged;

in response to the third determination, load third data associated with the fourth RAID grid location into the cache;

calculate a second parity value for a corresponding second set of RAID grid locations in the data grid using the second data in the cache and the tracking information, wherein the third RAID grid location and the fourth RAID grid location are in the second set of RAID grid locations; and

store at least a copy of the second data and the second parity value in the storage.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the second parity value is a Q parity value.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the second RAID grid location is associated with a physical location in a storage module of the set of storage modules in the storage array.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the first parity value is a P parity value.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the persistent storage is solid state memory.

13. A system comprising:

a persistent storage;

a processor;

a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer readable program code, which when executed by the processor enables the processor to:

select a first RAID grid location in a RAID grid, wherein the first RAID grid location is flagged;

select a second RAID grid location in the RAID grid;

make a first determination that the second RAID grid location is not flagged;

in response to the first determination, load first data associated with the second RAID grid location into a cache;

calculate a parity value for a corresponding set of RAID grid locations in a data grid using the first data in the cache, wherein the first RAID grid location and the second RAID grid location are in the set of RAID grid locations; and

store at least a copy of the first data and the parity value in a storage array comprising persistent storage;

wherein prior to selecting the first RAID grid location:

identify a set of storage modules that are present in the storage array;

make a second determination that at least one storage module is not present in the storage array;

in response to the second determination,

specify that the first RAID grid location is a RAID grid location that is not associated with any of the set of storage modules; and

in response to the specifying, associate the first RAID grid location with a flag.

14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising computer readable program code, which when executed by the computer processor enables the computer processor to:

select a third RAID grid location in the RAID grid;

make a second determination that the third RAID grid location is flagged;

in response to the second determination, generate tracking information specifying that the third RAID grid location is flagged;

select a fourth RAID grid location in the RAID grid;

make a third determination that the fourth RAID grid location is not flagged;

in response to the third determination, load third data associated with the fourth RAID grid location into the cache;

calculate a second parity value for a corresponding second set of RAID grid locations in the data grid using the second data in the cache and the tracking information, wherein the third RAID grid location and the fourth RAID grid location are in the second set of RAID grid locations; and

store at least a copy of the second data and the second parity value in the storage.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the second parity value is a Q parity value.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the second RAID grid location is associated with a physical location in a storage module of the set of storage modules in the storage array.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first parity value is a P parity value.