Patent ID: 8943359
Filing Date: 2015-01-27
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method of operating a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) storage system, comprising: grouping a first plurality of physical drives into a first RAID group in a first RAID level, wherein the first plurality of physical drives comprises at least a first physical drive and a second physical drive; grouping a second plurality of physical drives into a second RAID group in a second RAID level that is different than the first RAID level, wherein the second plurality of physical drives comprises at least a third physical drive and a fourth physical drive; allocating a first portion of storage space of a single common dedicated hot spare physical drive to operate, in the event of a failure of the first physical drive, as a first dedicated hot spare to the first RAID group, the common dedicated hot spare physical drive not used as part of said first RAID group and not used as part of said second RAID group; allocating a second portion of storage space of the common dedicated hot spare physical drive to operate, in the event of a failure of the third physical drive, as a second dedicated hot spare to the second RAID group; rebuilding the first physical drive of the first RAID group in the first portion of the storage space of the common dedicated hot spare physical drive; and rebuilding the third physical drive of the second RAID group in the second portion of the storage space of the common dedicated hot spare physical drive.