Patent ID: 6425051
Filing Date: 2002-07-23
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method for processing a request for data in a first format that is superimposed on blocks of data stored in a second format in a storage device, comprising:accessing a data structure for a storage unit in the first format including the requested data, wherein there is one data structure for each storage unit in the first format being accessed, and wherein at least one cache page storing blocks of data in the second format is needed to store one storage unit in the first format; determining one or more storage blocks in the second format that include the requested data; determining whether the storage unit data structure includes a pointer to a control block for a cache page that would include the determined storage blocks in the second format; and transferring the determined pointer and a request for the determined storage blocks to a component that is capable of accessing storage blocks in the second format in cache using the control block if the storage unit data structure includes a pointer to the control block.