Patent ID: 7921257
Filing Date: 2011-04-05
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method for operating a computer, comprising: in response to a request to store data on an array of storage devices coupled to the computer, determining which blocks are unallocated to data in a next allocated stripe of the array; keeping track of an amount of data that has been allocated on each storage device of the array; selecting, in a non-fixed pattern, one or more of the unallocated blocks to store redundant information from among the storage devices that contain a most amount of data to equalize the amount of data on each storage device over time; and writing the next allocated stripe across the storage devices of the array with the data in allocated blocks and the redundant information in the one or more selected unallocated blocks to thereby evenly distribute a data access load across the storage devices of the array and compensate for uneven distribution of data across the devices.