Patent ID: 7353318
Filing Date: 2008-04-01
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. A method to assign addresses to a plurality of data storage devices, comprising the steps of: providing a switch and (N) data storage devices, wherein each of said (N) data storage devices is interconnected with said switch, and wherein each of said (N) data storage devices comprises a known physical location; providing a first device adapter comprising microcode; interconnecting said first device adapter with said switch; establishing (M) device addresses, wherein (M) is less than (N); assigning a different one of each of said (M) device addresses to a different one of said (N) data storage devices, such that said (N) data storage devices comprise (M) address-assigned data storage devices and (P) non-address-assigned data storage devices; detecting a failure of the (i)th address-assigned data storage device, wherein the (i)th address-assigned data storage device is assigned the (i)th address, and wherein (i) is greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to (M), wherein said detecting step is performed by said first device adapter; transferring the (i)th address from the failed address-assigned data storage device to the (j)th data storage device, wherein said (j)th data storage device comprises one of said (P) data storage devices.