Patent ID: 7653832
Filing Date: 2010-01-26
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A cached disk array comprising a disk storage array, a global cache memory, disk directors coupling the global cache memory to the disk storage array, and front-end directors for linking host computers to the global cache memory, wherein the front-end directors are programmed for servicing storage access requests from the host computers, and the disk directors are programmed for staging requested data from the disk storage array to the global cache memory and for writing new data to the disk storage array, wherein at least one of the front-end directors or disk directors is programmed for block resolution of virtual logical units of the storage in the disk storage array, and for obtaining, from a storage allocation server, space allocation and mapping information for pre-allocated blocks of storage in the disk storage array, and for returning to the storage allocation server requests to commit at least some of the pre-allocated blocks of storage in the disk storage array once data is first written to said at least some of the pre-allocated blocks of storage in the disk storage array; and wherein the storage allocation server is programmed to respond to the requests from said at least one of the front-end directors or disk directors to commit at least some of the pre-allocated blocks of storage in the disk storage array by committing said at least some of the pre-allocated blocks of storage in the disk storage array to at least one of the virtual logical units of the storage in the disk storage array.