Patent ID: 7120741
Filing Date: 2006-10-10
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A disk array comprising: a plurality of disk units; at least one spare disk unit serving as a spare for said disk units; a first control unit, to be connected to a host unit, for controlling input and output between said host unit and said disk array; a second control unit, connected to said spare disk and said disk units, for controlling input and output between said first control unit and said disk units and controlling transfers between said disk units; a common memory which stores disk management data including a status of each of said disk units; and a plurality of multiplex communication channels each connecting some of said disk units, said spare disk and said second control unit, wherein data transfer in each of said multiplex communication channels is controlled by said second control unit, and data transfer speed of said multiplex communication channel is higher than that of each of said disk units, wherein said disk units form a plurality of groups each including at least one disk unit from each communication channel, wherein data of a disk unit connected to one communication channel of a group can be recovered using data of another disk unit connected to another communication channel of said group, and wherein a status of each of said communication channel is monitored by said second control unit.