Patent ID: 6199146
Filing Date: 2001-03-06
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method for increasing capacity utilization of non-volatile storage devices within a group of non-volatile storage devices used to store data from at least one attached system, comprising the steps of:(a) writing a group of data sets to a first storage device as part of a write operation;(b) designating a plurality of storage devices partially filled with data as substitute storage devices;(c) receiving a request to read a data set stored in the first storage device while the write operation is continuing; and(d) after receiving the read request directed toward the first storage device, performing the steps of:(i) suspending the write operation to the first storage device;(ii) selecting a second storage device from the plurality of substitute storage devices;(iii) continuing the write operation by writing data sets from the group of data sets included in the write operation that were not written to the first storage device to the selected second storage device; and(iv) reading the requested data set from the first storage device.