Patent ID: 7484050
Filing Date: 2009-01-27
Classification: G06F,Y02D

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for coupling a host to a drive in a data storage system, the data storage system comprising a plurality of drives, the apparatus comprising: a first tier controller, the first tier controller receiving a request from the host to couple to the drive; and a plurality of second tier controllers, each second tier controller associated with a set of drives and configured to perform a data protection operation associated with the set of drives, wherein the first tier controller configured to determine a location of the drive and a second tier controller in the plurality of second tier controllers associated with the drive, the first tier controller configured to route the request to the determined second tier controller, wherein the determined second tier controller is configured receive the request and is configured to perform a data protection operation with the drive, the second tier controller coupling the drive to the host through the first tier controller, wherein the first tier controller and the second tier controller are included in a same storage controller enclosure and the first tier controller and the second tier controller perform operations together to form a hierarchal control system in the enclosure.