Patent ID: 6973537
Filing Date: 2005-12-06
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A cache, comprising: a front-end interface that receives data access requests that specify respective data storage addresses; a back-end interface that can retrieve data identified by the data storage addresses; cache storage formed by at least two disks; and a cache manager that services at least some of the requests received at the front-end interface using data stored in the cache storage; the cache manager being configured to receive a write request to store data and, in response to the write request, split that data into data portions and separately store the data portions on respective disks of the cache storage; the cache manager being further configured to receive a read request to read the data and, in response to the read request, concurrently read the data portions which are separately stored on the respective disks of the cache storage to retrieve the data; the cache storage providing, as an initial caching capacity of the cache storage, a first cache storage size; and the cache storage providing, as a subsequent caching capacity of the cache storage, a second cache storage size in response to addition of a new disk to the cache storage, the second cache storage size being larger than the first cache storage size, the cache storage being configured to provide, as an initial caching capacity of the cache storage, a first cache storage size; and the cache storage being configured to provide, as a subsequent caching capacity of the cache storage, a second cache storage size in response to addition of a new disk to the cache storage, the second cache storage size being larger than the first cache storage size.