Patent ID: 7734836
Filing Date: 2010-06-08
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method for providing information about availability of non-standard functions of a mass storage device in a storage server, comprising: initializing, in the storage server, an operational data structure with a set of default values for operating a standard mass storage device; obtaining an identifier of a mass storage device; retrieving, from a field-upgradeable database, a device descriptor corresponding to the identifier to identify availability of a non-standard function of the mass storage device, wherein the device descriptor is stored on the mass storage device and indicates availability of a non-standard function of the mass storage device; in response to identifying the availability of the non-standard function, updating, by the storage server, the set of default values in the operational data structure to include values for activating the non-standard function of the mass storage device; activating the non-standard function of the mass storage device; and notifying a subsystem of the storage server about the non-standard function, wherein the field-upgradeable database contains information that indicates the subsystem is to be notified.