Patent ID: 6606629
Filing Date: 2003-08-12
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A group of data structures defining an input/output (I/O) operation performed on storage media and used to contain user data and to contain metadata which is used to detect errors arising from other I/O operations performed on one or more of the data structures of the group, comprising in combination:a plurality of user data structures, each user data structure having a plurality of fields including the user data field for containing user data, a sequence number field for containing sequence number information identifying the I/O operation which originated the group of data structures, and a revision number field for containing revision number information identifying a subsequent I/O operation after the original I/O operation in which user data was written in the user data field of at least one user data structure of the plurality of user data structures; a parity data structure associated with the plurality of user data structures of the group, the parity data structure having a plurality of fields including a parity field for containing parity information describing the user data in each of the user data fields of each of the associated user data structures of the group, a sequence number field for containing sequence number information identifying the I/O operation which originated the group of data structures, and a revision number field for each associated user data structure which contains revision number information identifying the subsequent I/O operation in which user data was written in the user data field of the associated user data structure; and the parity data structure and the associated plurality of user data structures collectively and logically constituting a separate unit of I/O information recorded on the storage media.