Patent ID: 6151685
Filing Date: 2000-11-21
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
In a storage system comprising an array of storage devices, including a processor and memory, having a plurality of data blocks, designated as current data blocks and old data blocks, organized on the storage devices in segments striped across the storage devices, and a main directory, stored in the memory, containing the location on the storage devices of each of the current data blocks, wherein a segment directory is stored on the storage devices as part of each segment, the segment directory containing information on the data blocks stored in that segment, a method for managing and recovering a storage system having a damaged segment directory, comprising the steps of:a) maintaining a list identifying the damaged segment directories;b) periodically writing the main directory to the storage devices;c) writing the main directory to the storage devices when a damaged segment directory is detected; andd) recovering the segment directories in memory by identifying the current data blocks in each segment listed on the damaged segment directories list using the main directory.