Patent ID: 6279138
Filing Date: 2001-08-21
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method for altering a parity structure of parity groups, wherein a parity group consists of a set of data blocks and parity data for the data blocks, wherein the data and parity data are stored in at least two storage devices, comprising the steps of:for each N, wherein N is an integer value greater than or equal to zero, performing the steps of:(i) altering with a first processing unit the parity structure of the Nth set of parity groups, wherein a set of parity groups includes at least one parity group;(ii) determining with the second processing unit an Nth range of parity groups including the Nth set of parity groups;(iii) detecting whether the first processing unit fails while altering the parity structure of the parity groups in the Nth range; and(iv) after determining that the first processing unit failed, processing with the second processing the parity groups in the determined Nth range to determine a parity group whose parity structure was being altered when the first processing unit failed.