Patent ID: 7475283

Claim:
A disk array system comprising: a controller, coupled to a host computer, and receiving/transferring data from/to said host computer; wherein said controller conducts a sparing process selected from at least four sparing processes, said at least four sparing processes including: a first sparing process storing data, corresponding to data stored in at least one of a plurality of first disk drives, in at least one spare disk drive using at least one second disk drive, said first disk drives coupled to said controller and storing data received from said host computer in accordance with controlling of said controller and each comprising a Fibre Channel (FC) interface, said second disk drive coupled to said controller and comprising a FC interface, a second sparing process storing data, corresponding to data stored in at least one of said first disk drives, in at least one spare disk drive using at least one third disk drive, said third disk drive coupled to said controller and comprising a Serial ATA (SATA) interface, a third sparing process storing data, corresponding to data stored in at least one of a plurality of fourth disk drives, in at least one spare disk drive using said second disk drive, said fourth disk drives coupled to said controller and storing data received from said host computer in accordance with controlling of said controller and each comprising a SATA interface, and a fourth sparing process storing data, corresponding to data stored in at least one of said fourth disk drives, in at least one spare disk drive using said third disk drive.