Patent ID: 7234074

Claim:
A data storage system, including a set of disks including at least first, second and third disks, each having a first portion for popular data or error correction information associated with the popular data and each having a remaining portion used for remaining data; a disk controller connected to the set of disks and configured to maintain a first popular data block in the first portion of the first disk and a second popular data block in the first portion of the second disk, wherein the disk controller includes: means for maintaining at least two of the disks in the set of disks in an active state, wherein the at least two active disks are selected to insure that any data in the popular data blocks can be determined from data stored in the active disks; and means for biasing to an inactive state at least one of the disks in the set of disks that is not selected as an active disk, such that power consumption is reduced.