Patent ID: 7506200

Claim:
A method to reconfigure a storage array disposed in a data storage system, comprising the steps of: supplying a data storage system comprising a plurality of data storage devices, wherein each of said plurality of data storage devices is assigned to one of a plurality of data storage arrays, or is assigned as a spare data storage device; detecting an unassigned data storage device; determining if any of said plurality of data storage arrays comprises a degraded data storage array; operative if any of said plurality of data storage arrays comprises a degraded data storage array, determining if said unassigned data storage device can be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency; operative if said unassigned data storage device can be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency, reconfiguring said degraded array comprising degraded reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency to comprise said unassigned data storage device; operative if said unassigned data storage device cannot be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising degraded reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency, determining if said unassigned data storage device can be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency; operative if said unassigned data storage device can be used to restore a degraded storage array comprising optimal reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency, to optimal reliability, optimal performance, and optimal efficiency, reconfiguring said degraded array comprising optimal reliability, degraded performance, and degraded efficiency to comprise said unassigned data storage device.