Patent ID: 7165142

Claim:
A data storage array linking operation switching control system for use in conjunction with an array-type data storage device composed of a plurality of data storage units and connected to at least two data access channels including a first data access channel and a second data access channel, with the capability of selectively switching the linking between the data storage units in the array-type data storage device and the data access channels for the purpose of providing an intended linking mode selected from the group including a first linking mode, a second linking mode, and a third linking mode, wherein the third linking mode provides a higher performance than the second linking mode, and the second linking mode provides a higher performance than the first linking mode; the data storage array linking operation switching control system comprising: a mode selection module, which is used to select a desired mode from the group of the first linking mode, the second linking mode, and the third linking mode; wherein the first linking mode links all the data storage units in the array-type data storage device solely to the first data access channel but not to the second data access channel; the second linking mode links a first subgroup of the data storage units in the array-type data storage device to the first data access channel and a second subgroup of the same to the second data access channel; and the third linking mode links all the data storage units in the array-type data storage device concurrently to both the first data access channel and the second data access channel; a switching control signal generating module, which is capable of generating a set of switching control signals based on the selected linking mode by the mode selection module; and a switching module, which is connected to each of the data storage units in the array-type data storage device, and which is capable of being activated in response to the switching control signals from the switching control signal generating module to accordingly link the data storage units in the array-type data storage device to the first data access channel and the second data access channel so as to allow the array-type data storage device to operate in the selected linking mode.