Patent ID: 8201019

Claim:
A computer implemented method for performing a set of operations on a data storage device in a Redundant Array of Independent Disk (RAID) array, the computer implemented method comprising: flagging, by an adapter, a data storage device as a suspect data storage device, wherein the flagging indicates a rejection due to an error; suspending, by the adapter, the suspect data storage device from participation in the RAID array; assigning, by the adapter, the suspect data storage device to a pool of data storage devices to be retested; selecting, by the adapter, another data storage device from a pool of spare data storage devices, forming a selected data storage device; rebuilding, by the adapter, contents of the suspect data storage device on the selected data storage device, forming a substitute data storage device; assigning, by the adapter, the substitute data storage device to the RAID array; invoking a diagnostic test on the suspect data storage device to produce a diagnostic result, wherein the diagnostic test runs in a background of the RAID array; analyzing, by the adapter, the diagnostic result; responsive to the diagnostic result not exceeding a threshold, repairing the suspect data storage device to form a repaired data storage device; assigning, by the adapter, the repaired data storage device to the pool of spare data storage devices; incrementing, by the adapter, a counter associated with the repaired data storage device, wherein the counter indicates a number of times the repaired data storage device has been repaired; measuring, by the data storage device, a response interval for an expected communication from the adapter to form a response interval; responsive to the response interval exceeding a predetermined threshold, generating a timeout error; and wherein the error is the timeout error.