Patent ID: 7080197

Claim:
A system for storing electronic data, comprising: a host having cache coherency functionality; and a data storage apparatus communicatively coupled to the host, the data storage apparatus including, a first storage controller communicatively coupled to at least one storage device, the first storage controller further coupled to a first cache; a second storage controller communicatively coupled to one or more storage devices, the second storage controller further coupled to a second cache; and a plurality of storage devices suitable for being accessed by the first storage controller and the second storage controller, wherein the first cache and the second cache are not included in a single centralized cache, wherein the cache coherency functionality of the host provides coherency of the first cache coupled to the first storage controller with the second cache coupled to the second storage controller whereby the coherency of the first cache and the second cache is maintained without requiring periodic cache synchronization, wherein the first and second cache operate in a manner similar to a single cache by providing persistent data access without requiring periodic synchronization when at least one of: a storage controller included in the plurality of storage controllers; a storage device included in the plurality of storage devices; a cache included in the plurality of caches; and a data pathway to a storage controller included in the plurality of storage controllers becomes inaccessible.