Patent ID: 7536506

Claim:
A write-caching redundant array of inexpensive disks (RAID) controller, comprising: a volatile memory; a non-volatile memory; a central processing unit (CPU), for managing transfers of posted-write data from host computers to said volatile memory and transfers of said posted-write data from said volatile memory to storage devices when a main power source is supplying power to the RAID controller; a memory controller, coupled to said volatile memory and said non-volatile memory, wherein said memory controller is configured to buffer said transfers of said posted-write data from said host computers to said volatile memory and said transfers of said posted-write data from said volatile memory to said storage devices when said main power source is supplying power to the RAID controller, wherein said memory controller, rather than said CPU, is configured to flush said posted-write data from said volatile memory to said non-volatile memory when said main power source fails to supply power to the RAID controller; and at least one capacitor, coupled to provide power to said memory controller, said volatile memory, and said non-volatile memory when said main power supply fails to supply power to the RAID controller, wherein said CPU is excluded from receiving power from said at least one capacitor when said main power supply fails to supply power to the RAID controller.