Multiple drive failure recovery for a computer system having an array of storage drives

摘要

A method and related system for generating error correction or parity information in a multiple disk computer system supporting multiple drive fault tolerance. The method involves defining parity equations to be based not only on data written to drives of the computer system but also on other parity information such that in solving for missing data, specific equations need not be used. Defining parity equations in this manner, in combination with a coefficient matrix that defines the coefficients of the various parity equations, ensures the ability to solve for the missing data even if some of the failed drives contain parity information.