Multi-channel common-pool distributed data storage and retrieval system

摘要

The system includes a plurality of disk arrays for storing, sequentially, contiguous segments of a data block. In the case of movies, each segment includes, for example, a few seconds of each relevant movie. An electronic commutator sequentially connects the disk arrays to a corresponding plurality of access channels. While the individual connections between each of the disk arrays and each of the access channels have a certain bit capacity, the overall bit capacity of the system is that certain bit capacity times the number of corresponding disk arrays and access channels. The electronic commutator switches sequentially between the respective connections at a predetermined rate which is commensurate with the size of the segments stored on the disk arrays and which is dependent on the desired amount of wait time for one access channel to be connected to each of the disk arrays.