| 摘要 |
<p>A system having N access channels, M individual disk storage arrays, a commutator for connecting each of the access channels to each of the storage arrays; and a control unit for causing the commutator to connect each of the access channels to each of the storage arrays. The disk storage arrays are capable of storing contiguous segments of a data block. In the case of movies, each segment includes, for example, a few seconds of each relevant movie. The commutator connects the access channels to the disk storage arrays in a manner whereby each of the access channels has access to all of the data. The system is such that each access channel can receive data at the maximum system bandwidth. In addition, data can be written into the storage arrays by one access channel, while another of the access channels is receiving data, both at the maximum system bandwidth. In one embodiment of the system, each of the access channels is connected to a downstream channel, in which at least two of those downstream channels have a different bandwidth than the system bandwidth. In such an embodiment, each of the downstream channels can receive the same data as its desired bandwidth.</p> |
