DISK DRIVE ARRAY MEMORY SYSTEM USING NONUNIFORM DISK DRIVES

摘要

2101848 9214208 PCTABS00014 The data storage subsystem (100) is implemented using an array of data storage elements (122-* to 125-*) which vary in data storage characteristics and/or data storage capacity. Control apparatus (101) automatically compensates for any nonuniformity among the data storage elements (122-* to 125-*) by selecting a set of physical characteristics that define a common data storage element format. The selected set of physical characteristics may not match any of the disk drives (122-1 to 122-n+m) but each disk drive (122-1 to 122-n+m) can emulate these selected characteristics. This capability enables the disk drives (122-* to 125-*) in the data storage subsystem (100) to be replaced by nonidentical disk drives in a nondisruptive manner to provide continuous data availability.