Data protection via software configuration of multiple disk drives

A data storage system, comprising:

• a drive controller;
• a plurality of disk drives coupled to and managed by the drive controller;
• and
• a storage controller to which the drive controller is coupled, comprising:
• a host adapter through which a host device transmits/receives instructions and data to/from the storage controller;
• a processor;
• and
• a configuration table accessible to the processor;
• the processor being programmed for:
• receiving disk configuration instructions, including a level of protection k;
• merging available storage space on the plurality of disk drives into a single virtual address space;
• dividing the merged storage space into storage segments;
• allocating the storage segments among one or more logical disk arrays in accordance with the configuration instructions;
• entering into the configuration table the number of storage segments in each logical disk array and the physical location of each storage segment on the disk drives;
• and
• directing that k copies of data be stored on the logical disk arrays.

A computer program product of a computer readable medium usable with a programmable computer, the computer program product having computer-readable code embodied therein for managing a data storage system, the computer-readable code comprising instructions for:

• programming a storage controller with a disk configuration for each of one or more logical disk arrays and a level of protection k;
• merging available storage space from one or more disk drives in the data storage system into a single virtual address space;
• dividing the merged storage space into storage segments;
• allocating the storage segments among the logical disk arrays;
• generating a configuration table indicating the number of storage segments in each logical disk array and the physical location of each storage segment on a disk drive;
• storing the configuration table in the storage controller;
• and
• storing k copies of data on the logical disk arrays.

A method for deploying computing infrastructure, comprising integrating computer readable code into a computing system, wherein the code, in combination with the computing system, is capable of performing the following:

• programming a storage controller with a disk configuration for each of one or more logical disk arrays and a level of protection k;
• merging available storage space from one or more disk drives in the data storage system into a single virtual address space;
• dividing the merged storage space into storage segments;
• allocating the storage segments among the logical disk arrays;
• generating a configuration table indicating the number of storage segments in each logical disk array and the physical location of each storage segment on a disk drive;
• storing the configuration table in the storage controller;
• and
• storing k copies of data on the logical disk arrays.