Virtual data storage (VDS) system

A method for providing a plurality of virtual data storage devices for use in a computer system having a memory system for storing information, wherein said computer system has an initialization operation and a normal operation, comprising the steps of:

• partitioning physical memory address space of said memory system into a plurality of virtual data storage devices, each said virtual data storage device comprising a separate portion of said physical memory address space determined in accordance with a memory mapping of said physical memory address space into said virtual data storage devices, said memory mapping having an offset corresponding to each said virtual data storage device and causing fewer than said plurality of virtual data storage devices to be presented to said computer system during said normal operation;
• and
• utilizing said memory mapping and said offsets to restrict communication by said computer system during said normal operation to communication with fewer than said plurality of virtual data storage devices, in order to selectively isolate at least one said virtual data storage device and its corresponding physical memory address space from communication with said computer system, wherein at no time during said normal operation can said computer system communicate with said at least one said virtual data storage device and its corresponding physical memory address space, thereby preventing corruption of information stored in said at least one virtual data storage device.

A virtual data storage system for providing a plurality of virtual disk drives for use in a computer system having a central processing unit and a plurality of users, the computer system being arranged to engage in an initialization boot sequence followed by a period of normal operation, the virtual data storage system comprising:

• a disk drive storage system for storing information;
• and
• a virtual data storage controller in communication with said disk drive storage system and with said central processing unit of said computer system, said controller being capable of partitioning physical memory address space of said disk drive storage system into a plurality of virtual disk drives, each said virtual disk drive comprising a separate portion of said physical memory address space determined in accordance with a memory mapping of said physical memory address space into said virtual disk drives, said memory mapping having an offset corresponding to each said virtual disk drive and causing fewer than said plurality of virtual disk drives to be presented to said computer system during said period of normal operation, wherein said controller is configured by one or more said users during said initialization boot sequence to select a quantity of said virtual disk drives, to select a size for each said virtual disk drive, and to generate said memory mapping and said offsets to restrict during the entirety of said period of normal operation communication by said computer system to communication with fewer than said plurality of virtual disk drives, in order to selectively isolate at least one said virtual disk drive and its corresponding physical memory address space from communication with said computer system during the entirety of said period of normal operation, said at least one virtual disk drive being determined according to the user operating said computer system during said period of normal operation, wherein at no time during said period of normal operation can said computer system communicate with said at least one said virtual disk drive and its corresponding physical memory address space, thereby preventing corruption of information stored in said at least one virtual disk drive.

A virtual data storage system for providing a plurality of virtual data storage devices for use in at least one computer system, said at least one computer system having a plurality of central processing units, wherein said computer system has an initialization operation and a normal operation, the virtual data storage system comprising:

• a memory system for storing information;
• and
• a virtual data storage controller in communication with said memory system and with said central processing units of said computer system, said controller being capable of partitioning physical memory address space of said memory system into a plurality of virtual data storage devices, each said virtual data storage device comprising a separate portion of said physical memory address space determined in accordance with a memory mapping of said physical memory address space into said virtual data storage devices, said memory mapping having an offset corresponding to each said virtual data storage device and causing fewer than said plurality of virtual data storage devices to be presented to said computer system during said normal operation, said controller also being capable of utilizing said memory mapping and said offsets to restrict communication by said computer system during said normal operation to communication with fewer than said plurality of virtual data storage devices, in order to selectively isolate at least one said virtual data storage device and its corresponding physical memory address space from communication with said computer system, wherein at no time during said normal operation can said computer system communicate with said at least one said virtual data storage device and its corresponding physical memory address space, thereby preventing corruption of information stored in said at least one virtual data storage device.