System and method for configuring a device array upon detecting addition of a storage device

A computer program product residing on a non-transitory computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

• detecting an additional storage device within an “n” device array including a flash solid-state storage device, wherein the “n” device array is configured to store “n” device array formatted data including a plurality of data segments having “x” data elements;
• reconfiguring the “n” device array into an “n+m” device array;
• writing the “n” device array formatted data to the “n+m” device array in an “n+m” device array format;
• wherein reconfiguring the “n” device array into an “n+m” device array includes converting the “n” device array formatted data into the “n+m” device array format by forming data segments having “x+m” data elements from the data segments having “x” data elements, wherein each of the “x+m” data elements are equal in size to each of the “x” data elements;
• wherein writing the “n” device array formatted data to the “n+m” device array includes writing each data segment having “x+m” data elements to the “n+m” device array after each data segment having “x+m” data elements is formed and a coded element for each data segment is calculated, wherein the coded element for each data segment is calculated and written once, such that a number of write operations executed on the flash solid-state storage device is reduced;
• after writing the “n” device array formatted data to the “n+m” device array in the “n+m” device array format, if an insufficient number of data elements exist to form a complete data segment, utilizing filler data elements to complete the data segment;
• and
• determining a preferred high-availability format for the “n+m” device array based upon, at least in part, a number of flash solid-state storage devices in the “n+m” device array.

A data storage system comprising:

• a volatile, solid-state, cache memory system;
• a non-volatile, electromechanical memory system;
• and
• a non-volatile, solid-state, cache memory system configured as an “n” device array including a flash solid-state storage device;
• wherein the data storage system is configured to perform operations comprising:
• detecting an additional flash solid-state storage device within the “n” device array, wherein the “n” device array is configured to store “n” device array formatted data including a plurality of data segments having “x” data elements;
• reconfiguring the “n” device array into an “n+m” device array;
• writing the “n” device array formatted data to the “n+m” device array in an “n+m” device array format;
• wherein reconfiguring the “n” device array into an “n+m” device array includes converting the “n” device array formatted data into the “n+m” device array format by forming data segments having “x+m” data elements from the data segments having “x” data elements, wherein each of the “x+m” data elements are equal in size to each of the “x” data elements;
• wherein writing the “n” device array formatted data to the “n+m” device array includes writing each data segment having “x+m” data elements to the “n+m” device array after each data segment having “x+m” data elements is formed and a coded element for each data segment is calculated, wherein the coded element for each data segment is calculated and written once, such that a number of write operations executed on the flash solid-state storage device is reduced;
• after writing the “n” device array formatted data to the “n+m” device array in the “n+m” device array format, if an insufficient number of data elements exist to form a complete data segment, utilizing filler data elements to complete the data segment;
• and
• determining a preferred high-availability format for the “n+m” device array based upon, at least in part, a number of flash solid-state storage devices in the “n+m” device array.