# US 9,436,390 B2 · Virtual disk drive system and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,436,390 B2 - Document ID: US9436390B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/715,838 - Filed: 2015-05-19 - Published: 2015-10-22 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2003-08-14 - Assignees: Dell International L.L.C. - Applicants: Compellent Technologies - Inventors: Philip E. Soran; John P. Guider; Lawrence E. Aszmann; Michael J. Klemm - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9436390B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/065: {Replication mechanisms} - G06F 3/0608: {Saving storage space on storage systems} - G06F 3/0611: {in relation to response time} - G06F 3/0619: {in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors} - G06F 3/0631: {by allocating resources to storage systems} - G06F 3/064: {Management of blocks} - G06F 3/0647: {Migration mechanisms} - G06F 3/0659: {Command handling arrangements, e.g. command buffers, queues, command scheduling} - G06F 3/0665: {at area level, e.g. provisioning of virtual or logical volumes} - G06F 3/067: {Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]} - G06F 3/0683: {Plurality of storage devices} - G06F 3/0689: {Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD} - G06F 11/108: {Parity data distribution in semiconductor storages, e.g. in SSD} - G06F 11/1435: {using file system or storage system metadata} - G06F 12/02: Addressing or allocation; Relocation (program address sequencing G06F9/00; arrangements for selecting an address in a digital store G11C8/00) - G06F 11/1461: {Backup scheduling policy} - G06F 11/1471: involving logging of persistent data for recovery - G06F 11/2089: {Redundant storage control functionality} - G06F 2201/84: Using snapshots, i.e. a logical point-in-time copy of the data - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A disk drive system and method capable of dynamically allocating data is provided. The disk drive system may include a RAID subsystem having a pool of storage, for example a page pool of storage that maintains a free list of RAIDs, or a matrix of disk storage blocks that maintain a null list of RAIDs, and a disk manager having at least one disk storage system controller. The RAID subsystem and disk manager dynamically allocate data across the pool of storage and a plurality of disk drives based on RAID-to-disk mapping. The RAID subsystem and disk manager determine whether additional disk drives are required, and a notification is sent if the additional disk drives are required. Dynamic data allocation and data progression allow a user to acquire a disk drive later in time when it is needed. Dynamic data allocation also allows efficient data storage of snapshots/point-in-time copies of virtual volume pool of storage, instant data replay and data instant fusion for data backup, recovery etc., remote data storage, and data progression, etc. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of data progression in a disk drive system, comprising: determining a cost of operating for each of a plurality of data storage devices; classifying each of the plurality of data storage devices based on the cost; defining a usage threshold for a storage device of a first classification; and when the usage threshold is reached, moving data stored on the storage device of the first classification to a storage device of a second classification. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the data moved comprises data having a decreased access pattern relative to other data on the storage device of the first classification. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the cost of each of the plurality of data storage devices is based on efficiency of the data storage devices. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the cost of each of the plurality of data storage devices is based on storage efficiency of the data storage devices. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the cost of each of the plurality of data storage devices is further based on physical cost of the data storage devices. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the threshold is substantially 100% usage of the storage device of the first classification. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold is complete usage of the storage device of the first classification less a buffer amount of usage. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the data moved further comprises historical snapshot data. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second classification designates a lower cost storage classification than the first classification. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising directing new write data to the storage device of the first classification. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein moving data from the storage device of the first classification frees up space on the storage device of the first classification for write data. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising defining a second usage threshold for a storage device of the second classification. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising when the second usage threshold is reached, moving data stored on the storage device of the second classification to a storage device of a third classification. ### Claim 14 A disk drive system, comprising: a data storage device of a first classification, the storage device of the first classification having an operating cost; a data storage device of a second classification, the storage device of the second classification having a lower operating cost than that of the storage device of the first classification; a usage threshold for the data storage device of the first classification, wherein when the usage threshold is reached, data stored on the storage device of the first classification is moved to the storage device of the second classification. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the threshold is substantially 100% usage of the storage device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the threshold is complete usage of the storage device of the first classification less a buffer amount of usage. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein new write data is directed to the storage device of the first classification and moving data from the storage device of the first classification frees up space on the storage device of the first classification for write data. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, further comprising: a data storage device of a third classification, the storage device of the third classification having a lower operating cost than that of the storage device of the second classification; and a second usage threshold for the data storage device of the second classification, wherein when the second usage threshold is reached, data stored on the storage device of the second classification is moved to the storage device of the third classification. ### Claim 19 A method of data progression in a disk drive system, comprising the steps of: determining a cost of operating for each of a plurality of data storage devices; classifying each of the plurality of data storage devices based on the cost; and defining a usage threshold for each of at least a portion of the plurality of data storage devices; wherein when a usage threshold for a storage device of one classification is reached, moving data stored on the storage device to a storage device of another classification having a lower cost of operating.