The existing disk drive systems have been designed in such a way that a virtual volume data storage space is statically associated with physical disks with specific size and location for storing data. These disk drive systems need to know and monitor/control the exact location and size of the virtual volume of data storage space in order to store data. In addition, the systems often need bigger data storage space whereby more RAID devices are added. However, often times these additional RAID devices are expensive and not required until extra data storage space is actually needed.
FIG. 14A illustrates a prior existing disk drive system having a virtual volume data storage space associated with physical disks with specific size and location for storing, reading/writing, and/or recovering data. The disk drive system statically allocates data based on the specific location and size of the virtual volume of data storage space. As a result, emptied data storage space is not used, and extra and sometimes expensive data storage devices, e.g. RAID devices, are acquired in advance for storing, reading/writing, and/or recovering data in the system. These extra data storage space may not be needed and/or used until later in time.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved disk drive system and method. There is a further need for an efficient, dynamic data allocation and disk drive space and time management system and method.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds