Appeal 2007-1958
Application 11/130,940
1. A data storage management system comprising:
a physical storage device;
an interim storage device which acts as a virtual storage device of the
physical storage device; and
a storage manager in communication with the interim storage device,
a plurality of computers, and the physical storage device, wherein the
storage manager provides the computers with access to the physical storage
device via a serial access data control such that the physical storage device is
able to be allocated to only one computer at any given time;
wherein the storage manager allocates a first interim storage device
portion to a first computer for a time duration in lieu of the physical storage
device being allocated to the first computer upon receipt of an allocation
request from the first computer requesting allocation of data storage space
on the physical storage device, and wherein the storage manager allocates a
different interim storage device portion to a second computer for a time
duration in lieu of the physical storage device being allocated to the second
computer upon receipt of an allocation request, during the time duration in
which the first interim storage device portion is allocated to the first
computer, from the second computer requesting allocation of data storage
space on the physical storage device such that the computer have
simultaneous access to the interim storage device and the physical storage
device is free from allocation monopolization by any one of the computers;
wherein the interim storage device portions emulate the physical
storage device with respect to storing and retrieving data for the computers
while being allocated to the computers in lieu of the physical storage device
being allocated to the computers such that the interim storage device
portions appear to the computers as being the physical storage device.
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