Abstract

Redundant disk arrays provide highly-available, high-performance disk
storage to a wide variety of applications. Because these applications
often have distinct cost, performance, capacity, and availability
requirements, researchers continue to develop new array
architectures. RAIDframe was developed to assist researchers in the
implementation and evaluation of these new architectures. It was
designed specifically to reduce the burden of implementation by
restricting code changes to mapping, algorithms and other functions
that are known to be specific to an array architecture. Algorithms are
executed using a general mechanism which automates the recovery from
device errors, such as a failed disk read. RAIDframe enables a single
implementation to be evaluated in a self-contained simulator, or
against real disks as either a user process or a functional device
driver.