1. A method for application aware de-duplication (de-dup) of data blocks on virtualized storage arrays in a storage area network (SAN), comprising:
enabling a de-dup agent on each of one or more components of the SAN, wherein the one or more components of the SAN comprises a host device, a data path module (DPM), and virtualized storage arrays;
creating a master list of metadata associated with indexed data and storing the masterlist in the virtualized storage arrays;
creating one or more sublists of metadata from the masterlist and storing the one or more sublists in remaining one or more components of the SAN;
upon receiving a write request from an application residing in the host device, determining whether a data block being written has an entry in the sublist stored in the host device; and
if so, replacing the data block with a pointer indicating where the data block is residing in the virtualized storage arrays.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
if not, determining whether the data block being written has an entry in the sublist stored in the DPM; and
if it is determined that the data block being written has an entry in the sublist stored in the DPM, replacing the data block with a pointer indicating where the data block is residing in the virtualized storage arrays.
3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:
if it is determined that the data block being written has no entry in the sublist stored in the DPM, determining whether the data block being written is in the masterlist stored in the virtualized storage arrays;
if it is determined that the data block being written is in the masterlist stored in the virtualized storage arrays, replacing the data block with a pointer indicating where the data block is residing in the virtualized storage arrays; and
if it is determined that the data block being written is not in the masterlist stored in the virtualized storage arrays, writing the data block in one of the virtualized storage arrays.
4. The method of claim 3, further comprising updating the masterlist in the virtualized storage arrays to include metadata associated with the written data block.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the master list of metadata is an ordered weightage list decided based on number of occurrences of data blocks in each of the virtualized storage arrays.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtualized storage arrays comprise thin provisioned virtual volumes.
7. A SAN, comprising:
a host device;
a DPM connected to the host device; and
one or more virtualized storage arrays connected to the DPM, wherein each of the host device, the DPM and the one or more virtualized storage arrays includes an associated de-dup agent to enable application aware de-dup of data blocks on the one or more virtualized storage arrays in the SAN.
8. The SAN of claim 7, wherein the de-dup agent associated with the one or more virtualized storage arrays creates a master list of metadata associated with indexed data and stores the masterlist in the one or more virtualized storage arrays.
9. The SAN of claim 8, wherein the de-dup agent associated with the host device and the DPM obtains sublists of metadata from the masterlist and stores the sublists in host device and the DPM.
10. The SAN of claim 9, wherein the de-dup agent associated with the host device determines whether a data block being written has an entry in the sublist stored in the host device upon receiving a write request from an application residing in the host device, and wherein the de-dup agent replaces the data block with a pointer indicating where the data block is residing in the virtualized storage arrays, if it is determined that the data block being written has an entry in the sublist stored in the host device.
11. The SAN of claim 10, wherein the de-dup agent associated with the DPM determines whether the data block being written has an entry in the sublist stored in the DPM, if it is determined that the data block being written has no entry in the sublist stored in the host device, and wherein the de-dup agent replaces the data block with a pointer indicating where the data block is residing in the virtualized storage arrays, if it is determined that the data block being written has an entry in the sublist stored in the DPM.
12. The SAN of claim 11, wherein the de-dup agent associated with the virtualized storage arrays determines whether the data block being written is in the masterlist stored in the virtualized storage arrays, if it is determined that the data block being written has no entry in the sublist stored in the DPM, wherein the de-dup agent replaces the data block with a pointer indicating where the data block is residing in the virtualized storage arrays, if it is determined that the data block being written is in the masterlist stored in the virtualized storage arrays, and wherein the de-dup agent writes the data block in one of the virtualized storage arrays, if it is determined that the data block being written is not in the masterlist stored in the virtualized storage arrays.
13. A SAN, comprising:
a host device; and
one or more virtualized storage arrays connected to the host device, wherein each of the host device, and the one or more virtualized storage arrays includes an associated de-dup agent to enable application aware de-dup of data blocks on the one or more virtualized storage arrays in the SAN.
14. The SAN of claim 13, wherein the de-dup agent associated with the one or more virtualized storage arrays creates a master list of metadata associated with indexed data and stores the masterlist in the one or more virtualized storage arrays.
15. The SAN of claim 14, wherein the de-dup agent associated with the host device obtains sublists of metadata from the masterlist and stores the sublists in host device.
16. The SAN of claim 15, wherein the de-dup agent associated with the host device determines whether a data block being written has an entry in the sublist stored in the host device upon receiving a write request from an application residing in the host device, and wherein the de-dup agent replaces the data block with a pointer indicating where the data block is residing in the virtualized storage arrays, if it is determined that the data block being written has an entry in the sublist stored in the host device.
17. The SAN of claim 16, wherein the de-dup agent associated with the virtualized storage arrays determines whether the data block being written is in the masterlist stored in the virtualized storage arrays, if it is determined that the data block being written has no entry in the sublist stored in the host device, wherein the de-dup agent replaces the data block with a pointer indicating where the data block is residing in the virtualized storage arrays, if it is determined that the data block being written is in the masterlist stored in the virtualized storage arrays, and wherein the de-dup agent writes the data block in one of the virtualized storage arrays, if it is determined that the data block being written is not in the masterlist stored in the virtualized storage arrays.
18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for application aware de-dup of data blocks on virtualized storage arrays in a SAN, having instructions that, when executed by a computing device causes the computing device to:
enable a de-dup agent on each of one or more components of the SAN, wherein the one or more components of the storage array comprises a host device, a DPM, and virtualized storage arrays;
create a master list of metadata associated with indexed data and storing the masterlist in the virtualized storage arrays;
create one or more sublists of metadata from the masterlist and storing the one or more sublists in remaining one or more components of the SAN;
upon receiving a write request from an application residing in the host device, determines whether data block being written has an entry in a sublist stored in the host device; and
if so, replaces the data block with a pointer indicating where the data block is residing in the virtualized storage arrays.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium 18, wherein the master list of metadata is an ordered weightage list decided based on number of occurrences of the data blocks in each of the virtualized storage arrays.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium 18, wherein the virtualized storage arrays comprise thin provisioned virtual volumes.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claims which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A spinal immobilization board comprising:
an upper section which has an upper section footprint which is symmetrically disposed about a longitudinal axis and proportioned to support the patient, said upper section being bounded by a substantially planar upper surface;
a lower section having a lower section footprint that is smaller than said upper section footprint and also symmetrically disposed about said longitudinal axis, thereby forming longitudinal flanges bounding said upper section, said lower section being bounded by a central lower surface which is concave when viewed from below said board and is longitudinally terminated by a pair of spaced apart spars that join said central lower surface to said longitudinal flanges; and
a series of hand passages passing through said longitudinal flanges, forming handgrips for said board.
2. The spinal immobilization board of claim 1 wherein said upper surface of said upper section is slightly concave when viewed from above.
3. The spinal immobilization board of claim 2 wherein said upper section has a upper section length LU and further wherein said lower section has a lower section length LL such that: LU>LL, thereby providing end extensions of said upper section, said board further comprising:
corner hand passages in said end extensions.
4. The spinal immobilization board of claim 3 wherein said board has a head end and a foot end and further wherein said spars diverge such that the separation between said spars increases as the distance from said foot end increases.
5. The spinal immobilization board of claim 4 wherein said spars are defined by substantially L-shaped surfaces, each having a first leg which joins one of said longitudinal flanges and a second leg which joins to said central lower surface, said joints providing a smooth transition between said first leg and said longitudinal flange and between said second leg and said central lower surface, said first leg and said second leg being joined together so as to provide a smooth transition therebetween.
6. The spinal immobilization board of claim 5 wherein said first leg of each of said substantially L-shaped surfaces is skewed with respect to said one of said longitudinal flanges to which said first leg joins.
7. The spinal immobilization board of claim 6 wherein said board further comprises:
a shell of a rigid plastic formed by rotational molding which forms an exterior surface of said board, said shell having a wall thickness of at least about 0.08 inches; and
a foam core filling said shell.
8. The spinal immobilization board of claim 7 wherein said shell is formed from high density polyethylene and said foam core is formed by a blown rigid foam.
9. The spinal immobilization board of claim 8 further comprising:
a stiffening member housed in each of said spars.
10. The spinal immobilization board of claim 3 wherein each of said longitudinal flanges further comprises:
protruding regions adjacent to said hand passages, said protruding regions and said hand passages being configured to provide hand grips.
11. The spinal immobilization board of claim 10 wherein each of said longitudinal flanges further comprises:
restraint strap passages interposed between said hand passages.
12. A spinal immobilization system for supporting a patient, the spinal immobilization system comprising:
a board having,
an upper section which has an upper section footprint which is symmetrically disposed about a longitudinal axis and proportioned to support the patient, said upper section being bounded by a substantially planar upper surface,
a lower section having a lower section footprint that is smaller than said upper section footprint and also symmetrically disposed about said longitudinal axis, thereby forming longitudinal flanges bounding said upper section, said lower section being bounded by a central lower surface which is concave when viewed from below said board and is longitudinally terminated by a pair of spaced apart spars that join said central lower surface to said longitudinal flanges, and
a series of hand passages passing through said longitudinal flanges, forming handgrips for said board;
a fluid-impermeable pad configured such that its periphery can be positioned so as to reside on said upper surface of said board, said pad being removably affixable thereto; and
indicia on said upper surface of said board positioned to serve as a pad indexing mark for aligning said fluid-impermeable pad so as to be symmetrically located within said handgrips.
13. The spinal immobilization system of claim 12 wherein said pad indexing mark is formed by one or more ridges raised on said upper surface and configured so as to avoid forming a closed area, and
further wherein said fluid impermeable pad has an adhesive back side for removably attaching to said upper surface of said board and a front side on which a patient to be immobilized rests, said fluid impermeable pad having a beveled edge which slopes toward said front side.
14. The spinal immobilization system of claim 13 further comprising:
a sheet having a first adhesive side for adhering to said pad; and
a second adhesive side serving as said adhesive back side of said pad when said sheet is adhered to said pad, said second adhesive side having a weaker adhesive than said first adhesive side.
15. The spinal immobilization system of claim 12 wherein said pad indexing mark is formed by one or more grooves in said upper surface, and
further wherein said fluid impermeable pad has an adhesive back side for removably attaching to said upper surface of said board and a front side on which a patient to be immobilized rests, said fluid impermeable pad having a beveled edge which slopes toward said front side.
16. The spinal immobilization system of claim 12 further comprising:
an IV support pole for supporting a conventional IV container with respect to said board, said IV support pole having,
a series of pole segments which are joinable to form a rigid extended pole having a pole first free end and a pole second free end, each of said pole segments having adjoining portions with mating ends which can be engaged together;
a hook attaching to said pole first free end and configured to support a conventional IV container;
a clamp for attaching said IV support pole to said upper section of said board, said clamp attaching to said extended pole second free end; and
means for forcibly engaging together said pole segments.
17. The spinal immobilization system of claim 16 further comprising:
at least one mounting socket provided in said upper section of said board, and
further wherein said clamp lockably engages said mounting socket.
18. The spinal immobilization system of claim 16 further comprising:
a storage pouch for storing said IV support pole when said pole segments are disengaged from each other, said storage pouch having pouch straps for attaching to said hand passages of said board.