Hardware assisted formatted data transfer system having a source storage controller and a formatting storage controller receiving on-media structure definition and a data definition

摘要

A system and method for hardware assisted formatted data transfer allows a formatting storage controller to read and record data on a formatted storage medium and avoids a requirement of continuous interaction by a host system in the transfer process. The host system can initiate the transfer process by sending a command block, a data definition, and an on-media structure definition to a formatting storage controller, which performs the formatted transfer and notifies the host system when the transfer is completed or an exception occurs. Alternately, the formatting storage controller can access one or more on-media structure definitions stored in a persistent storage unit in accordance with an on-media structure selector provided by the host system in the command block. In alternative implementations, the system and method of the present invention allows for the performance of a “verify copy” operation which causes the formatting storage controller to compare the formatted data recorded on the formatted storage medium with the data stored on an alternate storage medium (e.g. a source or destination storage medium) and a “formatted read” operation, which causes the formatting storage controller to read the formatted data stored on the formatted storage medium and transfer it to a destination storage medium. Further disclosed is a program product for recording data on a formatted storage medium in accordance with an on-media structure definition initiates a transfer process in accordance with a command block provided to a formatting storage controller.