A Storage Manager that dynamically manipulates and partitions the secondary storage of a computer device without re-writing or revising the secondary storage after each manipulation. The Storage Manager is represented by executable code between the firmware level and the run time operating system and application program level of a computer device.

This invention is a Graphic User Interface (GUI) that enables a user to virtualize the system and to define secondary storage physical devices through the graphical depiction of cabinets. The GUI allows the user to assign each cabinet a name, and to define the cabinet by its software, which may include single or multiple operating systems, programs and/or data files.

A method and apparatus is presented that allows rapid switching between multiple operating system environments on a single computer, through the use of a Super Operating System operating between the computer system's firmware level and a plurality of bootable operating systems and applications. Relevant data, such as hardware controls, bootable operating systems, and applications software, are grouped onto physical partitions in physical memory. Combinations of compatible partitions can be assigned to a cabinet to create a virtual computer system.

The present invention provides a method of super-operating system and any operating system media communication. First, the super operating system to verify the operating system currently running through their media, and then load the appropriate SNI library for the operating system currently running, and then through the storage media to read and write operations, achieved between the operating system and its super media Perspective communication other operating systems.

The present invention discloses a firmware-based virtualized platform system which protects the program data and persistent metadata of the platform and prevents the destruction of the local operating system. The system includes: an operating system management program module; a flash virtual operating system driver module, which comprises: an extended firmware interface EFI unit, a VMM communication and a request VMM service; an extension firmware interface module installed in the firmware EFI , Which is responsible for the implementation of the authentication request issued by the operating system instance and the control protocol of the system management, including: Expanding the disk service unit, dynamic partitioning and creating the deleted virtual machine, including the VMM for isolating the instances of each operating system; the protected variables A storage area for storing read and write persistent data in the VMM so that it can only be accessed by the extended firmware interface module; a persistent memory that stores read-only VMM program data to avoid malicious changes. The present invention is applied to the field of computers.

The present invention discloses an operating system switching method based on a scalable firmware interface that provides a basis for monitoring or controlling one or more users from a local or remote computer to a computer containing one or more operating systems.

The present invention discloses an array of Flash-based firmware management apparatus and method for non-operating system dependent, so that means flash memory array technology become a cross-platform universal mass storage device, and more particularly to the use of flash memory array is connected to the device in order to achieve such a RAID advanced mass storage technology.