JPH05189163A - Multiple write disk sub system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve system throughput by once writing data from a controller and executing the multiple holding of the data. CONSTITUTION:A controller 103 is provided with a data transfer means to select one disk device 105 out of plural disk devices 105, 107 and 109 and to transfer data from a host 101 to this disk device 105 when a multiple write processing request is issued from the host 101. The plural disk devices 105, 107 and 109 successively connected to the controller 103 are provided with monitoring means to monitor data transferred to one disk device while receiving a monitoring instruction from the controller 103, memories 105b, 107b and 109b to temporarily store the monitored transferred data, and write processing control means to write the transferred data stored in the memories 105b, 107b and 109b to disk drives 105a, 107a and 109a.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multiple-write disk subsystem in which a plurality of disk devices are connected to a control device for controlling them in a rumbling manner and data from a host is held in multiplex by the disk devices. , And a disk device used therefor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a disk subsystem used in an information processing system, a system is used in which a plurality of disk drives under a control device are connected and controlled in a potato-like manner using an interface cable. .. In such a disk subsystem, a disk multiple write method is generally known to prevent data loss and destruction due to a disk drive failure and to improve reliability.

The conventional disk multiplex write control system has a memory buffer in a control device and writes output data from a host into one of the multiplexed disk drive groups. At the same time, store the output data in the memory buffer of the controller,
There is a method in which after the output processing from the host is completed, the control device repeatedly performs the write processing on the remaining disk drives.

Further, the input / output processing with the host is completed only by storing the output data from the host in the memory buffer in the control unit, and asynchronously with the input / output processing from the host,
There is also known a method in which a control device performs a writing process on each of the multiplexed disk drives. Further, in such a multiple write control system, there is also known a control system in which a positioning request is simultaneously issued to each of the multiplexed disk drives during the positioning process of the disk drive, and the writing process is performed from the one completed earlier (special feature). Kaisho
55-135955).

[0005]

However, even in each of the above control methods, since the control device has to write the output data to each of the multiplexed disk drive groups, The overhead on the control device is large and the system throughput is deteriorated. Since the data transfer processing is performed for each of the multiplexed disk drives, the occupied time of the data transfer path becomes large, and the system throughput is deteriorated. There was such a problem.

The present invention has been made by paying attention to such a conventional problem, and it is possible to hold multiple data in a single data write process from the control device and improve the system throughput. An object of the present invention is to provide a writing disk subsystem and a disk device used for the writing disk subsystem.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, one data writing process from the control device
The writing process may be performed on each of the multiplexed disk drives. However, since the rotations of the multiplexed disk drives are not synchronized with each other, there is a difference in the timing of completion of the positioning process to the write record, and the write process is performed on each disk drive with one data transfer. I can't do it. This is because the control device has to issue a command in synchronization with the rotation of the disk drive when controlling the positioning, reading and writing of the disk drive.

Therefore, the present application provides the following multiple writing disk subsystem.

In a multiple-write disk subsystem in which a plurality of disk devices are connected to a control device for controlling them in a rumbling manner, and some of the disk devices hold multiple data, the control device is configured to: When a multiple write processing request is issued from the host, one disk device is selected from among the plurality of disk devices, and a data transfer unit that transfers data from the host to the one disk device, and a plurality of data transfer means. Among the disks, a monitoring instruction unit for instructing one or more disk devices other than the one disk to monitor the transfer data to the one disk is provided, and the plurality of disk devices are provided. A disk drive for storing data from the host, and a monitoring instruction from the control device, A monitoring unit for monitoring transfer data to the disk device, a memory for temporarily storing the monitored transfer data, and a write processing control unit for writing the transfer data stored in the memory into the disk drive. And are provided.

[0010]

When the host makes a write request to the multiple-write disk subsystem, the control device selects one of the plurality of disk devices and sends the data and control command from the host to this one disk device. At the same time as outputting, a monitoring start instruction of transfer data and a control instruction is issued to another disk device. After that, the control device issues a positioning process request and a write process request to only one disk device. The monitoring means of the other disk device that has received the monitoring start instruction monitors the transfer data and the control command to the one disk device and stores them in its own memory buffer. Then, the write processing control means of the other disk device causes the own disk drive to write the transfer data stored in the own memory buffer asynchronously with the write processing request from the control device.

As described above, the data output from the control device to only one disk device is written to the other disk device, and the multiple writing of data becomes possible.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a multiple writing disk subsystem according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the multiple write disk subsystem of this embodiment. Central processing unit 101 and control unit
103 is connected by one or a plurality of central processing unit / control unit interface signal lines 102. A plurality of disk devices 105, 107, 10 are provided under the control device 103.
9 is connected by an interface signal line 104 in a potato-like manner. These disk devices 105, 107, 109 are controlled by the control device 103 as a multiple write disk device group 111 holding the same data. Further, the disk devices 105, 107 and 109 respectively include disk drives 105a, 107a and 109a and memory buffers 105b, 107b and 109b.
And MPUs 105c, 107c and 109c and ROMs 105d, 107d and 109d. In the present embodiment, the monitoring means and the write processing control means are the disk device 10
ROM105d, 107d, 109d provided in 5,107,109,
MPU10 that executes the program stored in this
It is composed of 5c, 107c, and 109c.

When a write processing request is issued from the central processing unit 101 to the multiple write disk device group 111, the control device 103 causes one of the multiple write disk device groups 111,
For example, the disk device 105 is selected, and a monitoring start command is issued to the disk device of the remaining multiple write disk device group 111, for example, the disk device 107.

Thereafter, the control device 103 issues a positioning processing command to the disk device 105 selected first,
Transfers positioning parameters. Disk unit 105
Starts the positioning process. Then, the disk device 10
The monitoring means 7 monitors the positioning processing command and positioning parameter issued to the disk device 105, and stores them in its own memory buffer 107b. After that, the disk device 107 operates in its own memory buffer 10.
The positioning process is started according to the positioning command and the positioning parameter stored in 7b. When the control device 103 detects the completion of the positioning process of the disk drive 105a, it issues a write process request to the disk device 105, transfers the write data, and performs the write process to the disk drive 105a. The monitoring means of the disk device 107 monitors the write processing command and transfer data for the disk device 105 regardless of whether the positioning process of the own disk drive 107a is completed or not, and stores it in the own memory buffer 107b. Disk device
When the positioning process of the own disk drive 107a is completed, the 107 writes the write data stored therein on the disk based on the write processing command stored in the own memory buffer 107b. In this way, the control device 103 can perform multiple writing on a plurality of disk devices only by performing a writing process on one disk device 105.
Note that, here, the monitoring instruction is issued only to the disk device 105 and the multiple holding is realized by the disk devices 105 and 107, but the monitoring instruction is also issued to the disk device 109 and the multiple holding is performed by the three disk devices 105, 107 and 109. It may be realized.

Next, monitoring of control commands and transfer data will be described with reference to the sequence chart of FIG.

From the control device 103 to the disk devices 105, 107,
The control signal line to 109 is mainly the control command valid signal line 201.
, A data transfer control signal line 202 and a data transfer path 203. In addition, from the disk device 105,107,109 to the control device 1
The signal lines to 03 mainly include a control command reception signal line 204 and a data reception signal line 205. When the control device 103 issues a control command to the selected disk device 105, the control command is set in the data transfer path 203 and the control command valid signal line 201 is made valid. Selected disk device
Upon receiving the control command, the 105 receives the control command reception signal line 20.
4 is valid. At this time, the monitoring disk device 107 reads the data transfer path 203 and stores it in the control command storage table 208 in its own memory buffer 107b. When the control device 103 continues to transfer data, it sets the data in the data transfer path 203 for each transfer unit and enables the data transfer control signal line 202. When the selected disk device 105 receives the transfer data, it activates the data reception signal line 205. At this time, the monitoring disk device 107 monitors the transfer data, stores it in the data storage buffer 209 in its own memory buffer 107b, and stores the storage address in the control command storage table 208. In this way, the monitoring disk device 107 monitors the control command and transfer data issued from the repetitive control device 103 to the selected disk device 105 and stores it in its own memory buffer 107b.

Next, the disk device 107 to be monitored
The writing process to the disk drive 107a performed by the above will be described with reference to FIGS.

When the control device 103 issues a track positioning command and positioning parameter, a record positioning command and record positioning parameter, a write processing command and write data in this order, the control command storage table 208 and data storage are executed in this order. Buffer 209. The monitored disk device 107 reads the track positioning parameter from the control command storage table 208 and the address indicated by the parameter storage address of the data storage buffer 209, and performs positioning control on the disk (process 40).
1). When the track locating process is completed, the record locating parameter is read from the record locating command and the address indicated by the parameter storage address of the data storage buffer 209, and the record locating process is performed (process 402). Then, based on the write command, data transfer is started from the address indicated by the data storage address (process 403). In this way, the writing process to the track is performed.

As a method of selecting a disk device to which the control device 103 directly writes data, one disk device may be determined in advance as a master disk device, but all the disk devices in the multiple write disk device group 111 Alternatively, a method of issuing a positioning processing instruction to and selecting the one whose positioning is completed earliest may be used. In this case, the control device 103 issues the monitoring start instruction before issuing the write processing instruction, and the write processing instruction and the transfer data are monitored and stored in the memory buffer.

Further, even in the disk drive in which the control device 103 directly performs the writing process, the control command and the transfer data transferred from the control device 103 are once stored in the own memory buffer and asynchronous with the control command from the control device. The writing process may be performed.

[0022]

The present invention mainly has the following effects.

The writing process from the control device to the multiplexed disk device group can be performed in a time equivalent to the time required for the writing process to a single disk device, without depending on the multiplicity of the disk device. Throughput is improved compared to conventional multiple write disk subsystems.

The occupancy of the data transfer path of the multiple write subsystem is 1 / multiplicity as compared with the conventional multiple write disk subsystem, and the throughput of the subsystem is improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a multiple write disk subsystem according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sequence chart of a multiple write disk subsystem according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration in a memory buffer of one embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a flow of control of write processing to a disk drive according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

101 ... Central processing unit, 102 ... Central processing unit / control unit interface signal line, 103 ... Control unit, 104 ... Control unit
Disk device interface signal lines, 105, 107, 109 ...
Disk device, 105a, 107a, 109a ... Disk drive, 1
05b, 107b, 109b ... Memory buffer, 105c, 107c, 109c ... M
PU, 105d, 107d, 109d ... ROM, 111 ... Multiple writing disk drive group, 208 ... Control instruction storage table, 209 ... Data storage buffer.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Akira Kurano 2880 Kozu, Odawara City, Kanagawa Stock Company Hitachi Ltd. Odawara Factory

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A multiple-write disk subsystem in which a plurality of disk devices are connected to a control device for controlling them in a rumbling manner, and a plurality of the disk devices hold multiple data in a multiple write disk subsystem. When a multiple write processing request is issued from the host, one disk device is selected from among the plurality of disk devices, and a data transfer unit that transfers data from the host to the one disk device, 1 of the plurality of disks, excluding the one disk
Or a monitoring instruction means for instructing two or more disk devices to monitor transfer data to the one disk, and the plurality of disk devices are disk drives for storing data from the host. Monitoring means for monitoring transfer data to the one disk device in response to a monitoring instruction from the control device, a memory for temporarily storing the monitored transfer data, the transfer data stored in the memory And a write processing control means for causing the disk drive to perform write processing. 2. A disk device of a multiple-write disk subsystem, wherein a plurality of disk devices are connected to a control device for controlling them in a rumbling manner, and some of the disk devices hold multiple data in a multiple write disk subsystem. The disk device is a disk drive that stores data from the host, and a monitoring device that monitors the data when the controller transfers the data from the host to one of the plurality of disk devices. Means, a memory for temporarily storing the monitored data, and a write processing control means for causing the disk drive to write the data stored in the memory asynchronously with a write processing request from the control device. Multiple writing disk subsystem characterized by having Disk device.