JP2007148714A - Driver program for host bus adapter - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a driver program for a host bus adapter that eliminates the need to change a configuration for installing an operating system when the operating system is installed in an I/O device such as a disk array device having redundant paths. <P>SOLUTION: When an operating system is installed in an I/O device having a plurality of redundant connection paths to a system device, the driver program for a host bus adapter enables only one connection path among the plurality of redundant connection paths to the I/O device, and virtually closes the other connection paths, so as to guarantee connection between the installer of the operating system and the I/O device by a single path. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a host bus adapter driver program connected to a PCI bus of a computer and connected to an I / O device device.

  In recent years, a commercially available I / O device device such as a disk array device achieves high speed, large capacity, and high reliability by combining a plurality of single I / O devices.

  In addition to the above, in order to ensure redundancy between the system unit and the I / O device unit, the system unit is equipped with a plurality of host bus adapters and redundantly connected by a plurality of path connections with the I / O device unit. To ensure high reliability, high reliability, and high speed interface.

  The system configuration as described above is very useful because the operation can be continued without stopping the system even when a hardware failure occurs during normal operation of the system.

  However, when performing an installation operation of the operating system on the system apparatus, it is necessary to release the redundant path connection and to perform a single path connection. This is a problem that occurs because the installer that is activated when installing the operating system does not support redundant path connections.

  In order to avoid this problem, the user can guarantee the single path connection between the system unit and the I / O device unit by changing the system configuration definition and inserting / removing the cable, and then install the operating system. There must be.

  Furthermore, by changing the system configuration definition and inserting / removing the cable, it is necessary to re-verify the connection path state after the installation of the operating system, and much work is required.

JP 2004-185093 A

  The present invention automatically unifies the connection path between the system apparatus and the I / O device at the time of installing the operating system, and eliminates the need for the user to change the system configuration definition and to insert and remove the cable.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, in the present invention, in a system connected to an I / O device device via two or more connection paths from a system device having two or more host bus adapters, For host bus adapters that manage the connection paths connected to the / O device device and have the function of virtually closing the second and subsequent connection paths when two or more connection paths are detected Provide a driver program. That is, the host bus adapter driver program ensures that the operating system installer has a single connection path to the I / O device.

  By using this host bus adapter driver program to install the operating system, the user does not need to unify the system configuration and unify the connection path for physical cable insertion and removal, and the user must be aware of the system configuration. Without installing the operating system.

  The host bus adapter driver program may be operated not only during the installation of the operating system but also during normal operation. In other words, the host bus adapter driver program refers to the operating system setting information, and has a function to determine whether the operating system is being installed or operating normally. A normal path configuration can be used during normal operation. And

  The host bus adapter driver program of the present invention may be installed in a host bus adapter that controls any protocol. For example, you may connect with an I / O device apparatus by a fiber channel or an Ethernet (trademark) cable.

  According to the present invention, when installing an operating system for a system having a redundant path, the user can use the host bus adapter driver and install the system without defining the system configuration and physical cable insertion / extraction. There is an effect that can be done.

  Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 5 is a processing flow diagram of the entire system including the processing of the host bus adapter driver program according to the present invention, which will be described below with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 1 is a system block configuration diagram when installing an operating system including a host bus adapter driver embodying the present invention. A disk array device is taken as an example of an I / O device device to be connected.

  The installation medium 10 includes an installer 14 including a host bus adapter driver 13, an operating system 11, and a virtual blocking function invalidation program 12. The installation medium 10 is connected to the host system apparatus 20 via an external medium such as a CD-ROM or a network. Transfer data.

  The host system device 20 includes a processor 21, a system memory 22, and host bus adapters 24-25.

  The disk array device 40 includes a plurality of array controllers 44 to 45 and a plurality of disk units 41 to 43, and each disk unit is connected to one or more array controllers.

  The processor 21 can access the disk units 41 to 43 via the host bus adapters 24 to 25, the connection cables 30 to 31 and the array controllers 44 to 45.

  The connection cables 30 and 31 are fiber channel cables or Ethernet (registered trademark) cables.

  The installer 14 is activated in response to a request from a user, transferred via an external medium such as a CD / DVD or a network connection, processed by the processor 21, and hosts the host bus adapter driver 13 included in the installer 14 and the installer 14. The data is stored in the system memory 22 in the system 20 (step 501).

  The installer 29 from the installation medium 10 stored in the system memory 22 is referred to as an installer 29, and the host bus adapter driver 13 is referred to as a host bus adapter driver 28.

  The installer 29 stored in the system memory 22 activates the host bus adapter driver 28 in order to issue a SCSI (Small Computer System Interface) command to the disk array device 40 (step 502).

  After being started up by the installer 29, the host bus adapter driver 28 checks whether a virtual blocking function suppression table is defined for the installer 29 of the starting source.

  Since the virtual blocking function suppression table is created when the virtual blocking function invalidation program 12 is executed, it is not defined in the installer 29 on the system memory 22 (step 503). For this reason, the operation is continued while the virtual blocking function is enabled (step 504).

  The host bus adapter driver 28 uses the host bus adapters 24 to 25 to check whether communication with the disk array device 40 is possible. In the configuration of FIG. 1, the host bus adapter 24 checks with the array controller 44 and the host bus adapter 25 checks with the array controller 45 whether communication is possible.

  When the communication from the host bus adapter 24 to the array controller 44 is established, the host bus adapter driver 28 issues a SCSI command to the array controller 44 via the host bus adapter 24, and the array controller 44 is under control. The disk number 51 and disk identification information 52 of the connected disk unit 41 are read (step 505) and registered in the path information management table 23 in the system memory 22 (steps 507 and 508).

  The disk number and disk identification information are unique information for each disk unit, and it is assumed that the response values are the same even if the connected array controllers are different.

  Furthermore, the World Wide Name 26 (see http://www-6.ibm.com/jp/storage/basic/lesson/2_44.html) of the host bus adapter 24 and the disk array device 40 connected to the host bus adapter 24. The World Wide Name 46 is acquired from the array controller 44 and registered in the path information management table 23 in the system memory 22 (steps 509 and 510).

  After acquiring the information of the disk unit 41, the disk number 53 and the disk identification information 54 are similarly acquired for the disk unit 42, the host bus adapter to be used, and the world wide names 26 and 46 of the array controller are acquired, Register in the path information management table 23.

  FIG. 4 shows the structure of the path information management table 23.

  After the search for the disk unit under the array controller 44 is completed (step 511), the host bus adapter driver 28 confirms that communication with the other array controller is not established in the host bus adapter 24 (step 512), and then the host bus adapter. 25, it is checked whether communication with the array controller 45 of the disk array device 40 connected to 25 is possible.

  After confirming that communication from the host bus adapter 25 to the array controller 45 is established, a SCSI command is issued to the array controller 45 via the host bus adapter 25, and the disk unit 41 connected under the array controller 45 is The disk number 51 and disk identification information 52 are acquired.

  When registering the disk number 51 and disk identification information 52 acquired via the array controller 45 in the path information management table 23, the same disk number and disk identification information already acquired from the array controller 44 are already registered. The bus adapter driver 28 suppresses registration of the disk number 51 and the disk identification information 52 acquired from the array controller 45 in the path information management table 23 (step 506).

  Only when there is no matching disk number or disk identification information on the path information management table 23, the disk identification information, the disk number, the World Wide Name 27 of the host bus adapter 25, and the World Wide Name 47 of the array controller 45 are stored in the path information management table. 23 (steps 506 to 510).

  In the case of FIG. 1, only the disk number 55 of the disk unit 43 not connected from the array controller 44 and the disk identification information 56 are transferred to the path information management table 23 together with the World Wide Name 27 of the host bus adapter 25 and the World Wide Name 47 of the array controller 45. sign up.

  After the search for the disk unit under the array controller 45 is completed (step 511), the host bus adapter driver 28 confirms that communication with the other array controller is not established in the host bus adapter 25 (step 512). It is confirmed that the bus adapter is not connected (step 513), the disk unit search is terminated, and a SCSI command for selecting an installation path from the installer 29 is received (step 514).

  The host bus adapter driver 28 that has received the SCSI command issued by the installer 29 permits access to each disk unit only from the host bus adapter or array controller whose World Wide Name is stored in the path information management table 23. To do. Access to a path that is not registered in the path information management table 23 is virtually blocked by the host bus adapter driver 28, and an abnormal end is reported in response to the SCSI command from the installer 29 (steps 515 and 516). As a result, although the path connection is made physically redundant, it is ensured that the connection path from the installer 29 to the disk unit is virtually single.

  FIG. 2 shows a connection configuration with the virtual disk units 41 to 43 that can be seen from the installer 29.

  After the installer 29 determines the installation destination disk unit by user designation or automatically, the installer 29 sends the operating system 11 and the virtual blocking function invalidation program 12 from the installation medium 10 to the disk unit of the disk array device 40 via the host system device 20. (Step 517).

  FIG. 3 shows a case where an operating system is installed in the disk unit 41.

  After the operating system is installed, the installer 29 incorporates the host bus adapter driver 28 into the operating system 60 so that the host bus adapters 24 to 25 can be used from the operating system 60.

  Further, when the operating system 60 is activated, the virtual blocking function invalidation program 63 is registered to be automatically executed (step 518), and the installation operation is completed (step 519).

  After the installation is completed, the operating system 60 in the disk unit 41 is activated from the host system device 20 (step 520).

  The host bus adapter driver 62 used at this time checks whether a virtual blocking function suppression table is defined for the operating system 60 that is the activation source. At this point, since the virtual blockage suppression table has not been created, the redundant path configuration is concealed (when the virtual blockage function is enabled) as in the installation (steps 521 and 522).

  After the operating system 60 is started, the virtual blocking function invalidation program 63 registered in the installer 29 is automatically executed (step 523), and the virtual blocking function invalidation program 63 suppresses virtual blocking in the operating system 60 in the disk unit 41. A table 61 is created (step 524). Further, the automatic activation of the virtual blocking function disabling program 63 of the operating system 60 is canceled (step 525).

  Since the virtual blockage suppression table 61 is created, the host bus adapter driver 62 suppresses the concealment of the redundant path configuration (step 526) and enables normal operation (step 527).

  When the operating system 60 is restarted, the host bus adapter driver 62 confirms the registration of the virtual blockage suppression table 61 registered in the operating system 60 and enables the operation of the redundant path configuration.

1 is a block configuration diagram of a host system device in which a host bus adapter driver according to the present invention operates and a disk array device connected thereto. FIG. It is a connection block diagram with the virtual disk unit visible from an installer. It is a figure explaining the disk unit which installed the operating system. It is a figure which shows the structure of a path information management table. It is a processing flow figure of the whole system including processing of the driver for host bus adapters concerning the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Installation medium 11 Operating system 12 Virtual occlusion function invalidation program 13 Host bus adapter driver 14 Installer 20 Host system device 21 Processor 22 System memory 23 Path information management table 24 Host bus adapter 25 Host bus adapter 26 World Wide Name
27 World Wide Name
40 Disk array device 41, 42, 43 Disk unit 44, 45 Array controller 46, 47 World Wide Name
51, 53, 55 Disk number 52, 54, 56 Disk identification information 60 Operating system 61 Virtual blocking suppression table 62 Host bus adapter driver 63 Virtual blocking function invalidation program 70 Path information management table 71 Disk number registration table 72 Disk identification information Registration Table 73 Host Bus Adapter World Wide Name Registration Table 74 Array Controller World Wide Name Registration Table

Claims (4)

  The host bus adapter driver program in a system device including two or more host bus adapters for connection to an I / O device device, wherein the I / O device device has a plurality of redundant connection paths with the system device When an operating system is installed in the / O device device, only one connection path is validated among the plurality of redundant connection paths to the I / O device device, and the other connection paths are virtually blocked. A host bus adapter driver program characterized by having a state setting function.   An operating system having a function of reading device identification information from an I / O device device, determining a redundant connection path, and creating a management table in which only one connection path is registered for each I / O device device 2. The host bus adapter driver program according to claim 1, wherein a single path connection to the I / O device device is ensured for the installer.   3. The driver program for a host bus adapter according to claim 2, wherein the driver program has a function of discriminating whether the operating system is installed or operating normally, and enabling use of a redundant connection path during normal operation. An operating system installation method for an I / O device having a redundant connection path with a system apparatus, wherein one of the redundant connection paths to the I / O device is connected An operating system installation method, wherein only the path is valid and the operating system is installed in a single path connection environment.

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