JP2008217326A - Hard disk built-in apparatus and method, and disk array system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a hard disk built-in apparatus and method and a disk array system that can reliably and quickly incorporate hard disk devices into a disk array without requiring manual operation. <P>SOLUTION: The hard disk built-in apparatus 1A, 1B comprises a firmware management part 21 registering in advance a list of authenticated hard disk devices, a firmware storage part 22, and a download processing part 12 for saving firmware downloaded from the firmware storage part 22 at the command of the firmware management part 21. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hard disk assembling apparatus and method and a disk array system, and more particularly to a disk array incorporating a plurality of hard disk apparatuses as storage means used for writing (storing) and reading a large amount of data in information processing apparatuses such as computers BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hard disk built-in apparatus and method constituting a device and a disk array system.

  In information processing devices such as computers, servers, and network communication devices, or IT devices, a storage device is required for writing and reading data or information to be processed. A hard disk drive (HDD) is widely used as a storage device that writes and reads a large amount of data at high speed and with high reliability. Further, the amount of information (data) processed by such an information processing apparatus is constantly increasing. Although the capacity that can be written to and read from the hard disk is increasing, the amount of information that the information processing apparatus writes and reads is also rapidly increasing. Since such information or data is indispensable in a company or organization, a disk array device or a disk array system that improves data read / write speed, reliability, and fault tolerance by systemizing a plurality of hard disk devices. Has been developed and widely used.

  In the conventional disk array device, the firmware of the hard disk device constituting the disk array device needs to be updated (revision) for various reasons. In that case, the data written in the hard disk device mounted in the shipped disk array device is downloaded, and the firmware is also downloaded to the hard disk device stored for maintenance, or the hard disk device is stored in the disk array device. Confirmed the firmware of the installed hard disk device at the time of installation, and downloaded it if necessary.

  In addition, when multiple types of disk array devices are handled and the disk array devices authenticate the hard disk device, all the disks that authenticate the hard disk device before applying the updated firmware of the hard disk device. The updated firmware of the hard disk device is evaluated and authenticated by the array device, and then the firmware is applied to the hard disk device.

  For this reason, if there is an urgent need to apply the firmware update contents of a hard disk device only to some disk array devices, or if there is an update content that needs to be applied only to some disk array devices, Even if limited application is applied only to the disk array device that needs to be updated, the updated firmware of the hard disk device is finally evaluated and authenticated in all the disk array devices.

  Conventional techniques in the technical field of such a disk array device are disclosed in many documents. An updater management system or the like that supports the task of simultaneously updating (updating) the driver and the disk controller firmware in the disk array system is disclosed (for example, see Patent Document 1). Also disclosed is a disk control device and a disk device control program update method that can easily and safely update a disk device control program executed in each of a plurality of disk devices of a storage device ( For example, see Patent Document 2.) Further, an optical disc apparatus and a firmware update method are disclosed in which it is determined whether or not firmware update is required by the optical disc apparatus, and the host computer can update the firmware automatically and at a necessary timing based on the result (for example, patents). Reference 3).

JP 2002-278906 A (page 7-8, FIG. 1) Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-287979 (pages 7-8, FIG. 1) JP 2006-216165 A (page 8, FIG. 1)

  However, the conventional technology as described above has several problems. In other words, when the firmware of a hard disk device supported by multiple types of disk array devices is updated, the operation of all types of disk array devices that support the hard disk device is checked in order to update the firmware of the hard disk device. It is applied after waiting for the disk array to be completed, the hard disk device is managed as a separate device for each type of disk array device, or the hard disk device of a disk array device whose firmware has not been confirmed is replaced It was necessary to re-download the firmware confirmed on the device.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems of the prior art, and eliminates or reduces such problems, thereby eliminating the need for manual confirmation work, facilitating maintenance, and preventing maintenance work errors. It is an object of the present invention to provide a hard disk incorporating apparatus and method, and a disk array system.

  The hard disk incorporating apparatus and method and the disk array system according to the present invention employ the following characteristic configuration.

(1) a firmware storage unit storing firmware corresponding to all hard disk devices to be authenticated by the disk array device;
A firmware management unit that registers a list of pre-authenticated hard disk devices; and
A download processing unit for storing the firmware downloaded from the firmware storage unit according to an instruction of the firmware management unit;
Hard disk built-in device comprising
(2) In a hard disk built-in device that constitutes a disk array device having a large storage capacity by incorporating a plurality of hard disk devices,
A firmware storage unit for storing firmware;
A hard disk firmware management device including a firmware management unit that has registered a list of previously authenticated hardware devices; and
A disk array control device including a download processing unit for storing firmware downloaded from the firmware storage unit in accordance with an instruction from the hard disk firmware management unit, and an embedded processing unit for performing processing for incorporating into the disk array device;
Hard disk built-in device comprising
(3) The hard disk embedded device according to (2), wherein the firmware storage unit is provided in the hard disk firmware management device.
(4) The hard disk built-in device according to (2), wherein the firmware storage unit is provided in the hard disk device.
(5) In a hard disk assembling method for constructing a disk array system by incorporating a hard disk device into a disk array device,
Passing information related to the hard disk device incorporated in the disk array device to a firmware management device;
Determining whether the hard disk device is authenticated;
If the hard disk device has been authenticated, performing a successful integration process;
If the hard disk device is not authenticated, a step of registering whether firmware storage processing is being performed, and
If the firmware is not stored, a step of performing an integration failure process;
If the firmware is stored, determining whether the download of the firmware was successful and performing the integration success process or the integration failure process;
A hard disk assembling method comprising:
(6) The hard disk assembling method according to (5), wherein the information related to the hard disk device includes a vendor name, a model number, and a firmware revision of the hard disk device.
(7) a hard disk firmware management device for storing and managing authenticated firmware and revisions;
Means for inquiring of the hard disk management device whether the firmware revision applied to the hard disk device to be incorporated has been authenticated by the disk array, and means for receiving firmware from the hard disk management device and downloading it to the hard disk device A disk array controller,
A disk array system comprising:
(8) The disk array system according to (7), further comprising means for storing the authenticated firmware in the hard disk instead of the hard disk firmware management apparatus.

  According to the hard disk assembling apparatus and method and the disk array system of the present invention, there are the following practical specific effects. That is, the firmware revision of the hard disk device to be incorporated can be incorporated into the disk array device without considering whether or not it is authenticated. This is because the disk array device holds the firmware of the authenticated hard disk device and downloads the authenticated firmware to the hard disk device before incorporating the hard disk device.

  The configuration and operation of a preferred embodiment of a hard disk assembling apparatus and method and a disk array system according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of a first embodiment of a hard disk incorporating device and a disk array system using the same according to the present invention. The hard disk built-in device 1A includes a disk array control device 10, a hard disk firmware management device 20, and a hard disk device 30.

  Here, the disk array control apparatus 10 includes an embedded processing unit 11 and a download processing unit 12. The built-in processing unit 11 and the download processing unit 12 are connected to each other and to the hard disk device 30. The built-in processing unit 11 performs processing for incorporating the hard disk device 30 into the disk array device. In addition, the download processing unit 12 performs firmware download processing on the hard disk device 30.

  The hard disk firmware management device 20 includes a firmware management unit 21 and a firmware storage unit 22. The firmware management unit 21 and the firmware storage unit 22 are connected to each other and to the built-in processing unit 11 and the download processing unit 12 of the disk array control device 10, respectively. The firmware management unit 21 stores a vendor name, model number, and firmware revision list of the hard disk device 30 that has been authenticated by the disk array device. The firmware storage unit 22 stores firmware corresponding to all hard disk devices that are authenticated by the disk array device.

  The hard disk device 30 can notify the hard disk firmware management unit 21 of the vendor name, model number, and firmware revision, and can rewrite its own firmware.

  Next, the operation of the first embodiment of the hard disk incorporating device 1A according to the present invention shown in FIG. 1 will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  First, the incorporation processing unit 11 of the disk array control device 10 instructed to incorporate the hard disk device 30 into the disk array device, the firmware management unit 21 of the hard disk firmware management device 20 before incorporation into the disk array device. The vendor name, model number, and firmware revision of the hard disk device 30 are passed to.

  The firmware management unit 21 performs an authentication check (step A1), and determines whether or not the hard disk device 30 is an authenticated hard disk device from a list of authenticated hardware devices registered in advance (step A2). ).

  When the firmware management unit 21 confirms that the hard disk device 30 is an authenticated hard disk device (step A2: Yes), the firmware management unit 21 notifies the embedded processing unit 11 that the hard disk device 30 has been authenticated. The embedded processing unit 11 receives the successful integration processing to the disk array device (step A7). On the other hand, when the firmware management unit 21 confirms that the hardware device 3 has not been authenticated (step A2: No), a registration check is performed (step A3), and the hardware storage unit 22 is checked for the hardware. It is confirmed whether firmware corresponding to the device 30 is stored (step A4).

  When the firmware corresponding to the hard disk device 30 is not registered in the firmware storage unit 22 (step A4: No), the firmware management unit 21 has authenticated the hard disk device 3 to the embedded processing unit 11. The embedded processing unit 11 that has received the notification and performs the notification performs an embedded failure process (step A8).

  On the other hand, when the firmware corresponding to the hard disk device 30 is registered in the firmware storage unit 22 (step A4: Yes), the firmware management unit 21 sends the hard disk device 3 to the built-in processing unit 11. Notify that a firmware download is required. The embedded processing unit 11 that is notified that the download is necessary requests the download processing unit 12 to download the firmware to the hard disk device 3. Therefore, the download processing unit 12 receives the firmware corresponding to the hard disk device 30 from the firmware storage unit 22, and downloads the firmware to the hardware device 30 (step A5).

  Next, it is determined whether or not the download (step A5) described above is successful (step A6). When the download processing unit 12 is notified of the download process failure (step A6: No), the built-in processing unit 11 performs the above-described integration failure process (step A8). On the other hand, if the download processing unit 12 is notified of the successful download process (step A6: Yes), the built-in processing unit 11 performs the incorporation process into the disk array device, that is, the above-described successful integration process ( Step A7), the hard disk assembling process ends.

  Next, a second embodiment of the hard disk capturing device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the second embodiment of the hard disk capturing device according to the present invention. In this hard disk capturing device 1B, the same reference numerals are used for the components corresponding to the hard disk capturing device 1A shown in FIG. This hard disk incorporating device 1B is different in that the firmware storage unit 22 in the hard disk capturing device 1A of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is eliminated and a firmware storage area 31 is newly provided in the hard disk device 30.

  The firmware storage unit 22 in the hard disk capture device 1A shown in FIG. 1 stores the firmware of all types of hard disk devices that are authenticated by the disk array device. However, the firmware storage area 31 of the hard disk capture device 1B shown in FIG. 3 exists on the medium of the hard disk device 30, and all of the firmware that is authenticated by a plurality of types of disk array devices that support the hard disk device 30 is stored. Storing.

  Next, the operation of the hard disk capturing device 1B shown in FIG. 3 will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 2 and FIG. The installation processing unit 11 that is instructed to incorporate the hard disk device 30 into the disk array device informs the firmware management unit 21 of the vendor name, model number, and firmware revision of the hard disk device 30 before incorporation into the disk array device. hand over. The firmware management unit 21 compares the authenticated information registered in advance with the information of the hard disk device 30 to determine whether or not it is an authenticated hard disk device (steps A1 and A2).

  When the firmware management unit 21 confirms that the hard disk device 30 is an authenticated device, the firmware management unit 21 notifies the built-in processing unit 11 that the hard disk device 30 has been authenticated. 11 performs the process of incorporating into the disk array device (step A7). When the firmware management unit 21 confirms that the hardware device 3 has not been authenticated, the firmware management unit 21 confirms whether the firmware to be authenticated by the disk array device is stored in the firmware storage area 31 (step A3). And A4). When the firmware to be authenticated by the disk array device is not registered in the firmware storage area 31, the firmware management unit 21 notifies the embedded processing unit 11 that the hard disk device 3 has not been authenticated and notified. The embedded processing unit 11 that has received the processing performs a mounting failure process (step A8).

  On the other hand, when the firmware to be authenticated by the disk array device is registered in the firmware storage area 31, the firmware management unit 21 needs to download the firmware to the hard disk device 30 from the embedded processing unit 11. Notify that there is. The embedded processing unit 11 that is notified that the download is necessary requests the download processing unit 12 to download the firmware to the hard disk device 30. The download processing unit 12 extracts the firmware authenticated by the disk array device from the firmware storage area 31, and downloads the firmware to the hardware device 3 (steps A5 and A6).

  If the download processing unit 12 is notified of the download process failure, the built-in processing unit 11 performs the integration failure process (step A8). On the other hand, when the download processing unit 12 is notified of the successful download process, the built-in processing unit 11 performs the incorporation process into the disk array device (step A7).

  The preferred embodiments of the hard disk assembling apparatus and method and the disk array system according to the present invention have been described above in detail. However, it should be noted that such embodiments are merely examples of the present invention and do not limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art will readily understand that various modifications and changes can be made in accordance with a specific application without departing from the gist and spirit of the present invention.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of 1st Embodiment of the hard disk incorporating apparatus by this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the hard disk mounting method of this invention which is operation | movement of the hard disk mounting apparatus by this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of 2nd Embodiment of the hard disk incorporating apparatus by this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1A, 1B Hard disk embedded device (disk array system)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Disk array control apparatus 11 Built-in process part 12 Download process part 20 Hard disk firmware management apparatus 21 Firmware management part 22 Firmware storage part 30 Hard disk apparatus 31 Firmware storage area

Claims (8)

A firmware storage unit storing firmware corresponding to all hard disk devices to be authenticated by the disk array device;
A firmware management unit that registers a list of pre-authenticated hard disk devices; and
A download processing unit for storing the firmware downloaded from the firmware storage unit according to an instruction of the firmware management unit;
A hard disk built-in device comprising: In a hard disk built-in device that constitutes a disk array device having a large storage capacity by incorporating a plurality of hard disk devices,
A firmware storage unit for storing firmware;
A hard disk firmware management device including a firmware management unit that has registered a list of previously authenticated hardware devices; and
A disk array control device including a download processing unit for storing firmware downloaded from the firmware storage unit in accordance with an instruction from the hard disk firmware management unit, and an embedded processing unit for performing processing for incorporating into the disk array device;
A hard disk built-in device comprising:   The hard disk built-in device according to claim 2, wherein the firmware storage unit is provided in the hard disk firmware management device.   The hard disk built-in device according to claim 2, wherein the firmware storage unit is provided in the hard disk device. In a hard disk assembling method for constructing a disk array system by incorporating a hard disk device into a disk array device,
Passing information related to the hard disk device incorporated in the disk array device to a firmware management device;
Determining whether the hard disk device is authenticated;
If the hard disk device has been authenticated, performing a successful integration process;
If the hard disk device is not authenticated, a step of registering whether firmware storage processing is being performed, and
If the firmware is not stored, a step of performing an integration failure process;
If the firmware is stored, determining whether the download of the firmware was successful and performing the integration success process or the integration failure process;
A method of incorporating a hard disk, comprising:   The hard disk assembling method according to claim 5, wherein the information related to the hard disk device includes a vendor name, a model number, and a firmware revision of the hard disk device. A hard disk firmware management device that stores and manages certified firmware and revisions;
Means for inquiring of the hard disk management device whether the firmware revision applied to the hard disk device to be incorporated has been authenticated by the disk array, and means for receiving firmware from the hard disk management device and downloading it to the hard disk device A disk array controller,
A disk array system comprising:   8. The disk array system according to claim 7, further comprising means for storing the authenticated firmware in the hard disk instead of the hard disk firmware management apparatus.

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