JP2009054221A - Life managing system for magnetic disk device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To determine a life of a magnetic disk accurately by monitoring an energizing time of the magnetic disk and a frequency of occurrence of an error caused by various factors, and to prevent data loss due to an end of the life of the magnetic disk by displaying the determined result stepwise. <P>SOLUTION: A life managing system for a magnetic disk device that manages the life of the magnetic disk device 5, has: a first storing section 55 that stores as a log 51, updated information on the energizing time of the magnetic disk device 5 and the number of errors which are malfunctions caused by an operation of the magnetic disk device 5; a second storing section 31 that stores a life prescription table 32 in which a residual life of the magnetic disk device 5 is prescribed in advance according to the energizing time and the number of errors; and a control section 35 that determines the residual life of the magnetic disk device 5 based on the log 51 read from the first storing section 55 and the life prescription table 32 stored in the second storing section 31. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a life management system for a magnetic disk device.

  The magnetic disk device may not be able to read recorded data due to deterioration over time. Therefore, if the life of the magnetic disk device can be detected before the life is reached, data loss can be prevented by data backup.

  As a conventional technique related to the life management of a magnetic disk device, Patent Document 1 discloses that the life of a disk is calculated based on the operation time of the disk and the average temperature and average humidity of the use environment. A disk device life management device and a disk device that display the arrival of the light on the display element are described.

JP2003-68008

  However, in the prior art, since the life of the magnetic disk is determined based on the disk operating time, average temperature, and average humidity, errors in the magnetic disk caused by factors other than temperature and humidity changes are not considered. There is a problem that the life of the magnetic disk cannot be accurately determined.

  In addition, in the conventional technology, if the life is zero or if there is no command input from the outside, the life is not displayed on the display element, so if there is a failure before the life reaches zero, or there is insufficient preparation when the life is reached If it cannot be dealt with immediately, data on the magnetic disk may be destroyed.

  Further, since each magnetic disk device does not have a display element, there is a possibility that a non-defective magnetic disk may be mistakenly replaced in a device equipped with a plurality of magnetic disks such as a disk array device.

  An object of the present invention is to accurately determine the life of a magnetic disk by monitoring the current-carrying time of the magnetic disk and the frequency of occurrence of errors due to various factors, and displaying the determination results step by step. It is to prevent data loss due to lifetime.

  In order to achieve the above object, a life management system for a magnetic disk device according to the present invention is a life management system for a magnetic disk device that manages the life of a magnetic disk device. Information on the number of errors that are malfunctions caused by the operation of the disk device, updated one by one, and stored as a log, and depending on the energization time and the number of errors, the magnetic Based on a second storage unit that stores a life specification table that predefines the remaining life of the disk device, the log read from the first storage unit, and the life specification table stored in the second storage unit And a control unit for determining the remaining life of the magnetic disk device.

  In addition, the display unit may be configured to display information regarding the remaining life of the magnetic disk device determined by the control unit.

  In addition, the display unit may be configured to change the display according to a plurality of determined remaining life categories and to be provided on a backboard on which the plurality of magnetic disk devices are mounted together or on the magnetic disk device. it can.

  Further, when the control unit determines that the magnetic disk device has reached the end of its life, it can be configured to have a warning means for warning that the magnetic disk device should be replaced.

  Further, the control unit controls to output the information related to the energization time and the number of errors stored in the first storage unit from the magnetic disk device to a peripheral device connected via the disk device. Can be configured to.

  According to the present invention, the life of a magnetic disk is accurately determined by monitoring the energization time of the magnetic disk and the frequency of occurrence of errors due to various factors, and the determination results are displayed step by step. Data loss due to lifetime can be prevented.

  Next, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described based on the following embodiments with reference to the drawings.

  First, a life management system for a magnetic disk device according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a life management system of a magnetic disk device according to this embodiment. The magnetic disk device system includes a display device 1, a host computer 2, a disk array controller 3, a backplane board 4, and a magnetic disk device 5.

  The display device 1 displays information related to the life of the magnetic disk device 5. The display contents include a result of determining the remaining life of the magnetic disk device 5 (the life determination will be described later) and a warning message for warning the life of the magnetic disk device 5. As an example of the warning message, “Please replace the magnetic disk” is displayed on the display device 1.

  The host computer 2 controls the disk array controller 3 and outputs information relating to the life and warning of the magnetic disk device 5 to the display device 1.

  The disk array controller 3 includes a flash ROM 31 and a control unit 35. The flash ROM 31 is a storage device and stores a life determination display table 32.

  Here, FIG. 2 shows a configuration example of the life determination display table 32. The life determination display table 32 is configured to classify into a plurality of determination levels according to a plurality of determination indexes. The determination index is a read error rate, a write error rate, a seek error rate, and an energization time for each of read, write, and seek operations of the magnetic disk device 5. The determination level is divided into first, second, and third stages based on an error frequency threshold (R) and energization time threshold (H), and the degree of remaining life is classified in stages. ing.

The control unit 35 includes a CPU and a timer, and performs the following processing and control. The energization time and the number of errors recorded as the log 51 are read from the storage unit 55 at regular intervals by measuring the timer. The frequency of error occurrence is calculated from the number of errors read. The error occurrence frequency is calculated by dividing the number of errors by a certain time. The life of the magnetic disk device 5 is determined based on the read energization time, the calculated error occurrence frequency, and the life determination display table 32. That is, with reference to the life determination display table 32 of FIG. 2, it is determined which determination level classification of the life determination display table 32 corresponds to the energization time and the error occurrence frequency.
Furthermore, information relating to the life of the magnetic disk device 5 such as the determination result, the energization time, and the number of errors is output to the display device 1, the display element 52, and other peripheral devices and displayed as necessary. These processes and controls are realized by a predetermined program being executed by the CPU.

  The HDD backplane board 4 is equipped with a plurality of magnetic disk devices 5 constituting a disk array, and exchanges data between these magnetic disk devices 5 and the disk array controller 3. The HDD backplane board 4 may be provided with a display element for displaying the life determination result.

  The magnetic disk device 5 includes a disk as a storage medium, and includes a storage unit 55 that stores a log 51 and a display element 52 that displays a life determination result. The storage unit 55 is a flash memory as an example, and the stored log 51 is updated and recorded one by one. The log 51 records information relating to errors such as the energization time of the magnetic disk device 5 and the number of internal errors that have occurred inside the magnetic disk device 5. The internal error is, for example, a read error during reading, a write error during writing, or a seek error during seeking.

  The display element 52 is a display unit that displays a different color according to the determination result of the life of the magnetic disk device 5, and is, for example, an LCD or an LED.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the life determination process.

  The controller 35 reads the energization time and the number of generated errors from the log 51 of each magnetic disk device 5 constituting the disk array at regular time intervals. (S1).

  The control unit 35 calculates an error occurrence frequency based on the number of errors read in S1 (S2). The error occurrence frequency is calculated by dividing the number of error occurrences by a certain time.

  The control unit 35 compares the energization time and the error occurrence frequency calculated in S2 with the threshold values described in the life determination display table 32 (S3).

  If the error occurrence frequency is less than R / 3 and the energization time is less than H / 3 as a result of the comparison in S3, the life of the magnetic disk is determined as the first stage, and the display color of the display element of the magnetic disk 5 is changed. Green (S4).

  If the error occurrence frequency is R / 3 or more 2R / 3 or the energization time is H / 3 or more 2H / 3 as a result of the comparison in S3, the magnetic disk life is determined as the second stage, and the display element of the magnetic disk 5 Is displayed in yellow (S5).

  If the error occurrence frequency is R / 3 or more or the energization time is H / 3 or more as a result of the comparison in S3, the life of the magnetic disk is determined as the third stage, and the display color of the display element of the magnetic disk 5 is red. At the same time, a warning message to replace the magnetic disk device 5 is displayed on the display device 1 (S6).

  As described above, with the configuration according to the present embodiment, the life of the magnetic disk device 5 can be determined stepwise with respect to the energization time and error frequency of the magnetic disk device 5, and the determination result can be displayed.

  Note that a plurality of display elements 52 provided in each magnetic disk device 5 may be mounted on the HDD backplane board 4 and the life determination result by the control unit 35 may be reflected on these display elements 52.

  Moreover, although the alerting of the lifetime to an operator is implement | achieved by the structure which displays a warning message with the display apparatus 1, the structure which alerts with the buzzer sound by providing a buzzer may be sufficient.

  The present invention is not limited to the specifically disclosed embodiments, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the claims.

1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a life management system for a magnetic disk device according to an embodiment. The figure which showed the structural example of the lifetime determination display table. The flowchart for demonstrating a lifetime determination process.

Explanation of symbols

1: Display device 2: Host computer 3: Disk array controller 4: Backplane board 5: Magnetic disk device 31: Flash ROM 32: Life determination display table 35: Control unit 51: Log 52 : Display element, 55: Storage unit.

Claims (5)

In the life management system of the magnetic disk device that manages the life of the magnetic disk device,
A first storage unit for storing, as a log, information about the energization time when the magnetic disk device is energized and the number of errors that are malfunctions caused by the operation of the magnetic disk device, updated one by one;
A second storage unit for storing a life regulation table that predefines the remaining life of the magnetic disk device according to the energization time and the number of errors;
A control unit for determining the remaining life of the magnetic disk device based on the log read from the first storage unit and the life regulation table stored in the second storage unit. Life management system for magnetic disk drives.   2. The life management system for a magnetic disk device according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit for displaying information on the remaining life of the magnetic disk device determined by the control unit.   2. The display unit according to claim 1, wherein the display unit changes display according to a plurality of determined remaining life categories, and is provided on a backboard on which the plurality of magnetic disk devices are mounted together or on the magnetic disk device. Or the life management system of 2 magnetic disk units.   2. The life management system for a magnetic disk device according to claim 1, further comprising warning means for warning that the magnetic disk device should be replaced when the control unit determines that the life of the magnetic disk device has been reached.   The control unit controls to output the information related to the energization time and the number of errors stored in the first storage unit from the magnetic disk device to a peripheral device connected via the disk device. The life management system for a magnetic disk device according to claim 1.

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