JP3451499B2 - I / O device control system configuration change processing method - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a change processing method for controlling the operation of an input / output device based on an instruction from the control mechanism (application) , and more particularly, to an electronic exchange. magnetic tape or file storage device such as in, as such a common line signal system, about the change processing method of the input and output device control system configuration for controlling the operation of each input and output device provided in a redundant configuration. 2. Description of the Related Art An electronic exchange for performing connection switching between terminals in a communication network is described in, for example, "Electronic Information Handbook" (edited by the Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers) (1988, Ohmsha, page 2149). In addition, the social impact when the function is stopped is large, reliability is improved by a redundant configuration, and each input / output device such as a magnetic tape device, a file storage device, and a common line signal device has a redundant configuration. . Also,
Electronic exchanges utilize stored program control technology, and the software configuration is based on the "electronic information" described above to facilitate creation of exchange programs and addition of functions, as well as to make the entire system easier to understand and improve reliability. As described on page 2131 of "Handbook", it is modularized based on distributed control technology. In an electronic exchange, each input / output device is:
Data channel device (DCH: data channel)
l) An input / output device control system called
It is controlled based on the command from Software (program) used to control the operation of this data channel device
Is updated due to bug fixes or hardware interface changes. To update this program, suspend the system and reload not only the program to be updated but also all system files (programs). , All software must be initialized. As a result, a large amount of time is required for updating even though the update target is a part of the files. [0004] The problem to be solved is that, in the prior art, in updating a program used for controlling an input / output device, even if a part of the program is updated, the system is temporarily stopped. Stop, load all system files,
The point is that all software must be initialized. An object of the present invention is to solve these problems of the prior art,
The I / O device control program can be updated only by loading the program to be updated and initial settings of only the related software, and the update can be performed in a short time without suspending the system. it is to provide a change processing method of the input and output device control system configuration. In order to achieve the above object, a method of changing the configuration of an input / output device control system according to the present invention is provided.
Law, output device control system based on an instruction from a higher-level control mechanism (application 1), controls the operation of output devices 4a~4d which is redundant for each function type
Is a common control means for performing common control for all of the input / output devices based on an instruction from the higher-level control mechanism.
If, based on an instruction from the common control unit, a plurality of drivers 3a that performs common control the output devices of the same function type, consists of a 3b, also added in the driver unit
When updating, at the time of establishment of the driver 3, above
Serial higher control mechanism (application 1) is the activation of the new driver 3 to newly instructed to the common control unit 2, the common control unit 2 which has received the finger <br/> shown, said upper control mechanism filename in start specified above new driver 3, the new driver 3 that the boot includes a unique identifier to its own driver, the
And the address of the processing routine from the host control system corresponding to the device registration system calls that are sent during the control request of the output devices is transmitted to the common control means, the co
Passing control means, the upper control driver identifier received
With return mechanism, a table registers the address of the device registration routine to the driver identifier corresponds, the higher system
Control mechanism, to impart a driver identifier received transmits a device registration system call to the common control means, the
Common control means, the address of the device registered routine corresponding to the driver identifier from the upper level control mechanism reads from the Te <br/> Buru, start the new driver 3 of this said, the
The new driver 3, assign the output device indicated by the device registration system call, the new driver 3 described above starting correspond to various system calls sent when the control requirements of the respective input and device from said higher-level control mechanism the address of the specific processing routine in the own driver, in association with the identifier of the assigned input and output devices, the common control
And the common control means sends the new driver 3
The address of each processing routine corresponding to the various system calls from, and registered in the table in association with the identifier of the input-output device, an identifier of the high-order controller of the input output device
And the upper control mechanism recognizes the input / output device.
The above-mentioned common system can be implemented by various system calls with additional children.
The control means and the new driver 3, and instructs the control of the input and output device, at the time of updating the driver, said input output device double
Fault Tolerance where one device is a standby device
By applying the system to
Replacement process, and one of the spare devices
Stop only and update the driver without interrupting service
It is characterized by being new. In the present invention, software for controlling each input / output device redundantly configured for each function type is provided by a common control unit for performing control processing common to all input / output devices, and a common function unit having the same function type. And a driver that performs control processing common to each input / output device. Then, the application (higher-level control mechanism) loads the driver and individually initializes the loaded driver via the common control unit, and puts each input / output device into the operating state. Thus, for example, when the old driver is switched to the new driver, the common control unit loads the new driver, initializes the new driver, and changes the input / output device managed by the operating old driver from the old driver. Separate and move to operation via the new driver. In the common control unit, both the new and old drivers are initialized, and if the system restart occurs during the change from the old driver to the new driver, the system restarts with the old driver and the driver is changed from the host software. If the system restart occurs after the completion notification is performed, the restart is performed by the new driver. As described above, in the input / output device control system and the configuration change processing method according to the present invention, the update for the addition or the handling of a bug due to the new installation of the input / output device is performed by adding / updating only the driver portion. Can be. Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the configuration according to the present invention of the input / output device control system of the present invention.
In the drawing, reference numeral 1 denotes an application as a higher-level control mechanism, reference numerals 2 and 3 denote a common control unit and a driver constituting the input / output device control system of the present invention, and reference numerals 4a to 4d denote redundant input / output devices. The common control unit 2 includes input / output devices 4a to 4a.
d and other input / output devices, not shown, perform common control processing, the driver 3 performs common processing for each of the input / output devices 4a to 4d, and the common control unit 2 and the driver 3
Each is a load unit (load module). The input / output device control system including the common control unit 2 and the driver 3 controls the operation of each of the redundantly configured input / output devices 4a to 4d based on an instruction from the application 1. As described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 and 4 to 10, the configuration for the input / output device can be newly installed or updated for dealing with a bug.
We can deal with it efficiently. As shown in FIG. 3, the common control unit 2 and the driver 3 perform hardware logicalization based on various system calls from the application 1 such as “device registration” and “device start”, and Apparatus 4a ~
4d is controlled. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, an input / output device is logically generated and registered based on device registration (system call). As a result, the input / output device transitions from a state where the device is not registered to a state where access to the device is impossible. Initial setting of the input / output device is performed based on the device start (system call) in this state. Thereby, access to the input / output device is enabled. After the initial setting of the input / output device is completed, the operation of the input / output device is controlled by executing device control (system call). Then, based on the device termination (system call), the input / output device stops, and further, based on the device deletion (system call), the input / output device logically disappears. Less than,
The processing operation of such an input / output device control system will be described in detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of a common control unit according to the present invention. Using this diagram, the driver 3
A description will be given of the operation of newly installing a driver necessary for adding or replacing a driver. In particular, a link operation between the common control unit 2 and the driver 3 when the driver 3 is newly installed will be described. At the time of loading and initial setting of the driver 3, the application 1 specifies the identifier (file name) of the driver 3 to the common control unit 2. The common control unit 2 obtains the initialization routine address of the driver 3 from the designated file name of the driver 3 and initializes the driver 3. At the time of this initialization, the driver 3 sends the device registration routine address and the identifier of the driver 3 to the common control unit 2, and the common control unit 2 associates the device registration routine address with the driver identifier, Register it in the device registration entry table and return the driver identifier to the application 1. When a device registration instruction (device registration system call) is input from the application 1,
After creating the device control table, the common control unit 2
Using the driver identifier input together with the device registration instruction from the application 1 as a key, the device registration entry table is searched for and activated from the device registration entry table. Then, the driver 3 sends an entry table address (drive start entry table address) of each routine of device registration, device deletion, device start, device end, and device control to the common control unit 2, and the common control unit 2 The received drive start entry table address is registered in the device control table, and an input / output device identifier corresponding to the device control table is returned to the application 1. Thereafter, the application 1 designates an I / O device identifier and performs device start, device end, device deletion, etc. by various system calls. The common control unit 2 activates the driver 3 by referring to the device control table. This allows
In the device control table, input / output devices registered with the old driver are determined by the entry of the old driver, and input / output devices registered with the new driver are determined by the entry of the new driver. Is performed. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing an example of processing operation when a driver is added by the input / output device control system of the present invention. When adding a new driver, first, the new driver is loaded by the host software (application).
The file name of the new driver is passed from the host software to the common control unit, and the initial setting of the driver is instructed. Upon receiving the instruction, the common control unit requests an initialization routine address of the new driver corresponding to the file name, and issues a request for initial setting of the new driver. The new driver sends the identifier of the own driver and the address of the corresponding device registration routine to the common control unit. The common control unit associates the driver identifier sent from the new driver with the device registration routine address, registers it in a table (device registration entry table), and sends the new driver identifier to the host software. The host software adds the new driver identifier and registers the device. The common control unit refers to the device registration entry table based on the new driver identifier input together with the device registration instruction, determines the new driver concerned, instructs device registration, and starts operation with the new driver. . If no problem occurs in this operation, at the time when the driver registration processing is instructed to the common control unit from the host software, the common control unit updates the contents of the device registration entry table generated for the new driver with respect to each existing driver. The information is added to the device registration entry table in which the information is registered, and the driver addition processing ends. Next, an operation process for replacing an old driver with a newly provided new driver will be described. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a first processing operation example relating to replacement of a new / old driver by the common control unit in FIG. When a new driver is newly installed, the common control unit 2 generates a device registration entry table (new) for the new driver separately from an existing device registration entry table (old). In the existing device registration entry table (old), a device registration entry for the old driver is registered. Then, in response to a driver switching instruction from the application 1, the common control unit 2 switches the new / old driver by switching the new / old device registration entry table. In this way, by duplicating the device registration entries of the old driver and the new driver, even if a problem occurs with the new drive during replacement of the driver, it is easy to return to the old driver. Can be. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a second processing operation example relating to replacement of a new / old driver by the common control unit in FIG. This example shows an operation example relating to the registration deletion of the old driver and the registration processing of the new driver. That is, after the replacement of the old driver with the new driver is completed, the application 1 operates with the new driver for a while, and after confirming the stability of the new driver, instructs the common control unit 2 to register the new driver. Based on this new driver registration processing instruction, the common control unit 2 overwrites and registers the entry of the new driver initialization on the registered part of the old driver in the existing driver initialization routine entry table. In a communication system or a switching system, during operation, when access to an illegal address by software or resource shortage due to congestion or the like occurs, the system is restarted. When an illegal address access or the like occurs during replacement of the old driver with the new driver and the system is restarted, it is necessary to initialize the input / output device by the old driver, and the common control unit 2 Initialization of each driver is performed using the existing device registration entry, that is, in the initialization routine of the old driver.
When the system is restarted after the replacement of the driver is completed, the initial setting routine of the new driver initializes each input / output device. FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram showing an example of replacement processing operation of a new / old driver by the input / output device control system of the present invention. This example shows an operation example for replacing control of a plurality of redundantly configured input / output devices with an old driver by a new driver. First, add a new driver. That is, the application loads the new driver, passes the file name of the new driver to the common control unit, and instructs initial setting of the driver. Upon receiving the instruction, the common control unit requests an initialization routine address of the new driver corresponding to the file name, and issues a request for initial setting of the new driver. The new driver has its own identifier and
The address of the corresponding device registration routine is sent to the common control unit. The common control unit associates the driver identifier sent from the new driver with the device registration routine address and makes a table (device registration entry table).
And sends the new driver identifier to the application. Up to this point, the processing is the same as the addition of the driver in FIG. 4. When the addition of the new driver is completed in this way, the application next proceeds to one of the I / O devices operating with the old driver. Transfer processing to another input / output device. Then, based on an instruction from the application, the old driver terminates the device of the input / output device in the no-load state, and deletes the device of the terminated input / output device in the old driver. As a result, this input / output device is logically extinguished. The input / output device in the no-load state is registered as a device with the new driver, and the registered device is started as a device with the new driver. The processing of another input / output device operating with the old driver is transferred to the input / output device for which device registration and device start have been performed in this manner. In this manner, the process of disconnecting the input / output device from the old driver and connecting the separated input / output device to the new driver is repeated by the number of input / output devices operating with the old driver. Each input / output device that was operating in the above is sequentially switched to the operation with the new driver, and finally,
Operate all I / O devices with the new driver. And
After the driver is registered and the drivers of all the input / output devices are replaced from the old one to the new one, an end process is performed. As described above, it is possible to cope with a new installation of the input / output device or an update for dealing with a bug by adding / updating only the driver portion. Thus, the extension / update can be performed in a short time without interrupting the system service, so that the driver can be efficiently updated by dealing with a bug or changing the hardware interface. FIGS. 8 and 9 are explanatory diagrams specifically showing the driver replacement processing operation by the processing in FIG. In FIG. 8A, four input / output devices (# 0 to # 3) having a redundant configuration are operating with the old driver 3a. In this state, the application 1 loads the new driver 3b obtained by updating the old driver via the common control unit 2. In FIG. 8B, one input / output device (#
The process of (0) is transferred to other input / output devices (# 1 to # 3), and the input / output device (# 0) is disconnected from the old driver 3a. In this state, the application 1 performs device registration and device start of the new driver 3b via the common control unit 2. This enables the new driver 3b to access the input / output devices (# 0 to # 3).
In FIG. 8C, the input / output device (# 0) separated from the old driver 3a is controlled by the new driver 3b. In FIG. 9A, in this state, the processing of the input / output device (# 1) operating with the old driver 3a is transferred to the input / output device (# 0) operating with the new driver 3b. , The input / output device (# 1) is disconnected from the old driver 3a. Further, in FIG. 9B, the input / output device (# 1) separated from the old driver 3a is controlled by the new driver 3b. By repeating such a switching process by the number of input / output devices (# 0 to # 3) (here, 4), as shown in FIG. 9C, all of the input / output devices (# 0 to # 3) Step # 3) can be shifted to control by the new driver 3b. In this way, the driver can be updated without interrupting the processing (system service) by the application. FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram showing an example of a switchback processing operation when an abnormality of a new driver is detected by the input / output device control system of the present invention. This example shows an operation in a case where an abnormality of a new driver is detected during replacement of a driver, and switching back to an old driver is performed. If there is an abnormality in the new driver during the replacement of the driver, the application first specifies the identifier of the old driver and issues a driver switching request to the common control unit. Upon receiving the request, the common control unit changes the call destination from the device registration entry table from the new driver to the identifier of the old driver. Next, the application transfers the processing of one input / output device operating with the new driver to another input / output device. Then, based on an instruction from the application, the common control unit performs device termination with the new driver of the input / output device in the no-load state and deletion of the device with the new driver of the input / output device whose device has been terminated. As a result, this input / output device is logically extinguished. Further, based on an instruction from the application, the common control unit performs device registration with the old driver of the input / output device in the no-load state and starts device operation with the old driver of the registered input / output device. In this way, the processing of another input / output device operating with the new driver is transferred to the input / output device for which device registration and device start have been performed by the old driver. Disconnecting such I / O devices from the new driver, and
The operation of the detached I / O device using the old driver is repeated by the number of I / O devices that are operating with the new driver. , All input / output devices can be returned to the operation of the old driver. As described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10, in the input / output device control system of the present embodiment, a common control unit for performing control processing common to each input / output device, Since the driver is divided into a driver that performs a specific process, an update for adding a new input / output device and dealing with a bug can be performed by adding / updating only the driver. As a result, the update can be performed in a short time without interrupting the system service by the application, so that the driver can be efficiently updated by dealing with a bug or changing the hardware interface. The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10 and can be variously modified without departing from the gist thereof. According to the present invention, the control program for the input / output device can be updated only by loading only the program to be updated and by initializing only the related software. Service), the input / output device control system can be efficiently added and updated in a short time and efficiently.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of a common control unit according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of a configuration according to the present invention of the input / output device control system of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a state transition diagram showing a state change of an input / output device based on various system calls from an application. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of a processing operation when a driver is added by the input / output device control system of the present invention. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a first processing operation example relating to replacement of a new / old driver by a common control unit in FIG. 2; FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a second processing operation example relating to replacement of a new / old driver by the common control unit in FIG. 2; FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram showing an example of an operation for replacing a new / old driver by the input / output device control system of the present invention. 8 is an explanatory diagram specifically showing the first half of the driver replacement processing operation by the processing in FIG. 7; 9 is an explanatory diagram specifically showing the latter half of the driver replacement processing operation by the processing in FIG. 7; FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram showing an example of a switchback processing operation when an abnormality of a new driver is detected by the input / output device control system of the present invention. [Description of Signs] 1 application 2 common control unit 3 driver 3a old driver 3b new drivers 4a to 4d input / output device

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-3-121555 (JP, A) JP-A-63-142451 (JP, A) JP-A-56-108124 (JP, A) JP-A-1- 319847 (JP, A) JP-A-8-6888 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G06F 13/10

Claims (1)

( 1) An input / output device control system for controlling the operation of each input / output device redundantly configured for each function type based on an instruction from a higher control mechanism. One common control means for performing common control for all the input / output devices based on an instruction from the mechanism, and a common control for each input / output device of the same function type based on an instruction from the common control means. When a new driver is newly installed, the higher-level control mechanism instructs the common control means to start a newly-installed new driver. The received common control means starts the new driver specified by the file name by the higher-level control mechanism, and the started-up new driver receives an identifier unique to its own driver and the higher-level control mechanism. The common control means transmits the address of the processing routine corresponding to the device registration system call transmitted at the time of the control request of each input / output device to the common control means, and the common control means returns the received driver identifier to the high-order control mechanism. At the same time, the address of the device registration routine is registered in a table corresponding to the driver identifier, and the higher-level control mechanism sends a device registration system call to the common control unit with the received driver identifier, and the common control unit The address of the device registration routine corresponding to the driver identifier from the higher-level control mechanism is read from the table, the corresponding new driver is started, and the new driver is notified of the input / output device indicated by the device registration system call. The new driver that has been assigned and started An address of a processing routine unique to the driver corresponding to various system calls sent at the time of a control request of the input / output device is sent to the common control means in association with the assigned identifier of the input / output device, and The control means registers the address of each processing routine corresponding to various system calls from the new driver in the table in association with the identifier of the input / output device, and sends the identifier of the input / output device to the upper control mechanism. The higher-level control mechanism instructs the common control means and the new driver to control the input / output device by various system calls to which the identifier of the input / output device is added. There are a plurality of devices, and by replacing one device as a spare device, a driver replacement process is performed for each device, and the device is the spare device. Only stop the device, input-output control system configuration of the change processing method characterized by updating without driver interrupting service.