JP3599099B2 - Seeds control circuit for electronic disk drive - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a seed control circuit for an electronic disk device having a seed function with a shortened access time in an electronic disk device connectable to a plurality of host computers.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, in an electronic disk device that can be connected to a plurality of host computers, the consistency of stored data used for control in communication processing between a specific accessed one of the host computers and the electronic disk device In order to assure this, a seeding process for providing a temporary occupancy function of the electronic disk device (a so-called seeding function or a reserve function) by executing various means is executed.
[0003]
In such a seeding process, a host computer or a control means (referred to as a director) for performing detailed control between the host computer and the electronic disk device generally performs an independent seeding before executing a data transfer command. The command is executed, the result is determined by the host computer or the director itself, and control is performed as to whether or not a subsequent data transfer command is issued.
[0004]
Incidentally, as a well-known technique relating to communication control between such an electronic disk device and an external device corresponding thereto, for example, a semiconductor disk control method disclosed in JP-A-61-208534 and JP-A-6-75704 are disclosed. Patent Literature 1 discloses a device access exclusive control method for a semiconductor disk device.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the case of the seed processing described above, the time required for communication by various means between the host computer or director and the electronic disk device is usually the data processing time inside the host computer or director or the electronic disk device. This is extremely large compared to the data processing time by various means, and tends to cause an increase in access time due to overhead during seed processing (that is, an increase in access time required for seed processing). The increase in the access time during the seeding process has become a major problem in the basic performance of an electronic disk device, which is particularly characterized by high-speed access.
[0006]
Incidentally, in the case of a general magnetic disk device involving mechanical operation, the seek time and the rotation waiting time occupy a large part of the access time, so that the seeding process is required as in the case of the electronic disk device. The required time is not a problem (a major problem).
[0007]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and a technical problem thereof is to provide a seed control circuit for an electronic disk device that can effectively shorten the access time during the seed processing. .
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the present invention, in a seed control circuit for an electronic disk device capable of executing a seed process as a seed function as a temporary occupancy function in an electronic disk device connectable to a plurality of host computers, Host interface means as an interface for making a connection with the host, and command decoding means for receiving and analyzing input / output commands transmitted from a specific one of the plurality of host computers via the host interface means. Data transfer control means for controlling data transfer in accordance with the result of analysis by the command decoding means, and transmitting a request for performing a seeds process prior to the control of the data transfer; and And a seed execution means for executing a seed processing. 'S execution means, electronic disk unit for seeds control circuit for execution of the seeds treated according to the execution request of seeds processing from the data transfer control means in terms of the concealment into command data transfer by the data transfer control means can get.
[0009]
Further, according to the present invention, in the above-described seed control circuit for an electronic disk device, the command decoding means determines whether or not the input / output command is a data transfer command, and the result of the determination is the data transfer command. In this case, the data transfer control means sends a data transfer execution request to the data transfer control means, and the data transfer control means sends a seeds execution request to the seeds execution means in response to the data transfer execution request. Is obtained.
[0010]
Further, according to the present invention, in the above-described seed control circuit for an electronic disk device, the seed execution means controls the seed processing in response to a request to execute the seed processing from the data transfer control means; And a seed information storage unit for storing seed information indicating the success or failure of the execution of the processing. The seed control means is provided by a seed control circuit for an electronic disk device that controls the seed processing by referring to the seed information. Can be
[0011]
In addition, according to the present invention, in the above-described seed control circuit for an electronic disk device, the seed control means controls the seed processing when a result of referring to the seed information indicates a status of execution of the seed processing, And writing the unique control information required for the control to the seed information storage means as new seed information, and sending the seeded information indicating that the seed processing has been controlled to the data transfer control means. A control circuit is obtained.
[0012]
On the other hand, according to the present invention, in the seed control circuit for the electronic disk device, the seed control means does not control the seed processing when the result of referring to the seed information indicates a negative status of the execution of the seed processing, A seeds control circuit for an electronic disk device is provided which sends out seeds non-processing information indicating that the seeds processing is not controlled to the data transfer control means.
[0013]
On the other hand, according to the present invention, in the above-described electronic disk device seeds control circuit, the storage media means for storing transfer information required for performing data transfer in response to access from a specific one of the plurality of host computers is provided. The data transfer control means includes a transfer information between a specific one of the plurality of host computers and the storage medium means in accordance with the seeded information when the seed processing is controlled by the seed control means. By performing the data transfer process by giving and receiving the request, and when the seeds are not controlled, the seeds are not notified to a specific one of the plurality of host computers according to the seeds non-processing information. A seeds control circuit for an electronic disk device that sends the indicated abnormal response is obtained.
[0014]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0015]
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a basic configuration of a seeds control circuit for an electronic disk device according to one embodiment of the present invention. The electronic disk device seeds control circuit is capable of executing a seeding process as a seed function, which is a temporary occupation function in an electronic disk device that can be connected to a plurality of host computers (not shown) installed outside. A host interface means 6 as an interface for connection with each host computer, and an input / output (I / O) accessed and transmitted from a specific one of the host computers via the host interface means 6 Command decoding means 1 for receiving and analyzing a command, and data transfer control means for controlling data transfer in accordance with the result of analysis by the command decoding means 1 and sending a request for execution of a seed process prior to data transfer control 4 and access from specific ones of each host computer Storage medium means 5 for storing transfer information required when performing data transfer in the first place, and a seed execution means for executing a seed process in response to a request to execute a seed process, and Information storage means 3 for storing seeds information indicating the above, and a seeds control means 2 for controlling the seeds processing in response to a request for execution of the seeds processing from the data transfer control means 4 with reference to the seeds information. I have.
[0016]
Among them, the command decoding means 1 determines whether or not the input / output command accessed and transmitted from a specific one of the host computers is a data transfer command, and the result of the determination is If it is a command, a data transfer execution request is sent to the data transfer control means 4. The data transfer control means 4 sends a request to execute seed processing to the seed control means 2 of the seed execution means in response to the request to execute data transfer. As described above, the seed control means 2 performs the control of the seed processing in response to the execution request of the seed processing from the data transfer control means 4 with reference to the seed information. The control of the seeding process is performed when the establishment of the condition is satisfied, and the unique control information required for the control is written into the seeds information storage means 3 as the seeds information. It is sent to the transfer control means 4. When the result of referring to the seeds information indicates a negative state of the execution of the seeds processing, the seeds controlling means 2 does not perform the control of the seeds processing and transfers the non-seed processing information indicating that the control of the seeds processing is not performed. It is sent to the control means 4. The data transfer control means 4 controls the transfer information between the specific one of the host computers and the storage medium means 5 in accordance with the seeded information when the seed control is performed by the seed control means 2 and the seed processing is successful. In the case of a seed failure in which the data transfer processing is performed and the control of the seed processing is not performed, an abnormal response indicating the seed failure has been given to a specific one of the host computers according to the seed non-processing information. Send out.
[0017]
Therefore, in the case of the seed control circuit for the electronic disk device, at the beginning of the data transfer command by the data transfer control means 4, the seed control means 2 responds to the request to execute the seed processing and stores the seed information stored in the seed information storage means 3. In the electronic disk device, the seeding process is automatically executed by controlling the seeding process after referring to, so that the access time required for the seeding process in the electronic disk device, that is, the data transfer after receiving the input / output command Can be shortened until the operation is started.
[0018]
More specifically, the host interface means 6 in the electronic disk device seeds control circuit enables the electronic disk device to be shared and used by a plurality of host computers. When the data transfer is performed with the electronic disk device, first, an input / output command to that effect is issued to the host interface means 6.
[0019]
Therefore, in the electronic disk device, the host interface means 6 receives the input / output command and transfers it to the command decoding means 1. The command decoding means 1 analyzes and determines the received input / output command, and sends a data transfer execution request to the data transfer control means 4 if the command relates to a data transfer command. Incidentally, in a storage device that can be generally connected to each host computer, such as an electronic disk device that is a target of the present invention, in order to guarantee the consistency of storage data provided for control during communication processing, the It has a seed function for temporarily occupying the entire storage device in units of input / output commands defined for each interface standard by a host computer that intends to use the storage device.
[0020]
In the electronic disk device seeds control circuit, the data transfer control means 4 which has received a data transfer execution request by an input / output command sends a seeds processing execution request to the seeds control means 2 prior to data transfer control. . Upon receiving the request to execute the seed processing, the seed control means 2 refers to the seed information stored in the seed information storage means 3 and determines whether the host computer which has issued the input / output instruction has already seeded the electronic disk device, or By checking whether or not the electronic disk device has been seeded by another host computer, a negative status of the execution of the seeding process (which can be regarded as execution of the input / output command) can be determined, and the result is transferred to the data. It is sent to the control means 4.
[0021]
This result is obtained by referring to the seeds information in the seeds control means 2 and indicating that the seeds processing has been performed when the seeds processing has been established. Is included, any of the seeds non-processing information sent to the effect that the control of the seeds processing is not performed is included. Further, when the seed control unit 2 controls the seed processing, the control information unique to the control is written into the seed information storage unit 3 as the seed information.
[0022]
In response to this, when the data transfer is possible, that is, when the host computer that has issued the input / output command succeeds in seeding the electronic disk device, the data transfer control unit 4 subsequently proceeds to the host according to the seeded information. Data transfer processing is performed by exchanging transfer information between the computer and the storage medium means 5, and starts data transfer according to the contents of the command to execute the command. Conversely, if data transfer is not possible, that is, if the host computer that has issued the input / output command has failed in seeding the electronic disk device, the data transfer control means 4 continues to respond to the seed non-processing information to the host computer. An abnormal response indicating that seeds have failed (data transfer cannot be executed) is sent to the computer via the host interface means 6.
[0023]
In short, in the seed control circuit for an electronic disk device having such a configuration, the data transfer control means 4 provided for controlling the data transfer sends a request to execute the seed process prior to the control of the data transfer. Since the seeds control means 4 is configured to execute the seeds processing in response to the request for the execution of the seeds processing, the seeds processing performed in order to guarantee the consistency of the storage data provided for control is instructed during data transfer. The access time during the seeding process can be effectively reduced, and as a result, the time required for data transfer for accessing the storage medium means 5 can be reduced.
[0024]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the electronic disk device seeds control circuit of the present invention, an electronic disk device that can be connected to a plurality of host computers, and is connected to a specific one of the host computers that has been accessed. A data transfer control means provided for controlling data transfer between the devices transmits a request for executing a seeding process prior to the control of the data transfer. (Specifically, the execution of the seeds processing in response to the request for the execution of the seeds processing from the data transfer control means is performed by the seeds execution means after being concealed in the data transfer instruction by the data transfer control means ). , Hides seed processing performed to ensure the consistency of stored data used for control during data transfer instructions It is possible to execute Te, thereby shortens seeds treated when the access time is effectively, resulting in as shortening the total time required for data transfer can be achieved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a basic configuration of a seeds control circuit for an electronic disk device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Command decoding means 2 Seeds control means 3 Seeds information storage means 4 Data transfer control means 5 Storage media means 6 Host interface means

Claims (6)

In the electronic disk device seeds control circuit capable of executing a seeding process as a seed function, which is a temporary occupancy function in an electronic disk device connectable to a plurality of host computers, the connection to the plurality of host computers is performed. Host interface means as an interface for receiving, command decoding means for receiving and analyzing input / output commands transmitted from a specific one of the plurality of host computers via the host interface means, and the command Data transfer control means for controlling the data transfer in accordance with the result of the analysis by the decoding means, and transmitting the execution request of the seed processing prior to the control of the data transfer; and Means for executing seeds processing. Further, the sheathed execution means that the execution of the seeds treated according to the execution request of said seeds processing from the data transfer control means in terms of the concealment into command data transfer by the data transfer control means A seed control circuit for an electronic disk device. 2. The seed control circuit for an electronic disk device according to claim 1, wherein said command decoding means determines whether said input / output command is said data transfer command, and the result of said determination is based on said data transfer command. In some cases, the data transfer control unit sends the data transfer execution request to the data transfer control unit. The data transfer control unit transmits the request for execution of the seed processing to the seed execution unit in response to the data transfer execution request. A seed control circuit for an electronic disk device, which sends an execution request. 3. A seed control circuit for an electronic disk device according to claim 2, wherein said seed executing means controls said seed processing in response to an execution request of said seed processing from said data transfer control means, and said seeds controlling means. And a seed information storage unit for storing seed information indicating the success or failure of the execution of the processing, wherein the seed control means performs the control of the seed processing with reference to the seed information. Seeds control circuit for disk device. 4. The sheath control circuit for an electronic disk device according to claim 3, wherein said sheath control means controls said sheath process when a result of referring to said sheath information indicates a status of execution of said sheath process. An electronic control unit for writing unique control information required for control to the seed information storage unit as the seed information, and transmitting seed-processed information indicating that the control of the seed process has been performed to the data transfer control unit. Seeds control circuit for disk device. 5. The sheath control circuit for an electronic disk device according to claim 4, wherein said sheath control means does not control said sheath process when a result of referring to said sheath information indicates a negative status of execution of said sheath process. A seeds control circuit for an electronic disk device, wherein seeds non-processing information indicating that control of the seeds processing is not performed is sent to the data transfer control means. 6. The electronic disk device seeds control circuit according to claim 5, further comprising storage medium means for storing transfer information required when performing said data transfer in response to access from a specific one of said plurality of host computers, The data transfer control means, between the specific one of the plurality of host computers and the storage media means in accordance with the seeded information when the seeding control is performed by the seeds controlling means and the seeding is successful. The data transfer process by transmitting and receiving the transfer information at a specified time, and a specific one of the plurality of host computers according to the seed non-processing information at the time of a seed failure in which the control of the seed processing is not performed. A seeds control circuit for an electronic disk device, which sends an abnormal response indicating that the seeds have failed.

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