JP3715439B2 - File access system and file control device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a file control apparatus, and more particularly to a technique effective when applied to file protection when a file apparatus is handled as a logical device instead of a physical unit.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, a file control device having a built-in memory has been used in order to transmit data between a host computer and a file device (magnetic disk device) faster and more smoothly.
[0003]
FIG. 1 shows such a conventional system configuration. In the figure, 1 is a host computer, 2 is a channel interface, 3 is a file control device, 4 is a magnetic disk device, and 5 is a protect switch.
[0004]
As shown in the figure, the magnetic disk device 4 connected to the file control device 3 is provided with a protect switch 5 (Read Only switch) for protecting the file, and this switch 5 is turned on / off. Thus, the writing process from the host computer 1 can be permitted / prohibited.
[0005]
Also, the access control of the entire file control apparatus is realized by disconnecting the connection of the channel interface 2 from the host computer 1 by operating the switch on the operator panel (not shown) of each file control apparatus 3.
[0006]
Further, the prohibition of access to each magnetic disk device 4 is realized by turning off each power supply.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the recent file apparatus configuration, the Raid apparatus has become the mainstream, and the file apparatus that can be managed from the host computer 1 is not an individual physical apparatus but a logical device, and is configured in a one-to-n relationship with an actual physical apparatus. It has become.
[0008]
For this reason, it has become difficult to handle a plurality of logical devices in units of the physical protect switch 5 provided in each magnetic disk device 4.
Also, control such as access prohibition for each logical device is inconvenient because a plurality of logical devices are targeted simultaneously when the physical device is powered off.
[0009]
Furthermore, even in the access restriction in units of file control devices, management is complicated by disconnection by a switch in units of interfaces.
In addition, the file control device and the file device are often physically separated from the host computer 1, and when the operator wants to grasp the device state, the isolated file control device 3 or file device (magnetic disk device 4). ) Had to go out.
[0010]
The present invention has been made in view of these points, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a file control apparatus system that can easily protect files in units of logical units and file control units.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a file device that constitutes a logical device with a plurality of physical storage device groups, and a host device that writes to and reads from the file device, and further the host device A file control device is interposed between the file device and the file control device. The file control device includes a logical device table describing the state of each logical device, and the logical device when the host device accesses the file device. Access control means for notifying whether writing or reading is permitted with reference to the table is provided.
[0012]
Here, the file device is, for example, one physical device configured by a logical magnetic disk device group, and the logical device and the actual physical device are in an n-to-1 (n = integer) relationship. Or, a case where the physical magnetic disk device group has an n-to-m relationship composed of a plurality of logical devices. That is, by providing a logical device table for each logical device, it becomes possible to grasp the state of a file device in which a physical device composed of a logical device group such as a magnetic disk device is a logical device unit.
[0013]
According to a second means of the present invention, a file control device interposed between a file device constituting a physical device with a plurality of logical storage device groups and a host device accessing the file device is provided for each logical device. A logical device table describing the state; and an access control means for notifying whether to permit writing or reading by referring to the logical device table when the host device accesses the file device. The configuration.
[0014]
By configuring the file control means in this way, as in the first means, each logical device has a logical device table so that each logical device made up of a physical device such as a magnetic disk device can be used as a unit. It becomes possible to grasp the status of the file device that has been used.
[0015]
According to a third means of the present invention, in the second means, the contents of the logical device table can be updated by a control command issued from a maintenance device installed outside the file control apparatus.
[0016]
As a result, by issuing a control command from the outside through the maintenance device, it becomes possible to update a mode such as read-only or read / write permission for each logical device of the file apparatus.
[0017]
According to a fourth means of the present invention, in the second or fourth means, with respect to the logical device table, a flag indicating that the logical device is read-only, a flag indicating that read / write is possible, and a logical device A flag indicating that the access is prohibited and a flag indicating that the file control apparatus itself is prohibited are included. The mode can be easily changed by rewriting these flags.
[0018]
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided: a file device that constitutes a physical device with a plurality of logical storage device groups; a host device that writes to and reads from the file device; and the host device and the file device. A file control device is interposed between the logical device table describing the status of each logical device and the logical device table when the host device accesses the file device. And an access control means for notifying whether to permit writing or reading. Furthermore, a maintenance device device having a logical device management table for collectively managing the logical device tables in the file control device is connected to the access control means. The maintenance device device can collectively update the logical device table of the file control device by referring to the contents of the logical device management table and transmitting a control command rewritten to the file control device.
[0019]
According to a sixth means of the present invention, in the fifth means, a maintenance device management device for managing a plurality of maintenance device devices is provided above the maintenance device device. The maintenance device management apparatus includes a collective management table that stores a logical device management table for each file control apparatus. As a result, the maintenance device management device can change the access mode of the file devices accommodated in the file control device collectively for the file control device.
[0020]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 shows a system configuration in the present embodiment.
[0021]
In the figure, 1 is a host computer, 2 is a channel interface, 3 is a file control device, 4 is a magnetic disk device, 6 is a maintenance device, and 7 is a maintenance interface.
[0022]
The file device 3 includes a channel adapter module module 31 (CA: Channel Adapter) that analyzes a command received from the host computer 1 and a device adapter module 32 (DA: Device Adapter) that functions as an interface to the magnetic disk device 4. ), A memory 9 (MEM), and a memory control unit 33 (FE: Future Engine) for managing the same. The memory 9 (MEM) functions as a temporary storage buffer. The file control device 3 further includes a resource manager 34 (RM: Resource Manager) that manages data transmission between the channel adapter module (CA) 31 and the device adapter module (DA) 32. The resource management unit 34 (RM) includes a table storage unit (RS: Table Strage). When there is an access from the host computer 1, the resource management unit 34 (RM) refers to a table storage unit (RS) that associates which specific physical device in the logical device the access corresponds to. The access to the magnetic disk device 4 is controlled.
[0023]
Further, the file control device 3 has a service adapter module (SA) 35 having a built-in magnetic disk device (HD) 8. This service adapter module (SA) 35 manages the collection of failure information and the initial firmware loading, and is connected to the maintenance device 6 through the maintenance interface 7. In the hard disk device (HD), firmware of the file control device 3 and various tables and data for operating the channel interface 2 are stored.
[0024]
Further, the hard disk device (HD) stores a logical device table (control table) for handling the magnetic disk device 4 as a logical device device.
[0025]
When the power source of the file control device 3 is turned on, the service adapter module (SA) loads the firmware of all modules in the file control device 3 and simultaneously transfers various table data through the memory 9 (MEM).
[0026]
Also, the various tables of the present invention are simultaneously expanded in the memory 9 (MEM) and notified to the resource management unit 34 (RM).
Access from the host computer 1 to the file control device 3 and the magnetic disk device 4 is controlled as follows.
[0027]
First, a write command (Write) from the host computer 1 is decoded by the channel adapter module 31 (CA), and the file control device 3 knows that the command is a write operation.
[0028]
Next, the channel adapter module 31 (CA) accesses the resource management unit 34 (RM) in order to check the device state of the magnetic disk device 4.
Here, the resource management unit 34 (RM) manages logical devices in units of logical devices using the logical device table 301 shown in FIG.
[0029]
In this embodiment, the logical device table 301 is stored in a logical device management table 401 that manages the entire file control apparatus shown in FIG.
The logical device table 301 is composed of 8 bits, 0 bit is a read-only flag, 1 bit is a read / write permission flag, 2 bits is a device access prohibition flag, 4 bits is a file control device access prohibition flag, and 7 bits are valid. It is a flag. Here, the resource management unit 34 (RM) checks whether a 0-bit read-only flag is set. When the read-only flag is “1”, that is, in the read-only state, the channel adapter module 31 (CA) is notified of the read-only mode.
[0030]
As a result, the channel adapter module 31 (CA) recognizes that it is in a write-inhibited state, and responds to the host computer 1 with an access error as a write protect error. The host computer 1 recognizes that the logical device is protected by this error.
[0031]
Further, the prohibition of access to the logical device is determined by whether or not the device access prohibition flag (second bit) in the logical device table 301 is set. When this flag is set, access prohibition is judged by the channel adapter module 31 (CA), and an access error is made by responding to an intervention request (IRQ) for access from the host computer 1.
[0032]
Further, the access prohibition of the entire file control apparatus 3 is determined by whether or not the file control apparatus access prohibition flag (fourth bit) in the logical device table 301 is set. Even when this flag is set, as described above, the access prohibition is judged by the channel adapter module 31 (CA), and an access request is made by responding to the intervention request (IRQ) for the access from the host computer 1. An error is assumed.
[0033]
Next, the update of the logical device table of the present invention will be described.
When updating the logical device table 301 of a specific logical device, the maintenance device 6 transmits a control command 601 as shown in FIG. 6 to the service adapter module (SA) 35 through the maintenance interface 7. As shown in FIG. 6, the format of the control command 601 stores a command code (CMD: “70” is stored here), an attribute (ATB), and a parameter. The attribute byte (ATB) is composed of 7 bits, the 0th bit is a read-only flag, the 1st bit is a read / write mode flag, the 2nd is a device access prohibition flag, the 4th bit is a file control device access prohibition flag, The seventh bit is a set / reset instruction flag. The third bit and the sixth to fifth bits are not used.
[0034]
When the logical device table 301 is changed, the maintenance device 6 can change the logical device table 301 by combining the seventh bit, first bit, and zeroth bit flag of the attribute byte (ATB). For example, if the combination of the seventh bit = 1 and the first bit = 1 is set, the read / write permission mode is set. If the 7th bit = 1, the 0th bit = 1, the read-only mode is set. If the 7th bit = 0, it is reset.
[0035]
The service adapter module (SA) 35 reads the corresponding logical device table 301 from the logical device management table 401 of the entire file control device held in the built-in magnetic disk device (HD) 8, and the attribute byte of the control command 601 Rewriting is performed according to the bit state of (ATB).
[0036]
Then, the service adapter module (SA) 35 notifies the resource manager 34 (RM) that the state of the logical device has been changed. The resource management unit 34 (RM) changes the logical device to, for example, “Read Only” or “Read / Write” (Read / Write) by updating the logical device table 301 as described above.
[0037]
The access prohibition for each logical unit is to prohibit the access from the host computer 1 by setting the attribute byte (ATB) of the control command 601 shown in FIG. Can do.
[0038]
Further, the access prohibition of the entire file control apparatus is performed by setting the attribute byte (ATB) of the control command 601 shown in FIG. Access from the computer 1 can be prohibited.
[0039]
In response to an instruction from the maintenance device 6, the service adapter module (SA) causes “file control device access” in the logical device table 301 of all the logical devices held in the built-in magnetic disk device (HD) 8 and the memory 9 (MEM). The “prohibition flag” can be updated. In this case, the resource management unit 34 (RM) is notified that the states of all the logical devices have been changed. The resource management unit 34 (RM) can perform a control in which the logical device table of all logical devices owned by itself is updated and all subsequent accesses from the host computer 1 are prohibited or permitted.
[0040]
If there are a large number of logical devices whose status is to be changed, the maintenance device 6 may have the logical device management table 401 of the entire file control device shown in FIG. In this case, the logical device management table 401 can be updated by an instruction from the operator.
[0041]
The maintenance device 6 notifies the file control apparatus 3 of the collective control command 701 shown in FIG.
In the file control device 3, the service adapter module (SA) 35 receives the logical device management table 401 of the file control device 3 transferred by the command, and stores the data held in the built-in magnetic disk device (HD) 8. Update. Also, the management data of the memory (MEM) 9 in the file control device 3 is updated at the same time. The service adapter module (SA) 35 notifies the resource manager 34 (RM) that the entire logical device management table 401 has been updated. The resource manager 34 (RM) updates the entire logical device management table 401.
[0042]
As described above, by issuing the batch control command 701, it is possible to collectively change the state of each logical device.
In addition, a large number of file control apparatuses 3 (FCUs) can exist and perform similar management. FIG. 5 shows this system configuration. That is, the maintenance devices (6a to 6x) that manage the file control apparatuses (3a to 3x) are connected to the maintenance device management apparatus 501 by LAN connection.
[0043]
In such a configuration, the maintenance device management apparatus 501 is provided with a collective management table 801 as shown in FIG. Among these, the control pattern for each file control apparatus has the same configuration as the logical device management table shown in FIG.
[0044]
FIG. 9 shows a configuration example of the management screen of the maintenance device management apparatus 501. As shown in the figure, in the maintenance device management apparatus 501, the access control mode, the read-only mode, and the read / write permission mode are classified for each file control apparatus (3a to 3x) managed by each maintenance device (6a to 6x). Is displayed.
[0045]
Here, the system administrator can change the state of the logical unit in each file control unit 3 (FCU) and the state of the file control unit 3 (FCU) through the maintenance device management unit 501.
[0046]
This is instructed from the maintenance device management apparatus 501 to the maintenance devices (6a to 6x) connected to the file control apparatus 3 (FCU) using a command similar to the collective control command 701 in FIG. In this case, since the maintenance device (6a-x) does nothing, it simply relays the instruction from the host to the file control unit 3 (FCU) as it is. Thereafter, the batch processing functions in the same manner as the above-described processing, and the management table 801 is updated.
[0047]
At this time, by using the read control command 1001 of FIG. 10, the state of the file control device 3 (FCU) can be read, and the state of the device can be immediately grasped.
[0048]
When this control command 1001 is issued from the maintenance device (6a to 6x) to the service adapter module (SA), the logical device table 301 held in the built-in magnetic disk device (HD) 8 and the memory 9 (MEM). Is transferred to the maintenance device 6. Further, by setting the attribute byte (ATB) of the read control command 1001 to “80”, all data in the internal magnetic disk device (HD) 8 and the memory 9 (MEM) held in the file control device 3 (FCU). Is transferred to the maintenance adapter 6.
[0049]
As a result, the state of the logical device can be checked when the device configuration is changed, and collective control is possible even when the maintenance device 6 does not have data for the entire logical device. It is also possible to create the latest data of all logical devices.
[0050]
Further, the status of the logical device can be displayed, and the operability is improved by setting the status at a time.
In addition, since a plurality of file control apparatuses 3 can be managed by one maintenance device management apparatus 501, changes are easy, management is simplified, and reliability is improved.
[0051]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, mode setting in units of logical devices and access control in units of file control devices are possible.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional file access system. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of a file access system according to an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a format of a logical device table in the embodiment. 4 is a configuration diagram of a logical device management table accommodated in the maintenance device in the embodiment. FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram in the case where a plurality of maintenance devices are collectively managed in the LAN in the embodiment. FIG. 6 is a control used in the embodiment. Command format diagram [FIG. 7] Format diagram of collective control command used in the embodiment [FIG. 8] Management table data of the maintenance device management apparatus in the embodiment [FIG. 9] Management display screen on the maintenance device management apparatus in the embodiment [Fig. 10] Control command file used in the embodiment Format [Explanation of symbols]
1 Host computer 2 Channel interface 3 File control device 4 Magnetic disk device 5 Protect switch 6 Maintenance device 7 Maintenance interface 8 Built-in magnetic disk (HD)
9 Memory (MEM)
31 channel adapter module (CA)
32 Device Adapter Module (DA)
33 Memory control unit (FE)
34 Resource Management Department (RM)
35 Service Adapter Module (SA)
301 Logical Device Table 401 Logical Device Management Table 501 Maintenance Device Management Device 601 Control Command 701 Batch Control Command 801 Batch Management Table 1001 Control Command

Claims (3)

A file device that constitutes a logical device with a plurality of physical storage device groups, and
A host device for writing to and reading from the file device;
A logical device table that is interposed between the host device and the file device and describes the state of each logical device, and written by referring to the logical device table when the host device accesses the file device Or a plurality of file control devices comprising an access control means for notifying whether to permit reading, or
Logical device management means for collectively managing the logical device table in each file control device for each file control device;
A file access system comprising: a logical device collective management unit configured to collectively manage a plurality of the logical device management units, wherein the logical device management units are connected to a network . 2. The file access system according to claim 1, wherein the contents of the logical device table can be updated by a control command issued by means installed outside the file control apparatus. The logical device table includes a flag indicating that the logical device is read-only, a flag indicating that read / write is possible, a flag indicating that the logical device itself is prohibited to access, and an access by the file control device itself. 3. The file access system according to claim 1, further comprising a flag indicating prohibition.

Images