JP4634431B2 - Information processing device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing system that includes a plurality of electronic devices stored, controls access to the plurality of electronic devices, and includes a take-out prevention mechanism that fixes the plurality of electronic devices so that the plurality of electronic devices are not taken out illegally. Relates to the device.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is an information processing apparatus that includes a take-out prevention mechanism that fixes a plurality of electronic devices and stores the plurality of electronic devices so that they are not taken out illegally. A typical example is a disk array device that stores data based on RAID (Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive Disks) technology. RAID is a technique for managing a plurality of hard disks as a single hard disk. Therefore, the disk array device stores a plurality of hard disks.

  A specific method for storing hard disks in the disk array apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a storage unit serving as a storage location of the hard disk and a storage case for storing the hard disk in the housing of the disk array device. As shown in the figure, the storage unit 100 is provided with a plurality of slots 120 where the storage case is inserted, and the hard disk is stored in the storage case 110 and stored in the slot. The disk array device controls reading and writing with respect to the hard disk thus stored.

  In addition, the disk array device needs to prevent a failure caused by taking out the hard disk while reading / writing data from / to the hard disk, or prevent the hard disk from being stolen by a third party. For this reason, the disk array device is provided with a take-out prevention mechanism that prevents unauthorized removal of the stored hard disk.

  This take-out prevention mechanism will be specifically described with reference to FIG. FIG. 9 is a front view of the storage unit 100 shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, the disk array device is provided with a component 130 for each slot, and the position of the component 130 can be controlled. The disk array apparatus prevents the movement of the storage case 110 in the outward direction of the slot by stopping the component 130 at a predetermined position. Specifically, when such a movement occurs, the component 130 and a predetermined portion of the storage case 110 collide with each other. As a result, in the disk array device, the storage case 110 is not pulled out, and the hard disk is not taken out. In this way, the disk array device fixes the hard disk so that the hard disk is not illegally taken out by the take-out prevention mechanism.

  By the way, some of the take-out prevention mechanisms also release the fixation of the hard disk in a lump. This take-out prevention mechanism will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a take-out prevention mechanism capable of releasing the fixation of the hard disk in a lump. As shown in FIG. 9A, all components provided for each slot are fixed to the plate 140 in addition to the components 130 shown in FIG. If the take-out prevention mechanism has such a configuration, when the plate 140 slides in the direction of the arrow, as shown in FIG. Therefore, the disk array apparatus can simultaneously control the positions of all the components 130. As a result, the hard disk is unfixed all at once.

  However, in the above-described removal prevention mechanism, all hard disks can be removed in addition to the hard disk to be removed. For this reason, there has been a situation in which a hard disk being read / written is accidentally taken out and a failure occurs in the disk array device.

  Thus, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique in which a control circuit is individually installed for a hard disk, and when the failure of the hard disk is detected by the control circuit, fixing of the failed hard disk is released.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-219715

  Incidentally, in some cases, the disk array device may be installed at a location away from the resident location of the maintenance personnel. In such a case, it takes time for the maintenance person to actually visit the site after determining the necessity of maintenance for the predetermined hard disk.

  When the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 is used in the above-described environment, for example, when a hard disk is released from being fixed, a third party from when the maintenance person determines the necessity of maintenance until the actual visit to the site May be taken out of your hard disk. Also, for example, when a maintenance person actually visits the site, another hard disk is unfixed, and a maintenance person who does not know it does not replace the hard disk to be replaced, but mistakenly replaces the other hard disk. There is a possibility that.

  As described above, when the disk array device is installed at a location away from the resident location of the maintenance person, the time until the maintenance person actually visits the site after judging the necessity of maintenance for the predetermined hard disk is determined. There was a problem that there was a risk.

  Including the above-described problems related to the disk array device, a conventional information processing apparatus having a take-out prevention mechanism for fixing a plurality of electronic devices has been required to have higher safety.

  Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems of the prior art, and an object thereof is to provide a disk array device having higher security.

In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, this apparatus stores a plurality of electronic devices, controls access to the plurality of electronic devices, and prevents the plurality of electronic devices from being illegally taken out. An information processing apparatus having a take-out prevention mechanism that fixes a plurality of electronic devices, and a release request that is automatically made for fixing a failed electronic device and / or for fixing any electronic device A release request first receiving means for receiving a release request made remotely and a release request for fixing the plurality of electronic devices after the release request first receiving means receives the release request provided in the information processing apparatus. A plurality of release request second receiving means that are individually received, a release request received by the release request first receiving means, and received by the release request second receiving means. Release request and was found in the case was clear request for fixation of the same electronic device may be a requirement that with a, and unlocking means for releasing the fixing of the electronic device by the removal prevention mechanism.

In order to take out the electronic device in the disclosed apparatus, in addition to the cancellation request first receiving unit receiving the cancellation request , the cancellation request provided in the information processing apparatus itself after the cancellation request first receiving unit receives the cancellation request. It is necessary for the second accepting unit to accept the release request. As a result, if you manage the keys necessary for the operation of the release request second receiving means, the risk of electronic devices being taken away by a third party even if a disk array device is installed far away is reduced. There exists an effect of providing higher safety | security with respect to a processing apparatus.

  Exemplary embodiments of an information processing apparatus according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  First, the disk array device will be described as a representative example of the information processing apparatus according to the present invention, and the outline of the disk array device according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the disk array device according to the first embodiment, FIG. 2 is a front view of the storage unit 100 illustrated in FIG. 8, and FIG. 3 is a disk according to the first embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the taking-out prevention mechanism of an array apparatus.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the disk array device 10 is communicably connected to the information processing device 20. Then, the disk array device 10 stores the data transmitted from the information processing device 20 in the plurality of hard disks 40a1 to 40an, and reads the stored data based on an instruction from the information processing device 20. The plurality of hard disks 40a1 to 40an are stored in a predetermined storage location (the portion surrounded by a dotted line in FIG. 1), and the disk array device 10 uniquely identifies each of the plurality of hard disks in order to distinguish each of the plurality of hard disks. Assign possible identification information. Note that the storage method of the hard disk in the first embodiment is also a storage method using a storage unit and a storage case, as specifically described in FIG. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the hard disk is stored in the storage case 150 and stored in the slot 160 for each storage case 150.

  In addition, the disk array device 10 includes a removal prevention mechanism for fixing the hard disk so that the hard disk is not illegally removed. The removal preventing mechanism will be described in detail. The disk array device 10 includes, for each slot, a component that can be controlled to rotate about a predetermined portion, like a pull-out preventing portion 170 shown in FIG. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the disk array device 10 controls the pull-out preventing unit 170 to be stationary at a position indicated by a solid line or at a position indicated by a dotted line. Then, when the pull-out preventing portion 170 is stationary at the position indicated by the solid line, the pull-out preventing portion 170 collides with the protruding portion 180 of the storage case 150 even if the storage case 150 is pulled from the back of the sheet to the near side. Therefore, since the storage case 150 is not pulled out unless the disk array device 10 controls the pull-out stopper 170 to be stationary at the position of the dotted line, the hard disk is not taken out illegally. As described above, the disk array device 10 fixes the hard disks so that the hard disks 40a1 to 40an are not taken out illegally by the take-out prevention mechanism having the pull-out preventing portion 170.

  Further, the disk array device 10 is communicably connected to a management device 30 installed at a location distant from the disk array device 10. The management device 30 receives a release request for fixing an arbitrary hard disk such as a hard disk that needs to be replaced due to a failure, and transmits the request to the disk array device 10. Note that hard disk identification information is added to the release request.

  The above is the outline of the disk array device according to the first embodiment. Next, the configuration of the disk array device according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the disk array device 10 includes hard disks 40a1 to 40an, a read / write control unit 50, pull-out preventing units 170a1 to 170an, a release request first receiving unit 60, and a release request second receiving unit 70a1. 70an and a fixing release unit 80.

  The hard disks 40a1 to 40an store data transmitted from the information processing apparatus 20.

  The read / write control unit 50 controls read / write performed by the information processing apparatus 20 on the hard disks 40a1 to 40an. The read / write control unit 50 includes a hard disk failure detection unit 51, and the hard disk failure detection unit 51 detects the occurrence of a failure in the hard disks 40a1 to 40an. Then, when a failure occurs in the hard disk 40ax among the hard disks 40a1 to 40an, the read / write control unit 50 notifies the management device 30 to that effect or issues a release request for fixing the hard disk 40ax to the cancellation request first receiving unit 60. Or output. Note that identification information of the hard disks 40a1 to 40an is assigned to the cancellation request output to the cancellation request first receiving unit 60.

  The pull-out preventing parts 170a1 to 170an are a single fixing means for the hard disks 40a1 to 40an, and are controlled by a fixing release part 80 described later. A specific description of the pull-out preventing portions 170a1 to 170an is the same as the description given in the outline of the disk array device, and is omitted here.

  The release request first receiving unit 60 receives a release request that is automatically made for fixing the hard disk 40ax where a failure has occurred and / or a release request that is made remotely for fixing any hard disk 40ax. Specifically, the release request first receiving unit 60 receives the release request output from the read / write control unit 50 or the management device 30 and outputs the request to the fixed release unit 80 described later.

  The release request second receiving units 70a1 to 70an are provided in the disk array device 10 and individually receive release requests for fixing a plurality of hard disks. For example, like the keyhole 190 shown in FIG. 2, the release request second receiving units 70a1 to 70an are provided for each storage case, and a dedicated key (a separate key for each release request second receiving unit 70a1 to 70an) is provided. ) May be inserted. Then, when the key is inserted, the release request second receiving units 70a1 to 70an receive it as a release request for fixing the hard disk, and output the release request to the fixed release unit 80 described later. Note that hard disk identification information is added to the release request.

  By the way, although each of the plurality of release request second receiving units 70a1 to 70an receives the release request with the dedicated key as described above, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the release request second receiving units 70a1 to 70an may receive the release request using the same key (a shared key for all the release request second receiving units 70a1 to 70an). In this way, it is possible to reduce the labor of maintenance personnel as compared to the case where individual keys are required for the release request second receiving units 70a1 to 70an.

  Returning to the description of the configuration, the fixing release unit 80 is configured such that the release request received by the release request first receiving unit 60 and the release request received by the release request second receiving units 70a1 to 70an are the same hard disk. When it is a release request for fixation, the hard disk is released from the fixation by the take-out prevention mechanism.

  Specifically, when receiving the release requests output from the release request first receiving unit 60 and the release request second receiving units 70a1 to 70an, the fixing release unit 80 identifies the hard disks given to the two release requests. Compare information.

  Then, if the two coincide, the fixing release unit 80 moves the stationary stopper 170ax that fixes the hard disk to which the identification information is assigned to a position where it does not collide with the protruding portion of the storage case and stops it. Thus, if the obstruction due to the pull-out preventing portion 170ax is eliminated, the maintenance person can grasp the handle of the storage case and pull out the storage case from the slot and take out the hard disk.

  By the way, it is possible to eliminate the handle structure of the storage case at all by pushing the storage case out of the slot at the same time when the obstruction by the pull-out preventing portions 170a1 to 170an is eliminated. FIG. 4 is a side view of the slot 160 shown in FIG. 2 and the storage case 150 housed in the slot 160. As shown in FIG. Then, it is brought into contact with the rear part of the storage case 150 inserted into the slot 160. The post-pressing unit 200 pushes out the hard disk, which has been released by the fixing release unit 80, from the storage location. FIG. 5 is a view for explaining the back pushing portion. As shown in FIG. 5, the back pushing portion is constituted by an elastic body 210 or the like, and the repulsive force generated by the elastic body 210 is applied to the rear portion of the storage case 150. Good. As a result, the storage case 150 is pushed out of the slot when the obstruction by the pull-out preventing portion 170 is eliminated. In this way, it is possible to eliminate the act of taking out the hard disk by force and to reduce the risk of taking out the hard disk as compared with a method of providing a handle structure for taking out the hard disk.

  Next, the processing operation of the fixing release unit 80 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The processing flow shown in the figure is processing that is repeatedly executed while the disk array device 10 is operating.

  As shown in the figure, the fixing release unit 80 waits for reception of a release request output from the release request first receiving unit 60 (step S110).

  When receiving the release request from the release request first receiving unit 60 (Yes at Step S110), the fixing release unit 80 waits for reception of the release request output from the release request second receiving units 70a1 to 70an (Step S120). ).

  When receiving the release request from the release request second receiving unit 70ax (Yes at Step S120), the fixation release unit 80 compares the hard disk identification information given to each of the two release requests (Step S130).

  If the comparison results in a match (Yes in Step S140), the fixing release unit 80 controls the pull-out preventing unit to release the hard disk (Step S150) and ends the process.

[Effect of Example 1]
As described above, according to the first embodiment, in order to take out the hard disk stored in the disk array device 10, the release request first receiving unit 60 is provided in the disk array device 10 itself in addition to receiving the release request. It is necessary for the release request second receiving units 70a1 to 70an to receive the release request. As a result, if the keys necessary for the operations for the release request second receiving units 70a1 to 70an are managed, the risk of the hard disk being taken out by a third party even if the disk array device 10 is installed far away is reduced. Accordingly, it is possible to provide higher security for the disk array device 10.

  Further, according to the first embodiment, since the hard disk is fixed by one fixing means, the cost required to newly install the fixing means as compared with the method using two fixing means for fixing the hard disk. And labor can be reduced.

  In the first embodiment, the hard disk is fixed by a single fixing means (withdrawal stopper 170) so that the hard disk is not taken out illegally, but in the second embodiment, each of the two fixing means independently fixes the hard disk. This prevents unauthorized removal of the hard disk. This is because the removal of the hard disk is more strictly prevented and the risk of taking out the hard disk to a third party is reduced as compared with a method using one fixing means for fixing the hard disk.

  FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram for explaining the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4A, in the disk array device 10, the pull-out preventing portion 170 that appeared in the first embodiment and the second pull-out preventing portion 220 different from the pull-out preventing portion 170 independently fix the hard disk 230. To do. It should be noted that the second pull-out preventing portion 220 only needs to interfere with the movement of the storage case in the slot outward direction. For example, the second pull-out preventing part 220 rotates around a predetermined portion like the pull-out preventive part 170, and is installed at the lower part of the slot with respect to the pull-out preventive part 170 (see FIG. 4) installed at the upper part of the slot. It may be done. Further, the disk array device 10 can control the position of the second pull-out preventing unit 220.

  When the release request first receiving unit 60 receives the release request, the fixation release unit 80 releases the fixation of the pull-out preventing unit 170, and when the release request second receiving units 70a1 to 70an receive the release request. The fixation of the second pull-out preventing part 220 is released.

  Specifically, when receiving the release request from the release request first receiving unit 60, the fixing release unit 80 reads the identification information given to the release request. Then, as shown in FIG. 7B, the fixing release unit 80 controls the pull-out preventing unit 170 that fixes the hard disk 230 to which the identification information is assigned, and releases the fixation of the pull-out preventing unit 170. At this time, the fixing of the second pull-out preventing part 220 to the hard disk 230 is still maintained.

  Then, when receiving the release request from the release request second receiving unit 70ax, the fixation release unit 80 reads the identification information given to the release request. Then, as shown in FIG. 7C, the fixing release unit 80 controls the second extraction preventing unit 220 that fixes the hard disk 230 to which the identification information is assigned, and releases the fixation of the second extraction preventing unit 220. To do. At this time, since the fixing of the pull-out preventing portion 170 and the second pull-out preventing portion 220 with respect to the hard disk 230 is released, the maintenance person grasps the handle of the storage case for storing the hard disk 230 and removes the storage case from the slot. The hard disk 230 can be taken out. Alternatively, the storage case for storing the hard disk 230 is pushed out of the slot by the post-pressing unit 200 described with reference to FIG. 4, and the hard disk 230 can be taken out.

[Effect of Example 2]
As described above, according to the second embodiment, the hard disk removal is more strictly prevented and the risk of taking out the hard disk to a third party is compared with the method using one fixing means for fixing the hard disk. It becomes possible to reduce.

  Up to this point, the disk array device storing a plurality of hard disks has been described in the first and second embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the information processing stores a plurality of removable electronic devices. Any device may be used.

  As described above, the information processing apparatus according to the present invention is useful for controlling access to a plurality of electronic devices while fixing the plurality of stored electronic devices by an extraction preventing mechanism so as not to be illegally removed. Yes, suitable for providing higher safety.

1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a disk array device according to Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a front view of the storage part 100 shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a take-out prevention mechanism of the disk array device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a side view of a slot 160 shown in FIG. 2 and a storage case 150 stored in the slot 160. It is a figure for demonstrating a pushing part. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a process of a fixed release part. FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram for explaining Example 2; It is a perspective view of the storage case which stores the storage part used as the storage place of a hard disk among the housing | casing of a disk array apparatus, and a hard disk. It is a front view of the storage part 100 shown in FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating the taking-out prevention mechanism which can cancel | release fixing of a hard disk collectively.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Disk array apparatus 20 Information processing apparatus 30 Management apparatus 40a1-40an Hard disk 50 Read / write control part 51 Hard disk failure detection part 60 Release request | requirement 1st reception part 70a1-70an Release request | requirement 2nd reception part 80 Unlocking | release part 100 Storage part 110,150 Storage case 120, 160 Slot 130 Parts 140 Plate 170, 170a1-170an Pull-out preventing portion 180 Protruding portion 190 Key hole 200 Back pushing portion 210 Elastic body 220 Second pull-out preventing portion 230 Hard disk

Claims (5)

An information processing apparatus having a take-out prevention mechanism that stores a plurality of electronic devices, controls access to the plurality of electronic devices, and fixes the plurality of electronic devices so that the plurality of electronic devices are not illegally taken out. There,
A release request first receiving means for receiving a release request automatically made for fixing an electronic device in which a failure has occurred and / or a release request made remotely for fixing an arbitrary electronic device;
A plurality of release request second accepting units that are provided in the information processing apparatus and individually accept release requests for fixing the plurality of electronic devices after the release request first accepting unit accepts the release request;
When the release request received by the release request first receiving unit and the release request received by the release request second receiving unit are release requests for fixing the same electronic device, the removal prevention mechanism Fixing release means for releasing the fixing of the electronic device by
An information processing apparatus comprising: The take-out prevention mechanism is a mechanism in which the first fixing means and the second fixing means perform the fixing operation independently for each electronic device,
The fixing release means releases the fixation of the first fixing means when the release request first receiving means receives the release request, and the second request when the release request second receiving means receives the release request. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fixing unit is unlocked. The take-out prevention mechanism has a single fixing means for each electronic device,
When the release request received by the release request first receiving unit and the release request received by the release request second receiving unit are release requests for the same electronic device, The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein fixing of the fixing unit to the electronic device is released.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of release request second receiving units receive a release request using the same key.   5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an electronic device push-out unit that pushes out an electronic device that has been unlocked by the fixing release unit from a storage location.

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