JPH01166233A - Computer system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the performance of a computer system by providing a memory subsystem control processor between a host computer and the memory controller groups and controlling the file group stored in a memory. CONSTITUTION:A memory subsystem control processor SMP2 is set between a host computer (including a channel) and the memory controller groups 3 and 4 which memories 5-8. The SMP2 controls the file groups stored in the memories and performs the transfer of data among memories, the conversion of data formats, the file reformation, the garbage collection, the data compression, the data coding/decoding operations, etc., to reduce the load of a host computer 1. As a result, the performance of a computer system is improved. The interface is secured by a logical identifier between the computer 1 and the SMP2 and this logical identifier is converted into a physical identifier by a logical/physical information control converting function of the SMP2. Thus the data processing is carried out to a physical device and therefore it is possible to realize a computer system having high independence and high flexibility.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a computer system, and particularly to a computer system suitable for processing large amounts of data.

[Conventional technology]

In conventional computer systems, when writing data from one storage device to another storage device, the data must first be read into the main memory of the host computer and then written to the storage device. It is extremely expensive to perform such pure Qt processing on a host computer. Also.

The load is especially high when handling large amounts of data. Until now, there has been no computer system that allows the storage subsystem to perform such processing.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

The above-mentioned conventional technology does not sufficiently reduce the load on the host computer, and data transfer between storage devices for large amounts of data or file reorganization processing, etc., inevitably imposes a high load.

The purpose of this embodiment is to reduce the load on the host 1 computer and to improve the performance of the computer system.

[Means for solving problems]

The above object is achieved by providing a storage subsystem management processor between a host computer (including channels) and a storage control device group. In addition, data processing is realized using a high-performance interface between the host computer and the storage subsystem management processor, which reduces the load on the host computer and provides independence from each other, making it possible to construct a flexible computer system. Become.

[Effect]

In a computer system consisting of a host computer that performs data processing and a storage control device group that controls a plurality of storage devices, data stored in the storage device is located between the host computer (including channels) and the storage control device group. A storage subsystem management processor is provided to manage file groups and perform processing such as data transfer between storage devices, data format conversion, file reorganization, garbage collection, data compression, and data encoding/decoding. By performing data processing closed on the system side by the storage subsystem management processor, it is possible to reduce the load on the host computer and improve the performance of the computer system. Note that in order to realize the above functions and performance improvements, the interface between the host computer and the storage subsystem management processor is performed using a logical identifier. This identifier is converted into a physical identifier by a logical/physical information management conversion function (corresponding to a conventional data dictionary/directory function) in the storage subsystem management processor, and data processing for the physical device is performed. This results in
It also becomes possible to construct a highly independent and flexible computer system.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows its operation. First, in Figure 1, 1
is a host computer that issues input/output processing requests or data processing requests to the storage subsystem. Reference numeral 2 denotes a storage subsystem management processor (referred to as SMP), which is a processor that receives the processing request from the host computer 1, controls its execution, and manages the execution of the storage subsystem. This SMP2 manages execution control of processing requests from the host computer 1 (referred to as storage subsystem execution commands, hereinafter referred to as CMD), expands the command CMr) into a subcommand sequence, and stores memory that operates under the control of the processor. Transfer of the relevant subcommands to the control device and control of their execution,
and the execution of the subcommand (processing subcommands such as blocking/deblocking, data mapping between storage devices, garbage collection, data compression, or data encoding/decoding). 3 and 4
is a storage control device, and 5 to 8 are storage devices.

Next, the 1'j+ operation of this embodiment will be explained using the second interval a-f. Now, assume that the storage subsystem management processor SMP2 receives a storage subsystem execution command FCOPY for copying file F from the storage device 5 to the storage device 7 from the host computer 1 via a channel (not shown) (10 ). Note that the specifications of this FCOPY command are written as follows.

FCOPY (F,DI,r)z) Here, Dl is the storage device 5. Dl corresponds to the storage device 7. SMP2 manages directory information and file attribute information of files stored in each storage device, and uses this information to execute commands such as the above FCOPY and the storage tables 'fl D and Dl, respectively. (30). In this case, it becomes: 5FREAD (Ci D , F (A Dz)D
t...■5FWRITE (Ci D
, F(ADl), Dl)...■Here, SFRIEAD is a subcommand for reading files, and SWRTE is a subcommand for writing files (actually, it is realized with simpler code) ). C
iD is the FCOPY condo iD, and AD and AI)2 are the physical addresses of files D1 and 1-)2, respectively.

SMP2 first transfers ■ to the storage control device 3 and has the result (40 to 90), SMP2 transfers the corresponding subcommand F
While waiting for the execution result of READ, other CMDs are accepted, the CMDs are expanded into subcommands, other subcommands are processed, etc. (100). In parallel with the operation of SMP2 above.

The storage control bag v13 starts processing the received subcommand FREAD (110), and this processing is similar to the operation of a conventional storage control device.

The storage control device 3 transfers the processing result, that is, the data of the file F read from the specified physical address ADs of the storage device DI to the SMP 2 (120 to 150). SMP2 starts executing command 5DITH (■) on the data,
Transfer the subcommand to the storage control device 4 (170
~300°50~90). While waiting for the processing result of the subcommand, the SMP 2 accepts another CMD, expands the CMD into a subcommand, processes other subcommands, etc. (100).

In parallel with the operation of the SMP 2, the storage control device 4 starts processing the received subcommand F W R I T [': (110). The processing is similar to the operation of a conventional storage control device. The storage control device 4 writes the data of the file F transferred from the SMP 2 to the designated physical address ADz of the storage device D2 (120-150).

When the above process, that is, the FREAr) subcommand is executed in parts, the FIilRT1'1E subcommand is also correspondingly and repeatedly executed. If the final Y status is a complete completion status (160), the SMP
2 transfers the completion of processing of the FCOPY command to the post computer via the channel, and processes other CMD or other subcommands (310).

The above is an example of file copy processing operations, but garbage collection, data compression, file reorganization, etc. are performed in the same way. As a result, processing that was conventionally executed by the host computer is offloaded to the SMP, thereby reducing the load on the host computer and improving its performance. In addition, the SM
Encoding/decoding of data, various format conversions 1, etc. can also be realized on P, and the load on the host computer 1 can be further reduced. Furthermore, if there is a high-speed storage device (for example, a semiconductor storage device) or a conventional low-speed storage device (for example, a magnetic disk device) under the SMP.

Store update processing data for a file or database in a high-speed storage device, and transfer the updated data from the high-speed storage device to a low-speed storage device at the time of commit (reflecting the updated data directly to the file or database) or checkpoint. Processing such as the following can also be realized. Furthermore, the SMP2.

By holding a large amount of memory in the host computer, a storage hierarchy system can be realized, and the performance of the host computer can be further improved.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, by offloading processing that is closed to a storage subsystem to the subsystem, it is possible to reduce the load on a host computer and to improve the performance of the entire computer system. Also.

A high-performance interface between the host computer and the storage subsystem processor enables 1. A flexible computer system can be provided. In this embodiment, a single storage subsystem processor is described, but there may be multiple processors corresponding to channels, and the processor may be located between the host and the channel, or may be located on the same bus or network. One or more may exist. By adding the function of a storage system management processor to a conventional channel processor or storage control device,
It is also possible to achieve an equivalent effect.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 a to 2 f are flow diagrams showing its operation. 1...Host computer, 2...Storage subsystem? 1′
? Physical processor, 3, 4...Storage control device, 5--8
...I have a bad memory. ,′->,
. Agent Patent Attorney Ogawa 1) 7th man゛- Z-diagram (calculation) 7- Diagram etc. Z-diagram (men calculation 2-diagram (e)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a computer system consisting of a host computer that processes data and a storage control device group that controls a plurality of storage devices, there is a A computer system comprising: a storage subsystem management processor that manages a group of files stored in a storage device. 2. The computer system according to claim 1, further comprising a storage subsystem management processor that performs data transfer between storage devices, data format conversion, file reorganization, garbage collection, etc. 3. The computer system according to claim 1, further comprising a storage subsystem management processor that performs processing such as data compression and data encoding/decoding.