JPH02281319A - Storage subsystem - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To shorten the handling time by using one section of a temporary save means as the save place for a commutative storage medium to be next read or written and using another section as the temporary save place for a preceding commutative storage medium taken out at the time of next read or write. CONSTITUTION:A requested storage medium is taken out from a storage place 2b of a library 2 and is stored in a cell 3a of a temporary save cell 3. A storage medium remaining in a deck 1 is taken out of the deck 1 and is stored in a cell 3b of the cell 3. The requested storage medium stored in the cell 3b is loaded to the deck 1. At the same time, an accessor 4 returns the storage medium, which remains in the cell 3 and is subjected to preceding read or write, to a prescribed storage place 2a in the library 2. Since read or write is already started at the time of starting this operation, the time for return of the storage medium to the library 2 is not recognized by user and can be ignored as the handling time.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Industrial Application Field] The present invention provides a storage subsystem that uses a removable storage medium such as a magnetic disk, automates its handling, and is used as an external storage device for information processing. The present invention relates to a system, and particularly to a storage subsystem that can significantly shorten the handling time of a removable storage medium from the user's perspective using a simple mechanism.

[Prior Art] External storage devices that are equipped with magnetic disks or magnetic tapes to read and write data have been known for a long time. used for processing.

When there are a large number of these removable storage media such as magnetic disks, a storage subsystem is used that stores them in one place and automates handling of them to external storage devices.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of one conventional storage subsystem. 1 is a deck in which a removable storage medium (hereinafter referred to as a storage medium) is loaded and read/written in an external storage device, 2 is a library that stores a large number of storage media, and 4 is a deck for transporting storage media between deck 1 and library 2. This is an accessor for storing and loading the device. ■, ■, ■ show the handling operation procedure of the accessor 4 when the storage medium that was read and written last time remains in the deck l, and ■ takes out the storage medium remaining in the deck, The operation of returning to the predetermined storage location 2a in the library 2, (2) is the storage location 2b where the next requested storage medium is stored.
(inside the library 2), (2) is the operation of taking out the next requested storage medium from the storage location 2b in the library 2 and loading it into the deck l, after which reading and writing was started. In this conventional example, a time (handling time) of 1+2+2 is required from when a read/write request is made to the storage medium until the read/write actually starts.

On the other hand, another conventional example shown in FIG. 4 is known as a storage subsystem that shortens the handling time. In this conventional example, in the configuration of the conventional example shown in FIG. 3, the accessor 4 is equipped with a plurality of (two in the case of rotation) gripping hands (hereinafter referred to as picks) A and B for handling the replaceable storage medium. It is something.

In FIG. 4, members having the same functions as those in the conventional example shown in FIG. 3 are given the same reference numerals. ■′,■′.

■' is accessor 4 when the storage medium that was last read/written remains in deck 1 (same conditions as in Figure 3).
, where ■' is the operation of taking out the requested storage medium from the predetermined storage location 2b of the library 2 with pick A and moving it to deck ■, and ■' is the operation of removing the requested storage medium from pick B in the deck l. (2) is the operation of loading the requested storage medium into the deck with pick A; after this, reading and writing is started. In parallel with this reading and writing, an operation is performed to return the storage medium taken out from the deck i by the pick B to the predetermined storage location 2a of the library 2, so compared to the conventional example shown in FIG. The time spent on parts is invisible to the user, resulting in reduced handling time.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the storage subsystem of FIG. 4 according to the above-mentioned conventional technology, it is necessary to equip one accessor 4 with a plurality of picks (in this example, there are two picks,
, Big B), the mechanism around the accessor 4 and the control method become quite complex, resulting in a problem that the cost of the entire device becomes high.

The present invention was devised to solve the above-mentioned problems, and is a storage subsystem having a removable storage device that automates the handling of removable storage media. An object of the present invention is to provide a storage subsystem that can reduce handling time.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The configuration of the storage subsystem of the present invention for achieving the above object includes a storage means for storing a large number of removable storage media, and a storage unit that stores a large number of removable storage media, A removable storage device that reads from or writes to the removable storage medium, and a temporary storage device that has a partition for temporarily storing at least two or more of the removable storage media near the removable storage device. evacuation means; transporting and storing the removable storage medium between the storage means, the temporary evacuation means, and the removable storage device;

and a handling mechanism for loading the removable storage medium, and after the handling mechanism once stores the removable storage medium that requires read/write carried from the storage means into one section of the temporary storage means, the removable storage medium is loaded into the removable storage device. If there is a previous removable storage medium in , the previous removable storage medium is taken out and stored in another section of the temporary saving means, and the removable storage medium for which reading/writing is requested is stored in the one section. After loading the removable storage medium into the removable storage device, the previous removable storage medium in the other partition is stored in a predetermined storage location of the storage means.

[Operation] The present invention stores all the removable storage media used in the removable storage device in a storage means, and stores a small number of removable storage devices (both A temporary evacuation means having a partition capable of storing two removable storage media is provided, one section of the temporary evacuation means is used as an evacuation place for the next removable storage medium to be read and written, and the other one is It is used as a temporary save location for the previous removable storage medium that was taken out the next time the removable storage device is read and written. The next removable storage medium or the previous removable storage medium can be transported and stored between the temporary evacuation means and the storage means, and the handling time seen from the user side of the removable storage device is reduced. Shorten.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the structure and operation of an embodiment of the present invention. First, the configuration of this embodiment will be described. In the figure, I denotes a deck of a removable storage device (hereinafter abbreviated as storage medium) such as a magnetic disk, which reads or writes to the storage medium by loading it;
3 is a library in which all the storage media used in this removable storage device are fixedly or flexibly stored, and 3 is a temporary library for storing the storage media taken out from deck 1 or loaded into deck 1. Two or more cells 3a (two in the case of rotation) are stored in a fixed manner.

3b is a temporary evacuation cell arranged around the deck 1, and 4 is a storage medium transport mechanism that moves between the deck 1, the library 2, and the temporary evacuation cell 3, and carries, stores, loads, and handles the storage medium. This is an accessor that performs. The accessor 4 has a function of managing storage locations of storage media in the library 2, and receives designation of a storage medium (hereinafter referred to as a requested storage medium) for which read/write is requested from the removable storage device side, and processes the request. Temporarily save storage medium from library 2 to cell 3
a function to take out the previously read/written storage medium from the deck 1 and temporarily store it in the temporary storage cell 3, and a function to return the previous storage medium from the temporary storage cell to a predetermined storage location in the library 2. and has.

The operation and effect of the embodiment configured as above will be described. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing operations centered on the accessor of this embodiment. Description will be made below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The accessor 4 manages the storage of storage media in the library 2, and upon receiving a designation from the removable storage device of a storage medium (referred to as a requested storage medium) for which reading or writing is requested, the accessor 4 stores the storage location 2b of the requested storage medium. It is searched, taken out, and temporarily stored in cell 3λ of temporary save cell 3. Here, if the storage medium that was last read/written remains in the deck l (Yes), the deck l
Then, the previous storage medium is taken out and temporarily stored in another cell 3b of the temporary save cell 3, and then the requested storage medium of the cell 3a is loaded into the deck l. In the above, Detsuki l
If there is no storage medium in the cell 3a, the storage medium requested by the cell 3a is immediately loaded into the deck l. In this case, the temporary storage of the requested storage medium in the cell 3a may be omitted and the storage medium may be directly loaded onto the deck 1. In this case, the handling time is further reduced. In this way, after the requested storage medium is loaded into deck l, the removable storage device is loaded with deck l.
At , the requested storage medium is read or written.

In parallel with this, if the used storage medium that was last read/written is temporarily saved in the temporary save cell 3 (cell 3b), the accessor 4 takes it out from the cell 3b and stores it in the predetermined storage location 2a of the library 2. The machine is then returned to the library 2 and left in preparation for transporting the next requested storage medium. In the above, if there is no used previous storage medium in the temporary save cell 3, the accessor 4 immediately retires from the library 2 side.

■, ■, and ■ in FIG. 1 indicate the operations of the accessor when the previously read/written storage medium remains in the deck l, and ■ takes out the requested storage medium from the storage location 2b of the library 2. (2) is the operation of taking out the storage medium remaining in the deck L from the deck violet and storing it in the cell 3b of the temporary save cell 3; (2) is the temporary save cell This is the operation of loading the requested storage medium stored in the cell 3a of No. 3 into the deck L, and reading and writing is then started. At the same time, the accessor 4 returns the previously read and written storage medium remaining in the temporary save cell 3 to the predetermined storage location 2λ in the library 2, but when this operation starts, reading and writing have already started. Therefore, the time required to return the storage medium to the library 2 is invisible to the user and can be ignored as handling time, and the handling time from the user's perspective can be significantly reduced.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments with respect to the number of cells constituting the temporary save cell 3, the positional relationship of the temporary save cell 3 with respect to the deck (2), the number of storage locations in the library 2, etc.

In addition to magnetic disks, the present invention can also be used as a storage medium.
It is applicable to removable storage media such as magneto-optical disks, magnetic tapes, and flexible disks, and the storage medium is not limited. Furthermore, in the operation of this embodiment, if the temporary save cell is composed of three or more cells, a plurality of requested storage media can be saved to the temporary save cell 3 in parallel with the reading and writing of the deck l. The handling time seen from the user's side can be further shortened. In this case, in preparation for removing the previous used storage medium from the deck 1 and loading the next requested storage medium, the accessor 4 is moved to the deck! It would be preferable to have the aircraft retreat to the side.

As described above, the present invention can be applied in various ways in accordance with the spirit thereof, and can take various implementations and embodiments.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the storage subsystem of the present invention having a removable storage device that automates the handling of removable storage media has a storage subsystem having a removable storage device that automates the handling of removable storage media. By installing it nearby, it is possible to achieve the time-saving effect with a very simple mechanism, which previously required costly and complex mechanisms and controls to shorten handling time. There are advantages.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration and operation of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of this embodiment, FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of one conventional technique, and FIG. 4 is an illustration of another technique. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a prior art. l...Deck, 2...Library, 3...Temporary save cell, 3a, 3b...Cell, 4...Accessor. Figure 3 Figure 4

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A storage means for storing a large number of removable storage media, a removable storage device that reads or writes to the removable storage medium by loading the removable storage medium, and the removable storage temporary storage means having a partition for temporarily storing at least two or more of the above-mentioned removable storage media near the device; and a handling mechanism for transporting, storing, and loading the storage medium, and after the handling mechanism once stores the removable storage medium that requires reading and writing, which is transported from the storage means, into one compartment of the temporary storage means. , when there is a previous removable storage medium in the removable storage device, the removable storage device takes out the previous removable storage medium, stores it in another section of the temporary saving means, and requests the read/write. After loading a storage medium into the removable storage device from the one compartment, the previous removable storage medium in the other compartment is stored in a predetermined storage location of the storage means. storage subsystem.