JPH04148235A - Update system for microprogram - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To update a part of the microprogram of an external storage control device by loading a second microprogram at the time of the turning-on of a power supply to one of specified clusters, and loading a first microprogram at the time of the simultaneous turning-on of the power supply to both the clusters. CONSTITUTION:In the case of the alteration of the microprogram to exert influence on a whole disk control device 20, the microprogram stored in the area 52 for FC of an auxiliary storage device 50 is coped to a program area 51, and re-IMPL is executed for the cluster A and B. In the case of the alteration to exert influence on the operation of one of the cluster A and the cluster B, IMPL operation from the program area 51 is executed in the cluster A or the cluster B of the side to which the power supply is turned on. Here, the cluster B or the cluster A in the course of operation is never influenced. Thus, a part of the microprogram of the external storage control device can be exactly updated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] This invention relates to a technology for updating microprograms, and in particular to a technology that is effective when applied to updating work for microprograms at the site where a system is operated.

[Conventional technology]

For example, in an external storage subsystem such as a computer system, there is an external
A self-memory control device is interposed to realize efficient operation of the disk cover. In addition, it is known that such external storage control devices have a redundant internal configuration consisting of multiple clusters that perform control operations independently in order to achieve long-term non-stop operation and improve reliability. It is being

Incidentally, in such an external storage control device, the discount operation in the processors constituting each cluster may be performed by a rewritable microprogram, and when the configuration of the subsystem changes due to expansion etc.
FC (Fi) rewrites microprograms on site.
eld Change) work.

Conventionally, as a technology for updating microprograms in the expansion of such subsystems, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1986-57
A technique described in Japanese Patent No. 6958 is known.

In other words, in a distributed processing system, etc., by separating the standby processing device from the online system and having it perform IMPL (initial microprogram loading) and various tests on the expanded subsystem, the subsystem can be disconnected from the online system without interfering with online processing. The aim is to make it possible to expand the system.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in the case of the above-mentioned conventional technology, although a certain effect can be obtained with respect to expansion of the entire subsystem under the processing device, it is difficult to maintain the operating state of the subsystem while maintaining the configuration of a part of the subsystem. No consideration is given to the case where the

Therefore, when replacing some microprograms at a system operation site, the entire subsystem must be stopped, regardless of the contents of the microprogram, and the customer cannot guarantee nonstop operation. There was a problem that they were unable to respond to requests such as That is, in order to make some updated microprograms function, it is usually necessary to turn on the power and redo the IMPL.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a microprogram update technique that allows updating a part of the microprogram of an external storage control device without stopping the operation of the entire external storage subsystem.

The above and other objects and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings.

[Means to solve the problem]

A brief overview of typical inventions disclosed in this application is as follows.

That is, the microprogram update method according to the present invention includes at least two clusters each consisting of a service processor and at least one main processor, and an external storage system that allows each cluster to be powered on and off independently. In an external storage subsystem consisting of a control device, an external storage device that operates under this external storage device, and an auxiliary storage device that stores microprograms that are loaded into the service processor and main processor when the power is turned on, the auxiliary storage The device includes a first storage area in which a first microprogram that affects the operation of both clusters is stored, and a second storage area in which a second microprogram that affects the operation of one cluster is stored. The second microprogram is loaded when one of the clusters is powered on, and the first microprogram is loaded when two clusters are powered on at the same time. This is what I did.

[2] According to the microprogram update method of the present invention described above, the first microprogram whose contents affect the operation of the entire subsystem (including multiple clusters) is stored in the first memory of the auxiliary storage device by the service processor. store in the area,
A second microprogram that affects only the operation of a specific cluster is stored in a second storage area. This storage operation is possible even when the subsystem is in normal operation.

Then, when the external storage controller is powered on next time, it monitors whether it is powering on only a specific cluster or the entire cluster. In the latter case, the first microprogram is loaded from the first storage area to the entire cluster.

As a result, the microprograms of some clusters can be updated accurately without stopping the entire external storage control device and without causing malfunctions due to erroneous rewriting of the microprograms.

〔Example〕

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An example of a microprogram update method in an external storage subsystem according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an external storage subsystem in which the microprogram update method of this embodiment is implemented, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are brooch diagrams showing an example of its operation. It is.

In this embodiment, a disk subsystem will be described as an example of the external storage subsystem.

The disk subsystem of this embodiment includes a disk device 10 consisting of one or more large-capacity magnetic disk devices, and the disk device! [10 and upper channel families [
30, and a disk control device 20 that controls the exchange of information between the two.

The disk control device 20 consists of a plurality of clusters A and clusters B that can be powered on and off independently of each other.

Cluster A includes a plurality of main processors 22a.

It is equipped with a main processor 23a, a main processor 24a, a main processor 25a, and a service processor 21a connected to these via a control line 26a.
Memory 24ma, memory 25+7+a and memory 21
It is configured to operate according to a microprogram stored in ma.

Similarly, cluster B includes a plurality of main processors 22b
, main processor 23b, main processor 24b,
It includes a main processor 25b and a service processor 21b connected to these via a control line 26b, each with an attached memory of 22 mb and a memory of 23 mb.
, memory 24mb.

Memo! 725mb and notes! It operates by a microprogram stored in 721MB.

Main processor 22a of cluster A and cluster B
25a and the main processors 22b to 25b are shared (in parallel) with the upper channel device 30 and the subordinate disk device 10 via the control line 28 and the control line 29.
is connected to the channel device 30 and disk device 1.
It is designed to perform input/output commands and exchange of data with 0.

The service processors 21a and 21b of clusters A and B have a common operation panel 40 and an auxiliary storage bag [
50 is connected, and an operator can power on and off the cluster A and cluster B of the disk control device 20, and perform maintenance and management work from the outside. The auxiliary storage device 50 also includes service processors 21a and 21b.
floppy disk drive 27a attached to each
Data such as microprograms recorded on a portable floppy disk 60 externally loaded into the floppy disk drive 27b are stored.

When the power is turned on, the microprogram stored in the auxiliary storage device 50 is transferred to the service processor 21.
a, 21b, and as necessary, each main processor 22a to 25a and main processor 22b.
It is loaded into the memory 22ma to 25ma and the memory 22mb to 25mb attached to the memory 22ma to 25b.

In this case, the program area 51 is stored in the auxiliary storage device 50.
and an FC area 52 are provided.

When updating the microprogram that affects the overall operation of cluster A and cluster B of the disk controller 20, the floppy disk 6
The microprogram given from the outside via 0 is stored in the FC area 52 of the auxiliary memory bag W50, while the microprogram whose contents only affect the operation of one of clusters A or B is stored in the program area 51. be done.

The content of the microprogram as described above is determined based on, for example, the version number assigned to the microprogram.

Also, from the floppy disk 60 to the auxiliary storage device 50
The operation of storing the microprogram in the disk controller 20 is carried out by the service processor 21a or 21b.
This can be easily done even when the machine is in operation (see Figure 2).

Next, the microprograms stored in the auxiliary storage device 50 are executed by the main processors 22a to 25a, 2 when the power is turned on in the disk control device 20.
Memory 22ma to 25ma attached to 2b to 25b,
It is loaded to 22mb to 25mb.

At this time, in the case of a change in the microprogram that affects the entire disk control device 20, it is determined whether or not power is turned on to clusters A and B at the same time. Disk control device 20
If power is turned on simultaneously for all clusters A and B, the microprogram stored in the FC area 52 of the auxiliary storage device 50 is copied to the program area 51, and IMPL is performed again for clusters A and B.

By this re-IMPL, the microprogram is transferred from the auxiliary storage device 50 to the service processor 213.
．． The main processors 22a to 25a, the memories 22ma to 25ma attached to the main processors 22b to 25b, and the memories 22mb to 2
5MB, and the main processors 22a to 25a and the main processor 22
b to 25b start the control operation.

On the other hand, in the case of changing the microprogram that affects only the operation of either cluster A or cluster B of the disk control device 20, the changed microprogram is stored in the program area 51 as described above, so the power supply The IMPL operation from the program area 51 is performed in cluster A or cluster A on the side where the program area 51 is input.

The main processors 22a to 2 on the cluster A side
Cluster A or Cluster B starts a control operation by the modified microprogram loaded into the memories 22ma to 25ma attached to the main processor 5a or the memories 22mb to 25mb attached to the main processors 22b to 25b on the cluster B side. (See Figure 3).

In this way, cluster B or cluster A, which is already in operation, is not affected in any way, that is, without stopping the operation of the entire disk control device 20 or causing any malfunction, the cluster can be restarted at the operating site. It is possible to accurately modify the microprogram regarding A or B.

As a result, the utilization rate of the entire disk subsystem is certainly improved.

Although the invention made by the present inventor has been specifically explained above based on Examples, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the Examples and can be modified in various ways without departing from the gist thereof. Nor.

For example, the number of clusters configuring the external storage control device may be three or more.

〔Effect of the invention〕

Among the inventions disclosed in this application, the effects obtained by typical inventions are briefly described below.

That is, according to the microprogram update method of the present invention, it is possible to accurately update a part of the microprogram in the external storage control device without stopping the operation of the entire external storage subsystem. It will be done.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an external storage subsystem in which the microprogram update method of this embodiment is implemented, FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of its operation, and FIG. 3 is a similar diagram. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the effect|action. 10... Disk device (external storage device), 20...
Disk control device (external storage control device), 21a...
Service processor, 21ma.・Memory, 22a to 25a... Main processor, 2
2ma ~ 25ma l l l memory, 21b-...
Service processor, 21mb...Memory, 22b~
25b...Main processor, 22mb~25mb・
・・Memory, 26a, 26b=・Control line, 27a, 27
b...Floppy disk drive, 28.29
... Control line, 30... Channel device, 40... Operation panel, 50... Auxiliary storage device, 51... Program area, 52... Area for FC, 60... Floppy disk , A, B...cluster. Agent: Patent Attorney Katsutoshi Ogawa

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An external storage control device comprising at least two clusters each consisting of a service processor and at least one main processor and capable of independently powering on and off each cluster; In an external storage subsystem consisting of an external storage device that operates and an auxiliary storage device that stores microprograms that are loaded into the service processor and the main processor when the power is turned on, the auxiliary storage device includes the memory of the two clusters. A first storage area in which a first microprogram that affects the operation of both clusters is stored, and a second area in which a second microprogram that affects the operation of a specific cluster is stored; When one of the clusters is powered on, the second microprogram is loaded, and when the two clusters are powered on at the same time, the first microprogram is loaded. Microprogram update method.