JPH04205413A - Disk array controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To shorten the execution time of WRITE AND VERIFY by independently arranging a reading system buffer and a writing system buffer in the disk array controller allowing the reading operation of another magnetic disk device to execute during the writing operation of a magnetic disk device. CONSTITUTION:A disk array control device 2 sends writing data from a wiring buffer 37 to the 1st magnetic disk device 51 through a disk array adapter 32 to write them. While writing data in the 2nd magnetic disk device 52, the device 3 reads out data from the device 51 and sends the read data to a reading buffer 36 through the adapter 32. While writing data in the 3rd magnetic disk device 53, the device 3 reads out data from the device 52, and finally reads out data from the device 53 to verify the data. Thereby writing operation and reading operation can be executed in parallel. Consequently the execution time of WRITE AND VERIFY can be shortened.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a disk array control device that can be used as an external storage device of a computer.

2. Description of the Related Art External storage devices are generally used in computer systems. A disk array device has been proposed as one of these external storage devices. Since this disk array device includes a plurality of magnetic disk devices, a disk array control device must be interposed when a computer uses these devices.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a disk array system using a conventional disk array control device.

The disk array system shown in FIG. 3 has a configuration in which a host computer 11 is connected to a disk array device 15 via a disk array control device 13.

Here, the disk array control device 13 includes a host adapter 31, a disk array adapter 32, and a CPU 33.
, a memory 34 consisting of RAM/ROM, and a buffer 3
It consists of 5. The disk array device 15 includes a first magnetic disk device 51, a second magnetic disk device 52, and a third magnetic disk device 53.

Next, the operation of the above conventional example will be explained.

FIG. 4 is a timing chart when a conventional disk array system performs write cant heliphy.

In the figure, when the host computer 11 issues a write and verify command to the disk array control device 13, the CPU 33 interprets the command and transfers write data from the host computer 11 to the buffer 35 via the host adapter 31 (time t40 = t4 □). Also,
The CPU 33 of the disk array control device 13 issues a seek command to one of the necessary magnetic disk devices 51 to 53 of the disk array device 15 (time t40).

When writing write data to the first magnetic disk, the disk device 51, the second magnetic disk device 52, and the third magnetic disk device 53 in this order, the disk array control device 13 first writes data from the buffer 35 through the disk array adapter 32 to the first magnetic disk. Send and write write data to the disk device 51 (time t4. to t.), then write to the second magnetic disk device 52 (time t, 2 to L43), and then write to the third magnetic disk device 53 (time t, 2 to L43). Time 1.~t, 4)
.

Thereafter, the data is read from the first magnetic disk device 51 of the disk array device 15 and sent to the buffer 3 through the disk array adapter 32 of the disk array control device 13.
5 (times t44 to t45), performs the same operation to read the second magnetic disk device 52 (times t45 to t46), and finally reads the third magnetic disk device 53 (times t46 to t4□). . Then, the disk array control device 13 verifies the data (times t4□ to t48). In this way, even in the disk array system using the conventional disk array control device 13, the first magnetic disk device 51 to Since the three magnetic disk devices 53 can be simultaneously sought, read/write operations can be performed at high speed.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in the conventional disk array control device described above, the same noise sofa is used for read and write operations, so even though there are multiple magnetic disk devices, read and write operations cannot be performed. There has been a problem in that it is not possible to process write operations in parallel, and it takes time to execute write and verify commands and the like.

The present invention solves these conventional problems and provides an excellent disk array control device that can shorten the execution time of write-and-verify commands, etc. by processing read and write operations in parallel. The purpose is to provide

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a disk array control device that controls read and write operations of a disk array device in which a plurality of magnetic disk devices are arranged.
A read buffer that stores read data during reading,
A write buffer that stores write data during writing,
A host adapter that controls an interface with a host combination coater, a disk array adapter that controls an interface with a disk array device, and a processing means that interprets commands from the host combination coater and controls read and write operations. , which is characterized by being able to process read and write operations in parallel.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the read operation and the write operation can be processed in parallel, so that the execution time of write and verify commands and the like can be shortened.

Embodiments The present invention will be described below with reference to illustrated embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a disk array system including an embodiment of the disk array control device of the present invention.

The disk array system shown in FIG. 1 has a configuration in which a host computer 1 is connected to a disk array device 5 via a disk array control device 3.

Here, the disk array control device 3 includes a host adapter 31, a disk array adapter 32, a CPU 33, a memory 34 consisting of RAM/ROM, a read buffer 36, and a write buffer 37. Further, the CPtJ 13 constitutes a processing means that executes a program stored in the memory 34 to interpret commands from the host computer 1 and control read and write operations. The host adapter 31 of the disk array control device 3 has the host computer 1 on one side and the read buffer 36 on the other side. Write buffers 37 are connected to each. The read buffer 36 and the write buffer 37 are connected to the disk array device 5 via the disk array adapter 32. host adapter 31
and the disk array adapter 32 are connected to the path line. The pass line has a CPU 33 and a memory 34.
is connected. Further, the disk array device 5 includes a first magnetic disk device 51, a second magnetic disk device 52, and a third magnetic disk device 53.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be explained.

FIG. 2 is a timing chart when writing and refining is executed according to the same embodiment.

In the figure, a host controller 1 issues a write and verify command to a disk array controller 3.

Thereby, the CPU 33 of the disk array control device 3 interprets the command and transfers the write data from the host combinator 1 to the write buffer 37 via the host adapter 31 (time 1o-1). Similarly, the CPU 33
A seek command is issued to the necessary magnetic disk devices of the disk array device 5 (time t).

It is also assumed that write data is written in the order of the first magnetic disk device 51, the second magnetic disk device 52, and the third magnetic disk device 53. First, the disk array control device 3 sends write data from the write buffer 37 to the first magnetic disk device 51 through the disk array adapter 32 for writing (times t1 to t2).

Next, while writing to the second magnetic disk device 52, the first magnetic disk device 51 is read and read data is sent to the read buffer 36 through the disk array adapter 32 (times t2 to t3). Next, while writing to the third magnetic disk device 53, the second magnetic disk device 5
2 (times t3 to 14). Finally, the third magnetic disk device 53 is read at time t, to t5), and the data is verified (time t5 to t16).

According to the above-mentioned embodiment, since the write operation and the read operation can be processed in parallel, the execution time of write and verify can be shortened. Further, different read requests/write requests from the post combination unit can be processed in parallel.

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the embodiments described above, the present invention provides independent read-system and write-system buffers in a disk array control device, so that during a write operation of a magnetic disk device, a read operation of another magnetic disk device is performed. This has the effect of shortening the execution time of write-and-verify and the like.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a disk array system including a disk array control device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a timing chart during write-and-verify execution according to the embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a conventional disk array system. FIG. 4 is a timing chart when writing and verifying is executed by the conventional system. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Host computer, 3... Disk array control device, 5... Disk array device, 31... Post adapter, 32... Disk array adapter, 3
3... CPU, 34... Memory, 36... Read buffer, 37... Write buffer, 51, 52.5
3...Magnetic disk device. ′ Snoring ・ζ ・eS Pulse

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim] A disk array control device that controls reading and writing operations of a disk array device in which a plurality of magnetic disk devices are arranged, comprising: a read buffer that stores read data during reading;
A write buffer that stores write data during writing,
The system includes a host adapter that controls the interface with the host computer, a disk array adapter that controls the interface with the disk array device, and processing means that interprets commands from the host computer and controls read and write operations. A disk array control device characterized by being able to process write operations in parallel.