JPH08221218A - Magnetic disk subsystem - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To efficiently perform a mounting and to realize the miniaturization of a device and low power consumption by storing a machine mechanism part into a body, mounting a control circuit part on the substrate of a disk array controller and electrically connecting the machine mechanism part and the control circuit part. CONSTITUTION: A magnetic disk array controller 3 has a data buffer 5, a microprocessor 6, a control memory 7 and a device interface 8 and controls the data transfer between a magnetic disk drive 4 and a host device 1. The magnetic disk drive 4 is divided into an HDA 9 and a control circuit 10. The HDA 9 composed of the machine mechanism part is stored in a portable body 11. The control circuit 10 is the circuit which is necessary for performing the control of the HDA 9, is made into one chip by high integration and is mounted on the substrate of the magnetic disk array controller 3. The HDA 9 and the control circuit 10 are electrically connected.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a magnetic disk device which is one of storage devices used in a computer system, and more particularly to a magnetic disk device in which a mechanical mechanism part and a control circuit part of the magnetic disk device are separated. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a magnetic disk subsystem has been a central part of an external storage device of a computer system and has played an important role. The magnetic disk subsystem is a magnetic disk drive that records and reproduces data,
It is composed of a magnetic disk control device or the like for controlling data transfer between the magnetic disk drive device and the host device.

The magnetic disk drive device has a built-in magnetic disk drive for recording data. A magnetic disk drive includes a mechanical mechanism portion including an actuator, a drive motor, a disk disk, a head, and a mechanism related to the head, a circuit for controlling read / write processing, a circuit for amplifying an input signal, and a current drive circuit. , A circuit that performs servo control, a circuit that controls rotation, a circuit that drives a motor, and the like, and a control circuit unit that controls a mechanical mechanism portion.

The mechanical mechanism unit is housed in a hermetically sealed container in order to prevent external disturbance such as dust. In addition, the control circuit unit is usually composed of a plurality of chip-shaped control circuits.
It is mounted on two circuit boards. The magnetic disk drive is made into one component by combining the mechanical mechanism unit and the control circuit unit. Therefore, when a failure occurs in a component, replacement is performed for each component.

However, in the magnetic disk drive,
The electronic circuit part has high reliability and is relatively unlikely to fail. On the other hand, since the mechanical mechanism part is accompanied by mechanical operation, failure and wear are likely to occur. In fact, most of the failure occurrence parts in the magnetic disk drive are mechanical parts. When all the components that make up the magnetic disk drive are installed in a single storage container, it is physically difficult to replace only the mechanical part that is the failure site, even if the mechanical part of the magnetic disk drive is faulty. It is necessary to replace the entire magnetic disk drive including the control circuit section unrelated to the failure part.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 4-268282 discloses that the mechanical mechanism unit and the control circuit unit are housed in separate casings, and the mechanical mechanism unit and the control circuit unit are connected via a boat or the like in which these casings are installed. Are connected to configure a magnetic disk drive. According to this magnetic disk drive,
In the event of a mechanical mechanism failure, only the housing of the mechanical mechanism can be replaced.

[0007]

The diameter of the magnetic disk disk, which is the recording medium of the magnetic disk device, is being reduced due to the higher recording density. Further, in the magnetic disk control device for controlling the magnetic disk device, the circuit is highly integrated, and the function is realized by one circuit board. Therefore, miniaturization of the entire magnetic disk subsystem is progressing. Under such circumstances, the method of separately storing the mechanical mechanism section and the control circuit section for each magnetic disk drive has a limit in reducing the number of circuit boards, resulting in poor mounting efficiency.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to improve the mounting efficiency in a magnetic disk drive, to realize a compact device and low power consumption.

Another object of the present invention is to separately form a mechanical mechanism unit that is relatively likely to fail and separate it into a separate housing, and form a plurality of control circuit units that are relatively less likely to fail on the same substrate. To provide a magnetic disk subsystem.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic disk subsystem in which a plurality of control circuit parts of a magnetic disk drive and circuit parts of a magnetic disk control device are formed on the same substrate. .

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a mechanical mechanism unit including an actuator of a magnetic disk drive, a drive motor, a disk disk, a head, and a mechanism related to the head, and a read / write unit. A circuit that controls write processing, a circuit that amplifies input / output signals,
An interface for connection is provided to separate a control circuit unit that controls a mechanical mechanism unit including a current drive circuit, a circuit that performs servo control, a circuit that controls rotation, a circuit that drives a motor, and the like.

The mechanical mechanisms are individually housed in a portable container. The control circuit unit forms a plurality of control circuit units on the same substrate. Further, the control circuit section may be formed on the same substrate as the circuit section of the magnetic disk control device.

[0013]

According to the present invention, the control circuit portion of the magnetic disk drive is highly integrated and a plurality of control circuit portions are formed on the same substrate, so that low power consumption and miniaturization of the device can be realized. Further, by forming the control circuit unit of the magnetic disk drive and the circuit unit of the magnetic disk control device on the same substrate, the mounting efficiency can be improved, and further the device can be downsized and the power consumption can be reduced.

Further, according to the present invention, since the mechanical mechanism portion of the magnetic disk drive, which has a relatively large number of failures, is housed in the majority-type casing, it can be easily replaced with a substitute component.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of the configuration of a disk array subsystem according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, single-line arrows indicate control signal paths, and double-line arrows indicate data paths.
This disk array subsystem has a magnetic disk control device 3 connected to a local bus 2 connecting a host device 1 and peripheral circuits, and a magnetic disk drive 4 connected thereunder.

The magnetic disk control device 3 has a data buffer 5, a microprocessor 6, a control memory 7 and a device interface 8, and controls data transfer between the magnetic disk drive 4 and the host device 1.

The magnetic disk drive 4 is an HDA.
9 and control circuit 10. The HDA 9 including a mechanical component is housed in a portable housing. The control circuit 10 has a circuit required for controlling the HDA 9 integrated into one chip due to high integration, and is mounted on the magnetic disk array controller board 12. The HDA 9 and the control circuit 10 are electrically connected. Also, HDA
Since 9 can be removed independently, it can be replaced in the event of a failure.

FIG. 2 shows the HDA 9 of the magnetic disk drive.
The functions of the control circuit 10 and the control circuit 10 are shown in a block diagram. The single line arrow in the figure indicates the control signal path. In this example, HDA9
Has a head positioning mechanism such as an actuator 13, a drive motor 14, a disk disk 16 as a medium for recording data, a head 15 for recording and reproducing data, a mechanism related to the head, and a control circuit interface. Then, the HDA 9 is stored in a portable container 11.

On the other hand, the control circuit 10 includes a circuit 17 for controlling recording / reproducing processing, a circuit 18 for amplifying input / output signals,
It has a current drive circuit 19, a circuit 20 for servo control, a circuit 21 for rotation control, a circuit 22 for motor drive, a mechanical mechanism interface 24, and a controller interface 23 with the magnetic disk array controller. The control circuit 10 is integrated on one chip and mounted on the same substrate as the magnetic disk array control device.

The magnetic disk drive to which the present invention is applied is not limited to this, and may be any one as long as it comprises the HDA 9 and the control circuit 10. In this case, the HDA 9 is electrically connected via the control circuit 10, the mechanical mechanism interface 24, and the control circuit interface 25. Further, the plurality of control circuits 10 and the magnetic disk array control device may be mounted on different boards.

Next, with reference to FIG. 3, a description will be given of the processing in the disk array subsystem of this embodiment when a mechanical mechanism of a magnetic disk drive fails and the drive is replaced.

When a failure occurs in the mechanical mechanism of the magnetic disk drive, only the HDA 9 of the drive is removed from the control circuit 10. Next, an alternative component having the same function as this is connected to the control circuit 10. This allows HDA
9 can be restored to the same state as before replacement.

[0023]

According to the present invention, the control circuit section for controlling the mechanical mechanism section is integrated on one chip, and a plurality of control circuits are mounted on the same substrate. Therefore, the mounting efficiency is improved and the power consumption is reduced. Will be possible. Further, by disposing the plurality of control circuits and the circuit of the disk control device on the same substrate, the mounting efficiency can be further improved.

Further, since the mechanical mechanism unit and the control circuit unit of the magnetic disk drive are separated, when the mechanical mechanism unit needs to be replaced, only the mechanical mechanism unit can be replaced, so that a low cost at the time of parts replacement. Can be realized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a magnetic disk subsystem according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a magnetic disk drive according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a replacement process of the mechanical mechanism unit according to the embodiment of this invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

3: Magnetic disk array control device 4: Magnetic disk drive 9: HDA 10: Control circuit 11: Portable housing 12: Disk array control device substrate

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Toshio Nakano 2880, Kozu, Odawara-shi, Kanagawa Stock Company Hitachi Storage Systems Division (72) Inventor Akinori Shimada 2880, Kozu, Odawara, Kanagawa Hitachi, Ltd. Storage System Division

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A mechanical mechanism section having an actuator, a drive motor, a disk disk, and a head, a circuit for recording / reproducing, a circuit for amplifying input / output signals, a current drive circuit, a circuit for servo control, and a motor. In a magnetic disk subsystem having a magnetic disk drive configured by a control circuit section having a drive circuit, and a magnetic disk controller controlling data transfer between the magnetic disk drive and a higher-level device, the mechanical mechanism section includes The magnetic disk subsystem is housed in a housing, the control circuit section is mounted on a circuit board of the magnetic disk subsystem, and the mechanical mechanism section and the control circuit section are electrically connected. . 2. The magnetic disk subsystem according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit unit is mounted on the same substrate as the circuit unit of the magnetic disk control device. 3. The magnetic disk subsystem according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical mechanism section is replaceable.