JPH0855049A - Data storage device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a high-reliability data storage device by efficiently using a recording medium by providing the state of enabling a simultaneous output for all the output requests even when the number of those requests is increased. CONSTITUTION:AV data inputted from an input switching part 12 are duplicatedly recorded in the different data recorders of data recorders 11a-11n. When the number of output requests gets close to the number enabling the simultaneous output, those data are further duplicatedly recorded in the different data recorders, and the number enabling the simultaneous output is increased. The recorded data are suitably erased based on access frequency and the lapse of time after recording so that a data storage device 10 can secure a prescribed write enable area at all times. When erasing the data to eliminate the duplication by erasure, those data are recorded in a tape as well together with the access history.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention accumulates AV data containing both or either of video data and audio data, and stores a plurality of AV data suitable for use in an AV server device or the like which sends the AV data on demand. The present invention relates to a data storage device that configures a large-capacity storage device using the device and that can quickly respond to a plurality of requests.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the development of a technology for processing a large amount of data at a high speed and a technology for transmitting a large amount of data at a high speed, a data storage technology for recording, accumulating and distributing a large amount of data at a high speed has been rapidly advanced. I'm out. For example, because of its huge capacity,
An AV server device that records AV data, which has been recorded on a magnetic tape or the like, on a randomly accessible recording medium such as a magnetic disk device, and transmits arbitrary AV data in response to a transmission request generated at an arbitrary time. Are about to be realized.

A data storage device for recording enormous amounts of data, such as the AV server device, is provided with a plurality of large-capacity recording devices, controls the flow of data input / output to / from each of the recording devices, and operates as if it were one. It operates like a recording device. A magnetic disk device or a magneto-optical disk device is used as the individual recording device.

Further, in such a data storage device, in order to simultaneously respond to a plurality of output requests, reading is performed in parallel in each of the plurality of recording devices, and at the same time, a plurality of data is recorded in each recording device. It is controlled so that the data is read out in a time division manner and transmitted simultaneously. that time,
If an output request for data recorded in one recording device exceeds the number that can be sent simultaneously in the recording device, the data is previously duplicate-recorded in another recording device. Incidentally, a method of coping with access to the data by a plurality of recording devices is often used.

[0005]

However, in the above-described data storage device, in order to simultaneously respond to a plurality of output requests, only a number that can correspond to the maximum number of simultaneous output requests for one data, It is necessary to record the data in duplicate. However, when data is recorded in duplicate by such a method, the number of types of data that can be recorded decreases, and there arises a problem that data cannot be recorded efficiently. In addition, it is difficult to predict the maximum number of simultaneous output requests for each data, and it is difficult to appropriately duplicate the data. Further, when data less than the maximum value of the simultaneous output requests is recorded in duplicate, if the output requests are concentrated, the simultaneous access becomes impossible.

Further, in the above-mentioned data storage device, the magnetic disk device and the magneto-optical disk device are
In terms of reliability, recording by magnetic tape was inferior, and there was a problem with the reliability of the data storage device. In order to record a large amount of data, it has been proposed to use an MO changer that automatically and automatically replaces a magneto-optical disk. However, when the MO changer is used, mechanical failure occurs. There is a high probability that Therefore, in order to use the data storage device for supplying data to various devices, some measure for improving reliability has been demanded.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a state in which even if the number of output requests increases, all the requests can be simultaneously accessed and the recording medium can be used efficiently. To provide a device. Another object of the present invention is to provide a highly reliable data storage device.

[0008]

In order to solve the above problems, in the present invention, the number of duplicate recording data of each material is increased and the number of duplicate recording data is reduced according to the access status of the material. I did it. That is, with respect to the data of the material for which a sufficient time has elapsed from the recording time and the output request is small, the duplicately recorded data is erased, and the duplication number is sequentially reduced. In addition, for materials that are frequently output and are close to the maximum number that can be accessed at the same time, the data is copied to another recording device, and the number of duplicates is increased to increase the number that can be accessed at the same time.

Therefore, the data storage device of the present invention comprises data recording means having a plurality of data recording devices, input switching means for inputting inputted AV data to a predetermined data recording device of the data recording means, and the data. It has an output switching means for sending the AV data output from each data recording device of the recording means to a predetermined destination, and a control means for controlling the respective means, and stores the input AV data.
A data storage device for sending the stored AV data at the same time in response to one or more transmission requests, wherein the input AV data is recorded in different data recording devices of the data recording means in a duplicated manner. Specific AV based on transmission request
When the number of simultaneous accesses to the data reaches a number close to the number of simultaneously accessible AV data, the AV data is further added to another data recording device to be redundantly recorded. The AV data is a signal including video data and audio data or a signal including any of the above data.

Specifically, the data storage device of the present invention is
When the number of simultaneous accesses to the specific AV data based on the transmission request reaches one less than the simultaneously accessible number of the AV data, the AV data is further added to another data recording device. Duplicate recording. Preferably, the data storage device of the present invention appropriately erases each of the duplicately recorded AV data based on the size of the writable area of the data recording unit and the availability of the AV data. To do.

The data storage device of the present invention further comprises a data recording means having a plurality of data recording devices and an input A
Input switching means for inputting V data to a predetermined data recording device of the data recording means; output switching means for sending AV data output from each data recording device of the data recording means to a predetermined destination. A data storage device having control means for controlling each means, storing input AV data, and simultaneously transmitting the stored AV data simultaneously in response to one or more transmission requests. Was A
V data is redundantly recorded in different data recording devices of the data recording means, and each of the redundantly recorded AV data is the size of the writable area of the data recording means and the use of the AV data. Erase appropriately based on the possibility.

Specifically, when the size of the writable area of the data recording means becomes smaller than a predetermined value, the data storage device can record the elapsed time after recording each AV data and the AV data. The availability of the AV data is obtained based on the access frequency, and the AV data having a low availability is sequentially erased.

Also preferably, the data storage device of the present invention further comprises another recording means capable of transferring the AV data recorded in the data recording means, and the AV data is deleted by erasing the AV data. When the duplicate recording is eliminated, the AV data is recorded in the other recording means together with the access history of the AV data. Specifically, the other recording means is means for recording the AV data on a magnetic tape.

Preferably, the data storage device of the present invention manages the access frequency of the AV data and the availability of the AV data in units of a frame of AV data or a predetermined recording time, and adds the AV data. Overlapping recording and erasing of the overrecorded AV data are performed in units of the frame of the AV data or a predetermined recording time.

[0015]

In the data storage device of the present invention, data is recorded in duplicate in a plurality of data recording devices, and each data is actually accessed by a number close to the number at which the data can be accessed simultaneously. In some cases, the data is duplicated and recorded in another data recording device to increase the number of simultaneously accessible data. Therefore, as the number of accesses to certain data increases, the number of duplicate recordings of the data can be sequentially increased.

Further, in the data storage device of the present invention, when the writable area of the recording medium becomes a predetermined value or less, the duplicately recorded data is sequentially erased.
Therefore, a predetermined writable area is always secured in the recording medium. Further, the erasing method is performed based on the availability of each data, the elapsed time after recording, and the like. Therefore, the redundantly recorded data, which has increased as the number of access requests increases, is appropriately deleted when the number of simultaneous accesses decreases.

When the duplicate recording is eliminated by the erasing, the data is recorded in a backup device such as a magnetic tape device together with the access status. Therefore, even if there is only one data recording location in this data recording device, the reliability of the data is maintained.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A, which is an embodiment of the data storage device of the present invention
The V server device will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment A of a data storage device of the present invention.
It is a block diagram showing a configuration of a V server device. The AV server device 10 includes data recording devices 11a to 11n, an input switching unit 12, an output switching unit 13, and a control unit 14. The data recording devices 11a to 11n include data recording units 15a to 15n and data conversion units 16a to 16n, respectively.
n.

First, the structure of each part will be described. The input switching unit 12 is a signal switching device that outputs the input digital video signal to predetermined data recording devices 11a to 11n based on a control signal from the control unit 14. In this embodiment, one input digital video signal is 2
Output to two different data recorders. The input digital video signal may be a signal of any format such as a normal digital video signal or audio signal, or an AV signal compressed by a predetermined method.

The data recording means for actually recording the AV data is composed of n data recording devices 11a to 11n provided in parallel between the input switching section 12 and the output switching section 13. Each data recording device has a data recording unit 15a-1.
5n and data converters 16a to 16n. Data recording units 15a to 1 of the data recording devices 11a to 11n
Reference numeral 5n is a recording medium for actually recording AV data, which is composed of a magnetic disk device or a magneto-optical disk device. The data recording units 15a to 15n are connected to the data conversion units 16a to 16n by a SCSI interface, and data writing and reading are performed via the data conversion units 16a to 16n.

The data converters 16a to 16n of the data recording devices 11a to 11n convert the digital video signals selected and input by the input switching unit 12 into the data recorders 15a to 15n.
The data conversion unit converts the data sequence to be transferred to the data recording unit 15n, and converts the data sequence read from the data recording units 15a to 15n into a digital video signal to be output to the output switching unit 13. In this embodiment, the digital video signal input from the input switching section 12 is a serial data input signal of a predetermined format. Also,
Data converters 16a to 16n and data recorders 15a to 1
The interface with 5n is a SCSI interface. Therefore, the data conversion units 16a to 16n are
The serial data in the predetermined format is converted into SCSI parallel data and recorded in the data recording units 15a to 15n. Further, the signals read from the data recording units 15a to 15n are again converted into serial data of a predetermined format and output to the output switching unit 13.

The output switching unit 13 is an output data switching unit that outputs the digital video signals output from the data recording devices 11a to 11n from a predetermined output terminal according to the control signal of the control unit 14. The output of the AV server 10 is input to the video editing device and the video transmitting device, and the AV data output from the output switching unit 13 is used as the input data of each of those devices.

The control unit 14 is a control unit for controlling the entire AV server device 10, and selects and records the data recording devices 11a to 11n that record the input digital video signals, manages and reads each recorded data. Output data based on the request. The control unit 14 has a recording unit (not shown), in which information such as the duplication number of each material recorded in the recording unit, the access history, the recording device of each duplicate data, and the address are recorded. ing. The control unit 14 manages each data and controls transfer using the information.

Next, with reference to FIG. 2, description will be given of a procedure in which the input AV data is recorded / stored in the AV server device 10 and is transmitted in response to a request. Figure 2
4 is a flowchart showing a control / management method of the AV server device 10 performed in the control unit 14.

The control unit 14 starts a series of processes when an input request signal or an output request signal is input (step S).
0). First, it is determined whether the input signal is a signal requesting input / recording of new AV data or a signal requesting reproduction / output of recorded data (step S
1). If the signal is the input request signal, the data recording device for storing the input AV data is determined (step S2). This decision is made by the data recording device 11a.
It is assumed that the writable areas of 11 to 11n are checked and two printing apparatuses are selected from the printing apparatuses having a large writable area. Next, 2 determined in step S2
The input AV data is simultaneously recorded in one recording device (step S3). In the control unit 14, it is only necessary to apply a signal to start recording to the input switching unit 12 and the data conversion device of each data recording device, and subsequent data transfer and recording are performed by each data recording device. Done.

Next, when the recording of the input data is instructed, the controller 14 records the input data,
The writable area of the entire AV server device 10 is calculated (step S4). Since one input data is recorded in two data recording devices, an area having twice the size of the input data is lost from the writable area. And
It is checked whether the calculated writable area is larger than a predetermined value (step S5). When the writable area calculated in step S4 is larger than the predetermined value, the process is terminated as it is (step S17). If the writable area calculated in step S4 is smaller than the predetermined value, any of the already recorded data is erased to secure the writable area of the predetermined size. That is, first, the data to be erased is determined (step S6). This erased data is determined based on the duplication number of each data, the number of times of access, the elapsed time after recording, and the optionally added data indicating the priority of data retention.

Next, it is checked whether or not the erased data determined in step S6 can eliminate duplication of the data by erasing the data (step S7). Then, when the duplication is eliminated and there is only one recording data for the material, the erase data is recorded in the magnetic tape recording device (not shown) together with the access history of the material until that time (step S8). . After copying to the magnetic tape device in step S8, or in step S7
Then, if it is determined that the material is redundantly recorded in two or more data recording devices, the data is erased (step S9).

Then, the processing from step S4 is repeated again, and the writable area by erasing the data is added to the writable area to calculate the writable area of the entire AV server device 10. Then, if the writable area reaches the predetermined writable area, the processing is ended (step S17). If the writable area has not reached the specified writable area yet,
The processes of steps S5 to S9 and step S4 are repeated again.

If the input signal is a signal to reproduce and output the material already recorded in the AV server device 10, first, the data recording in which the material requested to be transmitted is recorded. The device is checked to determine the data recording device to be reproduced (step S10). If the material is recorded in a plurality of data recording devices, the data recording device that is accessed less at that time is selected. When the data recording device to be read is selected, the data recording device and the output switching unit 13 are instructed to reproduce / output the data (step S11). The control unit 1
In No. 4, it is only necessary to apply a signal for starting reproduction / output to the data conversion device and the output switching unit 13 of the selected data recording device, and the subsequent data transfer and output are performed by each data recording device. Done.

When the reproduction / output start is instructed, history data indicating that the data of the material is read from the selected data recording device is recorded in a recording unit (not shown) in the control unit 14 (step S12). ). Next, the number of simultaneous readings of the material data is counted (step S13). Then, the number is compared with the number of simultaneous access of the data of the material, and it is checked whether or not the number of the simultaneous access is one less than the number of the simultaneous access (step S14). . If not reached, the process is terminated as it is (step S1).
7).

In step S17, when the number of simultaneous accesses reaches one less than the number of simultaneous accesses, the number of duplicate data of the material is increased so as to be able to cope with further increase in access. Keep it. That is, an appropriate data recording device in which the data of the material has not been recorded yet is selected (step S15), and the data not currently accessed among the duplicated data of the material is used,
The data is copied to the selected data recording device (step S16). When the copying is completed, the AV server device 1 shown in steps S4 to S9 is displayed.
A process of ensuring a predetermined size for the entire writable area of 0 is performed, and the process ends (step S17).

As described above, the control unit 14 manages the data of each material and controls the input / output, so that the AV server device 10 increases the duplication of the data of each material according to the access frequency. It is possible to reduce it. Therefore, no matter how the access is concentrated, it is possible to maintain a state in which simultaneous access is possible.
Further, since the data that is no longer used is erased as appropriate, a writing area of a predetermined size can always be secured as a whole, and the recording device can be effectively used. Further, the material for which the duplication of data is eliminated is recorded on the magnetic tape together with the access history of the material, so that the reliability of the data is ensured even if the data of the material becomes one.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, but various modifications can be made. For example, as the configuration of the data recording device, various devices other than the ordinary magnetic disk device and magneto-optical disk device can be applied. FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the AV server device in which the data recording device is changed. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an AV server device 20 which is a modified example of the AV server device 10 shown in FIG. The data recording units 15a to 15n of the data recording devices 11a to 11n of the AV server device 20 are MO
It is composed of changers 17a to 17n. This MO changer is a mechanism that mounts a plurality of magneto-optical disks automatically and appropriately to realize a recording apparatus having an apparently large capacity.

With the AV server device 20 having such a configuration, the recording capacity of each of the data recording devices 11a to 11n is increased, and an AV server device capable of recording more AV data can be realized.

Further, in the present embodiment, the input AV
Data management, data output control, and access frequency and elapsed time after recording are performed for each data material, that is, for each source data as a unit. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the source data is subdivided for each frame, or for each second of data, and the recording / output control and information management are performed in units of the subdivided data. May be. A data storage device having such a configuration, for example, when applied to an AV server that stores news sources,
When frequently using only a specific part of a series of source data, it is possible to duplicately record only the frequently used part in several places. As a result, a large number of transmission requests can be dealt with and there is no redundant recording of useless parts, so that the storage device can be used effectively.

Further, in the present embodiment, the data storage device which handles the data having the video data and the audio data as the AV data has been described, but the data storage device is not limited to this. For example, it may be data having only video data, data having only audio data, or data to which other information is added. Further, the same can be applied to time-series data similar to AV data, as with AV data.

[0037]

As described above, according to the AV server device of the present invention, data is recorded in a plurality of data recording devices in duplicate, and the number of duplicate recordings is increased in response to an increase in output requests. Therefore, even if a large number of output requests occur, it is possible to maintain a state in which simultaneous access is possible. Further, since the duplicately recorded data with a small output request is appropriately erased so that the recording medium always secures a predetermined writable area, it is possible to prevent the recording medium from becoming full.
The recording medium can be used efficiently.

Further, when the above-mentioned erasure is performed and the duplicate recording is eliminated, the data is recorded in the backup device such as the magnetic tape device together with the access history.
The reliability of the duplicate recording is maintained even if there is only one data recording position in this data recording device.
Therefore, for example, it is possible to provide a state in which data that has a large change in the number of output requests can be simultaneously accessed, to efficiently use a recording medium, and to provide a highly reliable data storage device.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an AV server device of an embodiment of a data storage device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of a control unit of the AV server device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a modification of the AV server device shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10, 20 ... AV server device 11a-11n ... Data recording device 15a-15n ... Data recording part 16a-16n ... Data conversion part 17a-17n ... MO changer 12 ... Input switching part 13 ... Output switching part 14 ... Control part

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A data recording device having a plurality of data recording devices, an input switching device for inputting inputted AV data to a predetermined data recording device of the data recording device, and each data recording device of the data recording device. AV output by
It has an output switching means for sending data to a predetermined destination and a control means for controlling each of the means, and stores the input AV data, and simultaneously stores the AV data according to one or more transmission requests. A data storage device for transmitting the received AV data, wherein the input AV data is redundantly recorded in different data recording devices of the data recording means, and simultaneous access to specific AV data based on a transmission request is performed. A data storage device that additionally records the AV data to another data recording device when the number reaches a number that is approximately close to the number of simultaneously accessible AV data. 2. The data storage device according to claim 1, wherein the number of simultaneous accesses to specific AV data based on a transmission request reaches one less than the number of simultaneously accessible AV data. In this case, a data storage device that additionally records the AV data to another data recording device and records the data in an overlapping manner. 3. The AV data recorded in duplicate,
The data storage device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the data is erased as appropriate based on the size of the writable area of the data recording unit and the availability of the AV data. 4. Data recording means having a plurality of data recording devices, input switching means for inputting inputted AV data to a predetermined data recording device of said data recording means, and each data recording device of said data recording means. AV output by
It has an output switching means for sending data to a predetermined destination and a control means for controlling each of the means, and stores the input AV data, and simultaneously stores the AV data according to one or more transmission requests. A data storage device for transmitting the recorded AV data, wherein the input AV data is recorded in duplicate on different data recording devices of the data recording means, and each of the duplicated AV data is recorded in the data A data storage device that erases data based on the size of the writable area of the recording device and the availability of the AV data. 5. When the size of the writable area of the data recording means becomes smaller than a predetermined value, each of the duplicately recorded AV data is recorded as the elapsed time after the recording of the AV data. 5. The data storage device according to claim 3, wherein the AV data, which is obtained based on the access frequency of the AV data, is sequentially deleted from the AV data having the lowest availability. 6. An AV recorded on the data recording means
The recording medium further includes another recording unit capable of transferring data, and when the duplicate recording of the AV data is eliminated by erasing the AV data, the AV data is recorded in the other recording unit together with an access history of the AV data. Claim 3
The data storage device according to any one of 5 to 5. 7. The other recording means is a magnetic tape recording means for recording data on a magnetic tape, and when the duplicate recording of the AV data is eliminated by erasing the AV data, the AV data is recorded as the AV recording data. The data storage device according to claim 6, wherein the data is recorded in the magnetic tape recording means together with a data access history. 8. The access frequency and AV of the AV data
The usability of data is managed in units of a frame of AV data or a predetermined recording time, and additional duplication recording of the AV data and erasing of the AV data recorded duplication are performed as follows.
The data storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the frame is a unit of a frame of the AV data or a predetermined recording time.