JPH1049310A - Data backup method of industrial computer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To shorten the time needed for the backup copying of stored data in an external storage device of the industrial computer and lower the cost. SOLUTION: A data backup device 1 is moved to nearby the industrial computer 10, and a magnetic disk drive 14 is disconnected from a SCSI cable 12 and connected to the SCSI cable 6 on the side of the data backup device 1. A personal computer 2 confirms the SCSI ID of the magnetic disk drive 14 and the storage capacity and block size of a magnetic disk on the magnetic disk drive 14 and also secure an area of capacity larger than the confirmed storage capacity as a physical copy area on the magnetic disk on the magnetic disk drive 4, secures a logical address area formatted so that the personal computer 2 can read and write it in an area other than the physical copy area on the magnetic disk, and copies data stored on the magnetic disk in the magnetic disk drive to the physical copy area.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for backing up data stored in a storage medium of a production external storage device connected to an industrial computer, and more particularly to a method for reducing the time required for data backup. This is also advantageous in terms of cost.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Industrial computers applied to the operation and management of various production lines are greatly involved in improving the production efficiency and quality of the production lines to which they are applied. For this reason, stopping the industrial computer, in particular, stopping the industrial computer applied to a production line that operates continuously for 24 hours, immediately leads to the stop of the line.

On the other hand, it is necessary to make a backup copy of operation data and the like stored and updated during the operation of the industrial computer to another storage medium at a predetermined frequency in case of emergency. When copying, the operation of the industrial computer must be stopped. Therefore, the backup copy must be performed in as short a time as possible.

To cope with such a demand, there is a technique disclosed in, for example, JP-A-63-140352.
That is, the technology disclosed in this publication relates to a database storage device of an online system,
The update history of the database is collected on the update history magnetic disk, and this is reflected at regular intervals to the standby database in the same format as the production database. In a short time to duplicate the database for online systems. As a result, the effect that the downtime of the online system can be significantly reduced as compared with the related art can be obtained.

Another conventional technique is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 7-93101 proposed earlier by the present applicant. In the data backup device disclosed in this publication, a SCSI (Small Computer S
ystem Interface) By monitoring the signal exchange between the host computer and the storage device on the bus, it recognizes that the host computer has rewritten data in an area of the storage device, and the host computer is not using the bus. Then, a read command is issued to the storage device to read the rewritten data, and a write command is issued to the backup storage device to write the read data. Thus, the backup process can be performed without imposing a load on the host computer.

[0006]

However, in the conventional apparatuses disclosed in the above publications, a backup apparatus must be developed for each industrial computer connected to each production line. There is a problem that high cost is required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the problems to be solved by the conventional technology, and the time required for data backup can be reduced, and the cost is also advantageous. It is an object of the present invention to provide a data backup method for an industrial computer.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is directed to a storage data in a storage medium of a production external storage device connected to an industrial computer applied to a production line. A backup copy of the production external storage device from the industrial computer, and connecting the disconnected production external storage device to the backup computer while the backup computer stores the backup external storage device. Connect the device, and
The storage data in the storage medium of the production external storage device is copied to the storage medium of the backup external storage device by a physical volume through the backup computer.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the data backup method for an industrial computer according to the first aspect of the present invention, the backup computer executes the production external storage device before performing the copying. While recognizing the storage capacity of the storage medium, securing a capacity larger than the recognized storage capacity as a physical copy area in the storage medium of the backup external storage device, and performing the copy in the secured physical copy area. A logical address area having a format corresponding to the backup computer is secured in an area other than the physical copy area of the storage medium of the backup external storage device, and the backup management information is stored in the logical address area. It was made.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the data backup method for an industrial computer according to the second aspect, the interface between the industrial computer and the production external storage device is SCSI. Before performing the copying, the backup computer may store the storage capacity of the storage medium of the production external storage device in addition to the storage capacity of the storage medium.
The ID of the CSI is recognized, and the recognized ID is stored in the logical address area as the backup management information.

Here, in the invention according to claim 1,
With both the production external storage device and the backup external storage device connected to the backup computer, a backup copy of the storage data in the storage medium of the production external storage device, that is, from the storage medium of the production external storage device Data is copied to the storage medium of the backup external storage device, and the backup copy is performed on a physical volume.

That is, since the format of the storage medium of the production external storage device depends on the industrial computer to which it is connected, in order to recognize the production external storage device, the backup computer must be It must correspond to the format of the storage medium of the production external storage device. For this reason, in a production line having many types of industrial computers, a backup device must be developed for each industrial computer. In particular, at the moment,
Personal Computer Standard ASPI (Advanced S
With the csi programming interface, the magnetic disk of an industrial computer cannot be recognized by a logical volume, so it has been difficult to apply an inexpensive personal computer as a backup computer.

[0013] Further, in the case of backup by transfer only in the SCSI bus without using a computer, the contents cannot be easily recognized, so that errors in the generation management and restoration work are liable to occur. Backup was not possible when the block sizes were different.

On the other hand, according to the first aspect of the present invention, since the backup copy is performed on the physical volume as described above, the backup computer performs the backup copy operation on the storage medium of the production external storage device. It is not necessary to grasp the contents, and the point is that the storage state of the physical data in the storage medium of the production external storage device can be read. For example, when the production external storage device is a magnetic disk device, the backup computer only needs to be able to read the magnetic disk device, and recognizes the storage state of magnetic data on the magnetic disk as a storage medium, It may be copied physically on a magnetic disk or a magneto-optical disk such as another magnetic disk device or a magneto-optical disk device as a backup external storage device.

Preferably, a personal computer is used as the backup computer, and a magnetic disk device or a magneto-optical disk device is used as the backup external storage device. If a personal computer is used as the backup computer, the computer itself can be relatively inexpensive and can be easily moved, so that the backup system can be shared by the industrial computers. Further, if a magnetic disk device or a magneto-optical disk device is used as the backup external storage device, the backup external storage device can be made relatively inexpensive, new, and large-capacity and highly reliable. Examples of the latest backup external storage device include a magneto-optical disk, a removable hard disk, and a DAT.

Next, in the invention according to claim 2, prior to the backup copy, a physical copy area is secured on the storage medium of the backup external storage device, while the storage medium of the backup external storage device is secured. An area other than the above physical copy area is managed as a logical address area. A backup copy is performed on the physical copy area using a physical volume. Since the capacity is larger than that, the backup copy on the physical volume can be reliably performed.

The backup management information is stored in the logical address area.
Since the format is compatible with the backup computer, the backup computer can freely read and write. Therefore, if backup management information such as the name of the storage medium of the production external storage device, the storage capacity of the storage medium, and the date of the backup copy is stored in the logical address area, later management can be performed. It becomes very convenient.

Next, the invention according to claim 3 assumes a case where SCSI is employed as an interface between the industrial computer and the production external storage device. In this case, an ID is assigned to each peripheral device, and the ID is arbitrarily determined for each host. According to the third aspect of the present invention, the SCSI ID is recognized, and the recognized I
D is stored in the logical address area of the storage medium of the backup external storage device as backup management information, so that the ID of the original production external storage device can be easily found when the backed up data is used later. It is very convenient.

[0019]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a system configuration of a data backup device 1 capable of implementing a data backup method according to the present invention. The data backup device 1 is mainly configured with a personal computer 2 as a backup computer. I have. That is, the personal computer 2 has a display device 3 and
A magnetic disk device 4 as a backup external storage device and an input device such as a keyboard (not shown) are connected. Note that the personal computer 2 and the magnetic disk device 4 are connected via a SCSI cable 5. Further, another SCSI cable 6 used for backup copying can be connected to the personal computer 2.

The personal computer 2 executes a predetermined backup program. The backup program includes the SCSI ID of the external storage device to be backed up and the storage medium of the external storage device. Has a function of automatically recognizing at least the storage capacity and the block size.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a system configuration of the industrial computer 10 to which the data backup device 1 of FIG. 1 can be applied.
A is connected to the system bus 11. The system bus 11 is connected to a driver circuit and the like for a predetermined actuator provided on the manufacturing line, and
The state of the production line is controlled in accordance with a command signal or the like issued from the CPU 10A.

The CMT (Ca) is connected to the industrial computer 10 via the external storage controller 10B and the SCSI cable 12.
rtridge Magnet Tape) 13 and a magnetic disk device 14 as a production external storage device. The magnetic disk device 14 is an external storage device that can be accessed randomly, and the industrial computer 10 stores various data and the like generated during operation on a magnetic disk in the magnetic disk device 14 and, as necessary, The data on the magnetic disk is rewritten.

FIG. 3 shows the use of the data backup device 1 shown in FIG. 1 to store a magnetic disk (not shown in FIG. 3) as a storage medium of the magnetic disk device 14 connected to the industrial computer 10. 3A shows a procedure for backing up stored data. First, as shown in FIG. 3A, the data backup device 1 is moved to the vicinity of the industrial computer 10, and the magnetic disk device 14 is moved to the SC.
Disconnect from SI cable 12. At the time of this backup copy, the operation of the industrial computer 10 is stopped.

Then, as shown in FIG. 3B, the magnetic disk drive 14 is connected to the SC of the data backup device 1 side.
Connect to SI cable 6. That is, both the two magnetic disk devices 4 and 14 are connected to the personal computer 2, and a backup copy of data is performed in this state.

Specifically, first, in the personal computer 2, the newly connected magnetic disk device 14
It reaffirmed the SCSI the ID, recognizes the memory capacity V _max and the block size of the magnetic disk of the magnetic disk unit 14. Next, the personal computer 2 puts on the magnetic disk in the magnetic disk device 4
While ensuring the same or slightly greater area and the storage capacity V _max of the recognized as a physical copy region, a region other than the physical copy area of the magnetic disk in the magnetic disk device 4,
A logical address area in a format readable and writable by the personal computer 2 is secured. The magnetic disk in the magnetic disk device 4 is the magnetic disk device 1
A disk having a storage capacity equal to or exceeding that of the magnetic disk in No. 4 is adopted.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the concept of a backup copy.
4F conceptually shows how storage data is copied from the 4F to the magnetic disk 4F in the magnetic disk device 4, and shows how the physical copy area 4A and the logical address area 4B are secured on the magnetic disk 4F. Have been. In practice, initializes the entire magnetic disk 4F in the personal computer 2 is read-write format, on the magnetic disk 4, which is its initialization, set the same or slightly larger area of physical copy region and the storage capacity V _max I just need.

When the physical copy area 4A and the logical address area 4B are secured on the magnetic disk 4F,
The personal computer 2 reads the data stored at each address (0 sectors to V _max ) of the magnetic disk 14F in a physical volume for each predetermined block size unit (for example, 1024 bytes), and transfers the data to the transfer source and the transfer destination. If the block size is different, split or combine
Copies to the physical copy area 4A of the magnetic disk 4F. For example, if the block size of the transfer source is 512 bytes, the two copies (1024 bytes) are copied to the physical copy area 4A of the magnetic disk 4F as one unit. That is, the block size of the magnetic disk 4F for the industrial computer 10 is the same as the magnetic disk 4F for the personal computer 2.
In such a case, data cannot be copied in units of block size through the personal computer 2, but data can be copied after division or merging. In addition, since a sufficient capacity for the copy is secured in advance as the physical copy area 4A, the backup copy can be reliably performed.

The personal computer 2 stores the name of the magnetic disk 14F and the magnetic disk device 14 in the logical address area 4B as backup management information.
, The storage capacity V _max of the magnetic disk 14, the block size, the backup date and time, and the like. That is, since the logical address area 4B has a format that can be read and written by the personal computer 2,
Any information can be written, and if the above-described backup management information has been written in a predetermined area in the backup magnetic disk 4, the contents of the magnetic disk 14F can be written using the magnetic disk 4F. Very useful when restoring.

In addition, since the data backup device 1 according to the present embodiment can be easily moved, a single data backup device 1 can make a backup copy of data in external storage devices of many industrial computers. The backup device 1 can be shared by various types of industrial computers, and the personal computer 2 and the like can be purchased at relatively low cost, so that the introduction cost and the like can be greatly reduced. Furthermore, the magnetic disk device 4 connected to the personal computer 2 is a technology that
0 is much faster than the magnetic disk drive 14 for
Data can be backed up using the latest magnetic disk device 4, and if it is the latest device, it has high reliability and large storage capacity, so that the data backup device 1 with extremely high accuracy can be obtained.

Even when the data backup device 1 is shared, the backup management information is stored in the magnetic disk 4F as needed, so that the backup data of all the industrial computers that have made the backup copy is unified. Is also possible.

Further, since the backup copy is performed on the physical volume as described above, and the data backup device 1 can be a system combining the latest devices, backup copy and data restoration can be performed in a short time. This also has the advantage that the downtime of the production line can be reduced. For example, according to an experiment conducted by the present inventors, according to the configuration of the present embodiment, CMT
In comparison with the conventional backup system that performs a backup copy, it takes about half the time.

Because of the above advantages, the data backup device 1 and the data backup method using the same are extremely suitable for a steel production line using many industrial computers.

After the backup copy to the magnetic disk device 4 is completed, for example, as shown in FIG.
A CMT 20 or a magneto-optical disk 21 may be connected to the data backup device 1 so that data stored on the magnetic disk 4F is transferred to the CMT 20 or the magneto-optical disk 21 for storage.

Further, when restoring the data, it performs a connection shown in FIG. 3, the transfer of storage capacity V _max from the magnetic disk 4 to the magnetic disk 14. When the block sizes are the same, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, the magnetic disk device 4 can be used in place of the magnetic disk 14 by directly connecting the magnetic disk device 4 to the industrial computer 10 via the SCSI cable 12. .

In order to further reduce the backup time, for example, data stored on a magnetic disk in the magnetic disk device 14 is temporarily transferred to the internal memory of the personal computer 2 or a high-speed RAM disk, and the magnetic data is transferred from the internal memory to the magnetic disk. A backup copy may be performed indirectly by transferring the data to a magnetic disk in the disk device 4.

In the above embodiment, the case where SCSI is applied as an interface has been described.
The present invention is not limited to this. Even if the interface is other than SCSI, for example, IDE (Integrated Dvice Eletronic) of the standard interface of the magnetic disk device
s) or an ESDI (Enhanced Small Device Interface) interface board installed in the personal computer 2 makes the present invention applicable.

[0037]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the storage data in the storage medium of the production external storage device is copied to the storage medium of the backup external storage device by a physical volume through the backup computer,
The time required for backing up data has been reduced,
In addition, there is an effect that the cost becomes advantageous.

In particular, according to the second aspect of the invention, a backup copy on a physical volume can be reliably performed.
There is also an effect that management at the time of data restoration becomes convenient.
Further, according to the third aspect of the invention, there is also an effect that, when the SCSI is adopted, management at the time of data restoration becomes convenient.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a data backup device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram of an industrial computer and peripheral devices.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a backup copy procedure according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of a backup copy.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a modification of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing another modification of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 1 data backup device 2 personal computer (backup computer) 3 display device 4 magnetic disk device (backup external storage device) 4F magnetic disk (storage medium of backup external storage device) 4A physical copy area 4B logical address area 5, Reference Signs List 6 SCSI cable 10 Industrial computer 11 System bus 12 SCSI cable 13 CMT 14 Magnetic disk device (production external storage device) 14F Magnetic disk (production external storage device storage medium)

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A method of backing up and copying storage data in a storage medium of a production external storage device connected to an industrial computer applied to a production line, wherein the production computer stores the production external storage device. And connecting the disconnected production external storage device to a backup computer, connecting a backup external storage device to the backup computer, and storing the production external storage device through the backup computer. A data backup method for an industrial computer, wherein data stored in a medium is copied to a storage medium of the backup external storage device by a physical volume. 2. The backup computer recognizes a storage capacity of a storage medium of the production external storage device before performing the copying, and uses a capacity larger than the recognized storage capacity as a physical copy area as the backup copy capacity. While securing the data in the storage medium of the external storage device and performing the copy on the secured physical copy area, the backup computer is assigned to an area other than the physical copy area of the storage medium of the backup external storage device. 2. The data backup method for an industrial computer according to claim 1, wherein a logical address area having a formatted format is secured, and backup management information is stored in the logical address area. 3. An interface between the industrial computer and the production external storage device is SCSI, and the backup computer performs a copy operation on the storage medium of the production external storage device before performing the copying. In addition to the storage capacity, the SC
3. The data backup method for an industrial computer according to claim 2, wherein the ID of the SI is recognized, and the recognized ID is stored in the logical address area as the backup management information.