JPS6243726A - Data transfer system between external memory device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the processing efficiency by reading data from an external memory device, storing it in a memory and writing this data in the other external memory without using a general-purpose bus. CONSTITUTION:When it is judged that the write operation of all the prescribed data in a magnetic tape device 5 is terminated, the effect is reported to a host processor 1, and a series of processing operations is completed. When the data is transferred from a fixed disk device 4 as the external memory to the magnetic tape device 5, the general-purpose bus 6 is occupied only during the transfer of the instruction and the termination of the processing. Since the general-purpose bus 6 is not occupied while the data transfer is executed, which requires the longest time, the host processor 1 can execute the other operations during the data transfer. Therefore the processing efficiency can be improved as a whole.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to a data transfer method between external storage devices, and more specifically, a method for transferring data between a magnetic disk device, a magnetic tape device, etc. Related to data transfer method.

<Prior Art> Computers and systems having various types of storage devices have been widely used.

FIG. 4 is a system configuration diagram showing such a system, which includes a host processor (21), a host side memory (22
), fixed disk controller (23), fixed disk device (24), magnetic tape controller (25), magnetic tape device! (26), and a general-purpose bus (27).

The host processor (21) and host side memory (22) are directly connected to the general-purpose bus (27), and the fixed disk device M (24) and magnetic tape device TI (26) are connected to the general-purpose bus (27), respectively. Fixed disk controller (23), magnetic tape controller (25)
) is connected to the general-purpose bus (27).

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> If the system has the above configuration, for example, when performing an operation of transferring data from the fixed disk device (24) to the magnetic tape device (26), the system shown in FIG. As shown, in step (2), a data read command is sent to the fixed disk controller (23) via the general-purpose bus (27), the command is analyzed by the fixed disk controller (23) in step (2), and the fixed disk is read in step (2). The fixed disk device (2) is controlled by the controller (23).
4), and in step (2), transfer the read data to the host memory (22) via the general-purpose bus (27), and in step (2), all the data specified by the data succession instruction are transferred. If it is determined that all the data has not been read yet, the process from step ① above is repeated. If it is determined that all the data has been read, the host computer (21) is notified that the instruction has been completed in step (2), and the magnetic tape controller (25) is notified via the general-purpose bus (27) in step (2).
A data write command is sent to , and the command is analyzed by the magnetic tape controller (25) in step (3).
In step ■, data is read from the host side memory (22), in step ■, the magnetic tape controller (25) writes data to the magnetic tape 1A position (26), and in step ■, the data specified by the data write command is read. The above steps ① and below are repeated until it is determined that all the data has been written, and after it is determined that all the data has been written, the host computer (21) indicates that the instruction has ended in step @. In step O, it is determined whether the data transfer has been completed or not. If it has not been completed, the following determination and processing are repeated in step F. If it has been completed, the data transfer process is terminated. .

Therefore, the fixed disk controller (23) or the magnetic tape controller (
25) and the host side memory (22), the general-purpose bus (27) is occupied, and the host process υ (21) uses the general-purpose bus (27). The problem is that the processing efficiency of the system as a whole decreases because the program that was being executed is forced to be interrupted.

This invention was made in view of the above problems.
without reducing the processing efficiency of the entire system.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a data transfer method between external storage devices viIf that can transfer data between external storage devices.

Means for Solving the Problems> In order to achieve the above object, the data transfer method of the present invention connects a host processor and a plurality of external storage devices via a general-purpose bus and a controller. The controller has a built-in memory, and based on instructions given to the controller from the host processor, data is read from one external storage device and stored in the memory, and this data is transferred to another without intervening a general-purpose bus. The data is written to an external storage device.

<Operation> With the above data transfer method, when a data transfer instruction is sent from the host processor to the controller via the general-purpose bus, the controller analyzes this instruction,
Based on the analysis results, necessary data can be read from one external storage IA, stored in the memory of the controller, and written directly to another external storage device without monopolizing the general-purpose bus.

<Example> Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings showing examples.

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram for implementing the data transfer method between external storage devices of the present invention, which includes a host processor (1), a host side memo IJ 123, a controller (3), and an external storage device 2. It consists of a fixed disk device (4) as a type of external storage device, a magnetic tape device (S) as a type of external storage device, and a general-purpose bus (6).The host processor (1) and the host side The memory (2) is directly connected to the general-purpose bus (6), and also has a fixed disk unit M (4) and a magnetic tape operation f5.
] is connected to the general-purpose bus (6) via the controller (3).

Figure 2 shows the controller (3) and fixed disk drive (4).
, a magnetic tape device M (51), and a general-purpose bus (6).

The above control (3) C, CPU (71, RO
M +81, RAM (91, fixed disk control microprogram controller (g), sector buffer memory (11) (12), data transfer memory (13),
Magnetic tape control microprogram controller (14
), magnetic tape buffer 7 memory (15), internal bus (
16), a DMA controller (17), and a bus controller (18), and the CPU (7), R
OM (8), RAM (9), fixed disk control microprogram controller (7), sector buffer 7 memory (11) (12), data transfer memory (13)
), magnetic tape control microprogram controller (
14) and magnetic tape buffer? The memory (15) is directly connected to the internal bus (16), and the fixed disk 11111 microprogram controller (7) and sector buffer 7 memories (11) and (12) are connected to the fixed disk interface (19); magnetic tape control microprogram controller (14),
and a magnetic tape buffer 7 memory (15) are connected to the magnetic tape interface (20).

FIG. 3 is a flowchart explaining the operation when data stored in the fixed disk device (4) is transferred to the magnetic tape device (5). The tree (1) sends a command to the controller (3) to instruct that data should be transferred from the fixed disk device (4) to the magnetic tape device (5), and in step (2) the CPUf711. : Analyzes the command and sends a data read command to the fixed disk control microprogram controller η via the internal bus (16), and in step ■, the fixed disk control microprogram The necessary information is read from the fixed disk device (4) via the interface (19) and stored in the data transfer memory (13), and in step (3), the magnetic tape control microprogram controller (14) controls the magnetic tape interface. (20), the data stored in the data transfer memory (13) is loaded into the magnetic tape device (5), and in step Tape mounted! (5) Repeat the steps below until it is determined that writing has been completed to the magnetic tape device (S).Then, when it is determined that writing of all specified data to the magnetic tape device Notifies the host processor (1) that the necessary processing in step (2) has been completed, and completes the series of processing.

As is clear from the above explanation, when data is transferred from a fixed disk device (4) as an external storage device to a magnetic tape device (9), instructions are transmitted in the above step The general-purpose bus (6) is dedicated only while performing a transmission, and the general-purpose bus (6) is occupied only while performing the most time-consuming data transfer.
is not exclusive, so while the data transfer is being carried out,
Other processing can be performed by the host processor (1), and overall processing efficiency can be improved.

Although the above explanation has only been about transferring data from the fixed disk device (4) to the magnetic tape device '1M (5), it is also possible to transfer data in the opposite direction. (4), magnetic tape device f
It is also possible to use an external storage device other than (5), such as a magnetic drum device, and various other design changes can be made without changing the gist of the invention.

<Effects of the Invention> As described above, the present invention allows data transfer between external storage devices by monopolizing a general-purpose bus only during the transmission of commands and the transmission of notification that necessary processing has been completed. During the most time-consuming period, the process is carried out only through the intervention of the controller without occupying the general-purpose bus, which has the unique effect of significantly shortening the time during which the general-purpose bus is occupied and significantly increasing the processing efficiency of the entire system. play.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a system configuration diagram for implementing the data transfer method between external storage devices of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the main parts of the system configuration diagram in Fig. 1 in detail, and Fig. 3 is a fixed system configuration diagram. Figure 4 is a system configuration diagram showing a conventional system, and Figure 5 is a flowchart explaining the operation of transferring data from a disk 'I device to a magnetic tape device. A flowchart explaining the operation of transferring data to a tape device. (1)...Small Stobrosena, (3)...Controller, (4)...Fixed disk device as external storage, (5)...External storage! Magnetic tape device as A location, (6)...General-purpose bus

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Host processor and multiple external memories A general-purpose bus and control Connect through the roller and to the controller Built-in memory and host processor based on instructions given to the controller from to read data from one external storage device. and store it in memory, and this data is Other external connections without intervening general-purpose buses external characterized by writing to a storage device A data transfer method between storage devices.