JPS63149749A - Method for diagnosing input/output subsystem - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To execute a test of an I/O subsystem including a computer system main body within a short time by dividing a storage area of an I/O device (I/O) and simultaneously transferring the same data to the same I/O through plural buses. CONSTITUTION:Since a 1st path of 11a-5a-12a, a 2nd path of 11b-5a-12a, a 3rd path of 11c-5b-12b, and a 4th path of 11d-5b-12b exist in the I/O 6a, the memory area of the I/O 6a is divided into 6a1, 6a2, 6a3, and 6a4 and respective paths are assigned to the divided areas. When all the connected paths are simultaneously used to diagnose the I/O subsystem, all the paths and an IOC can be tested within a short period and competition can be also tested, so that diagnosis with high quality can be attained.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a diagnostic method for diagnosing the operation of an input/output subsystem in an electronic computer system.

Input/output channels within the main computer system, input/output control devices (hereinafter abbreviated as "I10") and input/output devices (hereinafter abbreviated as "I10") as terminal devices, and channel cables and facilities from the input/output channels to the IOC. “From Il
In this input/output subsystem, the present invention particularly focuses on the path (from the computer system main body to one VO).
The present invention relates to a method for diagnosing operation when a plurality of signal paths (signal paths) exist.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an input/output subsystem connected to multiple buses. In the figure, (1) is the main computer system, (2) is the main storage, (3a) and (3b) are the CPU (central processing unit), (4m) and (4b), respectively.
) are the CPU (3 hatake), (3b) (=the input/output channel to which it belongs, (5m) and (5b) are the IOC, respectively)
(6m), (6b), (6c) are respectively Ilo
, (lla), (llb), (llc), (lid)
are the channel cables, (12a) and (12b), respectively.
) are each device cable. For example, Ilo (6
Considering m), the path between it and the main computer system (1) is (4a) −(lla) −(5a) −(
12m) , (4a) -(llc)-(5b) -
(12b) , (4b) −(llb) −(5a)
-(12a).

(4b) -(lid) -(5b) -(12b) There are multiple paths, and the configuration is such that input/output to Ilo (6a) can be performed through any of these multiple paths. There is. Which path to use among these multiple paths is determined by the BUSY of each device and each cable.
It is controlled according to the status signal (signal indicating that it is in use).

By the way, in the conventional diagnostic method for diagnosing the input/output subsystem as shown in FIG. 1, it was only possible to test the operation according to a predetermined path. For example, when testing l10(6a) in FIG.
la) - (sa) - (12a) if the test is determined in advance by the path (1lb) - (5m)
-(12m) , (llc) -(5b) -(1
2b), (lid)-(5b)-(12b) tests could not be performed.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

Traditional diagnostic methods were performed as described above, so that multiple ILOs were connected to the equipment, equipment cables, channel cables, etc.
:When a conflicting state for occupancy of a path occurs, it is not only possible to test how this conflict is handled, but also to test the input/output channels and IOCs connected to other paths. Therefore, there was a problem in that all passes had to be tested repeatedly.

This invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to test the input/output subsystem including the computer system itself in a short time, and to ensure that various processing functions operate correctly in the event of a conflict. The purpose of this study is to provide a diagnostic method that can diagnose the

[Means for solving problems]

In the method of this invention, when there are n paths leading to one Ilo, the storage area of the VO is divided into n areas,
As well as assigning each divided area to a corresponding path, it is possible to test the validity of the connection form, domain, and IOC status, making it possible to test computer systems with multiple path connections in a short time. did.

[Effect]

By dividing the storage area of a device, it is possible to transfer the same data to the same device using multiple paths at the same time, so that the validity of the data can be confirmed.

〔Example〕 Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a multi-bus connected input/output subsystem to which the present invention is applied, and is already a source of explanation regarding the conventional method.

FIG. 2 shows diagnostic related programs stored in the main memory (2) in the method of the present invention, (7) is a control program, (81), (82), (83), (8
4) is a test program, (9) is an I10 configuration information table, and (10) is a path status table. Also, in Figure 3, when considering Ilo (6a) in Figure 1, (lla) - (5a) - (12a) (D
1st pass, (llb) - (5a) - (12a) 2nd pass, (llc) - (5b) - (12b) 3rd pass, (lla) - (5b) - (12b) 4th pass Since the path exists, the memory area of Ilo (6a) is (6al), (6a2), (6a3), (6a4) according to this path.
) is a block diagram illustrating an example of division. Area (6al
), (6a2), (6a3).

(6a4) respectively. Second. Third. Control is performed to connect only through the fourth path. Moreover, test programs (81), (82), (83), and (84) are respectively 1st and 2nd. Third. This is a test program for the fourth pass.

The preprocessing of the method of this invention involves determining the area division as shown in FIG. Table (9) and the state of the IOCs and devices connected to each path (busy state, in other words, whether they are in use or not)
a path status table (10) indicating the path status, and test programs (81) to (84) that perform diagnosis corresponding to each path;
I10 configuration information table (9) and bus status table (l
O) and each test program (81) to (84).
) is created and stored in the main memory.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing each program step of the control program (71), and (Sl) to (812) indicate each step.

Next, the operation of the method of this invention will be explained. At the start of diagnosis, each test program (81) ~
(84) is activated at the same time. As a result, when an input/output operation request to Ilo occurs from the test program, the control program (71) is started, and the step (S
Enter l). In step (S2), I
The bus status table (10) shows the status of OC and Ilo.
As a result of this investigation, if the relevant I/L is usable, perform input/output operation in (83), and determine whether the resulting status (status signal) is normal or abnormal in (S4). However, if it is abnormal, it enters an error process (S5), and if it is normal, it enters (S6) and waits for the completion of the input/output operation. (S
From 3) to the end of (S5) or (S6), 110°10C related to the relevant path is written as unusable in the bus status table, and can be used at the end of (35) or (S6). can be rewritten to the state.

If the judgment in (S2) is NO, check the test mode in (S7), and if the test is not busy, enter (811).
Wait until Ilo becomes available, perform input/output operations only in the case of a busy test (S8), and when a busy signal is output as the status in the judgment of (89), perform the input/output operation (810).
) and waits for a usable interrupt, and if a status other than a busy signal is output, it is treated as an error and error processing (812) is performed.

By controlling the control program (7) as described above, it is possible to check the validity of the processing in the case of a conflict, for example from (S7) - (88) - (S9), and it is also possible to By performing input/output, the validity of data transfer can be confirmed.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing another configuration example of an input/output subsystem with multiple path connections to which the present invention can be applied, in which the same reference numerals as in FIG. 1 indicate the same or equivalent parts, and (la
) and (lb) are the main computer systems 7
In the example shown in Figure 1, the computer system main body (1) contains two series of CPUs and input/output channels in the l series.
The example shown in FIG. 5 has the same configuration as the one shown in FIG. 1 except that it has two main computer systems, so it is clear that the method of the present invention can also be applied to the system with the configuration shown in FIG. .

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, since the input/output subsystem is diagnosed by using all the connected paths simultaneously, it is possible to test all the paths and IOCs in a short time. In addition, competitive testing is also possible, so
High-quality diagnosis becomes possible.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a multi-path connected input/output subsystem to which the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 shows a diagnostic-related program stored in the main storage in the method of the present invention. Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the divided areas of L assigned to each path, Figure 4
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing each program step of the control program shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing another example of the configuration of a multi-path connected input/output subsystem to which the present invention can be applied. (11 is the computer system main body, (2) is the main storage device, (
3m) and (3b) are CPUs, (4a) and (
4b) are input and output channels, (5m), (5b) respectively
(61)-(6b), (6c) are L, (6al), (6a2), respectively. (6a3) and (6a4) are respectively divided areas within Ilo (6m), (7) is the control program, and (81) to (8
4) is each test program, (9) is the I10 configuration information table, (10) is the path status table, (lla), (
llb), (lie), and (lid) are channel cables, respectively, and (12a) and (12b) are device cables, respectively. Note that the same reference numerals in the figures indicate the same or corresponding parts.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an input/output subsystem diagnosis method for diagnosing the operation of an input/output subsystem in which a plurality of paths are provided to control one input/output device, The step of determining the total number of paths, dividing the storage area of the input/output device into a number equal to the total number of paths, allocating each divided area to each path, and creating an input/output device configuration information table according to this allocation. , a step of creating a test program for each path, each test program for each path, the input/output device configuration information table, a path status table that stores the status of devices connected to the path for each path, and Storing a control program that controls each test program in the main memory by referring to the input/output device configuration information table and the path status table; and activating each test program for each path at the start of diagnosis of the input/output subsystem. During the operation of each test program, when an input/output operation request is generated from any test program to the relevant input/output device, the above control program is started and the above input/output configuration information table and the above path status table are generated. If the input/output device is available, the requested input/output operation is executed; if the input/output device is unavailable, the requested input/output operation is performed only when the test mode by the test program is busy test. a test execution step of executing an input/output operation, checking whether a busy signal is output as a status signal indicating the result, and otherwise controlling the input/output device to wait until it becomes available; A method for diagnosing an input/output subsystem.