TW200949701A - Apparatus and method for hard drive firmware update - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus for hard drive firmware update includes a SAS expander and a non-volatile memory. The SAS expander includes an expander connection router (ECR) and an embedded microprocessor electrically coupled with the ECR. The ECR is configured for connecting a SATA hard drive and a SAS hard drive. The embedded microprocessor has a SATA host and a SCSI initiator software installed therein. The non-volatile memory is electrically coupled to the embedded microprocessor and for saving a replacement hard drive firmware. The replacement hard drive firmware would be sent to a special hard drive for firmware update by the embedded microprocessor selectably calling one of the SATA host and the SCSI initiator and by the ECR routing the replacement firmware. The present invention also provides a method for hard drive firmware update.

Description

200949701 IX. Description of the Invention: [Technical Field] The present invention relates to the field of disk storage systems, and in particular to a disk firmware updating device and a updating method. [Prior Art]

Referring to FIG. 1 ', a conventional disk storage system 10 includes a storage subsystem 12 and a server host 16, and the storage subsystem 12 is connected via a SAS (Serial Attached SCSI). The small computer system interface) is coupled to the server host 16 by a cable 14. The server host 16 includes an HBA (Host Bus Adapter) or a RAlD (Redundant).

Array of Independent Disks, Controller 161. The storage subsystem 12 includes a SAS expander 122 and a storage array 124 installed in an enclosure. The storage array 124 includes a SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) disk and a SAf disk. It communicates with the HBA or RAID controller 161 of the server host 16 via the SAS expander 122 via the SAS cable 14. For SATA and SAS disks in storage array 124, they all contain firmware that governs their operation. Sometimes it is necessary to update the firmware of the disk in order to correct errors in the disk or to improve the performance of the disk. However, when the firmware of the disk is updated, the storage subsystem 12 must pass through the HBA or RAn controller and connect them to the SATA (or SCSI) command coupled to the SAS extension 11 122. Update the firmware of the disk, and each disk = one disk. If you want to update the N disks in the storage array m to send N commands, the corresponding thin body needs to be transmitted N times, resulting in magnetic The firmware update efficiency of the disk is low. [Summary] _ 5 200949701 The object of the present invention is to provide a disk-high update efficiency of the disk firmware. = The re-invention of the invention is to provide a lion hybrid update. Method, a preferred disk firmware update efficiency. The present invention provides a disk firmware update device comprising: a sas expansion = and - non-volatile memory. The SAS expander includes - an expander connection route ^ (Expander C〇nnection Router, ECR) 'Connected to sata disk and SAS disk' and - Connected to the expander to route it to the embedded micro-integration

Embedded Microprocessor; embedded microprocessor with a SATf host controller driver and an 8 (^ starter driver. Non-volatile memory to the micro-processing ^ for storage) Disk firmware; this disk firmware is optionally invoked by the embedded microprocessor to the sata host controller driver and one of the 8 (81 starter drivers) and sent to the specific router via the expander connection router. The disk is subjected to the physical update. In an embodiment of the invention, the non-volatile memory system is a flash memory. In an embodiment of the invention, the SAS expander further includes a SAS port. In an embodiment of the invention, the disk firmware update device further includes a server host, which includes an HBA or a RAID controller, and the server host The SAS cable is connected to the SAS port of the SAS expander. In an embodiment of the invention, the SAS expander further includes a serial port that is electrically coupled to the embedded microprocessor. In an embodiment of the invention, the disk firmware updating device further includes a personal electric service host connected to the serial port of the sas expander by a serial bus (Seriai bus). 6 200949701 Invented again & a disk with a magnetic charge II = magnetic gamma - non-volatile memory: get = ▲ f sister (10) start 11-axis program - the reclining command to collect the remaining facial memory The disk firmware is firmware-updated for the specific disk. Inventive-Embodiment The above-mentioned downloading step is performed by a feeder host including an HBA or a RAID device, and the scsi box is sent through one (four) port. The code of the SCSI Enclosure Service SEs controls the diagnostic page to download the disk firmware. In the embodiment of the present invention, the downloading step is performed by a human computer host through a series of files to download the disk firmware. The present invention stores a disk firmware by configuring a non-volatile memory, and loads the SATA host controller driver and the SCSI initiator driver in the embedded microprocessor of the SAS expander, so the pair is connected to the SAS expander. Same When multiple SATA disks or multiple SAS disks are used for firmware update, only one disk firmware is downloaded, which greatly shortens the firmware update time and improves the firmware update efficiency. In addition, the magnetic field provided by the present invention is provided. The disk firmware update method can update the disk firmware through the scsi box service function to supplement the vacancy of the disk firmware that cannot be updated by the scsi box service function, and perfect and unify the devices in the box. The present invention provides a disk firmware update method, which can also use a serial port of a general personal computer host to implement disk firmware update without an HBA and a RAID controller. Large equipment reduces the complexity of the upgrade. The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent. [Embodiment] Referring to FIG. 2, a disk body renewal device 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a SAS expander 22 and a non-volatile memory 23. The SAS expander 22 includes an embedded microprocessor (221), an expander connection router (ECR) 223, a SAS port 225, and a serial port 227. Expander connection router 223 is used to connect SATA disk and SAS magnetic

The embedded microprocessor 221 is electrically connected to the expander connection router 223, and has a SATA host controller (SATA Host) driver and a SCSI Initiator driver; the SAS port 225 and The expander connection router 223 is connected, and can be coupled to a server host 26 including an HBA or a RAID controller via a SAS cable 24 (see FIG. 3); the serial port 227 and the embedded microprocessor The 221 is connected, which can be coupled to a personal computer host through a 1 row of bus BUS cable 34 (see, Figure 4). The non-volatile memory 23 is electrically connected to the immersive microprocessor 22, which can be a flash memory. The non-volatile memory 23 is used to store the disk body to be updated; the disk body is selectively invoked by the embedded microprocessor 221 to selectively call the SATA host controller driver and (4) the initiator driver. 'And send it to a specific disk for firmware update via the expander connection router 223. In the following, the disk extension device is connected to the extender connected to the Μ expander 22 to be reduced from the D8 disk and/or the SAS disk. The method of disk firmware update. Referring to Fig. 3, in an embodiment, the SAS expander 22 is coupled to a server host 26 by means of a non-connected SAS regulator. The specific performance is that the servo 8 200949701 host 26 includes: an HBA or rajd controller 261 and a SAS port 263 electrically coupled to the HBA or RAID controller 261, and a SAS port 225 of the SAS device 22 and the feeding device. The SAS port 263 of the host % is coupled by a SAS cable 24. The disk firmware updating method of this embodiment may include the following steps: (1) Sending a download microcode I © by the HBA or RAID controller 261 through its SAS port 263 to the scsn SCSI Enclosure Service (SES) Download Microcode Control Diagnostic Page) » 10 Download the disk to be updated to non-volatile memory 23; the specific performance 疋·ΗΒΑ or MD controller 261 will contain the magnetic by sending a diagnostic (Send Diagnostic) command The disc code is transferred to the rear microprocessor 22 and then stored by the embedded microprocessor 221 to the non-volatile memory 23. The definition of each byte of the diagnostic code page can be found in Table 2.

Transfer Long Image Data Retained Mutual? Identification #Γ The cache offset is ashamed of the disk firmware of the shadow of the county Tang I transmission of the shadow silly county Tang table - the data in the data head after the data table 1 is not the length of the entire page, the slot identification The number indicates that the new disk of the firmware is to be in the slot in the box. For example, when xxh=05h, it means that the slot in the new box is 5 new boxes in the new box. ' # xxh=FFh, it means that the slot of the disk is set to set the xxh miscellaneous. According to the performance of the microprocessor 221 that needs to be updated, it is embedded by expanding the performance of the one-eighth body.

The specific disk is connected by 15 223 and needs to be refreshed or the message 'draws the disk of this particular disk _ is SATA

G ❹ (3), according to the type of disk obtained, selectively invokes s to send the corresponding command, betting that the specific disk is based on the disk firmware downloaded to the non-volatile memory 23 for this particular disk _ Update. (4) ', the performance of the body is, (8) When the disk type of this particular disk is SATA, the input microprocessor 221 calls the SATA host controller driver to send the download to the specific disk of the magnetic type SATA. The microcode kisses (10) MlCr〇C〇de) commands to perform a lookup update of this particular disk based on the disk firmware downloaded to non-volatile memory 23. The definition of each word of the T-loaded microcode command can be found in Table 2.

Reserved Obsolete Reserved Optional offset download and storage micro-maze for immediate and future use Reserved Download and store microcode for immediate and future use 04h-06h 07h

Olh 1F5 ^ Bits W Zhou Description 15:8 Reserved 200949701 7:0 Block Count (Low Order) 02h-04h Invitation Block Addressing Bit Description 47:24 Reserved 23:8 Cache Offset (only for feature = 〇3h, otherwise this field is reserved) 7: 〇 block count (higher order) 05h device bit description 15 discarded 14 empty 13 discarded 12 transmission dependent - see 6.1.9 11:8 reserved download microcode command as a ΑΤΑ command, available To achieve firmware update of SATA disk; when the feature is set to 〇3h, it means that the transmission of the disk firmware requires multiple download microcode commands to complete; when the feature is set to 〇7h, it indicates the transmission of the disk firmware. It only needs one download microcode command to complete. (b) When the disk type of this particular disk is SAS, the embedded microprocessor ^1 calls the scsi initiator driver to send a write buffer (WriteBuffer) command to the disk type SAS. According to the magnetic hybrid downloaded to the non-volatile 2 body 23, (4) is updated for this particular disk. The definition of each byte of the cache command can be found in Table 3.

200949701

8 (highest digit) 9 parameter list length

^ Cache command is a kind of SCSI command, which can be used to realize the more sturdy structure of SAS disk. When the mode is set to 5, 'represents the transmission of 剌 (4) only needs to be - write cache - P command = can be completed; when the mode is set At 7 o'clock, it indicates that the disk_multiple write cache command is completed. And - referring to FIG. 4, in another implementation, the SAS expander 22 can be connected to a personal computer by means of the serial bus age 34 (pers〇nai

Copnto, PQ host 36. The specific performance is that the personal computer host % has a serial port 227 of 1 363 ’ SAS expander 22 and a serial port 363 of the personal computer host are transferred by a series of bus bar mirror lines %. The disk firmware updating method of the embodiment may include the following steps: the human computer host 36' sends a desired update body through the serial port 363 to download the disk body to the non-volatile memory phantom;个人 ' 'The personal computer host 36 stores the disk in the non-volatile memory by the microprocessor 221 through its serial device and then by the embedded microprocessor 221. Move away (11) to get - specific thorn __; with _ performance is, embedded

The microprocessor 221 is reduced by expanding the thin far grazing mountain gg A, and the expander is connected to the route 15 and needs to be updated.

Please use the β' track to get the magnetic flip type for this particular disk is SATA or SAS. The view of the magnetic flip type, the choice of the _s new host control mitigation program and the milk 1 starter driver - to this specific disk 12 200949701 disk type is SATA when the 'embedded microprocessor : Use the ==: controller driver to send a download to this particular disk to a non-recall: 23 magnetic body, which is specific; when the disk type === disk type is SAS, embedded micro processing ^ call SCSI Start _driver' to this special

❹ ::=r-_23的磁』= In addition, downloading the disk to the non-volatile memory 23 is not limited to the above embodiment, and the SAS connection via the server host 26 is 263 and 2 brains. (4) 363 of the host 36, the disk is sent to the embedded microprocessor 221 'and then stored by the embedded microprocessor 221 to the other way; can also be passed - electronic device (can be a personal computer host): magnetic The disk body is directly downloaded to the non-volatile memory 23, and the non-volatile memory 23 is connected to the floating microprocessor 221 of the SAS expander 22. In summary, the embodiment of the present invention stores a disk firmware by configuring a non-volatile memory and loads a SATA host controller driver and a SCSI initiator driver in an embedded microprocessor of the SAS expander. Therefore, when performing a zoom update on multiple SATA disks or multiple sas disks of the same model connected to the SAS expander, 'just download the disk firmware once, which greatly shortens the firmware update time' and improves the dynamic update. effectiveness. In addition, the method for updating a disk object provided by the embodiment of the present invention can update the disk firmware through the SCSI box service function to ping up the vacancy of the disk firmware that cannot be updated by the SCSI box service function. Unified management of each device in the cabinet. The method for updating the disk firmware provided by the embodiment of the present invention can also implement the update of the disk firmware by using the serial port of the ordinary personal computer host without the HBA and the RAID controller 13 200949701. Such a large device reduces the complexity of the upgrade. Although the present invention has been disclosed in the above preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the invention, and the skilled in the art can make some modifications and retouchings without departing from the technical scope of the present invention. The scope of protection is subject to the definition of the scope of the patent application attached. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic structural view of a conventional disk storage system. ❹ Structure ^ ®2. The structure of the magnetic disk building updating device proposed in the embodiment of the present invention is as follows: Figure 2 shows the magnetic lion update fiber loading to the ship's host node =: 2 shows the magnetic wave; want to update the device to the personal computer Host [Main component symbol description] 10: Disk storage system 12: Storage subsystem® 122: SAS expander 124: Storage array 14: SAS cable 16: Server host 161: HBA or raid controller 20: Disk toughness Body update device 22 I SAS expander 221: embedded microprocessor 223 · expander connection router 200949701 225 : SAS port 227 : serial port 23 : non-volatile memory 24 : SAS cable 26 : server host 261 : HBA or RAID controller 263: SAS connection 埠34: tandem bus cable φ 36: PC host 363: serial port 埠

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Claims (1)

200949701 X. Patent application scope: 1. A disk firmware updating device, comprising a SAS expander and a non-volatile memory, wherein: the SAS expander includes an expander connection router and an embedded micro a processor; wherein: the expander is connected to the router for connecting the SATA disk and the SAS disk; the embedded microprocessor is electrically coupled to the expander connection router, and the embedded microprocessor is loaded with a SATA host control And a SCSI initiator driver; the non-volatile memory is electrically coupled to the embedded microprocessor, and the non-volatile memory is used to store the disk firmware to be updated, the disk firmware The DRAM host controller driver and one of the SCSI initiator drivers are selectively invoked by the embedded microprocessor, and are sent to a specific disk through the expander connection router for dynamic update. 2. The disk firmware updating device according to claim 1, wherein the non-volatile memory system is a flash memory. 3. The disk firmware update device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the SAS expander further comprises a SAS port, which is electrically connected to the spreader connection router. 4. The disk firmware update device of claim 3, further comprising a server host comprising an HBA or a RAID controller, the server host being extended by the SAS cable and the SAS The SAS port of the device is connected. 5. The disk firmware update device of claim 1, wherein the SAS expander further comprises a serial port electrically coupled to the die-in microprocessor. The disk firmware updating device of claim 5, further comprising a personal computer host connected to the serial port of the SAS expander by a serial bus bar. 7. A method for updating a disk firmware, comprising the steps of: downloading a disk firmware to be updated to a non-volatile memory; acquiring a disk type of a specific disk; and acquiring a disk of the disk drive Type, selectively invoked - SATA host controller driver and - SCSI brain driver - to send a command to toughen the particular disk based on the magnetic body downloaded to the non-volatile memory Body update. 'The seventh section of the blanking division is a more financial method, in which: 1 =; == "The controller of the wide-scale device is broken down. _Magnetic ^= In the scope of the seventh paragraph, the _ block of the financial method is described, in which the _ body PC domain downloads the disk_update method described in item 7 of the magnetic patent, which is non-volatile. Facial system - flashing clock. , 17