Disk array controller

• US 20030084237A1
• Filed: 02/19/2002
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Nakamura, Shuji, Yoshida, Akira
• Granted Patent: US 6,883,064 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/112
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0866 for peripheral storage systems, e.g. disk cache
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0635 by changing the path, e.g. traffic rerouting, path reconfiguration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD

Abstract

Disk array system is presented wherein the plurality of disk array controlling units operate as the sole disk array controller so as to restrain the performance of the cache memory sections of the respective disk array controlling units from deteriorating owing to their physical packaging locations and to maximize the performance thereof in proportion to the number of the controlling units in use.

Disk array controller is provided, which controller comprises a host switch interface section, the plurality of respective disk array controlling units provided with a channel interface section, a disc interface section and a cache memory section and a mutual connection network in connection with the channel interface sections, the disc interface sections and the cache memory sections of said respective disk array controlling units.

Access performance to the cache memory sections that are dispersedly disposed between the respective disk array controlling units improves so as to enhance the performance of the disk array controller in proportion to the number of the disk array controlling units in use.

Claims

1. Disk array controller comprising:

a host switch interface section that is connected to a host computer;

a plurality of respective disk array controlling units that are provided with a channel interface section interfacing with said host switch interface section, a disc interface section that is connected to a magnetic disc unit and a cache memory section that temporarily stores data as read out of or written into said magnetic disc unit; and

a mutual connection network in connection with the channel interface sections, the disc interface sections and the cache memory sections of said disk array controlling units,

wherein said cache memory sections perform a transfer of the data with the channel interface sections of said respective disk array controlling units.

2. Disk array controller according to claim 1 wherein said host switch interface section is provided with a management table that selects a path of the data transfer according to an address as requested by the host computer.

3. Disk array controller according to claim 2 wherein said data transfer path is a path between said host switch interface section and the channel interface sections of said respective disk array controlling units.

4. Disk array controller according to claim 2 wherein said management table is provided with a path selection table with candidates for the data transfer paths in response to said address and a history information table in which the respective data transfer paths are weighted according to a data volume thereof, wherein the specific path is selected on the basis of information of said history information table among the paths as selected by said path selection table.

5. Disk array controller according to claim 1 wherein one part of the respective disk array controlling units are provided with higher-speed cache memory sections than those of the other part thereof.

6. Disk array controller according to claim 2 wherein said respective disk array controlling units are provided with a resource management section that manages an operating ratio of the resources thereof and reports said operating ratio through an operating ratio report signal to said host switch interface section, wherein said management table is provided with a path selection table with candidates for the data transfer paths in response to said address and a history information table in which the respective data transfer paths are weighted based on said operating ratio report signal, wherein the specific path is selected based on information of said history table among the paths as selected by said path selection table.

7. Disk array controller comprising:

a host switch interface section that is connected to a host computer;

a plurality of respective disk array controlling units that are provided with a channel interface section interfacing with said host switch interface section, a disc interface section that is connected to a magnetic disc unit and a cache memory section that temporarily stores data as read out of or written into said magnetic disc unit;

a first connection network in connection with the channel interface sections, the disc interface sections and the cache memory sections of said respective disk array controlling units; and

a second mutual connection network in connection with said host interface section and the channel interface sections of said respective disk array controlling units,

wherein said cache memory sections perform a transfer of the data with the channel interface sections of said respective disk array controlling units.

8. Disk array controller according to claim 7 wherein said host switch interface section is provided with a management table to select a path of the data transfer according to an address as requested by the host computer.

9. Disk array controller according to claim 8 wherein said data transfer path is a path between said second mutual connection network and the channel interface sections of said respective disk array controlling units.

10. Disk array controller according to claim 8 wherein said management table is provided with a path selection table with candidates for the data transfer paths in response to said address and a history information table in which the respective data transfer paths are weighted according to a data volume thereof, wherein the specific path is selected according to information of said history table among the paths as selected is, by said path selection table.

11. Disk array controller according to claim 7 wherein one part of the disk array controlling units are provided with higher-speed cache memory sections than those of the other part thereof.

12. Disk array controller according to claim 8 wherein the respective disk array controlling units are provided with a resource management section that manages an operating ratio of the resources thereof and reports said operating ratio through an operating ratio report signal to said host switch interface section, wherein said management table is provided with a path selection table with candidates for the data transfer paths in response to said address and a history information table in which the respective data transfer paths are weighted according to said operating ratio report signal, wherein the specific path is selected according to information of said history table among the paths as selected by said path selection table.