Disk array controller, its disk array control unit, and increase method of the unit

• US 20040034737A1
• Filed: 08/20/2003
• Published: 02/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Akira Fujibayashi, Hiroki Kanai, Kazuhisa Fujimoto, Wataru Sakurai
• Original Assignee: Akira Fujibayashi, Hiroki Kanai, Kazuhisa Fujimoto, Wataru Sakurai
• Inventors: Fujibayashi, Akira, Fujimoto, Kazuhisa, Sakurai, Wataru, Kanai, Hiroki
• Granted Patent: US 6,985,989 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/114
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0866 for peripheral storage systems, e.g. disk cache
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/061 Improving I/O performance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0613 in relation to throughput
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0635 by changing the path, e.g. traffic rerouting, path reconfiguration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0658 Controller construction arrangements
• 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 3/0683 Plurality of storage devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD

Abstract

A disk array controller is made up of multiple disk array control units for implementing the data read/write operation and each having channel IF units, disk IF units, cache memory units and shared memory units. The disk array controller further includes inter connections for interconnecting the shared memory units and interconnecting the cache memory units across the border of disk array control units. Thereby alleviating the deterioration of performance due to the data transfer between the disk array control units, when the multiple disk array control units are to be operated as a single disk array controller.

Claims

1. A storage apparatus system comprising:

a plurality of controllers; and

a plurality of disk drives connected to said controllers,

wherein each of said controllers includes a first interface connected to a computer, a second interface connected to said disk drives, and a first memory connected to said first and second interfaces, and

wherein said first memories of said controllers are interconnected by a first communication line.

2. The storage apparatus system according to claim 1, wherein each of said controllers further includes a second memory connected to said first and second interfaces, and

wherein said second memories of said controllers are interconnected by a second communication line.

3. The storage apparatus system according to claim 2, wherein said first memories are shared memories, and said second memories are cache memories.

4. The storage apparatus system according to claim 3, wherein said second memories are connected through switches to said first and second interfaces.

5. The storage apparatus system according to claim 4, wherein said communication line is composed of switches.

6. The storage apparatus system according to claim 5, wherein said first communication line is the same as said second communication line.