Disk array apparatus and method for controlling the same

• US 20050149672A1
• Filed: 02/14/2005
• Published: 07/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Akihisa Hirasawa, Katsuyoshi Suzuki
• Original Assignee: Akihisa Hirasawa, Katsuyoshi Suzuki
• Inventors: Hirasawa, Akihisa, Suzuki, Katsuyoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,523,258 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/114
• 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 3/0625 Power saving in storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0658 Controller construction arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0661 Format or protocol conversion arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/415 Redundant array of inexpensive disks [RAID] systems
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/002 Programmed access in sequence to a plurality of record carriers or indexed parts, e.g. tracks, thereof, e.g. for editing; transfer of record carriers from magazine G11B15/68, G11B17/10; G11B17/22
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/36 Monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing for digital recording G11B20/00 and s.gr.; for monitoring, testing or measuring of TV recorders of the type covered by H04N5/76 and subgroups, see H04N17/06
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/144 by detection, control, regulation of the temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20836 Thermal management, e.g. server temperature control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

An apparatus includes a controller and a plurality of disk drives. The controller has a communication control unit for accepting a data input/output request, a disk controller unit for controlling a disk drive, and a cache memory for temporarily storing data transferred between the communication control unit and the disk controller unit. The plurality of disk drives has different communication interfaces and connected to the disk controller unit to communicate with the disk controller unit.

Claims

1. A storage system, comprising:

a controller controlling to transfer data to a plurality of storage regions;

a plurality of disk drive units having a plurality of disk drives which have said storage regions and having at least one of first type disk drive units which each has a first type interface and at least one of second type disk drive units which each has a second type interface;

a first housing having said first type disk drive units and said second type disk drive units; and

a rack having said first housing and a second housing, one of said first housing and said second housing being laid on another of said first housing and said second housing.

2. A storage system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a data line coupled said controller to said first type disk drive units and said second type disk drive units.

3. A storage system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a data line having said first type interface and coupled said second type disk drive units; and

at least one of converters being coupled to said data line and converting said first type interface and said second type interface,

wherein each of said converters correspond to one of said second type disk drive units.

4. A storage system according to claim 1, wherein said first type interface is a fibre channel interface, and

wherein said second type interface is an AT Attachment (ATA) interface.

5. A storage system according to claim 1, wherein said second housing includes said first type disk drive units and said second type disk drive units.

6. A storage system according to claim 1, wherein said second housing includes one type of disk drive units from said first type disk drive units or said second type disk drive units.

7. A storage system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a data line which couples said controller to said first type disk drive units and said second type disk drive units,

wherein said data line is a Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop (FC-AL).

8. A storage system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a data line having said first type interface and coupled said second type disk drive units; and

at least one of converters coupled said data line and converting said first type interface and said second type interface and each of said converters corresponding to one of said second type disk drive units;

wherein one of said converters is installed in a second disk drive in one of said second type disk drive units.

9. A storage system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a data line having said first type interface and coupled to said second type disk drive units; and

at least one of converters coupled to said data line and converting said first type interface and said second type interface and each of said converters corresponding to one of said second type disk drive units,

wherein one of said converters is installed outside of a first disk drive and in one of said first type disk drive units.

10. A storage system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a power supply coupled to said second type disk drive units by at least one of a plurality of power lines and supplying power to said second type disk drive units; and

a power controller coupled to said power supply and controlling to supply power to said second type disk drive units,

wherein one of said second type disk drive units relays a control signal sent from said controller to said power controller.

13. A storage system according to claim 1, wherein said first type interface is a Fibre Channel (FC) interface,

wherein said second type interface is an AT Attachment (ATA) interface,

wherein some of storage regions in said first type disk drive units form a first logical unit, said first logical unit is an object to store data sent from an host computer which is coupled to said controller,

wherein some of storage regions in said second type disk drive units form a second logical unit, and

wherein each of said first logical unit and said second logical unit has a logical unit number.

14. A storage system according to claim 1, wherein said second type interface is an AT Attachment (ATA) interface, and

wherein some of storage regions in said second type disk drive units are used to store data, the data are used to back up.