Disk array apparatus and disk array apparatus controlling method
First Claim
1. A disk array apparatus connected to an information-processing apparatus so as to be able to communicate therewith, comprising:
- a plurality of hard disk drives; and
a controller constructed by including a host interface which receives a request for a data read and request for a data write from/to said hard disk drives from said information processing apparatus, a disk interface connected to said hard disk drives so as to be able to communicate therewith through a communication path which performs data input/output to/from said hard disk drives, a memory, a CPU which controls said host interface and said disk interface and a time counting mechanism, wherein a logical volume is formed in a RAID group with redundancy made up of a plurality of said hard disk drives, said disk array apparatus comprising;
an access time storage section which stores, upon reception of a request for a data read or request for a data write from/to said logical volume from said information processing apparatus, the time acquired from said time counting mechanism as the access time in said memory in association with an identifier of said RAID group in which said logical volume is formed; and
a power saving mode execution section which refers to said access time stored in said memory and sets a number of said hard disk drives according to the redundancy of said RAID group to a power saving mode when the difference between the time acquired from said time counting mechanism and said access time exceeds a predetermined time.
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Abstract
Times at which requests for a data read or data write from/to a logical volume are received are stored in memory as access times of a RAID group making up the logical volume. When a predetermined time has elapsed after the access time, a number of the hard disk drives according to the redundancy of the RAID group are set to a power saving mode. Assume there are first hard disk drives and second hard disk drives having shorter lifes and the RAID group exceeds a predetermined time after the access time. When the RAID group consists of only the first drives, a number of the first drives according to the redundancy of the RAID group are set to a power saving mode and when it consists of only the second drives, an arbitrary number of second drives are set to a power saving mode.
66 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A disk array apparatus connected to an information-processing apparatus so as to be able to communicate therewith, comprising:
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a plurality of hard disk drives; and
a controller constructed by including a host interface which receives a request for a data read and request for a data write from/to said hard disk drives from said information processing apparatus, a disk interface connected to said hard disk drives so as to be able to communicate therewith through a communication path which performs data input/output to/from said hard disk drives, a memory, a CPU which controls said host interface and said disk interface and a time counting mechanism, wherein a logical volume is formed in a RAID group with redundancy made up of a plurality of said hard disk drives, said disk array apparatus comprising;
an access time storage section which stores, upon reception of a request for a data read or request for a data write from/to said logical volume from said information processing apparatus, the time acquired from said time counting mechanism as the access time in said memory in association with an identifier of said RAID group in which said logical volume is formed; and
a power saving mode execution section which refers to said access time stored in said memory and sets a number of said hard disk drives according to the redundancy of said RAID group to a power saving mode when the difference between the time acquired from said time counting mechanism and said access time exceeds a predetermined time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A disk array apparatus connected to an information processing apparatus so as to be able to communicate therewith, comprising:
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a plurality of first hard disk drives which perform data transmission/reception according to a first interface standard;
a plurality of second hard disk drives which perform data transmission/reception according to a second interface standard having a shorter life than said first hard disk drives;
a controller constructed by including a host interface which receives a request for a data read and request for a data write from/to said first or second hard disk drives from said information processing apparatus, a disk interface connected to said first or second hard disk drives so as to be able to communicate therewith through a communication path which performs data input/output to/from said first or second hard disk drives, a memory, a CPU which controls said host interface and said disk interface and a time counting mechanism, wherein a logical volume is formed in a RAID group made up of a plurality of said first or second hard disk drives, said disk array apparatus comprising;
an access time storage section which stores, upon reception of a request for a data read or request for a data write from/to said logical volume from said information processing apparatus, the time acquired from said time counting mechanism as the access time in said memory in association with an identifier of said RAID group in which said logical volume is formed;
a power saving mode execution section which refers to said access time stored in said memory, sets, for a RAID group whose difference between the time acquired from said time counting mechanism and said access time exceeds a predetermined time, a number of said first hard disk drives according to the redundancy of said RAID group to a power saving mode when said RAID group consists of only said first hard disk drives and sets an arbitrary number of said second hard disk drives to a power saving mode when said RAID group consists of only said second hard disk drives;
a power saving start time storage section which stores the time acquired from said time counting mechanism as the power saving start time in said memory in association with an identifier of said RAID group when said first or second hard disk drives are set to a power saving mode by said power saving mode execution section; and
a power saving mode cancellation section which refers to said power saving start time and cancels the power saving mode of said first or second hard disk drives in a power saving mode when the difference between said power saving start time and the time acquired from said time counting mechanism exceeds a predetermined time. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of controlling a disk array apparatus connected to an information processing apparatus so as to be able to communicate therewith, comprising:
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a plurality of first hard disk drives which perform data transmission/reception according to a first interface standard;
a plurality of second hard disk drives which perform data transmission/reception according to a second interface standard having a shorter life than said first hard disk drives;
a controller constructed by including a host interface which receives a request for a data read and request for a data write from/to said first or second hard disk drives from said information processing apparatus, a disk interface connected to said first or second hard disk drives so as to be able to communicate therewith through a communication path which performs data input/output to/from said first or second hard disk drives, a memory, a CPU which controls said host interface and said disk interface and a time counting mechanism, wherein a logical volume is formed in a RAID group made up of a plurality of said first or second hard disk drives, said disk array apparatus controlling method comprising;
a step of storing, upon reception of a request for a data read or request for a data write from/to said logical volume from said information processing apparatus, the time acquired from said time counting mechanism as the access time in said memory in association with an identifier of said RAID group in which said logical volume is formed;
a step of referring to said access time stored in said memory and checking whether the difference between the time acquired from said time counting mechanism and said access time exceeds a predetermined time or not;
a step of setting a number of said first hard disk drives according to the redundancy of said RAID group to a power saving mode when said RAID group whose difference between the time acquired from said time counting mechanism and said access time exceeds a predetermined time consists of only said first hard disk drives;
a step of setting an arbitrary number of said second hard disk drives to a power saving mode when said RAID group whose difference between the time acquired from said time counting mechanism and said access time exceeds a predetermined time consists of only said second hard disk drives;
a step of storing, when said first or second hard disk drives are set to a power saving mode, the time acquired from said time counting mechanism as a power saving start time in said memory in association with an identifier of said RAID group; and
a step of referring to said power saving start time and canceling the power saving mode of said first or second hard disk drives in a power saving mode when the difference between said power saving start time and the time acquired from said time counting mechanism exceeds a predetermined time.
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Specification