Disk array device and method of supplying power to disk array device

• US 20050216777A1
• Filed: 05/25/2005
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Ogawa, Masato, Suzuki, Hiroshi, Matsushige, Hiromi, Yokoyama, Tomokazu
• Granted Patent: US 7,131,014 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/30 Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations for resetting only G06F1/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2015 Redundant power supplies power supply failure G06F1/30
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/126 Arrangements for providing electrical connections, e.g. connectors, cables, switches

Abstract

A disk array device and a method of supplying power to a disk array device to which power is supplied by at least two AC inputs are provided. Where at least two AC/DC power-supply groups are provided in correspondence with each of the AC inputs and each AC/DC power-supply group includes at least two AC/DC power supplies that are connected to the AC input corresponding to that group, outputs from the AC/DC power supplies are summed separately for each group to obtain group total outputs for each group, and the group total outputs are input to each of a plurality of loads in the disk array device to provide power to each of the loads.

Claims

1-18. -18. (canceled)

19. A storage system, comprising:

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

at least one data line being used to relay data transferred from said controller;

a plurality of disk drive units coupled to said at least one data line and having a plurality of disk drives which have said storage regions;

at least one first AC/DC power supply being inputted AC input and supplying DC power to some loads among said controller and said disk drive units;

at least one second AC/DC power supply being inputted AC input and supplying DC power to said loads;

at least one first power line being used to relay DC power to said loads;

at least one second power line being used to relay DC power to said loads;

a first DC power supply coupled to said at least one first power line via a first backflow prevention device and coupled to said at least one second power line via a second backflow prevention device and corresponding to a first load of said loads and supplying DC power to said first load; and

a second DC power supply coupled to said at least one first power line via a third backflow prevention device and coupled to said at least one second power line via a fourth backflow prevention device and corresponding to a second load of said loads and supplying DC power to said second load;

wherein voltage of said first backflow prevention device is approximately equal to voltage of said fourth backflow prevention device and is different from voltage of said third backflow prevention device, and

wherein voltage of said second backflow prevention device is approximately equal to voltage of said third backflow prevention device and is different from voltage of said fourth backflow prevention device.

20. A storage system according to claim 19, wherein:

said first DC power supply is a DC-DC converter, and

said second DC power supply is a DC-DC converter.

21. A storage system according to claim 19, wherein:

said first DC power supply has a circuit to make constant voltage between said first backflow prevention device and said first load, and

said second DC power supply has a circuit to make constant voltage between said third backflow prevention device and said second load.

22. A storage system according to claim 19, comprising:

a plurality of said first AC/DC power supplies, and

a plurality of said second AC/DC power supplies.

23. A storage system according to claim 19, wherein:

said loads are said disk drive units.

24. A storage system according to claim 19, further comprising:

at least one interface control circuit coupled to said at least one data line and controlling to transfer data to be written to said disk drive units;

wherein said loads are said interface control circuit.

25. A storage system according to claim 19, wherein:

said loads are said controller.

26. A storage system according to claim 19, wherein:

said first backflow prevention device is a backflow prevention diode,

said second backflow prevention device is a backflow prevention diode,

said third backflow prevention device is a backflow prevention diode, and

said fourth backflow prevention device is a backflow prevention diode.

27. A storage system according to claim 19, wherein:

said first backflow prevention device comprises at least one backflow prevention diode,

said second backflow prevention device comprises at least one backflow prevention diode, and

the number of said backflow prevention diode of said first backflow prevention device is less than the number of said backflow prevention diode of said second backflow prevention device.

28. A storage system according to claim 19, wherein:

the voltage of said first backflow prevention device is less than the voltage of said second backflow prevention device.

29. A storage system according to claim 19, wherein:

said first backflow prevention device, said second backflow prevention device, said third backflow prevention device and said fourth backflow prevention device supply DC power supplied from said at least one first AC/DC power supply to said loads, if a part related to said at least one first AC/DC power supply or said at least one first power line does not have a failure, and

said first backflow prevention device, said second backflow prevention device, said third backflow prevention device and said fourth backflow prevention device supply DC power supplied from said at least one second AC/DC power supply to said loads, if said part related to said at least one first AC/DC power supply or said at least one first power line has a failure.

30. A storage system, comprising:

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

at least one data line being used to relay data transferred from said controller;

a plurality of disk drive units coupled to said at least one data line and having a plurality of disk drives which have said storage regions;

at least one first AC/DC power supply being inputted AC input and supplying DC power to some loads among said controller and said disk drive units;

at least one second AC/DC power supply being inputted AC input and supplying DC power to said loads;

at least one first power line being used to relay DC power to said loads;

at least one second power line being used to relay DC power to said loads;

a first DC power supply coupled to said at least one first power line via a first backflow prevention device and coupled to said at least one second power line via a second backflow prevention device and corresponding to a first load of said loads and supplying DC power to said first load; and

a second DC power supply coupled to said at least one first power line via a third backflow prevention device and coupled to said at least one second power line via a fourth backflow prevention device and corresponding to a second load of said loads and supplying DC power to said second load;

wherein said first backflow prevention device has same construction as said fourth backflow prevention device and differs from said second backflow prevention device, and

wherein said second backflow prevention device has same construction as said third backflow prevention device.

31. A storage system, comprising:

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

at least one data line being used to relay data transferred from said controller;

a plurality of disk drive units coupled to said at least one data line and having a plurality of disk drives which have said storage regions;

at least one first AC/DC power supply being inputted AC input and supplying DC power to some loads among said controller and said disk drive units;

at least one second AC/DC power supply being inputted AC input and supplying DC power to said loads;

at least one first power line being used to relay DC power to said loads;

at least one second power line being used to relay DC power to said loads;

a first DC power supply coupled to said at least one first power line via a first backflow prevention device and coupled to said at least one second power line via a second backflow prevention device and corresponding to a first load of said loads and supplying DC power to said first load; and

a second DC power supply coupled to said at least one first power line via a third backflow prevention device and corresponding to a second load of said loads and supplying DC power to said second load;

wherein voltage of said first backflow prevention device is different from voltage of said third backflow prevention device,

wherein voltage of said second backflow prevention device is approximately equal to voltage of said third backflow prevention device,

wherein said first backflow prevention device, said second backflow prevention device and said third backflow prevention device supply DC power supplied from said at least one first AC/DC power supply to said loads, if a part related to said at least one first AC/DC power supply or said at least one first power line does not have a failure, and

wherein said first backflow prevention device, said second backflow prevention device and said third backflow prevention device supply DC power supplied from said at least one second AC/DC power supply to said loads, if said part related to said at least one first AC/DC power supply or said at least one first power line has a failure.

32. A storage system, comprising:

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

at least one data line being used to relay data transferred from said controller;

a plurality of disk drive units coupled to said at least one data line and having a plurality of disk drives which have said storage regions;

at least one first AC/DC power supply being inputted AC input and supplying DC power to some loads among said controller and said disk drive units;

at least one second AC/DC power supply being inputted AC input and supplying DC power to said loads;

at least one first power line being used to relay DC power to said loads;

at least one second power line being used to relay DC power to said loads;

a first backflow prevention device coupled to said at least one first power line and corresponding to a first load of said loads;

a second backflow prevention device coupled to said at least one second power line and corresponding to said first load;

a third backflow prevention device coupled to said at least one first power line and corresponding to a second load of said loads; and

a fourth backflow prevention device coupled to said at least one second power line and corresponding to said second load;

wherein said first backflow prevention device or said second backflow prevention device relays DC power to said first load,

wherein said third backflow prevention device or said fourth backflow prevention device relays DC power to said second load,

wherein voltage of said first backflow prevention device is approximately equal to voltage of said fourth backflow prevention device and is different from voltage of said third backflow prevention device, and

wherein voltage of said second backflow prevention device is approximately equal to voltage of said third backflow prevention device and is different from voltage of said fourth backflow prevention device.