Disk array apparatus, information processing apparatus, data management system, method for issuing command from target side to initiator side, and computer product

• US 20060112220A1
• Filed: 02/25/2005
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Otsuka, Hiroshi, Yamazaki, Fumio, Onda, Yasuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,315,922 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/114
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0613 in relation to throughput
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0659 Command handling arrangements, e.g. command buffers, queues, command scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD

Abstract

An information processing apparatus transmits, by polling, a status verifying message to a disk array apparatus to verify a status of the disk array apparatus. The disk array apparatus attaches, upon receiving the status verifying message, a request for a command of a process to be executed to a response message to the status verifying message, and transmits the response message to the information processing apparatus. The information processing apparatus creates a command based on the request attached to the response message, and transmits the command created to the disk array apparatus.

Claims

1. A method of issuing a command from a target to an initiator in a system that includes an information processing apparatus that has a host bus adaptor with only an initiator function to issue the command, and a disk array apparatus that has a channel adaptor with only a target function to receive and execute the command, the information processing apparatus and the disk array apparatus being connected via a communication line, comprising:

polling including the information processing apparatus transmitting a status verifying message to the disk array apparatus to verify a status of the disk array apparatus;

preparing including the disk array apparatus preparing, upon receiving the status verifying message, a response message by attaching a request for a command of a process to be executed to the status verifying message;

transmitting including the disk array apparatus transmitting the response message to the information processing apparatus; and

creating including the information processing apparatus creating a command based on the request attached to the response message; and

transmitting including the information processing apparatus transmitting the command created to the disk array apparatus.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining, before the preparing, whether there is request for a command of a process to be executed at a time of receiving the status verifying message; and

changing a state of the disk array apparatus to a standby status for a predetermined period of time when it is determined at the determining that there is no request,

wherein the preparing includes the disk array apparatus preparing the response message by attaching a request that is created while the disk array apparatus is in the standby status to the status verifying message.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising creating including the disk array apparatus creating, when a process to be executed in the disk array apparatus occurs, a request to execute the process.

4. A disk array apparatus that is connected to an information processing apparatus including a host bus adaptor with only an initiator function to issue a command, and includes a channel adaptor with only a target function to receive and execute the command, comprising:

a creating unit that creates, when a process to be executed occurs, a request to execute the process; and

a processing unit that prepares a response message by attaching the request created to a response message to a status verifying message transmitted by polling from the information processing apparatus, and transmits the response message to the information processing apparatus.

5. The disk array apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

an attached-request storing unit that stores the request attached to the response message; and

a verifying unit that monitors a command from the information processing apparatus, and when the command is corresponding to the request stored in the attached-request storing unit, deletes the request from the attached-request storing unit.

6. The disk array apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a created-request storing unit that stores the request created, wherein

when a request is present in the created-request storing unit at a time of receiving the status verifying message, the processing unit prepares the response message by attaching the request present in the created-request storing unit and immediately transmits the response message to the information processing apparatus.

7. The disk array apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

when no request is present in the created-request storing unit at a time of receiving the status verifying message, the processing unit enters a standby status for a predetermined period of time, the predetermine period time being shorter than a time from receiving the status verifying message until the information processing apparatus detects a time out,

when a request is stored in the created-request storing unit during the predetermined period of time, the processing unit prepares the response message by attaching the request stored in the created-request storing unit and immediately transmits the response message to the information processing apparatus, and

when no request is stored in the created-request storing unit during the predetermined period of time, the processing unit prepares, after the predetermined period of time has passed, a response message without attaching a request and transmits the response message to the information processing apparatus.

8. An information processing apparatus that is connected to a disk array apparatus including a channel adaptor with only a target function to receive and execute a command, and includes a host bus adaptor with only an initiator function to issue the command to the disk array apparatus, comprising:

a polling unit that transmits a status verifying message to verify a status of the disk array apparatus to the disk array apparatus;

a processing unit that creates, when a request to be executed by the disk array apparatus is attached to a response message from the disk array apparatus to the status verifying message, a command corresponding to the request; and

a transmitting unit that transmits the command created to the disk array apparatus.

9. A data management system comprising:

a primary storage unit including a disk array unit formed with a plurality of magnetic disk devices, a disk-array control unit that controls the disk array unit, and a channel adaptor having only a target function to receive and execute a command, the primary storage unit being connected to a host computer, wherein the primary storage unit further includes

a creating unit that creates, when a process to be executed occurs, a request to execute the process; and

a first processing unit that prepares a response message by attaching the request created to a response message to a status verifying message transmitted from a hierarchy management server and transmits the response message to the hierarchy management server;

a secondary storage unit having a larger capacity than the primary storage unit; and

the hierarchy management server that includes a host bus adaptor having only an initiator function to issue a command, and performs a hierarchy management of data by storing specific data selected, based on a predetermined standard, from among data stored in the secondary storage unit, the hierarchy management server being connected to the primary storage unit and the secondary storage unit, wherein the hierarchy management server further includes

a polling unit that transmits the status verifying message to verify a status of the primary storage unit to the primary storage unit;

a second processing unit that creates, when a request is attached to the response message, a command corresponding to the request; and

a transmitting unit that transmits the command created to the primary storage unit.

10. The data management system according to claim 9, wherein the primary storage unit further includes

a created-request storing unit that stores the request created;

an attached-request storing unit that stores the request attached to the response message; and

an verifying unit that monitors a command from the hierarchy management server, and when the command is corresponding to the request stored in the attached-request storing unit, deletes the request from the attached-request storing unit.

11. The data management system according to claim 10, wherein when a request is present in the created-request storing unit at a time of receiving the status verifying message, the first processing unit prepares the response message by attaching the request present in the created-request storing unit and immediately transmits the response message to the hierarchy management server.

12. The data management system according to claim 10, wherein

when no request is present in the created-request storing unit at a time of receiving the status verifying message, the first processing unit enters a standby status for a predetermined period of time, the predetermine period time being shorter than a time from receiving the status verifying message until the hierarchy management server detects a time out,

when a request is stored in the created-request storing unit during the predetermined period of time, the first processing unit prepares the response message by attaching the request stored in the created-request storing unit and immediately transmits the response message to the hierarchy management server, and

when no request is stored in the created-request storing unit during the predetermined period of time, the first processing unit prepares, after the predetermined period of time has passed, a response message without attaching a request and transmits the response message to the hierarchy management server.

13. The data management system according to claim 9, wherein

the primary storage unit further includes

a stored-data-information storing unit that stores stored-data information that is a storing location, in the secondary storage unit, of data to be stored in the disk array unit;

and

an address verifying unit that determines, based on the stored-data information, whether an access destination address included in the command received is the data to be stored in the disk array unit, and

when the address determining unit determines that the access destination address is not in the disk array unit, the request creating unit creates a request to extract data including the access destination address from the second storage unit, and to copy the data extracted to the disk array unit.

14. A computer-readable recording medium that stores therein a computer program for issuing a command in a channel adaptor of a disk array apparatus that includes only a target function to receive and execute the command, the disk array apparatus being connected to an information processing apparatus including a host bus adaptor having only an initiator function to issue the command, the computer program causing the channel adaptor to execute:

creating, when a process to be executed occurs, a request to execute the process; and

preparing a response message by attaching the request created to a status verifying message that is transmitted by polling from the information processing apparatus; and

transmitting the response message created to the information processing apparatus.

15. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 14, wherein the computer program further causing the channel adaptor to execute:

storing the request attached to the response message in a attached-request storing unit of the disk array apparatus; and

monitoring the command from the information processing apparatus, and when the command is corresponding to the request stored in the attached-request storing unit, deleting the request from the attached-request storing unit.

16. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 14, wherein the computer program further causing the channel adaptor to execute:

storing the request created in a created-request storing unit of the disk array apparatus, and

the preparing includes preparing, when a request is present in the created-request storing unit at a time of receiving the status verifying message, the response message, and

the transmitting includes immediately transmitting the response message to the information processing apparatus.

17. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 14, wherein the computer program further causing the channel adaptor to execute:

storing the request created in a created-request storing unit of the disk array apparatus; and

entering, when no request is present in the created-request storing unit at a time of receiving the status verifying message, a standby status for a predetermined period of time, the predetermine period time being shorter than a time from receiving the status verifying message until the information processing apparatus detects a time out, wherein

when a request is stored in the created-request storing unit during the predetermined period of time, the preparing includes preparing the response message by attaching the request stored in the created-request storing unit to the status verifying message and the transmitting includes immediately transmitting the response message to the information processing apparatus, and

when no request is stored in the created-request storing unit during the predetermined period of time, the preparing includes, after the predetermined period of time has passed, preparing a response message without attaching a request to the status verifying message and the transmitting includes transmitting the response message to the information processing apparatus.

18. A computer-readable recording medium that stores therein a computer program for issuing a command to a disk array apparatus including a channel adaptor with only a target function to receive and execute a command, and includes a host bus adaptor with only an initiator function to issue the command to the disk array apparatus, the computer program causing the channel adaptor to execute:

transmitting a status verifying message to verify a status of the disk array apparatus to the disk array apparatus;

creating, when a request to be executed by the disk array apparatus is attached to a response message from the disk array apparatus to the status verifying message, a command corresponding to the request; and

transmitting the command created to the disk array apparatus.