STORAGE APPARATUS AND POWER SUPPLY METHOD

• US 20130047030A1
• Filed: 08/18/2011
• Published: 02/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Soeda, Tomonori, Suzuki, Hiroshi, Hosaka, Fumiaki, Shishido, Toshimitsu
• Application Number:
  US13/203,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20130047030A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1076 Parity data used in redundant arrays of independent storages, e.g. in RAID systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2015 Redundant power supplies power supply failure G06F1/30
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/061 for DC powered loads

Abstract

The supply of power to a storage apparatus can be made redundant by means of power inputs from two types of power supply, namely an AC power supply and a DC power supply.

The storage apparatus comprises a power supply unit for supplying power to a plurality of storage devices, and a power supply controller for controlling a method of supplying power from the power supply unit, wherein the power supply unit makes redundant the power supplied from a first power supply device which supplies AC power and/or from a second power supply device which supplies DC power, and supplies this power to the plurality of storage devices, and wherein, in response to an operator configuration input, the power supply controller supplies power from the first power supply device to one storage device among the plurality of storage devices and supplies power from the second power supply device to another storage device.

Claims

1. A storage apparatus, comprising:

a power supply unit for supplying power to a plurality of storage devices; and

a power supply controller for controlling a method of supplying power from the power supply unit,

wherein the power supply unit makes redundant the power supplied from a first power supply device which supplies AC power and/or from a second power supply device which supplies DC power, and supplies this power to the plurality of storage devices, and

wherein, in response to a configuration input by the operator, the power supply controller supplies power from the first power supply device to one storage device among the plurality of storage devices and supplies power from the second power supply device to another storage device.

2. The storage apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the plurality of storage devices are grouped into a plurality of groups each comprising a plurality of the storage devices, and

wherein the power supply controller supplies power from the first power supply device to one storage device group and supplies power from the second power supply device to another storage device group.

3. The storage apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the plurality of storage devices configure a plurality of RAID groups, and

wherein, in response to the configuration input by the operator, the power supply controller supplies power from the first power supply device to one RAID group and supplies power from the second power supply device to another RAID group.

4. The storage apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein, if a fault occurs with the first power supply device, the power supply controller switches the supply of power of the power supply unit so that power is supplied from the second power supply device to the storage device which supplied power from the first power supply device.

5. The storage apparatus according to claim 1,

further comprising:

an I/O controller which is connected to a host apparatus which requests data writing, and

controls data I/O to and from the storage devices in response to a data write request from the host apparatus,

wherein the power supply unit makes redundant the power supplied from the first power supply device and the second power supply device and supplies this power to the I/O controller.

6. The storage apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein, if a fault occurs with the first power supply device, the power supply controller switches the supply of power of the power supply unit so that power is supplied from the second power supply device to the I/O controller that supplied power from the first power supply device.

7. The storage apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the power supply controller controls the supply of power of the power supply unit so that, if a fault arises with one storage device among the plurality of storage devices, the supply of power to the one storage device is shut off.

8. The storage apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the power supply unit uses a plurality of wiring to make redundant the supply of power from the first power supply device and/or the second power supply device, and

wherein, if a fault arises with one wiring, among the plurality of wiring, which supplies power from the first power supply device, the power supply controller uses another wiring which differs from the one wiring supplying power from the second power supply device to switch the supply of power of the power supply unit so that power is supplied to the plurality of storage devices.

9. The storage apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the power supply controller determines the power supply specifications of the power supply unit according to the method of supplying power from the first power supply device and/or the second power supply device.

10. The storage apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the power supply controller determines the power supply specifications of the power supply unit according to the configuration input by the operator.

11. The storage apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein, if a fault occurs with one storage device, among the plurality of storage devices, to which power is supplied from the first power supply device, the power supply controller supplies power from the second power supply device and exchanges the one storage device for another storage device.

12. The storage apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the power supply unit detects the voltage and current of the power supplied from the first power supply device and/or the second power supply device, and

wherein the power supply controller calculates the power consumption amount from the information on the voltage and current detected by the power supply unit and information including the configuration information of the storage device and the power coefficient of the storage device.

13. The storage apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first power supply device and/or the second power supply device can be installed in the storage apparatus,

wherein the power supply unit identifies the power supplied from the first power supply device and/or the second power supply device, and

wherein, at the time of a fault with a power supply which has an identification signal supplied from the first power supply device and/or the second power supply device, the power supply unit specifies the type of the faulty power supply, and transmits information including notification to the effect that the power supply of the first power supply device or the second power supply device is to be exchanged to the management terminal connected to the storage apparatus.

14. The storage apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the power supply unit minimizes the power supplied by the second power supply device, and provides another expansion mechanism for the minimized power to make same compatible with the first power supply device.

15. A power supply method of a storage apparatus comprising a power supply unit for supplying power to a plurality of storage devices and a power supply controller for controlling a method of supplying power from the power supply unit, the power supply method comprising:

a first step in which the power supply unit makes redundant the power supplied from the first power supply device which supplies AC power and/or the second power supply device which supplies DC power and supplies this power to the plurality of storage devices; and

a second step in which the power supply controller supplies power from the first power supply device to one storage device among the plurality of storage devices in response to a configuration input by the operator and supplies power from the second power supply device to another storage device.