Data transfer system using two peripheral controllers to access dual-ported data storage units
First Claim
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1. In a data transfer network wherein a host computer means uses a plurality of peripheral-controllers for accessing selected disk drive units in a group or peripherals having a plurality of disk drive units, which have different operating parameters from each other, the network for effectuating rapid Read/Write operations between said host computer and selected disk drive units comprising, in combination:
- (a) said host computer means for selectively transferring I/O commands to a first and second peripheral-controller means and for selectively sending data to or receiving data from a selected disk drive unit via said first and second peripheral-controller means;
said host computer means including;
(a1) means for testing the operability of said first and second peripheral-controller means;
(a2) means for selecting and using the operable one of said first and second peripheral-controller means should one of said peripheral controller means be tested as being inoperable;
(b) said first and second peripheral-controller means for selectively communicating with said main host computer and connected to respective first and second communication ports on each said disk drive unit; and
wherein each of said peripheral controllers includes;
(b1) means for storing particular operating parameters for each disk drive unit;
(b2) means for executing data transfers to/from a particular disk drive unit through usage of the particular operating parameters;
(c1) said group of peripherals consisting of a plurality of disk drive units wherein each disk drive unit includes;
(c) said first communication port connected to said first peripheral-controller;
(c2) said second communication port connected to said second peripheral-controller.
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Abstract
A data transfer network includes a group of disk drive peripheral units, each has dual ports for connection to two separate peripheral-controllers. A host computer can initiate either peripheral-controller to access selected disk drive units for Read/Write operations.
81 Citations
13 Claims
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1. In a data transfer network wherein a host computer means uses a plurality of peripheral-controllers for accessing selected disk drive units in a group or peripherals having a plurality of disk drive units, which have different operating parameters from each other, the network for effectuating rapid Read/Write operations between said host computer and selected disk drive units comprising, in combination:
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(a) said host computer means for selectively transferring I/O commands to a first and second peripheral-controller means and for selectively sending data to or receiving data from a selected disk drive unit via said first and second peripheral-controller means;
said host computer means including;(a1) means for testing the operability of said first and second peripheral-controller means; (a2) means for selecting and using the operable one of said first and second peripheral-controller means should one of said peripheral controller means be tested as being inoperable; (b) said first and second peripheral-controller means for selectively communicating with said main host computer and connected to respective first and second communication ports on each said disk drive unit; and
wherein each of said peripheral controllers includes;(b1) means for storing particular operating parameters for each disk drive unit; (b2) means for executing data transfers to/from a particular disk drive unit through usage of the particular operating parameters; (c1) said group of peripherals consisting of a plurality of disk drive units wherein each disk drive unit includes; (c) said first communication port connected to said first peripheral-controller; (c2) said second communication port connected to said second peripheral-controller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. In a data transfer network wherein a first host computer means and first group of dual-ported disk drive units is cross coupled to a second host computer means and second group of dual-ported drive units whereby either one of said first or second host computer means can service a disk drive unit in either one of said first group or said seocnd group of disk drive units, the combination comprising:
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(a) a first host computer means for accessing each one of a first group of disk drive units for executing Read/Write operations between a selected disk drive unit and said first host computer; (b) a second host computer means for accessing each one of a second group of disk drive units for executing Read/Write operations between a selected disk drive unit and said second host computer; (c) a first group of a plurality of disk drive units connected to said first computer means via a first peripheral-controller means, said first group of disk drive units including a disk drive units having different protocols and operating parameters from each other; (d) a second group of a plurality of disk drive units connected to said second computer means via a second peripheral-controller means said second group of disk drive units including disk drive units which have different protocols and operating parameters from each other; (e) a first and second peripheral-controller means respectively connecting said first and second host computer means to said first and second group of disk drive units, and wherein each said peripheral-controller means includes; (e1) a master data link processor for accessing a designated disk drive unit which holds a master control program for use in Read/Write operations on disk drive units by a slave data link processor, said master data link processor being initiated by said host computer means; (e2) said slave data link processor connected to said master data link processor via said host computer means and functioning to execute Read/Write operations on selected disk drive units; (f) first and second auxiliary disk drive interface means, respectively connected to each of said slave data link processors, for enabling said first computer means to access said second group of disk drive units and for enabling said second computer means to access said first group of disk drive units. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. In a data transfer network wherein a host computer means uses first and second peripheral-controller means for accessing selected disk drive units in a group having a plurality of disk drive units which have different operating parameters from each other, the system for effectuating rapid Read/Write operations between said host computer means and selected disk drive units comprising, in combination:
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(a) said host computer means for selectively transferring I/O commands to said first and second peripheral-controller means and for selectively sending data to or receiving data from a selected disk drive unit via said first and second peripheral-controller means;
said host computer means including;(a1) means to select said first or second peripheral-controller means for communication to any selected one of said disk drive units; (a2) means to select, during failure of one of said peripheral-controller means, the other peripheral-controller means; (b) said group of disk drive units consisting of a plurality of disk drive units wherein each disk drive unit includes; (b1) a first communication port connected to said first peripheral-controller means; (b2) a second communication port connected to said second peripheral-controller means; (c) first and second peripheral-controller means for selectively communicating with said host computer means and connected to said respective first and second communication ports on each said disk drive unit, and wherein each of said peripheral-controller means includes; (c1) host adapter control means for receiving and storing I/O commands from said host computer and transmitting a selected I/O command to a formatter control means; (c2) said formatter control means for receiving said selected I/O command and for formatting address data and Read/Write control data, by use of an attribute table and sector format means, to a disk drive interface control means, and including; (c2a) said attribute table providing appropriate disk module parameter data for each one of said disk drive units, wherein said disk module parameter data includes the appropriate beginning and ending sector addresses, number of heads per disk drive module and number of bytes per track; (c2b) said sector format means providing pattern timing data to format a data record tailored to each specific one of said disk drive units; (c2c) means to select said appropriate disk module parameters and pattern timing data to execute data transfers between said selected disk drive unit and said host computer means; (c3) said disk drive interface control means for transmitting said address data and Read/Write control data to a selected disk drive unit and for enabling data transfers between said selected disk drive unit and said formatter control means; and
wherein,(c3a) said disk drive interface control means of said first peripheral-controller means is connected to said first communication port of each of said disk drive units, and (c3b) said disk drive interface control means of said second peripheral-controller means is connected to said second communication port of each of said disk drive units.
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Specification