System for formatting a request into a packet which can be read by plurality of operating systems for providing a driver for a storage device

• US 5,623,696 A
• Filed: 05/30/1995
• Issued: 04/22/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Johnson, Richard H., Noddings, Douglas, Emberley, Christopher J., Voncina, Rosa O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chen, Anderson I.
• Application Number:
  US08/453,306
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 395/800, 395/650, 395/700, 395/900, 395/500, 395/828, 395/883, 395/892, 364/280, 364/281.3, 364/927.92
• US Class Current: 719/326
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/102 where the programme performs an interfacing function, e.g. device driver G06F13/105 takes precedence; scheduling within device drivers G06F9/52; contention policies within device drivers G06F9/4881

Abstract

The present invention constructs SCSI device support code so that it can be ported to multiple operating system environments. The present invention also allows support for a device to be coded only once, and yet be supported on multiple operating system environments. Accordingly, a method and system for supporting a plurality of devices utilized with a data processing system is disclosed. This method and system allows for a plurality of devices to be utilized on a plurality of operating system platforms. The method and system comprises receiving a request from a user for a particular device, formatting the request into at least one common packet and then providing the at least one common packet to each of the plurality of operating system platforms. In so doing, any of the plurality of operating system platforms can utilize the at least one common packet to provide a device driver for the particular device. In a system in accordance with the present invention, device support code can be broken into an architected structure that allows it to execute on multiple operating system platforms and control SCSI tape, optical and medium changer devices. The code exists in a single source tree structure and can be built for execution on any of several operating system platforms by appropriate automated build procedures.

Claims

1. A method for supporting a plurality of storage devices, utilized with a data processing system, the plurality of storage devices being utilized on a plurality of operating system platforms, the method comprising the steps:

(a) receiving a request from a user for a particular storage device;

(b) formatting the request into at least one common packet by;

sending a command which indicates that the request has been received; and

formatting the command into at least one packet which can be read by all of the plurality of operating system platforms, wherein the at least one common packet includes a small computer single system interface (SCSI) packet; and

(c) providing the at least one common packet to each of the plurality of operating system platforms, whereby any of the plurality of operating system platforms can utilize the at least one common packet to provide a device driver for the particular storage device.

2. The method of claim 1 in which step (c) further comprises calling a routine that is specific to a particular one of the plurality of operating system platforms.

3. The method of claim 1 in which the formatting step (b2) includes providing command signals from one of the plurality of operating system platforms.

4. The method of claim 3 in which the plurality of storage devices includes a tape, optical and jukebox storage devices.

5. A method for supporting a plurality of storage devices, utilized with a data processing system, the plurality of storage devices being utilized on a plurality of operating system platforms, the method comprising the steps:

(a) receiving a request from a user for a particular storage device;

(b) sending a command which indicates that the request has been received;

(c) formatting the command into at least one small computer system interface (SCSI) packet, the at least one SCSI packet being capable of being read by all of the plurality of operating system platforms;

(d) providing the at least one SCSI packet to each of the plurality of operating system platforms; and

(e) calling a routine that is specific to a particular one of the plurality of operating system platforms, whereby any of the plurality of operating system platforms can utilize the at least one SCSI packet to provide a device driver for the particular storage device.

6. The method of claim 5 in which the formatting step (c) includes providing command signals from one of the plurality of operating system platforms.

7. The method of claim 5 in which the plurality of storage devices includes a tape, optical and jukebox storage devices.

8. A system for supporting a plurality of storage devices, utilized with a data processing system, the plurality of storage devices being utilized on a plurality of operating system platforms, the system comprising:

means for receiving a request from a user for a particular storage device;

means responsive to the request receiving means for formatting the request into at least one common packet wherein the at least one common packet includes a small computer single system interface (SCSI) packet;

means for sending a command which indicates that the request has been received, the sending means being included as part of the request formatting means

means responsive to the command sending means for formatting the command into at least one packet which can be read by all of the plurality of operating system platforms, this responsive means being included as part of the request formatting means; and

means responsive to the formatting means for providing the at least one common packet to each of the plurality of operating system platforms, whereby any of the plurality of operating system platforms can utilize the at least one common packet to provide a device driver for the particular storage device.

9. The system of claim 8 in which further comprises means for calling a routine that is specific to a particular one of the plurality of operating system platforms.

10. The system of claim 8 in which the command formatting means includes means for providing command signals from one of the plurality of operating system platforms.

11. The system of claim 10 in which the plurality of storage devices includes a tape, optical and jukebox storage devices.

12. A system for supporting a plurality of storage devices, utilized with a data processing system, the plurality of storage devices being utilized on a plurality of operating system platforms, the system comprising:

means for receiving a request from a user for a particular storage device;

means responsive to the request receiving means for sending a command which indicates that the request has been received;

means responsive to the command sending means for formatting the command into at least one small computer system interface (SCSI) packet, the at least one SCSI packet being capable of being read by all of the plurality of operating system platforms;

means responsive to the command formatting means for providing the at least one SCSI packet to each of the plurality of operating system platforms; and

means responsive to the at least one SCSI packet providing means for calling a routine that is specific to a particular one of the plurality of operating system platforms, whereby any of the plurality of operating system platforms can utilize the at least one SCSI packet to provide a device driver for the particular storage device.

13. The system of claim 12 in which the command formatting means includes means for providing command signals from one of the plurality of operating system platforms.

14. The system of claim 12 in which the plurality of storage devices includes a tape, optical and jukebox storage devices.