Package blocking method for a storage system having a bus common to a plurality of kinds of groups of packages

• US 5,781,767 A
• Filed: 10/31/1996
• Issued: 07/14/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Inoue, Mitsuru, Kurosawa, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): BUTLER, DENNIS
• Application Number:
  US08/741,442
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• Field of Search: 395/555, 395/559, 395/560, 395/283, 395/181, 395/182.01, 395/182.05
• US Class Current: 713/500
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4072 Drivers or receivers G06F13/4086 takes precedence; for multistate logic circuits H03K19/0002
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4081 Live connection to bus, e.g. hot-plugging current or voltage limitation during live insertion H02H9/004
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0601 Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0658 Controller construction arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0673 Single storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0676 Magnetic disk device

Abstract

The host adaptor packages 4 and the disk adaptor packages 6 which constitute the magnetic disk subsystem 1 are connected to the common bus 3 consisting of a data bus, a control bus, and a power line in the hot replacement ready state. The packages 4 and 6 have the control means 11 and the clock generator 14 and when a failure occurs in respective packages, the package replace controller 13 mounted in the control means 11 executes the blocking processing for the bus driver 15 and the clock generator 14. If this occurs, the clock generator 14 enters the stopped state, so that the circuit in the package enters the reset state and the package function is stopped, that is, the package enters the blocked state. As a result, hot replacement of the closed package can be executed without affecting the operation of the system.

Claims

1. A package blocking method of a storage system comprising a common bus, at least two packages each connected to said common bus via a bus driver and having an independent clock circuit for supplying a clock to the circuit therein and a control means for controlling said circuit therein and said clock circuit, and a management means for managing information on said packages, comprising the steps of:

a) detecting a failure which occurs in one of said packages by said control means thereof;

b) outputting a signal for stopping said clock circuit and a signal for stopping said bus driver by said control means;

c) blocking said package in which said detected failure occurs due to a stop of said clock circuit and bus driver; and

d) informing said management means of blocking of said faulty package by said control means of said other package.

2. A package blocking method of a storage system according to claim 1, wherein said storage system includes a plurality of host logic devices to be connected to a host computer, a logic device to be connected to a storage device for storing data, and a temporary storage device for temporarily storing data transferred between said host computer and said storage device, wherein said devices comprise said packages respectively.

3. A package blocking method of a storage system according to claim 1, wherein said management means is a memory mounted on said at least two packages and said packages having said memory are duplicated.

4. A package blocking method according to claim 1, wherein said signal for stopping said clock circuit is a reset signal.

5. A package blocking method according to claim 1, wherein said at least two packages further respectively have an LED and said control means includes a step of turning said LEDs on when said packages are blocked.

6. A package blocking method of a storage system comprising a common bus, at least two packages each connected to said common bus via a bus driver and having an inner circuit and an independent clock circuit for supplying a clock to the inner circuit, a control processor for controlling said inner circuit, and an insertion and removal controller for controlling blocking of said circuit therein, said clock circuit and said bus driver by an instruction of said control processor, and a management means for managing information on said at least two packages, comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting a failure which occurs in one of said packages by said control means thereof;

(b) outputting a signal for stopping said inner circuit, said clock circuit, and said bus driver by said insertion and removal controller by an instruction of said control processor,

(c) blocking said package in which said detected failure occurs due to a stop of said clock circuit and bus driver; and

(d) informing said management means of blocking of said faulty package by said control processor of said other package.

7. A package blocking method of a storage system according to claim 6, wherein said storage system includes a plurality of host logic devices to be connected to a host computer, a logic device to be connected to a storage device for storing data, and a temporary storage device for temporarily storing data transferred between said host computer and said storage device, wherein said devices respectively comprise said packages.

8. A package blocking method of a storage system according to claim 6, wherein said management means is a memory mounted on said at least two packages and said packages having said memory are duplicated.

9. A package blocking method according to claim 6, wherein said signal for stopping said circuit therein and said clock circuit is a reset signal.

10. A package blocking method according to claim 6, wherein said packages further respectively have an LED and said control means includes a step of turning said LEDs on when said packages are blocked.

11. A package blocking method according to claim 6, wherein said detecting step a) includes steps of:

a1) issuing an exchange request to one package among said at least two packages by said management means; and

a2) receiving said exchange request by said control processor of said package which is an object of said exchange request.

12. A package blocking method of a storage system comprising a common bus, at least two packages each connected to said common bus via a bus driver and having an inner circuit and an independent block circuit for supplying a clock to the inner circuit, a control processor for controlling said inner circuit, and an insertion and removal controller for controlling blocking of said inner circuit, said clock circuit and said bus driver by an instruction of said control processor, and management means for managing information on said packages comprising the steps of:

(a) issuing an exchange request to one package among said at least two packages by said management means;

(b) receiving said exchange request by said control processor of said one package among said plurality of packages which is not an object of said exchange request;

(c) outputting a signal for stopping said inner circuit, said clock circuit, and said bus driver by said insertion and removal controller for said package which is an object of said exchange request by an instruction of said control processor which receives said exchange request;

(d) blocking said package due to stop of said clock circuit and bus driver; and

(e) informing said management means for blocking of said faulty package by said control processor of said other package.

13. A package blocking method of a storage system according to claim 12, wherein said storage system includes a plurality of host logic devices to be connected to a host computer, a logic device to be connected to a storage device for storing data, and a temporary storage device for temporarily storing data transferred between said host computer and said storage device, wherein said devices comprise said packages respectively.

14. A package blocking method according to claim 12, wherein said signal for stopping said clock circuit is a reset signal.

15. A package blocking method according to claim 12, wherein said packages further respectively have an LED and said control means includes a step of turning said LEDs on when said packages are blocked.

16. A package blocking method of a system comprising at least two packages having an inner circuit and an independent clock circuit for supplying a clock to the inner circuit and a control means for controlling said inner circuit and said clock circuit, comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting a failure in one of said packages by said control means; and

(b) stopping said clock therein by said control means.

17. A package blocking method according to claim 16, wherein said control means blocks said packages by an instruction from the outside of said packages instead of failure detection.