Disk storage with modifiable data management function

• US 6,449,607 B1
• Filed: 09/10/1999
• Issued: 09/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Tomita, Aki, Takamoto, Yoshifumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Corrielus, Jean M.
• Application Number:
  US09/393,327
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/2, 707/3, 707/101, 707/205, 711/113, 711/114, 712/28, 714/20, 714/6
• US Class Current: 707/823
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/221 Column-oriented storage; Management thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

A disk storage device comprising; a disk controller for accessing a disk storage medium to read/write data thereon, an object management program for converting a control command containing an object identifier received through a network interface into a control command containing physical address information of the disk storage medium and for feeding the thus converted control command to the disk controller, an object management modification program for modifying a function of the object management program in response to a modification request message received through the network interface, and a processor for carrying out these programs.

Claims

1. A disk storage device, comprising:

a disk storage medium;

a disk controller for accessing said disk storage medium to read/write data thereon;

an interface for connecting said disk controller to a network;

object management means for converting a control command containing an object identifier received through said interface into a control command containing physical address information of said disk storage medium and for feeding the thus converted control command to said disk controller; and

object management modification means for modifying a function of said object management means in response to a modification request message received through said interface;

a management table which defines file organization for each partition defined in said disk storage medium;

wherein said object management modification means modifies the file organization defined in said management table in response to said modification request message, and said object management means manages data stored on said disk storage medium according to the file organization defined in said management table.

2. A disk storage device according to claim 1, wherein

said management table defines data management attributes in correspondence with each partition arranged on said disk storage medium,

said object management modification means modifies the data management attributes defined in said management table in response to said modification request message, and

said object management means controls data reading from said disk storage medium and data writing thereto according to the data management attributes defined in said management table.

3. A disk storage device according to claim 1, wherein

said management table contains definitions of data processing to be executed in correspondence with each partition defined in said disk storage medium,

said object management modification means modifies the data processing definitions in said management table in response to said modification request message, and

said object management means carries out data processing on at least either of data read out of said disk storage medium and data to be written onto said disk storage medium according to the data processing definitions in said management table.

4. A disk storage device according to claim 3, further comprising:

component programs corresponding to data processing defined in said management table;

wherein said object management means carries out said data processing with use of said component programs according to the definitions in said management table.

5. A disk storage device according to claim 1, wherein

said modification request message contains at least one of parameters concerning file organization, data management attributes and data processing in correspondence with each partition identifier, and

said object management modification means modifies at least one of functions concerning file organization, data management attributes and data processing, which are provided in said object management means, according to each parameter contained in said modification request message.

6. A disk storage device comprising:

a disk storage medium;

a network interface;

a disk controller for accessing said disk storage medium to read/write data thereon;

an interface for connecting said disk controller to a network;

object management means for converting a control command containing an object identifier received through said interface into a control command containing physical address information of said disk storage medium and for feeding the thus converted control command to said disk controller; and

object management modification means for modifying a function of said object management means in response to a modification request message received through said interface;

a management table which defines file organization for each partition defined in said disk storage medium;

wherein said object management modification means modifies the file organization defined in said management table in response to said modification request message, and said object management means manages data stored on said disk storage medium according to the file organization defined in said management table;

a disk controller having an object management function for converting a high-level read/write command, which is received through said network interface and containing an object identifier specifying an access target, into a low-level read/write command containing physical address information of said disk storage medium to access to said disk storage medium; and

object management modification means for modifying said object management function in response to a modification request message received through said network interface.

7. A disk storage device according to claim 6, wherein

said management table defines data management attributes in correspondence with each partition arranged on said disk storage medium,

said object management modification means modifies the data management attributes defined in said management table in response to said modification request message, and

said object management means controls data reading from said disk storage medium and data writing thereto according to the data management attributes defined in said management table.

8. A disk storage device according to claim 6, wherein

said management table contains definitions of data processing to be executed in correspondence with each partition defined in said disk storage medium,

said object management modification means modifies the data processing definitions in said management table in response to said modification request message, and

said object management means carries out data processing on at least either of data read out of said disk storage medium and data to be written onto said disk storage medium according to the data processing definitions in said management table.

9. A disk storage device according to claim 8, further comprising:

component programs corresponding to data processing defined in said management table;

wherein said object management means carries out said data processing with use of said component programs according to the definitions in said management table.

10. A disk storage device according to claim 6, wherein

said modification request message contains at least one of parameters concerning file organization, data management attributes and data processing in correspondence with each partition identifier, and

said object management modification means modifies at least one of functions concerning file organization, data management attributes and data processing, which are provided in said object management means, according to each parameter contained in said modification request message.