Method and apparatus for transfer information using optical fiber connections
First Claim
1. In a network computing system environment wherein information comprising data and commands are transferred between a main storage and at least one control unit over a plurality of channels;
- a method for transferring said information;
comprising the steps of;
fetching said command from said main storage;
fetching associated data from said main storage; and
, transferring said fetched command along with said fetched associated data to said control unit;
said fetched command and associated data including a plurality of channel control words (CCWs) pipelined together to send associated processed data and commands to the control unit without interlocking responses from said control unit such that multiple channel programs to the control unit are time division multiplexed.
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Abstract
The present invention provides for a method of transferring information in a network computing system environment. The network environment includes a main storage coupled to a channel subsystem with a plurality of channels which is in processing communication with a control unit capable of coupling to a plurality of input/output devices. At first the packets of data are sent concurrently to and from the main storage. Next execution of certain channel functions are transferred to the control unit so that certain commands can be combined with the data packets in one sequence. Finally only one start data command and only one end command notification needs to be sent before and after a plurality of data packets is transferred respectively. In one embodiment another method is employed in the same network computing system environment having the steps of: fetching said command from said main storage; fetching associated data from said main storage; and transferring said fetched command along with said fetched associated data to said control unit.
41 Citations
50 Claims
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1. In a network computing system environment wherein information comprising data and commands are transferred between a main storage and at least one control unit over a plurality of channels;
- a method for transferring said information;
comprising the steps of;fetching said command from said main storage;
fetching associated data from said main storage; and
,transferring said fetched command along with said fetched associated data to said control unit;
said fetched command and associated data including a plurality of channel control words (CCWs) pipelined together to send associated processed data and commands to the control unit without interlocking responses from said control unit such that multiple channel programs to the control unit are time division multiplexed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 28, 29, 30, 32, 33)
- a method for transferring said information;
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9. In a network computing system environment wherein information comprising data and commands are transferred between a main storage and at least one control unit over a plurality of channels, an apparatus for transferring said information comprising:
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a first requester fetching said command and associated data from said main storage; and
,a first transmitter transferring said fetched command along with said fetched associated data to said control unit;
said fetched command and associated data transmitted by said first transmitter including a plurality of channel control words (CCWs) pipelined together to send associated processed data and commands to the control unit without interlocking responses from said control unit such that multiple channel programs to the control unit are time division multiplexed. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20)
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17. A method for transferring information in a network computing system environment having a main storage coupled to a channel subsystem with a plurality of channels and in processing communication with a plurality of control units capable of connecting with a plurality of input/output devices, comprising the steps of:
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concurrently sending packets of data consecutively to and from said main storage;
transferring execution of channel functions to said control units so that commands can be combined with said data packets in one sequence; and
,sending only one start data command before a plurality of data packets is transferred and only one end command notification after said start data command and said plurality of data packets is transferred;
said plurality of data packets including a plurality of channel control words (CCWs) pipelined together to send associated processed data and commands to said control units without interlocking responses from said control units such that multiple channel programs to the same or different control units are time division multiplexed between said one start data command and said one end command notification. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 31)
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34. An apparatus for transferring information in a network computing system environment having a main storage coupled to a channel subsystem with a plurality of channels and in processing communication with a plurality of control units capable of connecting with a plurality of input/output devices, said apparatus comprising:
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a first transmitter/receiver in said channel subsystem concurrently sending packets of data consecutively to and from said main storage;
a dispatcher in said channel subsystem transferring execution of channel functions to said control units so that commands can be combined with said data packets in one sequence; and
,a second transmitter/receiver in said channel subsystem sending only one start data command and only one end command notification respectively, before and after a plurality of data packets is transferred;
said plurality of data packets sent by said second transmitter/receiver including a plurality of channel control words (CCWs) pipelined together to send associated processed data and commands to said control units without interlocking responses from said control units such that multiple channel programs to the same or different control units are time division multiplexed between said one start data command and said one end command notification. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification