Computer, computer system, and data transfer method

• US 7,058,692 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2001
• Issued: 06/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Oeda, Takashi, Yamamoto, Yasutomo, Shoyama, Takahiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaroenchonwanit, Bunjob
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phuoc H.
• Application Number:
  US09/798,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20020004845A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,922 Days
• Field of Search: 709/2, 709/213, 709/216, 711/4, 711/111, 711/112, 711/118, 711/147, 711/148, 707/8, 707/10, 707/200, 707/204
• US Class Current: 709/213
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/167 using a common memory, e.g. mailbox
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2003/0697 device management, e.g. handlers, drivers, I/O schedulers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0601 Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99938 Concurrency, e.g. lock management in shared database
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

The present invention provides techniques, including a method and system, for transferring data between computer systems, for example, a mainframe and a Personal Computer (PC), having storage systems of different formats, efficiently. One embodiment provides a method for transferring data from a first system, having a first processor and a first memory, using a first format to a second system, having a second processor and a second memory, using a second format. The method includes a first system receiving data of a first format from a first disk unit; processing the data of the first format into transformed data, where the transformed data is the data transformed into the second format; storing the transformed data in the first memory; and sending the transformed data from the first memory to the second system responsive to a request from the second system.

Claims

1. A first computer system comprising:

a first accessing unit coupled to a first disk unit storing data in a first format;

a second accessing unit coupled to a second disk unit storing data in a second format, wherein the second format is different from the first format;

a CPU for issuing a first type access request according to the first format;

an interface configured to receive a second type access request according to the second format from a second computer system;

a processor configured to receive the first type access request from said CPU and the second type access request from said second computer system via said interface;

a disk cache configured to store data accessed from one of said CPU or said second computer system previously;

first information on data locations in said second disk unit, wherein said first information includes location information of data stored in said second disk unit according to the second format and corresponding location information according to the first format; and

second information indicating whether data stored in said second disk unit is stored in said disk cache or not, wherein said second information includes data location information of data stored in said second disk unit according to the second format and an information indicating whether data stored in the corresponding location in said second disk unit is stored in said disk cache or not;

wherein said processor is configured to receive the first type access request from said CPU, control said second accessing unit to write the target data of said first type access request to said second disk unit by referring to said first information, store said target data in said disk cache, and update said second information;

wherein when said processor receives the second type access request to read said target data from said second computer system via said interface, said processor judges whether said target data is stored in said disk cache based on said second information; and

wherein if said target data is stored in said disk cache, said processor transmits said target data stored in said disk cache to said second computer system via said interface.

2. The first computer system of claim 1, wherein

when said processor receives the first type access request to read said target data from said CPU, said processor determines a location of said target data in said second disk unit according to the first type access request based on said first information and judges whether said target data is stored in said disk cache based on said second information;

and

if said target data is stored in said disk cache, said processor transmits said target data based on said disk cache to said CPU.

3. The first computer system of claim 1, wherein said second format is a Fixed Block Architecture (FBA) format.

4. The first computer system of claim 1, wherein said first format is a Count Key Data (CKD) format.

5. The first computer system of claim 1, wherein said first computer system is a mainframe computer.

6. The first computer system of claim 1, wherein said second computer system is a PC or a workstation computer.

7. The first computer system of claim 1, wherein

said CPU reads target data which is to be transmitted to said second computer system from said first disk unit and issues a first type access request to write said target data to said second disk unit;

said processor receives said first type access request from said CPU, stores the target data to said disk cache and updates said second information, by referring to said first information; and

after storing said target data in said disk cache, said processor transmits said target data stored in said disk cache to said second computer system.

8. A method of transferring information between a first computer system and a second computer system, the first computer system including a first accessing unit coupled to a first disk unit storing data in a first format;

a second accessing unit coupled to a second disk unit storing data in a second format, wherein the second format is different from the first format;

a CPU for issuing a first type access request according to the first format;

a disk cache configured to store data accessed from one of said CPU or said second computer system previously;

first information on data locations in said second disk unit, wherein said first information includes location information of data stored in said second disk unit according to the second format and corresponding location information according to the first format; and

second information indicating whether data stored in said second disk unit is stored in said disk cache or not, wherein said second information includes data location information of data stored in said second disk unit according to the second format and an information indicating whether data stored in the corresponding location in said second disk unit is stored in said disk cache or not;

the method comprising;

receiving the first type access request from said CPU;

controlling said second accessing unit to write the target data of said first type access request to said second disk unit by referring to said first information;

storing said target data in said disk cache;

updating said second information;

when receiving the second type access request to read said target data from said second computer system via an interface, judging whether said target data is stored in said disk cache based on said second information; and

if said target data is stored in said disk cache, transmitting said target data stored in said disk cache to said second computer system via said interface.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising

when receiving the first type access request to read said target data from said CPU, determining a location of said target data in said second disk unit according to the first type access request based on said first information and judging whether said target data is stored in said disk cache based on said second information;

and

if said target data is stored in said disk cache, transmitting said target data based on said disk cache to said CPU.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said second format is a Fixed Block Architecture (FBA) format.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said first format is a Count Key Data (CKD) format.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein said first computer system is a mainframe computer.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein said second computer system is a PC or a workstation computer.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein said CPU reads target data which is to be transmitted to said second computer system from said first disk unit and issues a first type access request to write said target data to said second disk unit;

the method further comprising;

receiving said first type access request from said CPU;

storing the target data to said disk cache and updates said second information, by referring to said first information; and

after storing said target data in said disk cache, transmitting said target data stored in said disk cache to said second computer system.

15. A computer readable medium storing a computer program for transferring data between a first computer system and a second computer system, the first computer system including a first accessing unit coupled to a first disk unit storing data in a first format;

a second accessing unit coupled to a second disk unit storing data in a second format, wherein the second format is different from the first format;

a CPU for issuing a first type access request according to the first format;

a disk cache configured to store data accessed from one of said CPU or said second computer system previously;

first information on data locations in said second disk unit, wherein said first information includes location information of data stored in said second disk unit according to the second format and corresponding location information according to the first format; and

second information indicating whether data stored in said second disk unit is stored in said disk cache or not, wherein said second information includes data location information of data stored in said second disk unit according to the second format and an information indicating whether data stored in the corresponding location in said second disk unit is stored in said disk cache or not;

said computer program comprising;

code for receiving the first type access request from said CPU;

code for controlling said second accessing unit to write the target data of said first type access request to said second disk unit by referring to said first information;

code for storing said target data in said disk cache;

code for updating said second information;

code for, when receiving the second type access request to read said target data from said second computer system via an interface, judging whether said target data is stored in said disk cache based on said second information; and

code for, if said target data is stored in said disk cache, transmitting said target data stored in said disk cache to said second computer system via said interface.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the computer program further comprises:

code for, when receiving the first type access request to read said target data from said CPU, determining a location of said target data in said second disk unit according to the first type access request based on said first information and judging whether said target data is stored in said disk cache based on said second information; and

code for, if said target data is stored in said disk cache, transmitting said target data based on said disk cache to said CPU.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein said second format is a Fixed Block Architecture (FBA) format.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein said first format is a Count Key Data (CKD) format.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein said CPU reads target data which is to be transmitted to said second computer system from said first disk unit and issues a first type access request to write said target data to said second disk unit;

wherein the computer program further comprises;

code for receiving said first type access request from said CPU;

code for storing the target data to said disk cache and updates said second information, by referring to said first information; and

code for, after storing said target data in said disk cache, transmitting said target data stored in said disk cache to said second computer system.