Disk array system having a first and second disk control unit each having cache memory, shared memory, a plurality of power units, a plurality of hard disks, and an AC/DC power supply

• US 7,100,059 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2003
• Issued: 08/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Ogawa, Masato, Sakakibara, Yasuhiro, Suzuki, Hiroshi, Matsushige, Hiromi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): WEINMAN, SEAN M
• Application Number:
  US10/745,571
• Publication Number:
  US 20050081068A1
• Time in Patent Office: 974 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1, 713/300, 714/6, 307/66, 323/281, 363/89, 363/97
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2015 Redundant power supplies power supply failure G06F1/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0804 with main memory updating G06F12/0806 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0866 for peripheral storage systems, e.g. disk cache
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/261 Storage comprising a plurality of storage devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0601 Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0625 Power saving in storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/065 Replication mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0673 Single storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0683 Plurality of storage devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A disk array system including at least one channel control portion, at least one disk control portion, a cache memory, a cache switch, a shared memory, a power unit, and a casing for storing the channel control portion, the disk control portion, the cache memory, the cache switch, the shared memory and the power unit, wherein: each of the channel control portion, the disk control portion, the cache memory, the cache switch and the shared memory includes a control board having a plurality of electronic circuits different in operating voltage, and a voltage converter for converting a single input voltage into voltages for operating the electronic circuits respectively; and the power unit supplies a voltage to the voltage converter provided in each of the channel control portion, the disk control portion, the cache memory, the cache switch and the shared memory.

Claims

1. A disk array system comprising:

a first disk controller including;

at least one channel control unit for receiving an input/output request of data from an information processor and exchanging said data with said information processor,

at least one disk control unit for exchanging said data with a disk drive in accordance with said input/output request,

a cache memory unit for storing said data exchanged between said channel control unit and said disk control unit,

a shared memory unit for storing said input/output request exchanged between said channel control unit and said disk control unit,

a plurality of power units for supplying power to each of said at least one disk control unit, said cache unit and said shared memory unit,

a casing for storing said channel control portion, said at least one disk control unit, said cache memory, said shared memory and said power units,

a plurality of Hard Disk Drive (HDD) boxes each including at least one disk drive controlled by said at least one disk control unit,

a first Alternating Current/Direct Current (AC/DC) power supply which inputs AC power from an AC power supply and outputs DC power to said HDD boxes and said power units of said first disk controller each of which converts the DC power supplied by said AC/DC power supply to an appropriate voltage for each of said at least one disk control unit, said cache memory unit and said shared memory unit of said first disk controller,

a battery unit connected between said first AC/DC power supply unit and said power units for precharging power being supplied to said power units; and

a second disk controller including;

at least one channel control unit for receiving the input/output request of data from the information processor and exchanging said data with said information processor,

at least one disk control unit for exchanging said data with a disk drive in accordance with said input/output request,

a cache memory unit for storing said data exchanged between said channel control unit and said disk control unit,

a shared memory unit for storing said input/output request exchanged between said channel control unit and said at least one disk control unit,

a plurality of power units for supplying power to each of said at least one disk control unit, said cache memory unit and said shared memory unit,

a casing for storing said channel control portion, said at least one disk control unit, said cache memory unit, said shared memory and said power units,

a plurality of Hard Disk Drive (HDD) boxes each including at least one disk drive controlled by said at least one disk control unit,

a second AC/DC power supply which inputs AC power from said AC power supply and outputs DC power to said HDD boxes and said power units of said second disk controller each of which converts the DC power supplied by said second AC/DC power supply to an appropriate voltage for one of said at least one disk control unit, said cache memory unit and said shared memory unit of said second disk controller, and

a battery unit connected between said second AC/DC power supply unit and said power units for precharging power being supplied to said power units,

wherein each of said channel control units, said at least one disk control units, said cache memory units, and said shared memory units includes a control board having a plurality of electronic circuits different in operating voltage, and a DC/DC voltage converter for converting a single input voltage from said power unit into voltages for operating said electronic circuits respectively,

wherein each of said power unit supplies a voltage to said voltage converter provided in each of said channel control units, said at least one disk control units, said cache memory units, and said shared memory units; and

wherein said voltage being supplied to said voltage converter remains substantially the same over time and for each of the HDDS and said channel control units, said at least one disk control units, said cache memory units, and said shared memory units.

2. The disk array system according to claim 1, each of said battery units is charged with the same voltage as the power unit supplied voltage and supplies a voltage to said voltage converters when the voltage supply from said power supply is interrupted.

3. The disk array system according to claim 1, wherein for each of said at least one disk drive, a voltage converter is provided for converting the same voltage as said single input voltage into voltages for operating said disk drive.

4. The disk array system according to claim 1, wherein each of said electronic circuits has at least one of a CPU, a memory and a logic circuit.

5. The disk array system according to claim 1, wherein said voltage converters for generating voltages for operating said electronic circuits respectively convert said single DC voltage output from said power unit into voltages for operating said electronic circuits respectively.

6. The disk array system according to claim 1, wherein said voltage converter for generating voltages for operating said disk drive converts said single DC voltage output from said power unit into voltages for operating said disk drive.

7. The disk array system according to claim 1, wherein each battery unit supplies a voltage lower than the voltage supplied by said power unit to said voltage converters when the voltage supply from said power unit is interrupted, wherein said battery unit includes an accumulator battery portion for accumulating electric charge, and a charging circuit for converting the same voltage as the voltage supplied by said power unit into a voltage lower than the same voltage and charging said accumulator battery portion with said voltage lower than the same voltage.