Disk array device and method of supplying power to disk array device

• US 7,284,140 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2006
• Issued: 10/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Ogawa, Masato, Suzuki, Hiroshi, Matsushige, Hiromi, Yokoyama, Tomokazu
• Primary Examiner(s): DU, THUAN N
• Application Number:
  US11/523,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20070016811A1
• Time in Patent Office: 391 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 713/340
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/30 Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations for resetting only G06F1/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2015 Redundant power supplies power supply failure G06F1/30
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/126 Arrangements for providing electrical connections, e.g. connectors, cables, switches

Abstract

A disk array device and a method of supplying power to a disk array device to which power is supplied by at least two AC inputs are provided. Where at least two AC/DC power-supply groups are provided in correspondence with each of the AC inputs and each AC/DC power-supply group includes at least two AC/DC power supplies that are connected to the AC input corresponding to that group, outputs from the AC/DC power supplies are summed separately for each group to obtain group total outputs for each group, and the group total outputs are input to each of a plurality of loads in the disk array device to provide power to each of the loads.

Claims

1. A storage system, comprising:

a controller configured to transfer data to a plurality of storage regions;

at least one data line being used to relay data transferred from said controller;

a plurality of disk drive units coupled to said at least one data line and each having a disk drive which has some of said storage regions;

at least one first AC/DC power supply being inputted AC input and supplying said disk drive units with DC power;

at least one first power line coupled to said at least one first AC/DC power supply and said disk drive units and being used to relay DC power to said disk drive units;

at least one second AC/DC power supply being inputted AC input and supplying said disk drive units with DC power;

at least one second power line coupled to said at least one second AC/DC power supply and said disk drive units and being used to relay DC power to said disk drive units; and

a first DC power supply coupled to said at least one first power line and said at least one second power line and corresponding to a first disk drive unit of said disk drive units and supplying said first disk drive unit with DC power which is less than inputted DC power,

wherein said at least one first power line is used to relay DC power from said at least one first AC/DC power supply to said disk drive units, if a part related to said first disk drive unit does not have a failure, and

wherein said at least one first power line is used to relay DC power from said at least one first AC/DC power supply to said disk drive units except said first disk drive unit, if said part related to said first disk drive unit has a failure.

2. A storage system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second DC power supply coupled to said at least one first power line and said at least one second power line and corresponding to a second disk drive unit of said disk drive units and supplying said second disk drive unit with DC power which is less than inputted DC power,

wherein said at least one first power line is used to relay DC power from said at least one first AC/DC power supply to said disk drive units, if a part related to said second disk drive unit does not have a failure, and

wherein said at least one first power line is used to relay DC power from said at least one first AC/DC power supply to said disk drive units except said second disk drive unit, if said part related to said second disk drive unit has a failure.

3. A storage system according to claim 1, wherein if said part related to said first disk drive unit has said failure, said first DC power supply is used to prevent said at least one first power line from affecting said failure.

4. A storage system according to claim 1, wherein said first DC power supply is a DC-DC converter.

5. A storage system according to claim 1, wherein:

said first DC power supply coupled to said at least one first power line via a first backflow prevention device, and

said first DC power supply has a circuit for making constant voltage between said first backflow prevention device and said first disk drive unit.

6. A storage system according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of said first AC/DC power supplies.

7. A storage system according to claim 1, wherein said first DC power supply is in said first disk drive unit.

8. A storage system according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one interface control circuit coupled to said at least one data line and configured to transfer data to be written to said disk drive units.

9. A storage system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second DC power supply coupled to said at least one first power line via a third backflow prevention device and coupled to said at least one second power line via a fourth backflow prevention device and corresponding to a second disk drive unit of said disk drive units and supplying said second disk drive with DC power which is less than inputted DC power,

wherein said first DC power supply couples to said at least one first power line via a first backflow prevention device and couples to said at least one second power line via a second backflow prevention device,

wherein voltage of said first backflow prevention device is corresponding to voltage of said fourth backflow prevention device, and

wherein voltage of said second backflow prevention device is corresponding to voltage of said third backflow prevention device.

10. A storage system according to claim 1, wherein:

said first DC power supply couples to said at least one first power line via a first backflow prevention device, and

said first backflow prevention device comprises a backflow prevention diode.

11. A storage system according to claim 1, wherein:

said first DC power supply couples to said at least one first power line via a first backflow prevention device and couples to said at least one second power line via a second backflow prevention device,

voltage of said first backflow prevention device is different from voltage of said second backflow prevention device,

said first backflow prevention device comprises at least one backflow prevention diode,

said second backflow prevention device comprises at least one backflow prevention diode, and

the number of said at least one backflow prevention diode of said first backflow prevention device is less than the number of said at least one backflow prevention diode of said second backflow prevention device.

12. A storage system according to claim 1, wherein:

said first DC power supply couples to said at least one first power line via a first backflow prevention device and couples to said at least one second power line via a second backflow prevention device, and

the voltage of said first backflow prevention device is less than the voltage of said second backflow prevention device.

13. A storage system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second DC power supply coupled to said at least one first power line via a third backflow prevention device and coupled to said at least one second power line via a fourth backflow prevention device and corresponding to a second disk drive unit of said disk drive units and supplying said second disk drive unit with DC power which is less than inputted DC power,

wherein said first DC power supply couples to said at least one first power line via a first backflow prevention device and couples to said at least one second power line via a second backflow prevention device,

wherein said first backflow prevention device and said second backflow prevention device supply DC power supplied from said at least one first AC/DC power supply to said first disk drive unit, if a part related to said at least one first AC/DC power supply or said at least one first power line does not have a failure, and

wherein said first backflow prevention device and said second backflow prevention device supply DC power supplied from said at least one second AC/DC power supply to said first disk drive unit, if said part related to said at least one first AC/DC power supply or said at least one first power line has a failure.

14. A storage system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second DC power supply coupled to said at least one first power line via a third backflow prevention device and coupled to said at least one second power line via a fourth backflow prevention device and corresponding to a second disk drive unit of said disk drive units and supplying said second disk drive unit with DC power which is less than inputted DC power,

wherein said first DC power supply couples to said at least one first power line via a first backflow prevention device and couples to said at least one second power line via a second backflow prevention device,

wherein said first backflow prevention device is of same construction as said forth backflow prevention device and differs from said second backflow prevention device, and

wherein said second backflow prevention device is of same construction as said third backflow prevention device.

15. A storage system, comprising:

a controller configured to transfer data to a plurality of storage regions;

at least one data line being used to relay data transferred from said controller;

a plurality of disk drive units coupled to said at least one data line and each having a disk drive which has some of said storage regions;

at least one first AC/DC power supply being inputted AC input and supplying said disk drive units with DC power;

at least one first power line coupled to said at least one first AC/DC power supply and being used to relay DC power to said disk drive units;

at least one second AC/DC power supply being inputted AC input and supplying said disk drive units with DC power;

at least one second power line coupled to said at least one second AC/DC power supply and being used to relay DC power to said disk drive units;

a first DC power supply coupled to said at least one first power line and said at least one second power line and corresponding to a first disk drive unit of said disk drive units and supplying said first disk drive unit with DC power which is less than inputted DC power; and

a second DC power supply coupled to said at least one first power line and said at least one second power line and corresponding to a second disk drive unit of said disk drive units and supplying said second disk drive unit with DC power which is less than inputted DC power,

wherein said at least one first power line is used to relay DC power from said at least one first AC/DC power supply to said first disk drive unit and said second disk drive unit, if a part related to said first disk drive unit does not have a failure, and

wherein said at least one first power line is used to relay DC power from said at least one first AC/DC power supply to said second disk drive unit but not said first disk drive unit, if said part related to said first disk drive unit has a failure.

16. A storage system, comprising:

a controller configured to transfer data to a plurality of storage regions;

at least one data line being used to relay data transferred from said controller;

a plurality of disk drive units coupled to said at least one data line and each having a disk drive which has some of said storage regions;

at least one first AC/DC power supply being inputted AC input and supplying said disk drive units with DC power;

at least one first power line coupled to said at least one first AC/DC power supply and being used to relay DC power to said disk drive units;

at least one second AC/DC power supply being inputted AC input and supplying said disk drive units with DC power;

at least one second power line coupled to said at least one second AC/DC power supply and being used to relay DC power to said disk drive units;

a first DC power supply coupled to said at least one first power line and said at least one second power line and corresponding to a first disk drive unit of said disk drive units and supplying said first disk drive unit with DC power which is less than inputted DC power; and

a second DC power supply coupled to said at least one first power line and said at least one second power line and corresponding to a second disk drive unit of said disk drive units and supplying said second disk drive unit with DC power which is less than inputted DC power,

wherein said at least one first power line is used to relay DC power from said at least one first AC/DC power supply to said first disk drive unit and said second disk drive unit, if a part related to said first disk drive unit does not have a failure, and

wherein said at least one first power line is used to relay DC power form said at least one first AC/DC power supply to said second disk drive unit but not said first disk drive unit, if said part related to said first disk drive unit has a failure.

17. A storage system, comprising:

a controller configured to transfer data to a plurality of storage regions;

at least one data line being used to relay data transferred from said controller to said storage regions;

at least one first AC/DC power supply being inputted AC input and supplying DC power;

at least one first power line coupled to said at least one first AC/DC power supply and being used to relay DC power;

at least one second AC/DC power supply being inputted AC input and supplying DC power;

at least one second power line coupled to said at least one second AC/DC power supply and being used to relay DC power;

a first DC power supply coupled to said at least one first power line and said at least one second power line and corresponding to a first storage region of said storage regions and supplying DC power which is less than inputted DC power; and

a second DC power supply coupled to said at least one first power line and said at least one second power line and corresponding to a second storage region of said storage regions and supplying DC power which is less than inputted DC power,

wherein said first storage region is in a first load,

wherein said second storage region is in a second load,

wherein said at least one first power line is used to relay DC power from said at least one first AC/DC power supply to said first load and said second load, if a part related to said first load does not have a failure, and

wherein said at least one first power line is used to relay DC power from said at least one first AC/DC power supply to said second load but not said first load, if said part related to said first load has a failure.

18. A storage system, comprising:

a controller configured to transfer data to a plurality of storage regions;

at least one data line being used to relay data transferred from said controller;

a plurality of disk drive units coupled to said at least one data line and each having a disk drive which has some of said storage regions;

at least one first AC/DC power supply being inputted AC input and supplying said disk drive units with DC power;

at least one second AC/DC power supply being inputted AC input and supplying said disk drive units with DC power;

at least one first power line coupled to said at least one first AC/DC power supply and being used to relay DC power to said disk drive units;

at least one second power line coupled to said at least one second AC/DC power supply and being used to relay DC power to said disk drive units;

a first DC power supply coupled to said at least one first power line and said at least one second power line and corresponding to a first disk drive unit of said disk drive units and supplying said first disk drive unit with DC power; and

a second DC power supply coupled to said at least one first power line and said at least one second power line and corresponding to a second disk drive unit of said disk drive units and supplying said second disk drive unit with DC power which is less than inputted DC power,

wherein said first DC power supply couples to said at least one first power line via a first backflow prevention device and couples to said at least one second power line via a second backflow prevention device,

wherein either said first backflow prevention device or said second backflow prevention device supplies said first disk drive unit with DC power,

wherein said at least one first power line is used to relay DC power from said at least one first AC/DC power supply to said first disk drive unit and said second disk drive unit, if a part related to said first disk drive unit does not have a failure, and

wherein said at least one first power line is used to relay DC power from said at least one first AC/DC power supply to said second disk drive unit but not said first disk drive unit, if said part related to said first disk drive unit has a failure.

19. A storage system, comprising:

a controller configured to transfer data to a plurality of storage regions;

at least one data line being used to relay data transferred from said controller;

a plurality of disk drive units coupled to said at least one data line and each having a disk drive which has some of said storage regions;

at least one first AC/DC power supply being inputted AC input and supplying said disk drive units with DC power;

at least one second AC/DC power supply being inputted AC input and supplying said disk drive units with DC power;

at least one first power line coupled to said at least one first AC/DC power supply and being used to relay DC power to said disk drive units;

at least one second power line coupled to said at least one second AC/DC power supply and being used to relay DC power to said disk drive units;

a first DC power supply coupled to said at least one first power line and said at least one second power line and corresponding to a first disk drive unit of said disk drive units and supplying said first disk drive unit with DC power which is less than inputted DC power; and

a second DC power supply coupled to said at least one first power line and said at least one second power line and corresponding to a second disk drive unit of said disk drive units and supplying said second disk drive unit with DC power which is less than inputted DC power,

wherein said first DC power supply couples to said at least one first power line via a first backflow prevention device and couples to said at least one second power line via a second backflow prevention device,

wherein either said first backflow prevention device or said second backflow prevention device supplies said first disk drive unit with DC power,

wherein said at least one first power line is used to relay DC power from said at least one first AC/DC power supply to said first disk drive unit and said second disk drive unit, if a part related to said first disk drive unit does not have a failure, and

wherein said at least one first power line is used to relay DC power from said at least one first AC/DC power supply to said second disk drive unit but not said first disk drive unit, if said part related to said first disk drive unit has a failure.