Disk subsystem

• US 7,836,249 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2004
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Aruga, Kazuhisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Portka; Gary J
• Application Number:
  US10/933,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20050027919A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,265 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 711/114
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4022 using switching circuits, e.g. switching matrix, connection or expansion network G06F13/4009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/061 Improving I/O performance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0613 in relation to throughput
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0655 Vertical data movement, i.e. input-output transfer; data movement between one or more hosts and one or more storage devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0661 Format or protocol conversion arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD

Abstract

A protocol controller disposed between switches in a fiber channel fabric switch circuit and disk drive units for converting a protocol to enable one-to-one connectivity established between controllers and disk drive units.

Claims

1. A storage system comprising:

a plurality of disk drives for corresponding to a plurality of first paths;

at least one controller which implements Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) processes on said disk drives;

a host interface circuit, included in said controller, for being coupled to a network and for receiving data from a computer coupled to said network;

a disk drive interface circuit, included in said controller, for transferring data sent from said computer to said disk drives via a plurality of second paths; and

a plurality of switches external of said controller,

wherein one of said switches is coupled to said controller by at least one of said second paths and is coupled to said disk drives by said first paths, thereby forming a point to point connection between said one of said switches and each of said disk drives,

wherein the number of said second paths is less than the number of said first paths,

wherein said disk drives store data sent from said computer through said one of said switches and each of said disk drives has an Identification (ID) number,

wherein said controller sends data received from said computer to said one of said switches via a selected one of said second paths, and

wherein said one of said switches conducts a switching between said first paths and said second paths in order to transfer data to a destination disk drive among said disk drives via one of said first paths in response to receiving data from said disk drive interface circuit included in said controller via the selected one of said second paths.

2. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein said each of said switches converts first protocol data to second protocol data before said each of said switches selects a destination disk drive.

3. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein said each of said switches conducts switching based on the ID number.

4. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein said each of said switches dynamically switches between said disk drives.

5. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein said controller generates a parity data from data sent from said computer, and

wherein at least one of said disk drives stores said parity data.

6. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein said controller generates a parity data from data sent from said computer, and

wherein some disk drives of said disk drives are stored data without said parity data.

7. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said disk drives are spare disk drives, said spare disk drives storing data from another disk drive of said disk drives.

8. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein a first one of said disk drives is capable of communicating with said each of said switches independently of one of said first paths associated with a second one of said disk drives.

9. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein first protocol data are suitable to said disk drive interface circuit, and

wherein second protocol data are suitable to said destination disk drive.

30. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one of said switches receives first protocol data from said disk drive interface circuit and sends second protocol data to said destination disk drive.

10. A storage system comprising:

a plurality of disk drives for storing data sent from external of said storage system;

at least one controller which controls transfer of data sent from external of said storage system to said disk drives via a plurality of second paths, said controller implements Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) processes on said disk drives; and

a plurality of switches external of said controller,

wherein at least one of said switches is coupled to each of said disk drives via at least one of a plurality of first paths, thereby forming a point to point connection between said at least one of said switches and said each of said disk drives, and is coupled to said controller via one or more of said second paths,

wherein said disk drives each have an Identification (ID) number,

wherein the number of said one or more second paths is less than the number of said first paths, and

wherein said controller sends data received from external of said storage system to said at least one of said switches via a selected one of said second paths.

11. The storage system according to claim 10, wherein said at least one of said switches converts first protocol data to second protocol data before said at least one of said switches selects a destination disk drive.

12. The storage system according to claim 10, wherein said at least one of said switches conducts switching based on the ID number.

13. The storage system according to claim 10, wherein said at least one of said switches dynamically switches between said disk drives.

14. The storage system according to claim 10, wherein said controller generates a parity data from data sent from said computer, and

wherein at least one of said disk drives stores said parity data.

15. The storage system according to claim 10, wherein said controller generates a parity data from data sent from said computer, and

wherein some disk drives of said disk drives are stored data without said parity data.

16. The storage system according to claim 10, wherein at least one of said disk drives are spare disk drives, said spare disk drives storing data from another disk drive of said disk drives.

17. The storage system according to claim 10, wherein a first one of said disk drives is capable of communicating with said switch independently of one of said first paths associated with a second one of said disk drives.

18. The storage system according to claim 10, wherein said first protocol data are suitable to said disk drive interface circuit, and

wherein said second protocol data are suitable to said destination disk drive.

31. The storage system according to claim 10, wherein said at least one of said switches receives first protocol data from said controller via the selected one of said second paths and sends second protocol data to one of said disk drives via one of said first paths.

19. A storage system comprising:

a plurality of disk drives for corresponding to a plurality of first paths;

at least one controller which implements Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) processes on said disk drives;

a host interface circuit, included in said controller, for being coupled to a network and for receiving data from a computer coupled to said network;

a disk drive interface circuit, included in said controller, for transferring data sent from said computer to said disk drives via a plurality of second paths; and

a plurality of switches external of said controller,

wherein one of said switches is coupled to said controller by at least one of said second paths and is coupled to said disk drives by said first paths, thereby forming a point to point connection between said one of said switches and each of said disk drives,

wherein the number of said second paths is less than the number of said first paths,

wherein said disk drives store data sent from said computer through said one of said switches and each of said disk drives has an Identification (ID) number,

wherein said controller sends data received from said computer to said one of said switches via a selected one of said second paths, and

wherein said one of said switches conducts switching between said first paths and said second paths in order to transfer data received from said controller via the selected one of said second paths to a destination disk drive among said disk drives via at least one of said first paths based on information of said ID number of said at least one disk drives.

20. The storage system according to claim 19, wherein said each of said switches converts first protocol data to second protocol data before said each of said switches selects said destination disk drive.

21. The storage system according to claim 19, wherein said each of said switches conducts switching based on the ID number.

22. The storage system according to claim 19, wherein said each of said switches dynamically switches between said disk drives.

23. The storage system according to claim 19, wherein said controller generates a parity data from data sent from said computer, and

wherein at least one of said disk drives stores said parity data.

24. The storage system according to claim 19, wherein said controller generates a parity data from data sent from said computer, and

wherein some disk drives of said disk drives are stored data without said parity data.

25. The storage system according to claim 19, wherein at least one of said disk drives are spare disk drives, said spare disk drives storing data from another disk drive of said disk drives.

26. The storage system according to claim 19, wherein a first one of said disk drives is capable of communicating with said switch independently of one of said first paths associated with a second one of said disk drives.

27. The storage system according to claim 19, wherein first protocol data are suitable to said disk drive interface circuit, and

wherein second protocol data are suitable to said destination disk drive.

32. The storage system according to claim 19, wherein said at least one of said switches receives first protocol data from said disk drive interface circuit and sends second protocol data to said destination disk drive.

28. A storage system comprising:

a plurality of disk drives for corresponding to a plurality of paths;

at least one controller which is coupled to a network for receiving data from a computer coupled to said network and transferring data to said disk drives via a plurality of cables, said controller implements Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) processes on said disk drives; and

a plurality of switches external of said controller,

wherein at least one of said switches is coupled to said controller by at least one of said cables and is coupled to each of said disk drives by at least one of said paths,

wherein the number of said cables is less than the number of said paths,

wherein said disk drives store data sent from said computer through said at least one of said switches and each of said disk drives has an Identification (ID) number,

wherein said controller sends data received from said computer to said at least one of said switches via a selected one of said cables, and

wherein said at least one of said switches sends data received from said controller to a disk drive by one of said paths.

33. The storage system according to claim 28, wherein said at least one of said switches receives first protocol data from said controller via the selected one of said cables and sends second protocol data to individual one of said disk drives independently over individual one of said paths.

29. A storage system comprising:

a plurality of disk drives for storing data sent from external of said storage system;

a least one controller which controls transfer of data sent from external of said storage system to said disk drives via a plurality of second paths, said controller implements Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) processes on said disk drives; and

a plurality of switches external of said controller,

wherein at least one of said switches is coupled to said disk drives via a plurality of first paths, thereby forming a point to point connection between said at least one of said switches and each of said disk drives, and is coupled to said controller via one or more of said second paths,

wherein said disk drives each having an Identification (ID) number,

wherein the number of said one or more second paths is less than the number of said first paths,

wherein said controller sends data received from external of said storage system to said at least one of said switches via a selected one of said second paths, and

wherein said at least one of said switches receives data from said controller via the selected one of said second paths and sends the data to one of said disk drives via one of said first paths.

34. The storage system according to claim 29, wherein said at least one of said switches switch receives data from said controller via the selected one of said second paths according to first protocol and sends the data to one of said disk drives according to second protocol via one of said first paths.

35. A storage system comprising:

a plurality of disk drives for corresponding to a plurality of first paths;

at least one controller coupled to a plurality of second paths, said controller implements Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) processes on said disk drives;

a host interface circuit, included in said controller, for being coupled to a network and for receiving data from a computer coupled to said network;

a disk drive interface circuit, included in said controller, for transferring data sent from said computer to said disk drives; and

a plurality of switches external of said controller,

wherein one of said switches is coupled to said controller by at least one of said second paths, and is coupled to said disk drives by said first paths, thereby forming a point to point connection between said one of said switches and each of said disk drives,

wherein the number of said second paths is less than the number of said first paths,

wherein said disk drives store data sent from said computer through said one of said switches,

wherein said controller sends data received from said computer to said one of said switches via a selected one of said second paths, and

wherein said one of said switches conducts a switching between said first paths and said at least one of said second paths in order to transfer data to a destination disk drive among said disk drives via one of said first paths in response to receiving data from said disk drive interface circuit included in said controller via the selected one of said second paths.

36. The storage system according to claim 35, wherein said each of said switches receives first protocol data from said disk drive interface circuit and sends second protocol data to said destination disk drive.

37. A storage system comprising:

a plurality of disk drives;

a plurality of disk array controllers, each disk array controller controlling Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) processes on said disk drives; and

a plurality of switches external of said disk array controllers, said switches being coupled to said disk array controllers and to said disk drives,

wherein

a first switch of said switches conducts a switching among paths, each of which is coupled to a disk drive of said disk drives, when said first switch establishes a first connection which is a one to one connection between one of said disk array controllers and a destination disk drive of said disk drives which is a destination of data from said one of said disk array controllers,

a second switch of said switches conduct a switching among paths, each of which is coupled to a disk drive of said disk drives, when said second switch establishes a second connection which is a one to one connection between another one of said disk array controllers and another destination disk drive of said disk drives which is a destination of data from said another one of said disk array controllers, and

said first connection is able to be established separately from said second connection.

38. The storage system according to claim 37, wherein said destination disk drive is coupled both to said first switch and to said second switch.

39. The storage system according to claim 37, wherein said destination disk drive belongs to a first disk drive group adapted to store first data and first parity, and

wherein said another destination disk drive belongs to a second disk drive group adapted to store second data and second parity.

40. The storage system according to claim 37, wherein said first connection is established in response to a request which identifies said destination disk drive and which is received from said one of said disk array controllers.

41. The storage system according to claim 40, wherein said first connection is requested with an ID number of said destination disk drive.

42. A storage system comprising:

a plurality of disk drives;

a plurality of disk array controllers coupled to a host computer, each of said disk array controllers controlling Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) processes on said disk drives; and

a plurality of switches external of said disk array controllers, said switches being coupled to said disk array controllers and to said disk drives,

wherein

a first switch of said switches conducts a switching among paths, each of which is coupled to a disk drive of said disk drives, when said first switch establishes a one to one connection between one of said disk array controllers and a destination disk drive of said disk drives,

said first switch performs a first data transfer of data received from said host computer between said one of said disk array controllers and said destination disk drive via said first switch,

said second switch performs a second data transfer of data received from said host computer between another one of said disk array controllers and another destination disk drive, and

said first data transfer is performed separately from said second data transfer.

43. The storage system according to claim 42, wherein said destination disk drive is coupled both to said first switch and to said second switch.

44. The storage system according to claim 42, wherein said destination disk drive belongs to a first disk drive group adapted to store first data and first parity, the first data and the first parity being related to data A received from said host computer, and

wherein said another destination disk drive belongs to a second disk drive group adapted to store second data and second parity, the second data and the second parity being related to data B received from said host computer.

45. The storage system according to claim 42, wherein said first data transfer is performed in response to receiving a request identifying said destination disk drive.

46. The storage system according to claim 45, wherein said first data transfer is requested with an ID number of said destination disk drive.

47. A storage system comprising:

a plurality of disk drives being used to form a plurality of disk drive groups, each of said plurality of disk drive groups including two or more of said plurality of disk drives;

first and second disk array controllers, each of said first and second disk array controllers being adapted to control Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) processes on each of said plurality of disk drive groups;

a first switch, external of said first and second disk array controllers, being coupled to said first disk array controller and to said plurality of disk drive groups,

wherein

said first switch conducts a switching among paths, each of which is coupled to a disk drive of said plurality of disk drives, when said first switch establishes a first connection between said first disk array controller and a first disk drive which is a destination of data from said first disk array controller and is included in one of said plurality of disk drive groups,

a second switch conducts a switching among paths, each of which is coupled to a disk drive of said plurality of disk drives, when said second switch establishes a second connection between said second disk array controller and a second disk drive which is a destination of data from said second disk array controller and is included in another one of said plurality of disk drive groups, and

wherein the first connection is established separately from the second connection.

48. The storage system according to claim 47, wherein said plurality of disk drives include at least one disk drive being coupled to both said first switch and said second switch.

49. The storage system according to claim 47, wherein said first switch is adapted to establish the first connection in response to receiving a request which is sent from said first disk array controller to said first switch and identifies said first disk drive in said one of said plurality of disk drive groups.

50. The storage system according to claim 47, wherein said first switch is adapted to establish the first connection in response to receiving a request including an ID number of said first disk drive in said one of said plurality of disk drive groups.

51. The storage system according to claim 50:

wherein one of said plurality of disk drive groups is adapted to store a plurality of data and a parity related to said plurality of data.

52. A storage system comprising:

a plurality of disk drives being used to form a plurality of disk drive groups, each of said plurality of disk drive groups including two or more of said plurality of disk drives;

a disk array controller being adapted to control Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) processes on each of said plurality of disk drive groups;

a plurality of switches external of said disk array controller, said plurality of switches being coupled to said disk array controller and to said plurality of disk drives,

wherein

a first switch of said plurality of switches conducts a switching among paths, each of which is coupled to a disk drive of said plurality of disk drives, when said first switch establishes a one to one connection between said disk array controller and a destination disk drive of said plurality of disk drives,

said first switch performs a first data transfer of data received from said host computer between said disk array controller and said destination disk drive, via said first switch,

a second switch of said plurality of switches performs a second data transfer of data received from said host computer between said disk array controller and another destination disk drive of said plurality of disk drives, and

said first data transfer is performed separately from said second data transfer.

53. The storage system according to claim 52:

wherein said plurality of disk drives include at least one disk drive being coupled to both said first switch and said second switch.

54. The storage system according to claim 52:

wherein said first switch selects said destination disk drive for transferring data in response to receiving a request which is received from said disk array controller and identifies said destination disk drive to be selected.

55. The storage system according to claim 52:

wherein said disk array controller sends an ID number of said destination disk drive to said first switch.

56. The storage system according to claim 52:

wherein one of said plurality of disk drive groups stores a plurality of data and a parity data related to said plurality of data.

57. A storage system comprising:

a plurality of disk drives being used to form a plurality of disk drive groups, each of said plurality of disk drive groups including two or more of said plurality of disk drives;

at least one disk array controller being adapted to control Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) processes on each of a plurality of disk drive groups; and

a plurality of switches, external of said disk array controller, being coupled to said disk array controller and to each of said plurality of disk drive groups,

wherein

each of said plurality of switches is able to individually conduct a switching among paths, each of which is coupled to a disk drive of said plurality of disk drives, when each of said plurality of switches establishes a one to one connection between said disk array controller and a selected disk drive, and

a first switch of said plurality of switches is able to transfer data received from said disk array controller to the selected disk drive via said first switch separately from another data transfer between said disk array controller and another selected disk drive of said plurality of disk drives, said another data transfer performed by a second switch.

58. The storage system according to claim 57:

wherein said plurality of disk drives include at least one disk drive being coupled to each of said plurality of switches.

59. The storage system according to claim 57:

wherein each of said plurality of switches transfers data received from said disk array controller to the selected disk drive for transferring data in response to receiving a request which is received from said disk array controller and identifies the selected disk drive.

60. The storage system according to claim 57:

wherein said disk array controller sends an ID number of the selected disk drive to one of said plurality of switches for transferring data to the selected disk drive.

61. The storage system according to claim 57:

wherein one of said plurality of disk drive groups stores a plurality of data and a parity data related to said plurality of data.

62. A storage system comprising:

a plurality of disk drives;

a plurality of disk array controllers, each disk array controller controlling Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) processes on said plurality of disk drives; and

a plurality of switches external of said disk array controllers, said plurality of switches being coupled to said disk array controllers and to said plurality of disk drives,

wherein

a switch of said plurality of switches conducts a switching among paths, each of which is coupled to a disk drive of said plurality of disk drives, when said switch establishes a one to one connection between one of said disk array controllers and a destination disk drive of said plurality of disk drives which is a destination of data from said disk array controllers.

63. The storage system according to claim 62, wherein said destination disk drive is coupled both to said switch and to another switch of said plurality of switches.

64. The storage system according to claim 62, wherein said one to one connection is established in response to a request which identifies said destination disk drive and which is received from said one of said disk array controllers.

65. The storage system according to claim 62, wherein said one to one connection is requested with an ID number of said destination disk drive.