Storage system for checking data coincidence between a cache memory and a disk drive
First Claim
1. A storage system adapted to be coupled to an information processing apparatus, comprising:
- a controller having a first cache memory;
a plurality of disk drives coupled to the controller, each of the plurality of disk drives having a second cache memory and a storage medium, the second cache memory being used for informing the controller of completion of writing after writing data in the second cache memory, so that each of the plurality of disk drives can improve write performance to the controller,wherein upon receiving a first data write request from the information processing apparatus, the controller temporarily stores first data corresponding to the data write request in the first cache memory and sends an instruction to write the first data to at least one of the plurality of disk drives,wherein upon receiving the instruction to write the first data from the controller, the at least one of the plurality of disk drives writes the first data to the second cache memory in the at least one of the plurality of disk drives and informs the controller of a completion of the writing,wherein the controller determines if a number of instructions to write data to the at least one of the plurality of disk drives exceeds a predetermined number and, if so, instructs the at least one of the plurality of disk drives to write data, including the first data, stored in the second cache memory of the at least one of the plurality of disk drives into the storage medium of the at least one of the plurality of disk drives, andwherein after writing the data, including the first data, to the storage medium, the controller determines if data stored in the first cache memory coincides with data stored in the storage medium of the at least one of the plurality of disk drives.
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Abstract
A disk array system having first and second housings and a controller for controlling the first and second housings. Fiber channel hard disk drives are received in the first housing, and serial ATA hard disk drives are received in the second housing. When reading data stored in a serial ATA hard disk drive in the second housing, the controller reads a plurality of pieces of data including the data to be read and parity data for the plurality of pieces of data from all the hard disk drives of an RAID group to which the hard disk drive storing the data to be read belongs. Thus, the controller examines whether the plurality of pieces of data including the data to be read are written in the hard disk drives with erroneous contents or not.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A storage system adapted to be coupled to an information processing apparatus, comprising:
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a controller having a first cache memory; a plurality of disk drives coupled to the controller, each of the plurality of disk drives having a second cache memory and a storage medium, the second cache memory being used for informing the controller of completion of writing after writing data in the second cache memory, so that each of the plurality of disk drives can improve write performance to the controller, wherein upon receiving a first data write request from the information processing apparatus, the controller temporarily stores first data corresponding to the data write request in the first cache memory and sends an instruction to write the first data to at least one of the plurality of disk drives, wherein upon receiving the instruction to write the first data from the controller, the at least one of the plurality of disk drives writes the first data to the second cache memory in the at least one of the plurality of disk drives and informs the controller of a completion of the writing, wherein the controller determines if a number of instructions to write data to the at least one of the plurality of disk drives exceeds a predetermined number and, if so, instructs the at least one of the plurality of disk drives to write data, including the first data, stored in the second cache memory of the at least one of the plurality of disk drives into the storage medium of the at least one of the plurality of disk drives, and wherein after writing the data, including the first data, to the storage medium, the controller determines if data stored in the first cache memory coincides with data stored in the storage medium of the at least one of the plurality of disk drives. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. In a storage system adapted to be coupled to an information processing apparatus, comprising a controller having a first cache memory;
- a plurality of disk drives coupled to the controller and each of the plurality of disk drives having a second cache memory and a storage medium, the second cache memory being used for informing the controller of completion of writing after writing data in the second cache memory other than the storage medium, so that each of the plurality of disk drives can improve write performance to the controller, a method comprising the steps of;
at the controller; receiving a first data write request from the information processing apparatus; temporarily storing first data corresponding to the data write request in the first cache memory; and sending an instruction to write the first data to at least one of the plurality of disk drives; at the at least one of the plurality of disk drives; upon receiving the instruction to write the first data from the controller, writing the first data to the second cache memory; and informing the controller of a completion of the writing; and at the controller; determining if a number of instructions to write data to the at least one of the plurality of disk drives exceeds a predetermined number and, if so, instructing the at least one of the plurality of disk drives to write data, including the first data, stored in the second cache memory of the at least one of the plurality of disk drives into the storage medium of the at least one of the plurality of disk drives; and determining, after writing the data, including the first data, to the storage medium, if data stored in the first cache memory coincides with data stored in the storage medium of the at least one of the plurality of disk drives. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
- a plurality of disk drives coupled to the controller and each of the plurality of disk drives having a second cache memory and a storage medium, the second cache memory being used for informing the controller of completion of writing after writing data in the second cache memory other than the storage medium, so that each of the plurality of disk drives can improve write performance to the controller, a method comprising the steps of;
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9. A computer program stored on a computer readable storage medium, the computer program comprising:
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code executable to cause a storage controller to; receive a first data write request from an information processing apparatus; temporarily store first data corresponding to the data write request in a first cache memory; and send an instruction to write the first data to at least one of a plurality of disk drives; code executable to cause the at least one of the plurality of disk drives to; upon receiving the instruction to write the first data from the controller, write the first data to a second cache memory; and inform the controller of a completion of the writing; and code executable to cause the controller to; determine if a number of instructions to write data to the at least one of the plurality of disk drives exceeds a predetermined number and, if so, instruct the disk drive to write data, including the first data, stored in the second cache memory of the at least one of the plurality of disk drives into the storage medium of the at least one of the plurality of disk drives; and determine, after writing the data, including the first data, to the storage medium, if data stored in the first cache memory coincides with data stored in the storage medium of the at least one of the plurality of disk drives. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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Specification