Computer network system for packet-transferring data between computers, network file server in computer network system and data transferring method thereof

• US 6,014,695 A
• Filed: 11/17/1997
• Issued: 01/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Htiachi Limited
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Hirose, Nozomu, Yamashita, Hirofumi, Onodera, Takeshi, Ohno, Ryuichi, Asai, Mitsuo, Iwanaga, Miho, Takiyasu, Yoshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Dung C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SALAD, ABDULLAHI ELMI
• Application Number:
  US08/971,899
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: 709/219, 709/216, 709/217, 709/203, 710/52
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/90 Buffering arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/901 using storage descriptor, e.g. read or write pointers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/9047 including multiple buffers, e.g. buffer pools
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

When an access request is generated from a client in a network file server comprising a computer including a communication controller connected to at least one client through a network and transferring information on a plurality of addresses inside a main storage device as one packet to at least one client, the main storage device having a buffer, a central processing unit and an input/output bus for mutually connecting the communication controller, the central processing unit and the main storage device, and a secondary storage device connected to the computer, an area for storing the data corresponding to this access request is allocated into the buffer of the main storage device. The data corresponding to the access request is read out from the secondary storage device, is transferred to the buffer and is stored in the allocated area. A header for the data in the allocated area in the buffer, the address and size of the header and the address and size of the data are generated in the main storage device on the basis of the access request. As the address and size of the header and the address and size of the data are reported to the communication controller, the data inside the allocated area in the buffer are transferred as one packet to at least one client by the communication controller.

Claims

1. A network file server connected to at least one client through a network, comprising:

a secondary storage device; and

a computer connected to said secondary storage device through an input/output bus;

wherein said computer includes;

a main storage device connected to said secondary storage device through said input/output bus;

a central processing unit connected to said secondary storage device and to said main storage device through said input/output bus; and

a communication controller, connected to said main storage device through said input/output bus and connected to said at least one client through said network, which accepts a file access request sent from said at least one client through said network and transfers information on a plurality of addresses of said main storage device as one packet to said at least one client;

wherein said main storage device includes;

a buffer;

a file access request control portion which accepts a file access request sent from said communication controller through said input/output bus to thereby allocate an area of said buffer for storing data corresponding to said file access request in accordance with said file access request, and generates an access request to a secondary storage device access control portion and supplies a communication request to a data transfer control portion thereby to execute data transfer between said communication controller and said secondary storage device;

said secondary storage device access control portion reading out data from said secondary storage device in accordance with said access request from said file access request control portion and transferring the data thus read to the allocated area of said buffer through said input/output bus; and

said data transfer control portion generating a header for said data of the allocated area of said buffer on the basis of said communication request from said file access request control portion, sending an address of said header thus generated and a size thereof and an address of said data of the allocated area of said buffer and a size thereof to said communication controller through said input/output bus and generating a communication request to said communication controller so that said header and said data can be collectively transferred to said at least one client; and

wherein said communication controller reads out said data in the allocated area of said buffer in accordance with said communication request from said data transfer control portion, reads out said header generated by said data transfer control portion, generates one packet from said data and said header thus read out on the basis of the address of said header and said size thereof and the address of said data and said size thereof from said data transfer control portion and transfers said packet to said client through said network.

2. A network file server according to claim 1, wherein

at least one of said file access request processing portion and said data transfer control portion includes, as a table for executing data transfer of said information of said main storage device through said communication controller, a data transfer information table which stores a logical address managed by an operating system of said central processing unit for the information of said main storage device, a physical address for said information of said main storage device, a data size of said information of said main storage device and a pointer for a next table, on the basis of said file access request, and

said data transfer control portion transfers the address of said header and the size thereof and the address of said data of said allocated area of said buffer and the size thereof to said communication controller on the basis of said data transfer information table.

3. A network file server according to claim 1, wherein said file access request processing portion includes a first data transfer information table for storing logical addresses managed by an operating system of said central processing unit for said data inside the allocated area, physical addresses for said data inside the allocated area, the data size of said data inside the allocated area and a pointer for a next table, on the basis of said file access request, as a first table for executing the data transfer of said one packet through said communication controller, said data transfer control portion includes a second data transfer information table for storing logical addresses managed by an operating system of said central processing unit for said header, physical addresses for said header, the data size of said header and a pointer for said first data transfer information table, as a second table for executing the data transfer of said one packet through said communication controller, and said data transfer control portion transfers the address of said header and its size and the address of said data inside the allocated area of said buffer and its size to said communication controller on the basis of said first and second data transfer information tables.

4. A network file server according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of clients are connected to said network, and said buffer and said file access request control portion of said main storage device are disposed for each of said clients.

5. A network file server according to claim 4, wherein said main storage device further includes a file access exclusion control portion for keeping consistency of data between said buffers disposed for a plurality of said clients.

6. A network file server according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of clients are connected to said network, and said main storage device includes a file access request processing portion activation portion for accepting the connection request sent from one of said clients through said network and said communication controller, secures an area inside said buffer corresponding to said one client when said one client can be connected to said network file server for said connection request, and generates said file access request processing portion.

7. A network file server according to claim 6, wherein said main storage device further includes a resource table for managing resources of said network file server, and said file access request processing portion activation portion judges whether or not said one client can be connected to said network file server for said connection request by looking up said resource table when it receives said connected request from said one client.

8. A network file server according to claim 7, wherein said resource table has information on a maximum data transfer band of said network file server and information on a band used at present, and said file access request processing portion activation portion judges whether or not said one client can be connected to said network file server by looking up said resource table on the basis of the required band of said one client represented by said connection request when it receives said connection request from said one client.

9. A network file server connected to at least one client through a network, comprising:

a secondary storage device; and

a computer connected to said secondary storage device through an input/output bus;

wherein said computer includes;

a main storage device connected to said secondary storage device through said input/output bus, and having a buffer;

a central processing unit connected to said secondary storage device and to said main storage device through said input/output bus;

a control portion connected to said secondary storage device and to said main storage device through said input/output bus; and

a communication controller for transferring data to said at least one client, connected to said main storage device and said control portion through said input/output bus, connected to said at least one client through said network, accepting a file access request sent from said at least one client through said network and sending information on a plurality of addresses inside said main storage device as one packet to said at least one client;

wherein said control portion includes;

a file access request control portion for accepting the file access request sent from said communication controller through said input/output bus, allocating an area inside said buffer for storing data corresponding to said file access request in accordance with said file access request, generating an access request to a secondary storage device access control portion, giving a communication request to a data transfer control portion and executing the data transfer between said communication controller and said secondary storage device;

said secondary storage device access control portion reading out the data from said secondary storage device in accordance with said access request from said file access request control portion and transferring the data to said allocated area of said buffer through said input/output bus; and

said data transfer control portion generating a header for said data inside said allocated area of said buffer on the basis of said communication request from said file access request controller, sending the address of said header so generated and its size and the address of said data inside said allocated area of said buffer and its size to said communication controller through said input/output bus, and generating a communication request for said communication controller so that said header and said data can be collectively transferred to said at least one client; and

wherein said communication controller reads out said data inside said allocated area of said buffer in accordance with said communication request from said data transfer control portion, reads out said header generated by said data transfer control portion, generates one packet from said data and said packet so read out on the basis of the address of said header and its size and the address of said data and its size from said data transfer control portion, and executes the data transfer to said client through said network.

10. A network file server according to claim 9, wherein at least one of said file access request processing portion and said data transfer control portion includes a data transfer information table for storing logical addresses managed by an operating system of said central processing unit for said information inside said main storage device, physical addresses for said information inside said main storage device, the data size of said information inside said main storage device and a pointer for a next table as a table for executing the data transfer of said information inside said main storage device through said communication controller on the basis of said file access request, and said data transfer control portion sends the address and the size of said data header and the address and the size of said data inside said allocated area of said buffer to said communication controller on the basis of said data transfer information table.

11. A network file server according to claim 9, wherein said file access request processing portion includes a first data transfer information table for storing logical addresses managed by an operating system of said central processing unit for said data inside said allocated area, physical addresses for said data inside said allocated area, the data size of said data inside said allocated area and a pointer for a next table, as a first table for executing the data transfer of said one packet through said communication controller, on the basis of said file access request;

wherein said data transfer control portion includes a second data transfer information table for storing physical addresses managed by said operating system of said central processing unit for said header, physical addresses for said header, the data size of said header and a pointer for said first data transfer information table, as a second table for executing the data transfer of said one packet through said communication controller; and

wherein said data transfer control portion sends the address of said header and its size and the address of said data inside said allocated area of said buffer and its size to said communication controller on the basis of said first and second data transfer information tables.

12. A computer network system comprising:

a network file server;

a network connected to said network file server; and

at least one client connected to said network file server through said network;

wherein said network file server includes;

a secondary storage device; and

a computer connected to said secondary storage device through an input/output bus;

wherein said computer includes;

a main storage device connected to said secondary storage device through said input/output bus, and having a buffer;

a central processing unit connected to said secondary storage device and to said main storage device through said input/output bus;

a control portion connected to said secondary storage device and to said main storage device through said input/output bus; and

a communication controller connected to said main storage device and to said control portion through said input/output bus, connected to said at least one client through said network, accepting a file access request sent from said at least one client through said network and executing the data transfer of information of a plurality of addresses inside said main storage device as one packet to said at least one client;

wherein said control portion includes;

a file access request control portion for accepting the file access request sent from said communication controller through said input/output bus, allocating an area inside said buffer for storing data corresponding to said file access request in accordance with said file access request, generating an access request for a secondary storage device access control portion, giving a communication request to a data transfer control portion and executing the data transfer between said communication controller and said secondary storage device;

said secondary storage device access control portion reading out the data from said secondary storage device in accordance with said access request from said file access request control portion and transferring the data to the allocated area of said buffer through said input/output bus; and

said data transfer control portion generating a header for said data inside the allocated area of said buffer on the basis of said communication request from said file access request control portion, sending the address of said header so generated and its size and the address of said data inside said allocated area of said buffer and its size to said communication controller through said input/output bus and generating a communication request to said communication controller so that said header and said data can be collectively transferred to said at least one client; and

wherein;

said communication controller reads out said data inside the allocated area of said buffer in accordance with said communication request from said data transfer control portion, reads out said header generated by said transfer control portion, generates one packet from the address of said header and its size and the address of said data and its size from said data transfer control portion and executes the data transfer to said client through said network.

13. A computer network system according to claim 12, wherein at least one of said file access request processing portion and said data transfer control portion of said control portion includes a data transfer information table for storing logical addresses managed by an operating system of said central processing unit for said information inside said main storage device, physical addresses for said information inside said main storage device, a data size of said information inside said main storage device and a pointer for a next table as a table for executing the data transfer of said information inside said main storage device through said communication controller on the basis of said file access request, and said data transfer control portion sends the address of said header and its size and the address of said data inside said allocated area of said buffer and its size to said communication controller.

14. A computer network system according to claim 12, wherein said file access request processing portion of said control portion includes a first data transfer information table for storing logical addresses managed by an operating system of said central processing unit for said data inside said allocated area, physical addresses for said data inside said allocated area, the data size of said data inside said allocated area and a pointer for a next table as a first table for executing the data transfer of said one packet through said communication controller, on the basis of said file access request, said data transfer control portion includes a second data transfer information table for storing logical addresses managed by an operating system of said central processing unit for said header, physical addresses for said header, the data size of said header and a pointer for said first data transfer information table, as a second table for executing the data transfer of said one packet through said communication controller, and said data transfer control portion sends the address of said header and its size and the address of said data inside said allocated area of said buffer and its size to said communication controller on the basis of said first and second data transfer information tables.

15. A network file server comprising a computer including a communication controller connected to at least one client through a network, a main storage device having a buffer, a central processing unit and an input/output bus for mutually connecting said communication controller, said central processing unit and said main storage device, and a secondary storage device connected to said computer, said main storage device reading data corresponding to a file access request from said secondary storage device and storing said data in said buffer when said main storage device accepts said file access request sent from said at least one client through said network and through said communication controller, said communication controller looking up a table portion and transferring the data stored in said buffer as one packet to said at least one client;

wherein said table portion includes;

a first data transfer information table for storing physical addresses managed by an operating system of said central processing unit for said data stored in said buffer, physical addresses for said data, the data size of said data and a pointer for a next table on the basis of said file access request; and

a second data transfer information table for storing physical addresses managed by the operating system of said central processing unit for a header of said data, physical addresses for said header, the data size of said header and a pointer for said first data transfer information table.

16. A computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium for use in a network file server comprising a computer including a communication controller connected to at least one client through said network and executing the data transfer of information on a plurality of addresses in a main storage device as one packet to said at least one client, said main storage device having a buffer, a central processing unit and an input/output bus for mutually connecting said communication controller, said central processing unit and said main storage device, and a secondary storage device connected to said computer, including:

a) program code means for allocating an area for storing data corresponding to an access request into said buffer of said main storage device when said access request is generated from said client;

b) program code means for reading out the data corresponding to said access request from said secondary storage device, transferring the data to said buffer and storing the data in said allocated area;

c) program code means for generating a header for said data inside said allocated area in said buffer, the address of said header and its size and the address of said data and its size in said main storage device on the basis of said access request; and

d) program code means for executing the data transfer of said data inside said allocated area of said area as one packet to said at least one client by said communication controller by reporting the address of said header and its size and the address of said data and its size to said communication controller.

17. A data transfer controlling method in a network file server comprising a computer including a communication controller connected to at least one client through a network and executing data transfer of information on a plurality of addresses inside a main storage device as one packet to said at least one client, a main storage device having a buffer, a central processing unit and an input/output bus for mutually connecting said communication controller, said central processing unit and said main storage device, and a secondary storage device connected to said computer, said data transfer controlling method comprising the steps of:

a) allocating an area for storing data corresponding to an access request into said buffer of said main storage device when said client generates said access request;

b) reading the data corresponding to said access request from said secondary storage device, transferring said data to said buffer and storing said data in said allocated area;

c) generating a header for said data in said allocated area of said buffer, the address of said header and its size and the address of said data and its size inside said main storage device on the basis of said access request; and

d) reporting the address of said header and its address and the address of said data and its address to said communication controller and transferring by said communication controller said data inside said allocated area of said buffer as one packet to said at least one client.

18. A data transfer controlling method in a network file server according to claim 17, wherein said step c) generates a data transfer information table for storing logical addresses managed by an operating system of said central processing unit for said information in said main storage device, physical addresses for said information in said main storage device, a data size of said information inside said main storage device and a pointer for a next table, and said step d) reports the address of said header and its size and the address of said data and its size to said communication controller by using said data transfer information table.

19. A data transfer controlling method in a network file server according to claim 17, wherein said step c) generates a data transfer information table for storing logical addresses managed by an operating system of said central processing unit for said data in said allocated area of said buffer in said main storage device, physical addresses for said data inside said main storage device, the data size of said data and a pointer for a next table and generates a second data transfer information table for storing logical addresses managed by the operating system of said central processing unit for said header, physical addresses for said header, the data size of said header and a pointer for storing said first data transfer information table, and said step d) reports the address of said header and its size and the address of said data and its size to said communication controller by using said first and second data transfer information table.

20. A data transfer controlling method in a network file server according to claim 17, wherein a plurality of clients are connected to said network, said buffer of said main storage device is disposed for each of said clients, and said step a) allocates an area for storing data in one of a plurality of said buffers corresponding to one client in response to an access request from said one client among a plurality of said clients.

21. A data transfer controlling method in a network file server according to claim 20, wherein said step a) invalidates the data of said buffer to which access is made previously when access is made to the same data between said buffers disposed for said clients, so as to thereby keep consistency of data between said buffers.

22. A data transfer controlling method in a network file server according to claim 17, wherein a plurality of clients are connected to said network, and said data transfer control method further comprises the step of:

e) securing an area inside said buffer in such a manner as to correspond to one client when said one client among a plurality of said clients generates a connection request through said network and through said communication controller and when said one client can be connected to said network file server in response to said connection request.

23. A data transfer controlling method in a network file server according to claim 22, wherein said main storage device includes a resource table for managing resources of said network file server, and said step e) looks up said resource table and judges whether or not said one client can be connected to said network file server in response to said connection request when said one client generates said connection request.

24. A data transfer controlling method in a network file server according to claim 23, wherein said resource table has information on a maximum data transfer band of said network file server and a band used at present, and said step e) looks up said resource table and judges whether or not said one client can be connected to said network file server in response to said connection request when said one client generates said connection request.