Storage apparatus and control method therefor

• US 7,158,327 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2006
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Suzuki, Katsuyoshi, Kano, Azuma
• Primary Examiner(s): Sniezek; Andrew L.
• Application Number:
  US11/476,398
• Publication Number:
  US 20060245099A1
• Time in Patent Office: 189 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 360/69
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/184 Mounting of motherboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/187 Mounting of fixed and removable disk drives
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3221 of disk drive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0625 Power saving in storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0634 by changing the state or mode of one or more devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0658 Controller construction arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/126 Arrangements for providing electrical connections, e.g. connectors, cables, switches
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/142 by air cooling
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/144 by detection, control, regulation of the temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A storage apparatus comprises at least one housing A in which a storage device and a controller are provided, at least one housing B in which a storage device and a peripheral device are provided, and a transmission path for connecting the storage device and the controller of the housing A, and the storage device of the housing B to enable communication therebetween. The storage apparatus is capable of controlling operation of the storage device of the housing B according to an operating state of the storage device of the housing A through communication via the transmission path; and controlling operation of the peripheral device according to an operating state of the storage device of the housing B.

Claims

1. A disk array device comprising:

a controller;

a plurality of storage devices including a first storage device and a second storage device, which store data sent from said controller; and

a plurality of cooling devices including a first cooling device which cools said first storage device and a second cooling device which cools said second storage device,

wherein said controller controls an output level of said first cooling device to be set to a first output level when said first storage device is in a first operating state where said first device is ready to store data sent from said controller; and

controls an output level of said second cooling device to be set to a second output level which is lower than said first output level when said second storage device is in a second operating state where said second storage device is ready to shift to said first operating state for storing data sent from said controller according to a command sent from said controller.

2. A disk array device according to claim 1, wherein said controller controls an output level of said second cooling device to be set to a third output level which is lower than said second output level, when said second storage device is in a third operating state where electric power is not supplied to said second storage device.

3. A disk array device according to claim 1, wherein said first cooling device comprises a plurality of first cooling fans, and said second cooling device comprises a plurality of second cooling fans,

wherein said controller controls a number of said first cooling fans in operation to be set to a first number, when said first storage device is in said first operating state;

and controls a number of said second cooling fans in operation to be set to a second number which is lower than said first number, when said second storage device is in said second operating state.

4. A disk array device according to claim 1, wherein said first cooling device comprises one or more first cooling fans, and said second cooling device comprises a plurality of second cooling fans,

wherein said controller controls a rotation speed of said one or more first cooling fans to be set to a first rotation speed when said first storage device is in said first operating state;

and controls a rotation speed of said second cooling fans to be set to a second rotation speed which is lower than said first rotation speed when said second storage device is in said second operating state.

5. A disk array device according to claim 1, wherein said controller communicates with said storage devices, and said controller controls said output level of said plurality of cooling devices to be changed, when it recognizes said operating state of said storage devices having been changed.

6. A disk array device according to claim 1, wherein said controller comprises a first housing and a second housing, wherein said first housing includes said controller, said first storage device, and said first cooling device,

wherein said second housing includes said second storage device and said second cooling device, and said controller in said first housing and said second housing are connected by a connecting path,

wherein said controller controls the output level of said first cooling device to be set to a first output level, when said first storage device is in said first operating state, and

wherein said controller sends a command to said second housing which controls the output level of said second cooling device to be set to said second output level which is lower than said first output level, when said second storage device is in said second operating state.

7. A disk array device according to claim 6, wherein said controller sends a command which changes said operating state of said second storage device and which controls operation of said second cooling device to said second housing.

8. A disk array device according to claim 6, wherein said controller inquires an operating state of said second storage device through said connecting path, and controls an operating state of said second cooling device according to an operating state of said second storage device.

9. A disk array device according to claim 6, wherein said second cooling device comprises one or more second cooling fans, and wherein said controller controls a rotation speed of said one or more second cooling fans according to an operating state of said second storage device.

10. A disk array device according to claim 6, wherein said second cooling device comprises a plurality of second cooling fans, and wherein said controller controls the number of said second cooling fan in operation according to an operating state of said second storage device.

11. A disk array device comprising:

a controller;

a plurality of storage devices including a first storage device and a second storage device, which store data sent from said controller; and

a plurality of cooling devices including a first cooling device which cools said first storage device and a second cooling device which cools said second storage device;

wherein said controller controls an output level of said second cooling device to be set to lower than an output level of said first cooling device, when said first storage device is in a first operating state where said first device is ready to store data sent from said controller and said second storage device is in a second operating state where said second storage device is ready to shift to said first operating state for storing data sent from said controller according to a command sent from said controller.