Patent EP0547844A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0547844A2
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Apparatus and method for controlling background processing in a disk array device
Assignee: Fujitsu Ltd
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Filing: 1992-12-10
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2012-12-10
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and method for controlling a background process in a disk array device in- dude disk array control unit (2) which accesses the plurality of storage disk drives (30 - 39) in parallel when a command for an access is issued from a host device (1) and which executes a background process for the plurality of storage disk drives 30 - 39). Preferably, the disk array control unit has means for counting a data transfer amount to or from the host device (1); means for restraining an access requirement from the host device (1) temporarily depending upon whether or not there is any background processing requirement when the data transfer amount reaches a predetermined amount ; and means for executing the background process. Alternatively, the apparatus and method include monitoring an access frequency of the host device (1), and the disk array control unit (2), when one of working storage disk drives fails, is operative to reconstruct data that was stored in the failed working storage disk drive from data stored in other working storage disk drives, making use of spare time during which there is no access from the host device (1), to store the reconstructed data in the spare storage disk drive (39), and to change a data reconstruction amount according to the access frequency until the spare time becomes available.
Inventors
- 👤 Shigeo c/o Fujitsu Limited Konno
- 👤 Tatsuo c/o Fujitsu Limited Matoba
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 23:53
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/07; G06F11/08; G06F11/10; G06F11/1076; G06F11/1092; G06F3/00; G06F3/06; G06F3/0601; G11; G11C; G11C29/00; G11C29/70; G11C29/88; G06F3/0668; G06F3/0671; G06F3/0673
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
128 words
An apparatus for controlling a background process in a disk array device including a plurality of storage disk drives (30 - 39), which comprises: a disk array control unit (2) which is adapted to access said plurality of storage disk drives (30 - 39) in parallel when a command for an access is issued from a host device (1), and which is also adapted to execute a background process for said plurality of storage disk drives (30 - 39), that is not necessarily associated with said access from said host device; means for monitoring a present status of said access from said host device (1); and means for adjusting an operating ratio of said background process to said access in accordance with said present status of said access.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
128 words
An apparatus for controlling a background process in a disk array device including a plurality of storage disk drives (30 - 39), which comprises: a disk array control unit (2) which is adapted to access said plurality of storage disk drives (30 - 39) in parallel when a command for an access is issued from a host device (1), and which is also adapted to execute a background process for said plurality of storage disk drives (30 - 39), that is not necessarily associated with said access from said host device; means for monitoring a present status of said access from said host device (1); and means for adjusting an operating ratio of said background process to said access in accordance with said present status of said access.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
69 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said disk array control unit (2) has: means for counting a data transfer amount to or from said host device (1); means for restraining an access requirement from the host device (1) temporarily depending upon whether or not there is any background processing requirement when the data transfer amount reaches a predetermined amount; and means for executing the background process.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
91 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said disk array control unit (2) includes an idle counter (91), and wherein said disk array control unit (2) is operative to increment the content of said idle counter (91) upon each run of a processing program, to accept said background processing requirement when the content of said idle counter (91) reaches a predetermined value, to restrain the access requirement from said host device (1) temporarily when the data transfer amount reaches the predetermined amount, and to execute the accepted background process.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said disk array control unit (2) is operative to execute the accepted background process upon determining that no access is made from said host device (1).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said disk array control unit (2) is operative to clear the data transfer amount upon completion of said background process.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
151 words
An apparatus asset forth in claim 1, wherein said disk array control unit (2) includes: a host controller (4) for controllably interfacing the disk array control unit (2) with the host device (1); guest controllers (5, 6) for controlling said storage disk drives (30 - 39) in a parallel; a data transfer controller (8) for transferring data between said host controller (4) and said guest controllers (5, 6); and a main controller (7) for controlling these controllers, said main controller (7) being adapted to monitor said access from said host device (1), to accept a background processing requirement from said guest controllers (5, 6), to count a data transfer amount to or from said host device (1), to restrain an access requirement from said host device (1) temporarily when the data transfer amount reaches a predetermined amount, and to permit said guest controller (5, 6) to execute the accepted background process.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
101 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said main controller (7) includes an idle counter (91) for counting the number of times a processing program is executed and a transfer block counter (92) for counting the data transfer amount to or from the host device (1), and wherein said main controller (7) is operative to accept said background processing requirement when the content of said idle counter (91) reaches a predetermined value, to restrain said access requirement from said host device (1) temporarily when the data transfer amount reaches a predetermined amount, and to execute the accepted background process.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein said main controller (7) is operative to execute the accepted background processing upon determining that no access is made from said host device (1).
Claim 10
Independent Claim
99 words
An apparatus as set forth in any one claim of preceding claims 1 to 8, wherein said storage disk drives (30 - 39) include a plurality of working storage disk drives (30 - 38) and a spare storage disk drive (39), and wherein said background process is a data reconstruction process which is executed, when one of the working storage disk drives (30 - 38) fails, for reconstructing data that was stored on the failed storage disk drive from data stored in other working storage disk drives and writing the reconstructed data on the spare storage disk drive (39).
Claim 11
Independent Claim
36 words
An apparatus as set forth in any one claim of preceding claims 1 to 8, wherein said background process is a replacement process for replacing a failed part of said storage disk drives (30 - 39).
Claim 12
Independent Claim
32 words
An apparatus as set forth in any one claim of preceding claims 1 to 8 wherein said background processing is a medium initialization process for said storage disk drives (30 - 39).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
62 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said disk array has: means for counting an access frequency of said host device (1); means for restraining an access requirement from said host device (1) temporarily depending upon whether or not there is any background processing requirement when the access frequency reaches a predetermined amount; and means for executing the background process.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
90 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein said disk array control unit (2) includes an idle counter (91), and wherein said disk array control unit (2) is operative to increment the content of an idle counter (91) upon each run of a processing program, to accept the background processing requirement when the content of the idle counter (91) reaches a predetermined value, to restrain the access requirement from said host device (1) temporarily when the access frequency reaches the predetermined amount, and to execute the accepted background process.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
149 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said disk array control unit (2) includes: a host controller (4) for controllably interfacing the disk array control unit (2) with the host device (1); a guest controllers (5, 6) for controlling said storage disk drives (30 - 39) in a parallel; a data transfer controller (8) for transferring data between said host controller (4) and said guest controller (5, 6); and a main controller (7) for controlling these controllers, said main controller (7) being adapted to monitor said access from said host device (1), to accept a background processing requirement from said guest controller (5, 6), to count an access frequency of said host device (1), to restrain an access requirement from said host device (1) temporarily when the access frequency reaches the predetermined amount, and to permit said guest controller (5, 6) to execute the accepted background process.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
97 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein said main controller (7) includes an idle counter (91) for counting the number of times when a processing program is executed and an access counter (95) for counting the access frequency of said host device (1), and wherein said main controller (7) is operative to accept said background processing requirement when the content of said idle counter (91) reaches a predetermined value, to restrain said access requirement from said host device (1) temporarily when the access frequency reaches a predetermined amount, and to execute the accepted background processing.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
185 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said disk array control unit (2) includes: a host controller (4) for controllably interfacing the disk array control unit (2) with the host device (1); a guest controllers (5, 6) for controlling the storage disk drives (30 - 39) in a parallel; a data transfer controller (8) for transferring data between said host controller (4) and said guest controllers (5, 6); and a main controller (7) for controlling these controllers, said main controller (7) being adapted to monitor the access from said host device (1), to accept a background processing requirement from the guest controllers (5, 6), and to count a data transfer amount to or from said host device (1), to restrain the access requirement from said host device (1) temporarily when the data transfer amount reaches the predetermined amount, or to count an access frequency of said host device (1), to restrain an access requirement from said host device (1) temporarily when the access frequency reaches the predetermined amount, and finally to permit the guest controllers (5, 6) to execute the accepted background process.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
123 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 16, wherein said main controller (7) includes an idle counter (91) for counting the number of times when a processing program is executed, a transfer counter (92) for counting the data transfer amount to or from said host device (1) and an access counter (95) for counting the access frequency of said host device (1), and wherein said main controller (7) is operative to accept said background processing requirement when the content of the idle counter (91) reaches a predetermined value, to restrain the access requirement from said host device (1) temporarily, when the data transfer reaches a predetermined amount or when the access frequency reaches a predetermined amount, and to execute the accepted background processing.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
99 words
An apparatus as set forth in any one claim of preceding claims 12 to 17, wherein said storage disk drives (30 - 39) include a plurality of working storage disk drives (30 - 38) and a spare storage disk drive (39), and wherein said background process is a data reconstruction process which is executed, when one of the working storage disk drives (30 - 38) fails, for reconstructing data that was stored in the failed storage disk drive from data stored in other working storage disk drives and writing the reconstructed data in the spare storage disk device (39).
Claim 20
Independent Claim
36 words
An apparatus as set forth in any one claim of preceding claims 12 to 17, wherein said background process is a replacement process for replacing a failed part of said storage disk drives (30 - 39).
Claim 21
Independent Claim
32 words
An apparatus as set forth in any one claim of preceding claims 12 to 17, wherein said background process is a medium initialization process for said storage disk drives (30 - 39).
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
140 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said plurality of storage disk drives (30 - 39) includes a spare storage disk drive (39) and said background processing is a data reconstruction processing, wherein said disk array control unit (2) has means for monitoring an access frequency of said host device (1), and wherein said disk array control unit (2), when one of working storage disk drives fails, is operative to reconstruct a data that was stored in the failed working storage disk drive from data stored in other working storage disk drives, making use of spare time during which there is no access from said host device (1), to store the reconstructed data in the spare storage disk drive (39), and to change a data reconstruction amount according to the access frequency until the spare time becomes available.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
56 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 21, wherein said disk array control unit (2) is operative to set a data reconstruction amount to a small amount when the access frequency of said host device (1) is high, and to set the data reconstruction amount to a large amount when the access frequency thereof is low.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
54 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 22, wherein said disk array control unit (2) is operative to set a data reconstruction amount to a large amount when a high access frequency state has been continued for more than a predetermined period, even if the access frequency of said host device (1) is high.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
90 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 21, 22, or 23, wherein the disk array control unit (2) is operative to discriminate the presence or absence of an access requirement from said host device (1), to determine that the spare time is available when the absence of the access requirement has been discriminated more than a specified number of times, and to determine the access frequency based on a period which has elapsed since the absence of the access requirement has been discriminated more than the specified number of times.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
269 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said plurality of storage disk drives (30 - 39) includes a spare storage disk drive (39) and said background process is a data reconstruction process, wherein said disk array control unit (2) has means for monitoring an access frequency of said host device (1), wherein said disk array control unit (2), when one of working storage disk drives fails, is operative to reconstruct a data that was stored in the failed working storage disk drives from data stored in other working storage drives, making use of a spare time during which there is no access from said host device (1), to store the reconstructed data in the spare storage disk drive (39), and to change a data reconstruction amount according to the access frequency until the spare time becomes available, and wherein said disk array control unit (2) includes: a host controller (4) for controllably interfacing the disk array control unit (2) with said host device (1); a guest controllers (5, 6) for controlling the storage disk drives (30 - 39) in a parallel; a data transfer controller (8) for transferring data between said host controller (4) and said guest controllers (5, 6); and a main controller (7) for controlling these controllers, said main controller (7) being adapted to monitor an access frequency of said host device (1) and to designate to said guest controllers (5, 6) a data reconstruction amount according to the access frequency until the spare time, and said guest controllers (5, 6) being adapted to carry out the data reconstruction process for the data reconstruction amount.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
99 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 25, wherein said main controller (7) includes an idle counter (91) for counting the occurrences of absence of access of said host device (1), and wherein said main controller (7) is operative to discriminate the presence or absence of an access requirement from said host device (1), to determine that the spare time is available when a value of said idle counter (91) exceeds a predetermined value, and to determine the access frequency based on a period which has elapsed before the value of said idle counter (91) exceeds the predetermined value.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
71 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 26, wherein said main controller (7) is operative to set a data reconstruction amount to a small amount when a long period has elapsed until the value of said idle counter (91) exceeds the predetermined value, and sets the data reconstruction amount at a large amount when a short period has elapsed before the value of said idle counter (91) exceeds the predetermined value.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
67 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 26, wherein said main controller (7) includes a high access counter (96) for counting the number of times when the access frequency of said host device (1) is high, and wherein said main controller (7) is operative to set the data reconstruction amount to a large amount when a value of the high access counter (92) exceeds a predetermined value.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
131 words
A method for controlling a background process in a disk array device including a plurality of storage disk drives (30 - 39), wherein a disk array control unit (2) is adapted to access said plurality of storage disk drives (30 - 39) in parallel when a command for an access is issued from a host device (1), and is also adapted to execute a background process for said plurality of storage disk drives (30 - 39), that is not necessarily associated with said access from said host device, and wherein said method includes; a step of monitoring the present status of said access from said host device (1); a step of adjusting an operating ratio of said background process to said access in accordance with said present status of said access.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
131 words
A method for controlling a background process in a disk array device including a plurality of storage disk drives (30 - 39), wherein a disk array control unit (2) is adapted to access said plurality of storage disk drives (30 - 39) in parallel when a command for an access is issued from a host device (1), and is also adapted to execute a background process for said plurality of storage disk drives (30 - 39), that is not necessarily associated with said access from said host device, and wherein said method includes; a step of monitoring the present status of said access from said host device (1); a step of adjusting an operating ratio of said background process to said access in accordance with said present status of said access.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
68 words
A method as set forth in claim 29, wherein said method includes; a step of counting a data transfer amount to or from said host device (1); a step of restraining an access requirement from the host device (1) temporarily depending upon whether or not there is any background processing requirement when the data transfer amount reaches a predetermined amount; and a step of executing the background process.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
64 words
A method as set forth in claim 29, wherein said method includes; a step of counting an access frequency of said host device (1); a step of restraining an access requirement from said host device (1) temporarily depending upon whether or not there is any background processing requirement when the access frequency reaches a predetermined amount; and a step of executing the background process.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
135 words
A method as set forth in claim 29, wherein said plurality of storage disk drives (30 - 39) includes a spare storage disk drive (39) and said background process is a data reconstruction process, wherein said disk array control unit (2), when one of working storage disk drives fails, reconstructs data that was stored in the failed working storage disk drive from data stored in other working storage disk drives, making use of spare time during which there is no access from said host device (1), and stores the reconstructed data in the spare storage disk drive (39), and wherein said method includes; a step of monitoring an access frequency of said host device (1); and a step of changing a data reconstruction amount according to the access frequency until the spare time becomes available.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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