Method and apparatus for processing input/output request by using a plurality of channel buses

A method of processing an input/output request from an upper unit by using a plurality of channel buses, comprising:

• an activation time measurement storing step of measuring and storing an activation time from a time point when a busy end is responded in association with an end of transfer of. other input/output port to a time point when an activation request is received with respect to each of a high speed input/output port and a low speed input/output port connected to a high speed channel unit and a low speed channel unit on the upper unit side through the channel buses of different transfer speeds;
• an activation request waiting step of waiting for the activation request for said low speed input/output port for the activation time stored with respect to said low speed input/output port when-the activation request is received from said high speed channel unit to said high speed input/output port;
• and
• a route control step of coupling said low speed input/output port to the corresponding low speed channel unit and executing a transferring process when there is the activation request to the low speed input/output port for a waiting time of-said activation request and coupling said high speed channel unit and said high speed input/output port and executing the transferring process when there is no activation request from the low speed input/output port for said waiting time.

An apparatus for processing an input/output request from an upper unit by using a plurality of channel buses, comprising:

• a plurality of input/output ports connected to a plurality of channel units on the upper unit side through a plurality of channel buses of different transfer speeds;
• an activation time measuring section for measuring an activation time from a time point when a busy end is responded to-the low speed channel unit from the low speed input/output port among said plurality of input/output ports to a time point when an activation request is received;
• a route control section for allowing a processing request from said high speed channel unit to said high speed input/output port to wait for a preset waiting time when a busy end is responded from said low speed input/output port to said low speed channel unit and for accepting a processing request from said low speed channel unit to said low speed input/output port for said waiting time;
• and
• a waiting time setting section for varying the waiting time of said route control section on the basis of the measurement time of said activation time measuring section.

An apparatus for processing an input/output request from an upper unit by using a plurality of channel buses, comprising:

• at least a high speed input/output port and a low speed input/output port connected to a high speed channel unit and a low speed channel unit on said upper unit side through a plurality of channel buses of different transfer speeds;
• a route control section for allowing a processing request from said high speed channel unit to said high speed input/output port to wait for a preset waiting time and for accepting a processing request from said low speed channel unit to said low speed input/output port for said waiting time when a busy end from said low speed input/output port is responded ;
• and
• a waiting time setting section for setting the waiting time of said route control section by an input operation of an operator.

An apparatus for processing an input/output request from an upper unit by using a plurality of channel buses, comprising:

• a plurality of input/output ports connected to a plurality of channel units on said upper unit side through a plurality of channel buses of different transfer speeds;
• a judging section for counting the number of times of a loop state in which a busy response for an activation request and a response of a busy end in association with an end of transfer of the other input/output port are repeated in either one of said plurality of input/output ports and for judging whether said number of loop times exceeds a predetermined value or not;
• and
• a route control section for, when the input/output port in which the number of loop times exceeds said predetermined value is judged by said judging section, preferentially processing the activation request of said judged input/output port.

An apparatus for processing an input/output request from an upper unit by using a plurality of channel buses, comprising:

• a plurality of input/output ports connected to a plurality of channel units on said upper unit side through said plurality of channel buses of different transfer speeds;
• a busy response time storing section for storing a time when a busy response for an activation request is performed with respect to each of said plurality of input/output ports;
• a processing port deciding section for deciding the input/output port having the oldest response time among said busy response times as a preferential processing port each time a transferring process for said activation request is finished;
• and
• a route control section for preferentially processing the activation request of said preferential processing port decided by said processing port deciding section.

A method of processing an input/output request from an upper unit by using a plurality of channel buses, comprising:

• a busy response time storing step of storing a time when a busy response for an activation request is performed with respect to each of a plurality of input/output ports connected to said plurality of channel units on said upper unit side through said plurality of channel buses of different transfer speeds;
• a processing port deciding step of deciding the input/output port having the oldest response time among the busy response times as a preferential processing port each time a transfer control for said activation request is finished;
• and
• a route control step of preferentially processing an activation request of said preferential processing port decided in said processing port deciding step.

An apparatus for processing an input/output request from an upper unit by using a plurality of channel buses, comprising:

• a plurality of input/output ports connected to a plurality of channel units on said upper unit side through a plurality of channel buses of different transfer speeds;
• a route control section for executing a coupling in association with an activation request from the channel unit for either one of said plurality of input/output ports, a transferring process during the coupling, and a response of an end status in association with the end of transfer;
• and
• a-retry interruption processing section for processing in a manner such that in the case where during the coupling of a specific channel unit and the input/output port, when there is an activation request from the other channel unit to the other input/output port by said route control section, a retry status is responded from said other input/output port and said other input/output port is disconnected from said other channel unit, and after completion of the coupling between the input/output port that is at present processing and the channel unit, an interruption notification of a retry start is sent from said other input/output port to said other channel unit, thereby allowing the activation request to be retried.

An apparatus for processing an input/output request from an upper by using a plurality of channel buses,

• a plurality of input/output ports connected to a plurality of channel units on said upper unit side through said plurality of channel buses of different transfer speeds;
• a route control section for executing a coupling in association with an activation request from the channel unit for either one of said plurality of input/output ports, a transferring process during the coupling, a response of an end status in association with the end of transfer, and further a busy response for the activation request during the coupling of the other input/output port;
• and
• a retry interruption processing section for processing in a manner such that in the case where a predetermined interruption condition is satisfied during the transferring process by the coupling between a specific channel unit and the input/output port by said route control section, a retry status is responded from said input/output port to said channel unit, the transferring process is interrupted, the coupling is disconnected, states of the busy responses regarding all of the ports are analyzed, a preferential processing port is decided, an end status is responded from said preferential processing port to the other channel unit to thereby allow said other channel to execute the activation request, and the time of the end of the transferring process in association with said activation request, an interruption of a retry start is notified to said channel unit from said input/output port, thereby restarting the interrupted transferring process.