Storage system and disconnecting method of a faulty storage device
AssigneeFujitsu Limited
InventorHirotaka Shikada
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A storage system in which a plurality of storage devices are connected by a pair of loops, disconnects a faulty storage device. The faulty storage device is disconnected from said loops by using, in conjunction, a first disconnect mode, in which a disconnect instruction is issued to a device control unit via a first path which connects controllers and device control units, and a second disconnect mode, in which a disconnect instruction is issued to a device control unit via a second path which connects loops connecting the plurality of storage devices, storage devices, and device control units. Even when a pair of connection ports of a storage device is abnormal, and even when the first path is abnormal, the faulty storage device can be disconnected reliably.
Claims16
A storage system which accesses a plurality of storage devices in response to data access requests from a request device, comprising:
- a plurality of storage devices;
- at least one controller which controls said plurality of storage devices;
- a pair of loops, in which information circulates in a single direction, for exchanging information among said controller and said plurality of storage devices;
- a plurality of switches, provided in each of said loops, to connect said pair of loops to said plurality of storage devices;
- and
- a pair of device control units, connected by a first path to said controller and connected by a second path to said storage devices, and which operate said plurality of switches,
- wherein said controller has a first disconnect mode for issuing a disconnect instruction to said device control unit via said first path;
- and a second disconnect mode for issuing a disconnect instruction to said device control unit via said loop, said storage device, and said second path,
- and wherein said controller uses in conjunction of said first disconnect mode and said second disconnect mode to disconnect a faulty storage device from said loops.
A faulty storage device disconnecting method for disconnecting a faulty storage device in a storage system in which a plurality of storage devices connected by a pair of loops are accessed in response to data access requests from a request device, comprising the steps of:
- issuing a disconnect instruction from a controller to a pair of device control units for operating a plurality of switches to connect said plurality of storage devices to said pair of loops;
- and
- disconnecting a faulty storage device from said loops by using, in conjunction, a first disconnect mode, in which a disconnect instruction is issued to said device control unit via a first path connecting said controller and said device control unit, and a second disconnect mode, in which a disconnect instruction is issued to said device control unit via said loop, said storage device, and a second path connecting said storage devices and said device control unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.