Method and apparatus for transfer information using optical fiber connections

In a network computing system environment wherein information comprising data and commands are transferred between a main storage and at least one control unit over a plurality of channels, an apparatus for transferring said information comprising:

• a first requester fetching said command and associated data from said main storage;
• and,
• a first transmitter transferring said fetched command along with said fetched associated data to said control unit;
• said fetched command and associated data transmitted by said first transmitter including a plurality of channel control words (CCWs) pipelined together to send associated processed data and commands to the control unit without interlocking responses from said control unit such that multiple channel programs to the control unit are time division multiplexed.

A method for transferring information in a network computing system environment having a main storage coupled to a channel subsystem with a plurality of channels and in processing communication with a plurality of control units capable of connecting with a plurality of input/output devices, comprising the steps of:

• concurrently sending packets of data consecutively to and from said main storage;
• transferring execution of channel functions to said control units so that commands can be combined with said data packets in one sequence;
• and,
• sending only one start data command before a plurality of data packets is transferred and only one end command notification after said start data command and said plurality of data packets is transferred;
• said plurality of data packets including a plurality of channel control words (CCWs) pipelined together to send associated processed data and commands to said control units without interlocking responses from said control units such that multiple channel programs to the same or different control units are time division multiplexed between said one start data command and said one end command notification.

An apparatus for transferring information in a network computing system environment having a main storage coupled to a channel subsystem with a plurality of channels and in processing communication with a plurality of control units capable of connecting with a plurality of input/output devices, said apparatus comprising:

• a first transmitter/receiver in said channel subsystem concurrently sending packets of data consecutively to and from said main storage;
• a dispatcher in said channel subsystem transferring execution of channel functions to said control units so that commands can be combined with said data packets in one sequence;
• and,
• a second transmitter/receiver in said channel subsystem sending only one start data command and only one end command notification respectively, before and after a plurality of data packets is transferred;
• said plurality of data packets sent by said second transmitter/receiver including a plurality of channel control words (CCWs) pipelined together to send associated processed data and commands to said control units without interlocking responses from said control units such that multiple channel programs to the same or different control units are time division multiplexed between said one start data command and said one end command notification.