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AssigneeHitachi, Ltd.
InventorsKatsuhiro Uchiumi, Hiroshi Kuwabara, Yoshio Mitsuoka
Estimating the term…
A control apparatus of a storage unit having a first and a second communication ports for conducting communication with a computer, a first and a second processors that control respectively the first and the second communication ports, first and second storage devices that store respectively a first and a second queues for storing commands sent from the computer respectively to the first and the second communication ports, and a first nonvolatile memory that the first processor accesses, the first and the second processors executing the commands stored respectively in the first and the second queues to thereby control the communications with the computer, comprising a unit causing the second processor to implement execution of the command stored in the first queue; and a unit changing data stored in the first memory while the second processor is being caused to implement execution of the command stored in the first queue.
A control apparatus of a storage unit comprising:
A method of controlling a control apparatus of a storage unit, a first communication port for communication with an external computer, a first processor that controls the first communication port, a first PCI-X bus disposed between the first communication port and the first processor for communication between the first communication port and the first processor, a first nonvolatile memory in data communication with the first processor accesses, a second communication port for communication with the external computer, a second processor that controls the second communication port, and a second PCI-X bus disposed between the second communication port and the second processor for communication between the second communication port and the second processor, the first processor executing a command stored in the first queue to control communication with the external computer, the second processor executing the command stored in the second queue to control communication with the external computer, the method comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Vertical data movement, i.e. input-output transfer; data movement between one or more hosts and one or more storage devices: command handling…
Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management: by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for…
Specifically adapted to achieve a particular effect: improving I/O performance
Improving the reliability of storage systems: in relation to availability
Term ended 19 Sep 2024 (estimated)
This application claims the benefit of priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-313027 filed on Oct. 28, 2002, the full disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control apparatus of a storage unit and to a method of controlling the control apparatus of the storage unit.
For the full understanding of the invention and advantages thereof, the following description is to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example configuration of a storage system according to an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2A is a block diagram showing an example configuration of a disk control apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention;
From the description of the specification, at least the following is made clear.
An aspect of this invention provides a control apparatus of a storage unit, the control apparatus having a first communication port for conducting communication with a computer, a first processor that controls the first communication port, a first storage device that stores a first queue for storing a command for conducting the communication sent from the computer to the first communication port, a first memory that the first processor accesses, a second communication port for conducting communication with the computer, a second processor that controls the second communication port, and a second storage device that stores a second queue for storing a command for conducting communication sent from the computer to the second communication port, the first processor executing the command stored in the first queue to thereby control the communication with the computer, the second processor executing the command stored in the second queue to thereby control the communication with the computer, the control apparatus comprising a unit causing the second processor to implement execution of the command stored in the first queue; and a unit changing data stored in the first memory while the second processor is being caused to implement execution of the command stored in the first queue.
According to this aspect, data stored in a nonvolatile memory, e.g., a control program of a processor, can be changed without stopping data transfer between the computer and the control apparatus of the storage unit. Thus, in a computer system where continuous operation is demanded 24 hours a day 365 days a year, the system specifications can be changed without stopping data access to the storage unit. Also, because it is unnecessary to change the data transfer bus from the computer, it becomes possible to change the control program without having to change the computer. Thus, it also becomes possible to change the control program via a network by, for example, operation from a remote place.