公开(公告)号：EP0784274A3

公开(公告)日：1999-12-22

申请号：EP96309317.4

申请日：1996-12-19

Applicant: SYMBIOS LOGIC INC.

Inventor： DeKoning, Rodney A. ,  Humlicek, Donald R. ,  Rink, Curtis W.

IPC: G06F11/20 ,  G06F11/10 ,  G11B20/18

CPC classification number: G06F11/2094 ,  G06F11/1471 ,  G06F11/2089 ,  G06F11/2097 ,  G11B20/1883 ,  G11B2220/20

Abstract: The invention provides for a method and apparatus for increasing performance in a data processing system (100). The data processing system (100) includes a plurality of storage devices and a backup storage device (106) wherein the backup storage device (106) is configured as a log device. Data is logged to the backup storage device after the backup storage device has been configured as a log device. In response to a failure of a storage device within the plurality of storage devices, the backup storage device is reconfigured to be used as a replacement for the failed storage device

公开(公告)号：EP0800138A1

公开(公告)日：1997-10-08

申请号：EP97302239.5

申请日：1997-04-01

Applicant: SYMBIOS LOGIC INC.

Inventor： DeKoning, Rodney A. ,  Johnson, Max L. ,  Humlicek, Donald R.

IPC: G06F12/08 ,  G06F11/20

CPC classification number: G06F11/1666 ,  G06F11/20 ,  G06F11/2064 ,  G06F11/2087 ,  G06F12/0804 ,  G06F12/0815 ,  G06F12/0866 ,  G11C29/74

Abstract: The invention provides for a method and associated apparatus operable in a RAID subsystem having redundant disk array controllers to assure dual, redundant cache consistency while permitting operation of the RAID subsystem in response to host computer (120)I/O requests. The methods and apparatus of the present invention provide for a process of initializing the redundant disk array controllers (118.1, 118.2) in response to a power-on reset cycle (or other similar reset cycles). The first controller (118.1) partially initializes for processing of host requests then awaits the partial initialization of the second controller (118.2). After a brief timeout awaiting the second controller (118.2), or in response to an erroneous initialization of the second controller (118.2), the first controller (118.1) configures itself to perform host computer (120) I/O requests in a write-through mode (bypassing cache operations) until the second controller (118.2) eventually initializes. Once both controllers (118.1, 118.2) are initialized, the redundant caches are synchronized. Finally, the initialized controllers having synchronized the redundant caches begin normal, mirrored, redundant operation. Until such time as the redundant caches are synchronized, the first controller (118.1) continues operations in response to host computer (120) I/O requests but with the degraded performance associated with the cache write-through mode.

Abstract translation: 本发明提供了一种可在具有冗余磁盘阵列控制器的RAID子系统中操作的方法和相关联的装置，以在允许响应于主计算机（120）I / O请求的RAID子系统的操作的同时确保双冗余高速缓存一致性。 本发明的方法和装置提供了响应于上电复位周期（或其他类似的复位周期）来初始化冗余磁盘阵列控制器（118.1,118.2）的过程。 第一控制器（118.1）部分地初始化用于处理主机请求，然后等待第二控制器（118.2）的部分初始化。 在等待第二控制器（118.2）的短暂超时之后，或者响应于第二控制器（118.2）的错误初始化，第一控制器（118.1）配置自身以在写操作中执行主计算机（120）I / O请求， 直到第二控制器（118.2）最终初始化为止（旁路高速缓存操作）。 一旦两个控制器（118.1,118.2）被初始化，冗余高速缓存就被同步。 最后，同步冗余高速缓存的初始化控制器开始正常，镜像，冗余操作。 在冗余高速缓存同步之前，第一控制器（118.1）响应于主计算机（120）I / O请求继续操作，但是与缓存直写模式相关联的性能下降。

公开(公告)号：EP0784274A2

公开(公告)日：1997-07-16

申请号：EP96309317.4

申请日：1996-12-19

Applicant: SYMBIOS LOGIC INC.

Inventor： DeKoning, Rodney A. ,  Humlicek, Donald R. ,  Rink, Curtis W.

IPC: G06F11/20 ,  G06F11/10 ,  G11B20/18

CPC classification number: G06F11/2094 ,  G06F11/1471 ,  G06F11/2089 ,  G06F11/2097 ,  G11B20/1883 ,  G11B2220/20

Abstract: The invention provides for a method and apparatus for increasing performance in a data processing system (100). The data processing system (100) includes a plurality of storage devices and a backup storage device (106) wherein the backup storage device (106) is configured as a log device. Data is logged to the backup storage device after the backup storage device has been configured as a log device. In response to a failure of a storage device within the plurality of storage devices, the backup storage device is reconfigured to be used as a replacement for the failed storage device

Abstract translation: 本发明提供一种用于提高数据处理系统（100）中的性能的方法和装置。 数据处理系统（100）包括多个存储装置和备用存储装置（106），其中备用存储装置（106）被配置为日志装置。 将备份存储设备配置为日志设备后，数据将记录到备份存储设备。 响应于多个存储设备内的存储设备的故障，备份存储设备被重新配置以用作故障存储设备的替换

公开(公告)号：EP0780765A3

公开(公告)日：1999-12-22

申请号：EP96309220.0

申请日：1996-12-17

Applicant: SYMBIOS LOGIC INC.

Inventor： DeKoning, Rodney A. ,  Fredin, Gerald J.

IPC: G06F11/20 ,  G06F11/14 ,  G11B20/18

CPC classification number: G06F11/2094 ,  G06F11/201 ,  G11B20/1833

Abstract: The present invention provides for data processing system that includes an improved architecture for providing hot spare storage devices. Specifically, the data processing can include a bus (112, 114) connected to one or more computer systems (102, 104) and a number of storage subsystems (106, 108, 110). Each storage subsystem includes storage devices (D1-D12) and a controller (302, 304), wherein the controller in a storage subsystem provides for connection to the bus and an interface for controlling data transfers to and from the storage device. A backup storage system is connected to the bus and the data processing system also includes a detection means for detecting a failure of a storage device within one of the plurality of storage subsystems and a backup means for using the backup storage device to replace the failed storage device.

公开(公告)号：EP0784273A2

公开(公告)日：1997-07-16

申请号：EP96309316.6

申请日：1996-12-19

Applicant: SYMBIOS LOGIC INC.

Inventor： DeKoning, Rodney A. ,  Humlicek, Donald R.

IPC: G06F11/20 ,  G06F11/14 ,  G11B20/18

CPC classification number: G06F11/2082 ,  G11B20/1833

Abstract: The invention provides for a method and apparatus for the rapid generation of a snapshot copy of the data stored in a RAID storage subsystem (100). In addition to the user's configured RAID logical units (110), the present invention provides for the definition within a RAID controller (102) of a logical RAID level-one device (104) having an operational half (106) comprising the user's defined logical unit(s) and having a non-operational mirror component (108). The user access data is stored on the RAID subsystem by direct access to the user's defined logical unit and when a user directs a snapshot copy request to the operational half (106) and user defined logical units (110), the RAID controller (102) responds by temporarily configuring available storage capacity (e.g. spare disk drives) in the RAID subsystem to perform the function of the non-operational mirror component (108) of the logical RAID level-one device (104). Restoring operation of the non-operational mirror component (108) further causes the RAID controller (102) to rebuild the content of the restored mirror component by copying the content of the user's configured device(s) to the temporary replacement mirror component (124). Following completion of the rebuild operation, the logical RAID level-one device (104) is restored to the status of having a non-operational mirror component (108). The data copied to the temporarily reconfigured available storage capacity is then returned to the user requesting the snapshot data for further processing as, for example, backup.

Abstract translation: 本发明提供了用于快速生成存储在RAID存储子系统（100）中的数据的快照副本的方法和装置。 除了用户配置的RAID逻辑单元（110）之外，本发明提供了具有操作半（106）的逻辑RAID一级设备（104）的RAID控制器（102）内的定义，该操作半部（106）包括用户定义的逻辑 单元并且具有不可操作的镜组件（108）。 用户访问数据通过直接访问用户定义的逻辑单元而存储在RAID子系统上，并且当用户将快照复制请求引导到操作半部（106）和用户定义的逻辑单元（110）时，RAID控制器（102） 通过临时配置RAID子系统中的可用存储容量（例如备用磁盘驱动器）来执行逻辑RAID一级设备（104）的非操作镜像组件（108）的功能来进行响应。 通过将用户配置的设备的内容复制到临时替换镜组件（124），恢复操作不起作用的镜组件（108）还使得RAID控制器（102）重建恢复的镜像组件的内容， 。 在完成重建操作之后，逻辑RAID一级设备（104）恢复到具有非操作镜像组件（108）的状态。 然后将复制到临时重新配置的可用存储容量的数据返回给用户，请求快照数据进一步处理，例如备份。

公开(公告)号：EP0780765A2

公开(公告)日：1997-06-25

申请号：EP96309220.0

申请日：1996-12-17

Applicant: SYMBIOS LOGIC INC.

Inventor： DeKoning, Rodney A. ,  Fredin, Gerald J.

IPC: G06F11/20 ,  G06F11/14 ,  G11B20/18

CPC classification number: G06F11/2094 ,  G06F11/201 ,  G11B20/1833

Abstract: The present invention provides for data processing system that includes an improved architecture for providing hot spare storage devices. Specifically, the data processing can include a bus (112, 114) connected to one or more computer systems (102, 104) and a number of storage subsystems (106, 108, 110). Each storage subsystem includes storage devices (D1-D12) and a controller (302, 304), wherein the controller in a storage subsystem provides for connection to the bus and an interface for controlling data transfers to and from the storage device. A backup storage system is connected to the bus and the data processing system also includes a detection means for detecting a failure of a storage device within one of the plurality of storage subsystems and a backup means for using the backup storage device to replace the failed storage device.

Abstract translation: 本发明提供了用于数据处理系统包括：做改进的体系结构，用于提供热备份存储设备。 具体而言，数据处理可以包括连接到一个或多个计算机系统（102，104）和多个存储子系统（106，108，110）的总线（112，114）。 每个存储子系统包括存储设备（D1-D12）和一个控制器（302，304）worin在存储子系统中的控制器提供用于连接到总线和接口，用于控制数据传输到和从该存储装置。 备份存储系统连接到总线，因此，数据处理系统包括：一个检测装置，用于存储子系统的多个一个内检测到的存储装置的故障和备用用于使用所述备份存储设备来替换故障存储 装置。