JP2008152661A - Network storage management device and method for dual channel - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a network storage management device and method of a dual channel capable of performing access to a plurality of hard disk devices. <P>SOLUTION: A network storage management device temporarily stores an access request from host ends of a first device end hard disk interface 22a and a second device end hard disk interface 22b by using a buffering memory unit 26, and successively acquires the access request from the buffering memory unit 26 by a controller 24, and transmits the access request of the host end through a network interface 28 to hard disk devices 12f and 12g corresponding to the access request. Thus, it is possible to achieve a dual channel between the host end and the network storage management device 16a, and to provide two available hard disk devices 12f and 12g to the host end in the same way. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a network storage management apparatus and method, and more particularly to a dual channel network storage management apparatus and method.

  As the network transmission speed increases and decreases, transmission of digital video and digital audio on the network has also become widespread, and since digital video and digital audio files are originally very large, the size of digital recording media has also increased. Has been.

  Along with the increase in the size of digital recording media, a single hard disk or a single hard disk library cannot meet the demand for this type of mass storage, and two special types of AoE (ATA over Ethernet (registered trademark)) and iSCSI are required. A communication protocol was born.

  ATA over Ethernet (registered trademark) (AoE) is a type of network communication protocol created by Brantley Coile, which allows access to ATA standard storage devices over Ethernet (registered trademark), and is a low-cost, standard technology. Can realize a storage area network environment.

  AoE does not depend on protocols beyond the network layer in Ethernet (registered trademark), and IP, UDP, TCP, and the like are not used. This represents that AoE cannot be routed through the area network, so AoE is only used as a storage area network.

  It should be noted that while AoE and iSCSI are far less expensive storage area network construction methods than Fiber Channel, AoE is much simpler and less expensive than iSCSI. Regarding the technical literature, the AoE standard has 8 pages, while the iSCSI has 257 pages.

  As for supported hardware, Coraid currently sells a hard disk library for AoE called EtherDrive. In the software, vblade provided by SourceForge.net exists, and the Linux server that can install vblade searches the AoE hard disk library through the network, finds it, and can send a save request to the hard disk library. Use storage space and resources. The vblade software has two forms and execution methods. One is run by a user-space execution program (belonging to part of the aoetools tool program package), and the other is run by the Linux kernel module program.

  AoE is a simple network protocol, but adds complexity in the operation of the storage functional mechanism. A description of the details of AoE is given below.

  In the AoE protocol, block-type storage transmission is mainly adopted. Under this circumstance, ATA is a kind of hard disk line protocol in AoE, and when data is read after being written to the hard disk, it is returned in the form of one or more blocks, and the capacity of each block The size (Block size) is fixed to be the same and is referred to as a transmission block (Block).

  Next, the AoE protocol simply sends ATA commands directly into low-level network packets, and the Ethernet cable (ethernet® cable) effectively replaces the connection cable (or ribbon cable) of the ATA interface. The data block can be transported and transmitted at each end of the Ethernet (registered trademark) (for example, a hard disk (hard disk library) or a computer).

  Referring to the ATA cable in the ATA standard, it is possible to ignore what data block the data block that is transmitted is the same as in the AoE standard, and the Ethernet cable used by the AoE standard transmits the data block transmitted. There is no need to understand what kind of data block is, and the user can read or write any block data. However, under many circumstances, the file system is more suitable for use in data organization and structuring operations than block transmission.

  As for the prior art, a user uses a hard disk in a computer by a file system method, and file systems such as ext3, XFS, and NTFS are all designed and operated under this type of assumption. However, when using AoE, AoE replaces the ATA cable by operating Ethernet (registered trademark), which may break the usage of this kind of assumption and change to AoE method Driving in this manner is dangerous for a conventional file system, and may cause file system confusion or operation system kernel panic.

  Therefore, AoE avoids these problems by using a clustered file system, and AoE hard disk, hard disk library block storage and transmission equipment enables simultaneous access from multiple computers. The limitation that the hard disk and the hard disk group in the previous ATA technology can only be accessed from one computer has been solved. In terms of actual functional operation, the server that can access the AoE hard disk library itself acquires and uses the storage resource jointly by the cluster sharing mechanism, like one cluster computer that joins the cluster system. It is a block-like storage facility that can provide sharing. GFS, OCFS2, and the like belong to a file system having a cluster function often seen.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a storage area network environment according to the prior art.
As shown in FIG. 1, in a storage area network environment according to the prior art, a large number of hard disk groups are mainly composed of a plurality of hard disk libraries 10a to 10n. . . , 11f, 11g. . . Each hard disk drawer 11a, 11b. . . , 11f, 11g. . . Are a plurality of hard disk devices 12a, 12b. . . , 12f, 12g. . . Is provided. Computer devices 17a, 17b. . . , 17g to 17n are the hard disk devices 12a, 12b. . . , 12f, 12g. . . When it is necessary to perform transmission of AoE, the AoE protocol and the iSCSI protocol can be adopted.

  In the AoE protocol, the AoE packet uses a MAC address in Ethernet to determine where the packet is sent from and where it is transmitted. However, since the MAC address can be used in one Ethernet (registered trademark), the MAC address performs broadcast transmission within the domain. Many current Ethernet hard disks are functional mechanisms with flow control, which can reduce the bandwidth requirement for packet retransmission to the lowest level. Ethernet® achieves complete transmission of packets by using a CRC algorithm.

However, in the storage area network environment according to the prior art, each of the computer devices 17a, 17b. . . , 17g to 17n are a plurality of hard disk devices 12a, 12b... Using one hard disk / optical disk connection port (generally, the main board provides two hard disk / optical disk connection ports). . . , 12f, 12g. . . The other hard disk / optical disk connection port can be directly installed with a general hard disk device. In order to fully utilize the advantages of this type of network storage system, it is only necessary that all the two hard disk / optical disk connection ports on the main board can be made compatible with this type of network storage system.
JP 2006-313410 A

  An object of the present invention is to provide a dual channel network storage management apparatus and method in which a connected host end and two hard disk / optical disk connection ports belonging to the host end can access a plurality of hard disk devices through a network channel. is there.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned object, the dual-channel network storage management apparatus and method of the present invention mainly uses a buffering memory unit to make a first device end hard disk interface and a second device end hard disk interface ( Temporarily store access requests from the host end (each electrically connected to the host end), and then obtain these access requests sequentially from the buffering memory unit by the controller, and access the host end through the network interface By transmitting the request to the hard disk device corresponding to the access request, a dual channel between the host end and the network storage management device is realized. Similarly, two usable hard disks are connected to the host end. To provide a click system.

  That is, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the host end can access a plurality of hard disks through a network channel, and the host end includes at least a first host end hard disk interface and a second host end hard disk interface, The storage management device includes a first device end hard disk interface and a second device end hard disk interface, and is electrically connected to the first host end hard disk interface and the second host end hard disk interface at the host end, respectively. In the hard disk drive connected from the host end of the first host end hard disk interface and the second host end hard disk interface A device-end hard disk interface set that receives an access request, which is a request for providing necessary data to one device, and the network storage management device and the hard disk device to transmit data packets to each other through the network channel. A network interface, a buffering memory unit used to temporarily store the access request from the host end of the first device end hard disk interface and the second device end hard disk interface, and the host end hard disk interface The data provided in response to the access request or / and the command request is temporarily stored in the buffering memory unit, and the host terminal sequentially receives the data from the buffering memory unit. And a controller used to acquire the access request and transmit the access request at the host end to the hard disk device corresponding to the access request through the network interface. It is a storage management device.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the network storage management device further includes a third host end hard disk interface used for electrical connection with the hard disk device, and the control device responds to the access request at the host end. 2. The dual channel network storage management device according to claim 1, wherein the hard disk device is accessed based on the network access management device.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, the control device acquires the MAC address of the hard disk device from the management device through the network channel, and the network storage management device and the hard disk device are mutually connected through the network channel by the network interface. 2. The dual channel network storage management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data packet is transmitted.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, when the user activates the host end, the control unit automatically sets LBA0 having a serial number of 0 under the LBA (Logical Block Addressing) mode to the host end. A control right subunit that does not provide LAB0 of the hard disk device temporarily provided in the hard disk device, and is selected after the user activates the specific operation system stored in the specific hard disk device A corresponding LBA0 including the operation system is returned to the CPU at the host end via the control right subunit, and a startup subunit for starting the selected operation system is provided. The dual channel network storage management device according to Item 1. .

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the host end can access a plurality of hard disks through a network channel, and the host end includes at least a first host end hard disk interface and a second host end hard disk interface, and the network storage management The method comprises a first device end hard disk interface and a second device end hard disk interface, electrically connected to the first host end hard disk interface and the second host end hard disk interface at the host end, respectively. A pair of hard disk drives from the host end of the first host end hard disk interface and the second host end hard disk interface; Preparing a device-end hard disk interface set that receives an access request, which is a request for providing necessary data, and causing the network storage management device and the hard disk device to transmit data packets to each other through the network channel. And a buffering memory unit used to temporarily store the access request from the host end of the first device end hard disk interface and the second device end hard disk interface And temporarily storing the data provided in response to the access request or / and the command request at the host end in the buffering memory unit; Acquiring the access request at the host end in order from the buffering memory unit, and transmitting the access request at the host end to the hard disk device corresponding to the access request through the network interface. It is a dual channel network storage management method.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the network storage management method further includes the step of preparing a third host end hard disk interface used for electrical connection with the hard disk device, and the control device includes the host end hard disk interface. 6. The dual channel network storage management method according to claim 5, wherein the hard disk device is accessed based on the access request.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the control device acquires the MAC address of the hard disk device from the management device through the network channel, and the network storage management device and the hard disk device are mutually connected through the network channel by the network interface. 6. The dual channel network storage management method according to claim 5, wherein data packets are transmitted.
According to the invention of claim 8, when the user activates the host end, the control unit automatically provides LBA0 having a serial number of 0 under the LBA mode to the host end temporarily. Not providing LAB0 of the hard disk device provided in the hard disk device, and including the selected operation system after the user starts the specific operation system stored in the specific hard disk device 6. The dual channel network storage management according to claim 5, further comprising the step of returning the LBA0 to be returned to the CPU at the host end via the control right subunit and starting the selected operation system. Is the method.

  According to the dual-channel network storage management apparatus and method of the present invention, the first device end hard disk interface and the second device end hard disk interface (each electrically connected to the host end by using a buffering memory unit). A hard disk device that temporarily stores access requests from the host end, and then obtains these access requests sequentially from the buffering memory unit by the control device, and responds to the access requests at the host end through the network interface. To achieve a dual channel between the host end and the network storage management device, and similarly provide two usable hard disk devices for the host end. That.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the storage area network environment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 2, in the storage area network environment of the present invention, a large number of hard disk groups are mainly composed of a plurality of hard disk libraries 10a to 10n, and each of the hard disk libraries 10a to 10n includes a plurality of hard disk drawers 11a, 11b. . . , 11f, 11g. . . Each hard disk drawer 11a, 11b. . . , 11f, 11g. . . Are a plurality of hard disk devices 12a, 12b. . . , 12f, 12g. . . Is provided.
Computer devices 17a, 17b. . . , 17g to 17n are the hard disk devices 12a, 12b. . . , 12f, 12g. . . When it is necessary to access the network, it is performed mainly through the dual-channel network storage management devices 16a to 16n to which each belongs.

  For example, when the computer device 17a (that is, the host end) accesses the hard disk devices 12f and 12g via the network channel through the dual channel network storage management device 16a, the network storage management device 16a needs a special element. It becomes. It should be noted that the computer device 17b. . . , 17g to 17n and the network storage management devices 16b to 16n have the same operation pattern as the computer device 17a and the network storage management device 16a.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a dual channel network storage management apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 3, the dual-channel network storage management device 16a of the present invention mainly includes device-end hard disk interface sets (first device-end hard disk interface 22a and second device-end hard disk interface 22b), network interface 28, The buffering memory unit 26 and the control device 24 are included. The computer device 17a (particularly the main board to which it belongs) includes at least elements such as a first host-end hard disk interface 20a, a second host-end hard disk interface 20b, and a CPU (not shown). The buffering memory unit 26 is composed of a single buffering memory (temporarily storing access requests from the first device end hard disk interface 22a and the second device end hard disk interface 22b) or two buffers. It is composed of ring memories (temporarily storing access requests from the first device end hard disk interface 22a and the second device end hard disk interface 22b, respectively).

  In the device-end hard disk interface set belonging to the network storage management device 16 of the embodiment of the present invention, the first device-end hard disk interface 22a and the second device-end hard disk interface 22b are respectively the first at the host end (computer device 17a). The host end hard disk interface 20a and the second host end hard disk interface 20b can be electrically connected to each other, thereby receiving access requests from the host ends of the first host end hard disk interface 20a and the second host end hard disk interface 20b. it can. This access request is sent to the hard disk devices 12a, 12b. . . , 12f, 12g. . . Is a request for providing necessary data to one of the devices (for example, hard disk devices 12f and 12g arranged and used in the computer device 17a).

  Briefly, the dual channel network storage management device 16a of the present invention mainly uses the buffering memory unit 26 to make the first device end hard disk interface 22a and the second device end hard disk interface 22b (each host end). Are temporarily stored in the buffering memory unit 26 by the control unit 24, and the access requests at the host end are obtained through the network interface 28. It transmits to the hard disk devices 12f and 12g corresponding to the access request, thereby realizing a dual channel between the computer device 17a and the network storage management device 16a. Two sets of available hard disk device 12f respect over data device 17a, providing 12g.

  Under this architecture, the user does not notice that the hard disk devices 12f, 12g being used are actually remote and not installed in the computer case. Based on this type of network storage media architecture, even if the hard disk device 12f being used is damaged, the management device 14 (see FIG. 2) automatically connects and arranges another usable hard disk device 12a, for example. Therefore, the user may not notice that the hard disk 12f used is damaged.

  For example, the user of the computer device 17a defines the hard disk devices 12f and 12g connected to the first host end hard disk interface 20a and the second host end hard disk interface 20b as a C drive magnetic disk and a D drive magnetic disk, respectively. These are connected mainly by the dual channel network storage management device 16a, the operation system is installed in the hard disk device 12f designated as the C drive, and the hard disk device 12g designated as the D drive is reserved for the hard disk device 12f. used.

  When data stored as a spare in the hard disk device 12g needs to be returned to the hard disk device 12f, an access request for reading the hard disk device 12g (ie, an access request at the host end) is first transmitted from the first host-end hard disk interface 20b. In order to avoid confusion, the network storage management device 16a may process other matters at the same time after being transmitted to the network storage management device 16a through the first device end hard disk interface 22b. 24 temporarily stores data in the buffering memory unit 26, and then obtains access requests from the host end sequentially from the buffering memory unit 26, and accesses the host end through the network interface 28. Transmitting a scan request to the hard disk device 12g corresponding to the access request.

  After receiving the access request, the hard disk device 12g belonging to the D drive returns data that needs to be returned to the network storage management device 16a through the network channel. Similarly, the control device 24 is provided in response to the access request. The data is first temporarily stored in the buffering memory unit 26, and then the data provided in response to the access request in order from the buffering memory unit 26 is acquired and transmitted to the hard disk device 12f belonging to the C drive through the network interface 28. . In order to make the computer device 17a grasp all data transmission statuses, the computer device 17a is made to pass through the device-end hard disk interface set (particularly, the first device-end hard disk interface 22a and the first host-end hard disk interface 20a corresponding to the C drive). It is necessary to report the data transmission status. However, in the above-described data transmission means, the hard disk devices 12f and 12g can directly transmit data to each other and do not need to go through the network storage management device 16a.

FIG. 4 is another block diagram showing a dual channel network storage management apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 4, the network storage management device 16a of the present invention includes a device-end hard disk interface set (first device-end hard disk interface 22a and second device-end hard disk interface 22b), a network interface 28, and a buffering memory unit 26. In addition to the control device 24, the device further includes a third host-end hard disk interface 20 c electrically connected to the hard disk device 23.

  In the dual-channel network storage management device 16a according to the embodiment of the present invention, after the third host-end hard disk interface 20c is provided, the control device 24 transmits the above-described transmitted data to the third based on the host-end access request. The data can be transmitted to the hard disk device 23 via the host-end hard disk interface 20c, or data can be read from the hard disk device 23 and transmitted to other hard disk devices.

  Further, the control device 24 can acquire the MAC address of the hard disk device through the network channel as in the management device 14 shown in FIG. 2, and the network storage management device 16a and the hard disk device are mutually connected through the network channel by the network interface 28. Data packets can be transmitted.

  Hard disk devices 12a, 12b. Used for the computer device 17a under non-standard mode. . . , 12f, 12g. . . In order to support this, the control device 24 needs a special design.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a control apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 5, the control device 24 of the present invention further includes a control right subunit 24a and a boot subunit 24b. When the user activates the host end, the control right subunit 24a automatically assigns serial numbers to all sectors under the LBA (Logical Block Addressing) mode to the host end and designates the storage location of the data to be read. However, the LBA0 whose serial number is 0 is provided, and the LBA0 provided in the hard disk device 12f (the operation system is installed) is not temporarily provided. Thereafter, the user enters the specific hard disk device. After activating the specific operation system stored, the activation subunit 24b obtains the corresponding LBA0 including the selected operation system via the network channel, and the host end via the control right subunit 24a. Returned to CPU and selected operation system One in which start-up of has to be carried out.

According to the dual-channel network storage management apparatus and method of this embodiment described above, the first device end hard disk interface and the second device end hard disk interface (each of which is electrically connected to the host end and the electric power source) by using the buffering memory unit. The access request from the host end (connected to the host) is temporarily stored, and then these access requests are obtained sequentially from the buffering memory unit by the control device, and the access request at the host end is handled through the network interface. This provides a dual channel between the host end and the network storage management device, and similarly provides two usable hard disk devices for the host end. .
The above detailed description shows examples of the present invention, and does not limit the scope of the present invention. Various design changes that do not depart from the features of the present invention are included in the present invention. Of course.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a storage area network environment according to the prior art. FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the storage area network environment of the Example of this invention. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a dual channel network storage management apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 3 is another block diagram illustrating a dual channel network storage management apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the control apparatus of the Example of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

10a-10n hard disk libraries 11a, 11b. . . , 11f, 11g. . . Hard disk drawers 12a, 12b. . . , 12f, 12g. . . Hard disk device 14 management device 15 hard disk code name data banks 16a, 16b. . . , 16f, 16g Management devices 17a, 17b. . . , 17g to 17n Computer device 20a First host end hard disk interface 20b Second host end hard disk interface 20c Third host end hard disk interface 22a First device end hard disk interface 22b First device end hard disk interface 24 Controller 24a Control right subunit 24b Activation subunit 26 Buffering memory unit 28 Network interface

Claims (8)

A host end can access a plurality of hard disks through a network channel, the host end includes at least a first host end hard disk interface and a second host end hard disk interface, and the network storage management device includes:
A first device end hard disk interface and a second device end hard disk interface, each electrically connected to the first host end hard disk interface and the second host end hard disk interface at the host end; A device end hard disk interface set for receiving an access request which is a request for providing necessary data to one of the hard disk devices from the host end of one host end hard disk interface and the second host end hard disk interface;
A network interface used to cause the network storage management device and the hard disk device to transmit data packets to each other through the network channel;
A buffering memory unit used to temporarily store the access request from the host end of the first device end hard disk interface and the second device end hard disk interface;
Data provided in response to the access request or / and the command request at the host end is temporarily stored in the buffering memory unit, and the access request at the host end is sequentially acquired from the buffering memory unit. A dual channel network storage management device comprising: a control device used to transmit the access request at the host end to the hard disk device corresponding to the access request through the network interface. The network storage management device further includes
A third host end hard disk interface used to electrically connect to the hard disk device;
2. The dual channel network storage management device according to claim 1, wherein the control device accesses the hard disk device based on the access request from the host end.   The control device acquires the MAC address of the hard disk device from the management device through the network channel, and causes the network storage management device and the hard disk device to transmit data packets to each other through the network channel by the network interface. The dual-channel network storage management apparatus according to claim 1. The control unit further includes
When the user activates the host end, it automatically provides LBA0 with a serial number of 0 under the LBA mode to the host end and temporarily provides LAB0 of the hard disk device provided in the hard disk device. Not control right subunit,
After the user activates the specific operation system stored in the specific hard disk device, the corresponding LBA0 including the selected operation system is transferred to the CPU at the host end via the control right subunit. The dual-channel network storage management device according to claim 1, further comprising: an activation subunit that is returned and activates the selected operation system. A host end can access a plurality of hard disks through a network channel, and the host end includes at least a first host end hard disk interface and a second host end hard disk interface, and the network storage management method includes:
A first device end hard disk interface and a second device end hard disk interface, each electrically connected to the first host end hard disk interface and the second host end hard disk interface at the host end, respectively; Providing a device end hard disk interface set for receiving an access request which is a request for providing necessary data to one of the hard disk devices from the host end of the second host end hard disk interface and the second host end hard disk interface When,
Providing a network interface used to cause the network storage management device and the hard disk device to transmit data packets to each other through the network channel;
Providing a buffering memory unit used to temporarily store the access request from the host end of the first device end hard disk interface and the second device end hard disk interface;
Temporarily storing data provided in response to the access request or / and the command request at the host end in the buffering memory unit;
Acquiring the access request at the host end sequentially from the buffering memory unit, and transmitting the access request at the host end to the hard disk device corresponding to the access request through the network interface. And a dual channel network storage management method. The network storage management method further includes:
Providing a third host end hard disk interface used to electrically connect to the hard disk drive;
6. The dual channel network storage management method according to claim 5, wherein the control device is caused to access the hard disk device based on the access request from the host end.   The control device acquires the MAC address of the hard disk device from the management device through the network channel, and causes the network storage management device and the hard disk device to transmit data packets to each other through the network channel by the network interface. 6. The dual channel network storage management method according to claim 5, wherein: The control unit further includes
When the user activates the host end, it automatically provides LBA0 with a serial number of 0 under the LBA mode to the host end and temporarily provides LAB0 of the hard disk device provided in the hard disk device. Don't step and
After the user activates the specific operation system stored in the specific hard disk device, the corresponding LBA0 including the selected operation system is transferred to the CPU at the host end via the control right subunit. 6. The dual-channel network storage management method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of starting the selected operation system that is returned.

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