JPH0222724A - External storage device and write verify method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To continuously write data at a high speed by providing an external storage device with a communication control part which reports the write operation position in a semiconductor storage part and the request of write verify operation. CONSTITUTION:When a write command to a semiconductor storage part 4 of the external storage device is issued from an input/output controller 11 to one control indicating part 21 out of control indicating parts 21-2n, the indicating part 21 starts the write operation to the storage part 4. The indicating part 21 reports information indicating that the indicating part 21 starts the write operation to the storage part 4, the write position on the storage part 4, and the request of verify operation to indicating parts 22-2n other than the indicating part 21 through a communication control part 3. The write verify operation to read and check written data in a data check part 5 is performed by the indicating part 21, and the check result is reported to the indicating part 21. The period when data write is no performed is used to perform the verify operation in this manner, thereby shortening the time of access and verify operation.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] Connected to a plurality of input/output control devices that are interposed between the main storage device and the external storage device and control input/output such as information transfer, and A plurality of control instruction units that control data transfer, a semiconductor memory unit to which data is written or read based on access requests from the instruction units, and whether the data read during data write verification is correct or incorrect. An object of the present invention is to provide an external storage device having a data denic section for testing and a write verify method, which can perform write and write verify operations at high speed, and one of the control instruction sections includes the TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an external storage device and a write verification method, and particularly to an external storage device that is interposed between a main storage device and an external storage device to control input/output such as information transfer. A plurality of control instruction units that are connected to multiple input/output control devices to control data transfer with the control devices, and a semiconductor that performs data occupancy or readout based on access requests from the instruction units. The present invention relates to an external storage device having a storage section and a data check section that checks the correctness of data read during a data write verification operation, and a write verification method.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of (two) input/output control devices 1001 and 1002 are connected between a main storage device and an external storage device to control input/output such as information transfer. , a plurality of (two) control instruction units 20 that control data transfer with the input/output control device fil'oo1, 1002.
01°2002, a semiconductor memory unit 400 that writes or reads data in response to an access request from the instruction unit 2001.2002, and a data check unit 500 that performs a correctness check on the data read during a data write verify operation. There was an external storage device 2000 having the following.

Here, the "write verify operation" refers to an operation of reading data once written in the storage unit and confirming the correctness of the written data.

In the conventional external storage device, when the control instruction section 2001 of the external storage device 2000 receives a write command from the input/output control device 1001 to the semiconductor storage section in step SAI, the control instruction section 2001 writes the semiconductor memory section in step SA2. Start a write operation to the storage unit 400,
The control instruction unit 2001, which started the write operation in step SA3, reads the data written in the semiconductor storage unit 400 and starts the write verify operation when the data write is completed.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) By the way, in a conventional external storage device, the control instruction unit 2 that writes data into the semiconductor storage unit 400
001 reads the written data from the storage unit 400 to which writing has been performed and performs a write verify operation, so the same control instruction unit 2
When a data access request is made to 001, a normal access operation is started after a write verify operation, which is a data verification operation, is completed.

Therefore, if the same control instruction unit 2001 is accessed continuously, there is a problem in that the actual processing speed becomes slow.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and is intended to provide an external storage device that can prevent the access processing time from decreasing.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the first invention, as shown in FIG. A plurality of input/output control devices 11, 12 . that control input/output. . . 1n, and the control devices 11, 12 . . . 1n, a plurality of control instruction units 21, 22 . . . 2n, the semiconductor storage section 4 to which data is written or read based on the access request from the instruction section 21, 22, . In an external storage device having a data check section 5 that performs correctness check, the control instruction sections 21, 22 .・
. . 2n starts a write operation to the storage unit 4, the other control instruction units 21, 22 . ... 2n is provided with a communication control section 3 that notifies the start of the write operation, the write operation position in the storage section 4, and a request for a write verify operation.

On the other hand, the second invention is a plurality of input/output control devices that are interposed between a main storage device and an external storage device to control input/output such as information transfer, and are connected to a plurality of input/output control devices that control input/output such as information transfer. When data is written to the storage section of an external storage device that has a control instruction section and a semiconductor storage section that can be accessed from the control instruction section, the written data is read out and checked for correctness of the data. In the write verify method to be performed, when there is a write command from an input/output control device to one of the control instruction units of the external storage device (S1),
The control instruction unit starts a write operation to the semiconductor storage unit (S2), and performs other operations to indicate that the write operation has started, the write position on the semiconductor storage unit, and a write verify operation request. At the same time, the other control instruction sections that have been notified read the data written in the semiconductor storage section and perform a write verify operation (S4).

[Effect]

Next, the operation of the present invention (first and second inventions) will be explained.

The present invention is implemented in step S1 as shown in the action explanatory diagram of FIG.
The control instruction units 21, 22 . . . . 2n receives a write command from the input/output control device 11 to the semiconductor storage unit 4 of the external storage device, the control instruction unit 11 writes the write command to the semiconductor storage unit 4 of the external storage device in step S2. A write operation is started if the request is accepted.

The control instruction section 21 that received the instruction in step S3 is replaced by another control instruction section 22 that is not performing any operation other than the instruction section 21 and is free. ...2n, the instruction section 21
For example, via the communication control unit 3, the controller 3 notifies the user of the start of a write operation to the semiconductor storage unit 4, the write position on the storage unit 4, and a verify operation request.

The control instruction section 2 receives the write instruction in step S4.
The other control instruction section 22.1 that has been notified of the request for the verify operation by the control instruction section 22.1 and is not performing the operation.・・・
・2n performs a write verify operation by the instruction unit 21,
That is, the written data is read out and inspected by the data checking section 5, and the inspection results are reported to the control instruction section 21.

It should be noted that the present invention is applied only to cases where the semiconductor storage unit 4 is adopted, and is applicable to DAS such as magnetic disk devices.
D (Direct Access Storage
Device).

In a DASD, access is performed using a magnetic head, etc., but in the case of a magnetic disk device, for example, only one magnetic spatula is provided on each magnetic disk surface, and moreover, access is performed using a magnetic head etc. Since the verification operation is performed on a track-by-track basis, the verify operation is performed after all write operations for one track's worth of data have been completed.In contrast, in the case of semiconductor storage, the capacity is sufficiently small compared to DASD. Access is performed in units (for example, blocks), and the time for access and verify operations can be shortened by reading data and performing a verify operation while data is not being written. Become.

(Example) Examples of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram according to this embodiment.

A plurality of input/output control devices 1 intervening between the main storage device and the external storage device 200 to control input/output such as information transfer
A plurality of control instruction units 21 and 22 are connected to the devices 101 and 102 and control data transfer to and from the devices 101 and 102.
．． ...control directors 201 and 202 as 2n, and when one of the control directors 202 and 202 starts a write operation to the semiconductor storage section 40, another control director that is not performing the write operation. 201
, 202 and the storage unit 4.
An inter-director communication control unit 70 as a communication control unit 7 that notifies the write operation position in 0, and a semiconductor storage unit 4
0, and a data check unit 50 that performs a correctness check of data read during a data verify operation.

Further, as shown in the figure, the semiconductor storage section 4o includes memory access control sections 41 and 42 that control access to the storage section 70 in response to access requests from the directors 201 and 202; Arbitration (Arbitration) that mediates access requests when access requests from the access control units 41 and 42 conflict.
It has a storage section 70 that stores data.

Next, write and write verify operations for the external storage device 200 according to this embodiment will be explained.

As shown in FIG. 4, in step SJI, the central processing unit of the host system writes data stored in the main storage device to the semiconductor storage section 40 of the external storage device 200 via the input/output control device 100. The control director 201 receives and decodes the requested command.

In step SJ2, the control director 201 decodes the content of the command, and if it is a command to write to the semiconductor storage unit 40, the start address of the writing start position to the semiconductor storage unit 40 from the command,
Generate data length.

In step SJ3, the control director 201 issues an access request to the memory access control unit 41.

When the memory access control unit 41 receives the request signal in step SJ4, it issues an access request to the arbitration unit 60.

The arbitration unit 60 checks whether there is any overlap between the access areas on the storage unit 70 that have received a write request based on a command from the input/output control device 102 of another system, and if there is no overlap, the memory access control unit 60 performs the memory access control. Part 41
If there is an overlap, the access requests are granted in an order based on a predetermined priority for the requests.

If the arbitration unit 60 issues an acknowledge signal indicating permission to the memory access control unit 41 in step SJ5, the process advances to step SJ6;
A write operation will be started for the semiconductor storage section 40.

On the other hand, if there is an acknowledge signal for the other memory access control section 42, the write operation of that system will be performed for the semiconductor storage section 40.

In this embodiment, the process proceeds to step SJ7 at the same time as the write operation is started, and the control director 201 communicates with the semiconductor storage unit 40 via the inter-director communication control unit 30 with respect to the control director 202 of another system. By notifying the start of the write operation and information such as the start address and data length, a write verify operation is requested for the data written to other systems.

Among the other control directors that have received the notification, it is monitored whether there is a free control director who is not performing operations such as data transfer or writing at that time, and if there is no free control director, the control director Wait until these control directors are free, and if there is a free director, proceed to step SJ9, perform a write verify operation, that is, read the data written by the control director 201 to the semiconductor storage section 40. The data check section 4
It will be sent out at 50 and checked for correctness.

The result of the correctness check is reported to the control director 201 in step 5JIO.

Although this embodiment has been described with reference to the case where there are two systems of input/output control devices, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the case where there are two systems, and can also be applied to a case where there are two or more systems.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, the present invention provides, for example, a communication control section in an external storage device as an input/output device, so that when a certain control instruction section is performing a write operation to the semiconductor storage section, hands are free. The write verify operation is requested to the other control instruction units present, and the write verify operation is performed during the write operation.

Therefore, compared to the case where the control instruction section that performed the write operation performs the write verify operation after the write operation is completed, the control instruction section can perform data write operations continuously at high speed. can.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the principle of the first invention, FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the principle of the second invention, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart according to the embodiment, FIG. 5 is a block diagram according to the conventional example, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart according to the conventional example. 11.12. ~in (101, 102)...Input/output control device 21.22. ~2n (201, 202)... Control instruction section (control director) 3 (30)... Communication control section (inter-director communication control section) 4 (40)... Semiconductor storage section S (SO)...・Data Check Department SE4'-=,); J Department-/1 Invention Ha &, Science 7 Lower 7 Eye 1! II! i $-me fever in August 2nd figure 9 i9゛J+: 4th figure 1 komanshiku'j+s4 7゛mouth・-nofa] 3＠ Shiba Higashi 49.'' Ward I Itoro 7゛0.770 Figure 5

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) Multiple input/output control devices (interposed between the main storage device and external storage device) that control input/output such as information transfer.
11, 12, ... 1n), and the control device (
11, 12, . . . 1n), and a plurality of control instruction units (21, 22, . . . 2n) that control data transfer with
1, 22, . . . 2n) to which data is written or read based on access requests from
4) and a data check unit (5) that performs a correctness check of data read during a data write verify operation, wherein among the control instruction units (21, 22, . . . 2n), 1
When one of the control instruction units (21, 2) starts a write operation to the storage unit (4), other control instruction units (21, 2
2, . . . 2n) to the effect that the write operation has started, the write operation position in the storage unit (4), and a request for a write verify operation. External storage device. (2) A plurality of control instruction units that are connected to a plurality of input/output control devices that are interposed between the main storage device and the external storage device and that control input/output such as information transfer, and that control data transfer. , a write verification method for reading the written data and checking the correctness of the data when data is written to the storage section of an external storage device having a semiconductor storage section that can be accessed from the control instruction section. In this case, when there is a write command from the input/output control device to one of the control instruction units (S1), the control instruction unit starts a write operation to the semiconductor storage unit (S2), and the control instruction unit starts writing to the semiconductor storage unit (S2). notifies other control instruction units that are not performing the operation that the write operation has started, the write position on the semiconductor storage unit, and a write verify operation request (S3), and the other control instruction units that have been notified A write verify method characterized by reading data written in a semiconductor storage unit and performing a write verify operation (S4).