Abstract: A storage system capable of reducing the start-up time of disk drives is provided. If a power source monitor circuit itself is normal (S93), the power source monitor circuit reads a detection signal from a detection circuit, and checks power sources (S94). If the power sources are normal (S95), all disks are spun up (S96). When the spin-up of all disks is completed (S98), processing is completed. If either of two power sources fails (S95), the power source monitor circuit reports the fact to a host control logical part (S99). The power source monitor circuit clears its internal counter to zero (S100) and issues a drive command to HDDs (S101). When the spin-up of all disks is completed (S103), processing is completed. If there is a disk which has not yet been spun up, the power source monitor circuit sets the internal counter to n+1 (S104) and returns to Step S101.

Abstract: A storage device that is communicably connected to a host computer includes a plurality of disk units for storing data from the host computer. Each of the disk units includes a plurality of hard disks and is connected to one of a plurality of ports. A plurality of disk unit control units control the plurality of disk units, and each of the disk unit control units includes a memory for temporarily holding data from the host computer. A plurality of control signal transmission cables transmit control signals from the disk unit control units to the disk units. At least one of the control signal transmission cables is connected to at least two of the disk unit control units and transmits different control signals to at least two of the disk units. This enables device miniaturization and reduced costs for the storage device without a drop in reliability, even when a variety of devices are mounted in a highly dense configuration.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a storage unit comprising: a channel control portion for receiving a data input/output request; a cache memory for storing data; a disk control portion for performing input/output processing on data in accordance with the data input/output request; and a plurality of disk drives for storing data, wherein at least two of the disk drives input data to and output it from the disk control portion at different communication speeds. Further, the storage unit has a plurality of communication paths provided to connect at least one of the disk drives in such a manner as to constitute a loop defined by the FC-AL fiber channel standards, so that the communication speeds can be set differently for these different communication paths.

Abstract: A disk array system including at least one channel control portion, at least one disk control portion, a cache memory, a cache switch, a shared memory, a power unit, and a casing for storing the channel control portion, the disk control portion, the cache memory, the cache switch, the shared memory and the power unit, wherein: each of the channel control portion, the disk control portion, the cache memory, the cache switch and the shared memory includes a control board having a plurality of electronic circuits different in operating voltage, and a voltage converter for converting a single input voltage into voltages for operating the electronic circuits respectively; and the power unit supplies a voltage to the voltage converter provided in each of the channel control portion, the disk control portion, the cache memory, the cache switch and the shared memory.

Abstract: The present invention enables the configuration of a disk array device to be changed in accordance with its purpose of use. Plural disk drive groups each comprising plural disk drives 81 are disposed in the same disk drive unit. Respective disk drive groups are connected to respectively different HDD control boards 82. Each HDD control board 82 is disposed with a connection circuit 200 and switch circuits 210. A signal is outputted from a management terminal to switch the switch circuits 210, whereby adjacent HDD control boards 82 can be connected and operated. Also, by switching the switch circuits 210, adjacent HDD control boards 82 can be mutually separated and operated independently.

Abstract: In a disk array device on which plural power supply units and plural HDD modules operated by the power supplied from power supplies of the power supply units subjected to temperature control by the airflow generated by cooling fans are connected in parallel and mounted via a relay substrate, the power supply unit has a power control unit for supplying power to the cooling fan in a normal operation from the power supply in the self power supply unit having the relevant cooling fan, and, when failure occurs in the power supply, supplying power to the cooling fan in the self power supply unit having the relevant power supply from another power supply in another power supply unit different from the relevant self power supply unit.

Abstract: A disk array system including at least one channel control portion, at least one disk control portion, a cache memory, a cache switch, a shared memory, a power unit, and a casing for storing the channel control portion, the disk control portion, the cache memory, the cache switch, the shared memory and the power unit, wherein: each of the channel control portion, the disk control portion, the cache memory, the cache switch and the shared memory includes a control board having a plurality of electronic circuits different in operating voltage, and a voltage converter for converting a single input voltage into voltages for operating the electronic circuits respectively; and the power unit supplies a voltage to the voltage converter provided in each of the channel control portion, the disk control portion, the cache memory, the cache switch and the shared memory.

Abstract: A disk array system including: at least one channel control portion for receiving an input/output request of data from an information processor and exchanging the data with the information processor; at least one disk control portion for exchanging the data with a disk drive in accordance with the input/output request; a cache memory for storing the data exchanged between the channel control portion and the disk control portion; a cache switch for forming a communication path between the channel control portion and the cache memory; a shared memory for storing the input/output request exchanged between the channel control portion and the disk control portion; and at least one disk drive unit including the disk drive, and a canister for storing the disk drive; wherein the canister is provided with a power unit for supplying electric power to the drive device for driving the disk drive.

Abstract: A disk array system including at least one channel control portion for receiving an input/output request of data from an information processor and exchanging the data with the information processor; at least one disk control portion for exchanging the data with a disk drive in accordance with the input/output request; a cache memory for storing the data exchanged between the channel control portion and the disk control portion; a cache switch for forming a communication path between the channel control portion and the cache memory; a shared memory for storing the input/output request exchanged between the channel control portion and the disk control portion; and at least one disk drive unit including the disk drive, and a canister for storing the disk drive; wherein the canister is provided with a power unit for supplying electric power to the drive device for driving the disk drive.

Abstract: A disk array apparatus of the invention improves the quality of Fibre Channel signals corresponding to mounting positions of disk drives.

Abstract: A disk array device and a method of supplying power to a disk array device to which power is supplied by at least two AC inputs are provided. Where at least two AC/DC power-supply groups are provided in correspondence with each of the AC inputs and each AC/DC power-supply group includes at least two AC/DC power supplies that are connected to the AC input corresponding to that group, outputs from the AC/DC power supplies are summed separately for each group to obtain group total outputs for each group, and the group total outputs are input to each of a plurality of loads in the disk array device to provide power to each of the loads.

Abstract: A disk array device having two or more disk units, each disk unit including at least one disk drive, at least either of said disk units having parity bits carrying data recovery information, comprises at least one backup battery provided for each of said disk unit.

Abstract: A power source control apparatus for a disk subsystem includes a plurality of hard disk drives (HDDs) each with two systems of fiber channel interface ports, an HDD drive section, and an HDD control logic section. The HDD drive section includes two systems of fiber channel control sections, each of which includes a fiber channel interface and a fiber channel control interface. The HDD control logic section includes two systems of HDD control logics that control read/write accesses to the HDDs. Fiber channel control signals are supplied from the HDD control logics to the fiber channel control interfaces, respectively, and the fiber channel control signals are also used to control the power source of the HDD drive section.

Abstract: A disk array apparatus of the invention improves the drop of quality of Fibre Channel signals corresponding to mounting positions of disk drives.

Abstract: A storage system capable of reducing the start-up time of disk drives is provided. If a power source monitor circuit itself is normal (S93), the power source monitor circuit reads a detection signal from a detection circuit, and checks power sources (S94). If the power sources are normal (S95), all disks are spun up (S96). When the spin-up of all disks is completed (S98), processing is completed. If either of two power sources fails (S95), the power source monitor circuit reports the fact to a host control logical part (S99). The power source monitor circuit clears its internal counter to zero (S100) and issues a drive command to HDDs (S101). When the spin-up of all disks is completed (S103), processing is completed. If there is a disk which has not yet been spun up, the power source monitor circuit sets the internal counter to n+1 (S104) and returns to Step S101.

Abstract: The storage device system comprises: a plurality of signal transmission paths connected respectively to a plurality of installed storage devices; a plurality of system side communications sections for transmitting and receiving signals respectively to and from the plurality of storage devices, via the plurality of signal transmission paths; and one or a plurality of signal correcting sections for inputting a signal exchanged between the plurality of storage devices and the plurality of system side communications sections, correcting the input signal on the basis of a previously established correction parameter, and outputting the corrected signal. The correction parameter is a value set on the basis of at least one of the length of the signal transmission path between the storage device and the system side communications section, the wavelength attribute of the signal input to the signal correcting section, and the storage device attribute relating to the storage device.

Abstract: A storage system capable of reducing the start-up time of disk drives is provided. If a power source monitor circuit itself is normal (S93), the power source monitor circuit reads a detection signal from a detection circuit, and checks power sources (S94). If the power sources are normal (S95), all disks are spun up (S96). When the spin-up of all disks is completed (S98), processing is completed. If either of two power sources fails (S95), the power source monitor circuit reports the fact to a host control logical part (S99). The power source monitor circuit clears its internal counter to zero (S100) and issues a drive command to HDDs (S101). When the spin-up of all disks is completed (S103), processing is completed. If there is a disk which has not yet been spun up, the power source monitor circuit sets the internal counter to n+1 (S104) and returns to Step S101.

Abstract: A disk array device and a method of supplying power to a disk array device to which power is supplied by at least two AC inputs are provided. Where at least two AC/DC power-supply groups are provided in correspondence with each of the AC inputs and each AC/DC power-supply group includes at least two AC/DC power supplies that are connected to the AC input corresponding to that group, outputs from the AC/DC power supplies are summed separately for each group to obtain group total outputs for each group, and the group total outputs are input to each of a plurality of loads in the disk array device to provide power to each of the loads.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to enable device miniaturization and reduced costs for a storage device without a drop in reliability even when a variety of devices are mounted highly densely therein. In order to connect the disk control logic unit 49 and disk drive unit 1, a 2-port control signal cable (571, 57n), which has a constitution in which two port control signal cables (port control signal cable 56 and port control signal cable 58, port control signal cable 60 and port control signal cable 62, for example) of adjacent ports (port 0 and port 1, port n-1 and port n, for example) among (a plurality of) port control signal cables (56, 58, . . . , 60, and 62) are bundled to form one cable, is adopted.

Abstract: The present invention enables the configuration of a disk array device to be changed in accordance with its purpose of use. Plural disk drive groups each comprising plural disk drives 81 are disposed in the same disk drive unit. Respective disk drive groups are connected to respectively different HDD control boards 82. Each HDD control board 82 is disposed with a connection circuit 200 and switch circuits 210. A signal is outputted from a management terminal to switch the switch circuits 210, whereby adjacent HDD control boards 82 can be connected and operated. Also, by switching the switch circuits 210, adjacent HDD control boards 82 can be mutually separated and operated independently.