JP2000100053A - Power saving managing device of magnetic disk device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To manage the power saving for a magnetic disk device by performing the optimum power saving control for every magnetic disk device. SOLUTION: The magnetic disk device 1 is provided with a host device 10. By the host device 10, the command for setting the standby time 20 is issued against a hard disk controller 2 of the magnetic disk through the interface. The hard disk controller 2 is provided with a microprocessor 3, and the command for setting the standby time 20 is analyzed by the microprocessor 3 to store the standby time 20 received from the host device 10 in a RAM 4 of the magnetic disk device 1, then the existence/absence of the access against a hard disk drive 5 is monitored, and when no access exists for longer time than the standby time stored in the RAM 4 of the magnetic disk device 1, the hard disk drive 5 is transferred to the power saving mode.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a power saving management apparatus for performing optimal power saving control for each magnetic disk drive.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a large amount of magnetic disk devices have been used due to the increase in the capacity of databases and the adoption of large-capacity magnetic disk array devices, and this power saving has been regarded as important. .

To reduce the power consumption of the magnetic disk drive, it is effective to cut off the supply of power to the spindle motor. In this regard, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 9-297957 (Prior Art 1) proposes a method of monitoring an interface signal to shift to a power saving mode when the magnetic disk device is not being accessed.

[0004]

However, the prior art 1 has the following problems. That is,
The first problem is that the waiting time from when the access to the magnetic disk device is lost to when the device shifts to the power saving mode is reduced.
It is difficult to set arbitrarily for each magnetic disk device.

A second problem is that since there is no power saving management means for each magnetic disk device, it is difficult to perform fine power saving control such as changing a standby time depending on a time zone for a large number of magnetic disk devices. That is.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a magnetic disk device in which a standby time before shifting to a power saving mode is arbitrarily set by a host device, and the power saving of the magnetic disk device for performing optimal power saving control for each magnetic disk device. An object of the present invention is to provide a power management device.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a power saving management apparatus for a magnetic disk drive according to the present invention comprises a host device and a hard disk drive when the magnetic disk drive has not been accessed for a certain period of time. A power saving management device of a magnetic disk device for shifting a drive to a power saving mode, wherein a host device issues a command for setting a standby time to a hard disk control device of a magnetic disk via an interface. ,
The hard disk control device has a microprocessor, and the microprocessor analyzes the command for setting the standby time, and determines the standby time by the RA of the magnetic disk device.
M, monitors the presence or absence of access to the hard disk drive, and shifts the hard disk drive to the power saving mode when there is no access for more than the standby time stored in the RAM of the magnetic disk device.

The standby time stored in the RAM of the magnetic disk device is set arbitrarily by a host device, so that power saving control is performed for each magnetic disk device.

Further, the hard disk control device receives a command from a host device, interprets the content by a microprocessor, accesses the hard disk drive, and, if the content of the command is a command for setting a standby time, When the hard disk drive is not accessed, the idle time is stored in the RAM when the hard disk drive is not accessed.The RAM stores the elapsed time in addition to the standby time. This is the elapsed time since the start of the operation, is added by the idle loop of the hard disk drive, and is initialized by the microprocessor every time the hard disk drive is accessed.

[0010] The higher-level device further includes power saving management software, a power saving schedule, and a timer. The power saving management software manages the power saving schedule, and operates based on the schedule and timer information. The power management mode manages the power saving mode of the magnetic disk device. The power saving schedule defines the power saving schedule of the magnetic disk device. The timer manages the time and calendar.

The standby time of the two or more magnetic disk devices is managed by power saving management software of a higher-level device, and the standby time of each magnetic disk device is individually adjusted according to the usage mode of each magnetic disk device from the higher-level device. Is controlled.

In FIG. 1, a host device 10 issues a command for setting a standby time 20 (hereinafter referred to as a standby time setting command) to an HDC (hard disk control device) 2 via an interface. An MPU (microprocessor) 3 in the HDC 2 analyzes the standby time setting command and stores a standby time 20 in a RAM (random access memory) 4.

The MPU 3 monitors the presence or absence of an access to the HDA (hard disk drive) 5, and shifts the HDA 5 to a power saving mode if there is no access for more than the standby time 20 stored in the RAM 4. FIG.
, The standby time 20 of the magnetic disk device 1 is managed by the power saving management software 11.

In this way, by setting the standby time arbitrarily from the host device, optimal power saving control suitable for the usage pattern of each magnetic disk device is performed. In addition, by providing the power saving management software in the host device, a large amount of magnetic disk devices can be finely managed without manual intervention.

[0015]

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. Host device 10
Is connected to the magnetic disk drive 1. The magnetic disk device 1 corresponds to one physical spindle. In the case of a magnetic disk array device, one physical spindle constituting the array corresponds to the magnetic disk device 1.

The host device 10 is generally a CPU body. In the case of a general-purpose machine or a magnetic disk array device, a magnetic disk control device or the like may be included between the CPU and the magnetic disk device. The HDA 5 has a built-in recording medium, a spindle motor and a magnetic head.

The HDC 2 receives a command from the host device 10, interprets the content in the MPU 3,
To access. When not accessing the HDA 5, the MPU 3 is in an idle loop state. If the command is a standby time setting command, the RAM
4 stores the standby time 20. RAM 4 has a standby time of 2
0 and the elapsed time 21 are stored.

The elapsed time 21 is the elapsed time since the last access to the HDA 5, and is added by the idle loop of the MPU 3. In addition, the elapsed time 21 corresponds to HDA5
Is initialized by the MPU 3 each time the access is executed.

The RAM 4 may be any memory that can be freely written. However, by using a flash memory, even when the power of the magnetic disk device is turned off, the standby time can be maintained without a battery backup, and the standby time can be maintained for the next use. There is no need to reset the time 20.

The operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to specific values separately for the operation of setting the standby time and the operation of shifting the magnetic disk device to the power saving mode.
Assume that a setting is made to shift the HDA 5 to the power saving mode when the magnetic disk device 1 has not been accessed for 5 minutes or more.

First, the operation for setting the standby time will be described.
This will be described with reference to FIGS. In FIG. 2, in step 50, the host device 10 issues a standby time setting command. The standby time setting command includes the standby time “5 minutes” as a value.

In step 51, the MPU 3 interprets the command issued by the host device 10, and if the command is a standby time setting command, the standby time 20 is stored in the RAM 4 in step 52, and a command other than the standby time setting command is stored. In this case, the access process of the HDA 5 is executed in step 53.

In such a case, the host device 10
Is a standby time setting command. In step 52, the standby time 20 is set as the standby time "5 minutes".
Is stored in the RAM 4.

Next, the operation of shifting the magnetic disk drive to the power saving mode will be described with reference to FIGS. The MPU 3 is in an idle loop state, and the block chart shown in FIG. 3 is included in the idle loop.

In step 60, if the elapsed time 21 has not reached the standby time 20, the MPU 3 repeats the idle loop. If the elapsed time 21 is equal to or longer than the standby time 20, the HDA 5 is shifted to the power saving mode in step 61. After shifting to the power saving mode, the MPU 3 continues the idle loop.

When there is an access request from the host device 10, the power saving mode of the HDA 5 is released. In such a case, when the elapsed time 21 becomes 5 minutes or more, the HDA 5 shifts to the power saving mode.

The power saving method of the HDA 5 includes moving the magnetic head to a predetermined position on the recording medium and rotating the spindle motor at the minimum number of revolutions necessary for floating the magnetic head at the predetermined position. Conventionally, a method of completely stopping the spindle motor has been used. R
By providing a plurality of standby times 20 stored in the AM 4, a plurality of power saving methods can be used together.

(Embodiment 2) Another embodiment of the present invention will be described below. Although the basic configuration of the second embodiment is not different from that of the first embodiment, in this embodiment, the following measures are taken for the host device.

FIG. 4 shows the configuration. In FIG. 4, a host device 10 includes a power saving management software 11 for managing a power saving mode of the magnetic disk device, a power saving schedule 12 defined by a power saving schedule of the magnetic disk device, and a timer for managing time and calendar. 13 are added. Other configurations are the same as those in FIG. The power saving management software 11 is software for managing the power saving schedule 12 and managing the power saving mode of the magnetic disk device 1 based on the schedule and the information of the timer 13.

Next, the operation will be described using specific values. As a special value of the standby time 20 stored in the RAM 4, “0” shifts to the power saving mode immediately after the access of the HDA 5 ends, and “HIGHVALUE” does not perform power saving control.

The information of the power saving schedule 12 is recorded on a memory or a magnetic disk. When managing a plurality of magnetic disk devices, information may be stored for each individual magnetic disk device, or information may be stored for each group in which a plurality of magnetic disk devices are put together according to applications.

Since the magnetic disk device 1 is used online during the daytime on weekdays, a high response is required even if the access interval is open, and there is almost no access at night and on holidays, and the response is not so required. Suppose not. FIG. 5 shows a power saving schedule of the magnetic disk device.

The schedule shown in FIG.
It is defined on the power saving schedule 12 using the power saving management software 11. The power-saving management software 11 refers to the power-saving schedule 12, searches for the nearest future setting change time from the current time, and acquires the set value. Assuming that the current time is 6:00 on a weekday, in the example of FIG. 5, it corresponds to 9:00 on a weekday, and the value is “HIGHVALUE”. Accordingly, the power saving management software 11
At 9 o'clock, the timer 13 issues a timer run-out request and waits.

At 9:00, the timer 13 notifies the power saving software 11 of a timer run-out. The power-saving management software 11 receives the notification of the timer run-out, and notifies the magnetic disk device 1 of “HI” during the standby time.
GHVALUE ", and issues a standby time setting command. The operation of the magnetic disk device that receives this command is the same as in the above-described embodiment. The magnetic disk device 1 is set not to shift to the power saving mode. Become.

Next, the power-saving management software 11 refers to the power-saving schedule 12 again, and obtains the nearest future setting change time “18:00 on weekdays” from the current time and its set value “10 minutes”. At 18:00, the timer 13 issues a timer run-out request to the timer 13 and waits.

When a timer runout occurs at 18:00,
The power saving management software 11 sets the standby time to "10 minutes".
, A standby time setting command is issued, the power saving schedule 12 is referenced, and a future setting change time “holiday 9:00” closest to the current time and its set value “5 minutes” are acquired. At 9 o'clock, the timer 13 issues a timer run-out request and waits. The magnetic disk device 1 is set to shift to the power saving mode when there is no access for 10 minutes or more. Thereafter, the same processing is repeated.

[0037]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the standby time is stored in the memory for each magnetic disk device, even when a plurality of magnetic disk devices are used, optimal power saving control can be performed according to each application. Since the setting of the standby time is realized by extending the access command, the setting of the standby time can be easily performed from the host device.

Further, by setting and managing the standby time by using the power saving management software, it becomes possible to automatically perform fine power saving control without human intervention according to the operation mode of the magnetic disk device. . Further, even in a system to which a large-scale database or a large number of magnetic disk devices such as a magnetic disk array device are connected, a physical spindle or a logical spindle can be used.
Power saving management can be easily performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation of setting a standby time.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of shifting a magnetic disk device to a power saving mode.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a power saving schedule of the magnetic disk device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 magnetic disk device 2 HDC 3 MPU 4 RAM 5 HDA 10 host device 11 power saving management software 12 power saving schedule 13 timer 20 standby time 21 elapsed time

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A power saving management apparatus for a magnetic disk drive, comprising: a host device, wherein the hard disk drive is shifted to a power saving mode when the magnetic disk device has not been accessed for a certain period of time or more. A command for setting a time is issued to a hard disk controller of a magnetic disk via an interface. The hard disk controller has a microprocessor, and the microprocessor analyzes the command for setting the standby time. Then, the standby time is stored in the RAM of the magnetic disk drive, and the presence or absence of access to the hard disk drive is monitored. Mode. Power management device for magnetic disk drives. 2. The standby time stored in the RAM of the magnetic disk device can be arbitrarily set by a host device,
2. The power saving management device for a magnetic disk device according to claim 1, wherein power saving control is performed for each magnetic disk device. 3. The hard disk control device receives a command from a higher-level device, interprets the content by a microprocessor, accesses the hard disk drive,
If the content of the command is a command for setting the standby time, the standby time is stored in the RAM, and when the hard disk drive is not accessed,
In the idle loop state, the RAM stores the elapsed time in addition to the standby time, and the elapsed time is the elapsed time since the last access to the hard disk drive, and is added by the idle loop of the hard disk drive. 2. The power saving management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the initialization is performed by a microprocessor each time the access is performed. 4. The host device further includes a power saving management software, a power saving schedule, and a timer, and the power saving management software manages the power saving schedule, and based on the schedule and timer information. The power management mode manages the power saving mode of the magnetic disk drive, the power saving schedule defines a power saving schedule of the magnetic disk drive, and the timer manages the time and calendar. The power saving management device for a magnetic disk drive according to claim 1. 5. The standby time of two or more magnetic disk devices is managed by power-saving management software of a higher-level device, and the standby time of each magnetic disk device is individually set in accordance with the usage mode of each magnetic disk device from the higher-level device. 5. The power-saving management apparatus for a magnetic disk drive according to claim 4, wherein the power-saving management apparatus is controlled as follows.