Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Miscellaneous
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-14
2001-12-11
Sheikh, Ayaz (Department: 2155)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Miscellaneous
C709S230000, C709S213000, C709S241000, C710S003000, C711S157000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06330585
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to concept of transferring information in a program storage device and a computer program device readable by a digital processing apparatus and a program means on the program storage device and including instructions executable by the digital processing apparatus for performing method steps for transferring of information in a network computing system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In a network computing environment, multitudes of commands and requests for retrieval and storage of data are processed every second. To properly address the complexity of routing these commands and requests, a number of different resolutions have been implemented. In some data processing architectures, such as International Business Machines Enterprise System Architecture/390 (Enterprise System Architecture/390 is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation), a channel subsystem is utilized to pass information between the main storage and input/output (I/O) devices. The channel subsystem includes one or more channel paths, each including one or more channels and one or more control units. Recently developed technologies such as the International Business Machines ESCON switch (ESCON is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation), connect the I/O devices to the main memory through the control units using legacy channels to support the data transfer there between.
But as the technology improves, the performance of new system processors will require many more legacy channels than are presently in use to support the resulting increase of information transfer in the data processing systems. Current architectural constraints make the addition of such legacy channels an expensive proposition. A further challenge is to provide the link data rate required to support the data rates of new I/O devices such as DASDs and Tapes. In this case, simply adding more legacy channels does not adequately address the problem. A new architecture is needed that can scale up to the higher link speeds needed for normal transaction processing. Therefore, any new proposed architecture, must include a capacity to accommodate higher bandwidth channel links such as Fibre Channel links while providing better data rates and higher link speeds.
This application is being filed at the same time as related application,
U.S. patent Ser. No. 09/172,488 filed Oct. 14, 1998 for TRANSFER OF INFORMATION USING OPTICAL FIBER CONNECTIONS;
U.S. patent Ser. No. 09/172,696 filed Oct. 14, 1998 for APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING EXECUTION OF CERTAIN CHANNEL FUNCTIONS TO A CONTROL UNIT HAVING MEANS FOR COMBINING CERTAIN COMMANDS AND DATA PACKETS IN ONE SEQUENCE; and
U.S. patent Ser. No. 09/172,695 filed Oct. 14, 1998 for PROGRAM FOR TRANSFERRING EXECUTION OF CERTAIN CHANNEL FUNCTIONS TO A CONTROL UNIT HAVING MEANS FOR COMBINING CERTAIN COMMANDS AND DATA PACKETS IN ONE SEQUENCE, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,185,631 issued Feb. 6, 2001.
This application incorporates by reference the following patents and publications:
1) Fibre Channel Single Byte-2(FC-SB-
2
) Architecture (AR-6865-00-POK)
2) Fibre Channel (FC-PH) REV 4.3 ANSI X3.230-199x
3) U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,484 to Casper et. al.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides for a computer program device comprising a computer program storage device readable by a digital processing apparatus and a program means on the program storage device and including instructions executable by the digital processing apparatus for performing method steps for transferring of information in a network computing system. The method steps include: sending packets of data consecutively to and from said main storage; transferring execution of certain channel functions to said control unit so that certain commands can be combined with said data packets in one sequence; and sending only one start data command and only one end command notification before and after a plurality of data packets is transferred respectively. In another embodiment, a program storage device readable by a digital processing apparatus and tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the digital processing apparatus to perform method steps for transferring information in a network computing system environment having a main storage coupled to a channel subsystem with a plurality of channels in processing communication with a control unit coupled to an information transfer interface mechanism capable of connecting to one or more input/output devices is provided. Method steps are included comprising: sending packets of data to and from said main storage concurrently; transferring operation of certain channel functions to said control unit so that a start command response or an end notification response is not required after each packet of data is sent; and combining certain commands with associated data within one or more of said packets.
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Casper Daniel F.
Elliott Joseph C.
Backer Firmin
Ehrlich Marc A.
Gonzalez Floyd A.
International Business Machines - Corporation
Sheikh Ayaz
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