Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/ – Input/output data processing – Concurrent input/output processing and data transfer
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-14
2001-05-08
Lee, Thomas (Department: 2182)
Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/
Input/output data processing
Concurrent input/output processing and data transfer
C710S021000, C710S005000, C710S001000, C710S120000, C710S033000, C709S237000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06230218
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates in general to transferring information between a main storage and input/output devices in a data processing system, and in particular to an apparatus for increasing the information transferring capacity of the data processing system including techniques for reducing the number of operations required to perform certain I/O functions and for increasing the amounts and types of information that may be transferred during operations.
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, applications: U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/172,488 filed Oct. 14, 1998 by Daniel F. Casper et al. For MULTIPLEXING OF MULTIPLE DATA PACKETS FOR MULTIPLE INPUT/OUTPUT OPERATIONS BETWEEN MULTIPLE INPUT/OUTPUT DEVICES AND A CHANNEL SUBSYSTEM HAVING MULTIPLE; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/172,695 filed Oct. 14, 1998 by Daniel F. Casper et al. for PROGRAM FOR TRANSFERRING EXECUTION OF CERTAIN CHANNEL FUNCTIONS TO A CONTROL UNIT AND HAVING MEANS FOR COMBINING CERTAIN COMMANDS AND DATA PACKETS IN ONE SEQUENCE; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/172,488 filed Oct. 14, 1998 by Daniel F. Casper et al. for TRANSFER OF INFORMATION USING OPTICAL FIBER CONNECTIONS.
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 an apparatus for transferring information in a network computing system environment. The apparatus comprises of a main storage and an information transfer interface mechanism in processing communication with the main storage. The interface mechanism is capable of coupling to a plurality of input/output devices. The apparatus also comprises of means for transferring a packet of data between the interface mechanism and the main storage and means for concurrently transferring and processing a plurality of other packets of data between the interface mechanism and said main storage. The interface mechanism in one embodiment of the present invention also comprises of a plurality of control units capable of coupling to the plurality of input output devices and channel subsystem having a plurality of channels in processing communication with the control units and the main storage. At least one control unit is dedicated to each input/output device. The interface mechanism can also comprise a fabric or a plurality of optical fiber and switches. The network environment can also include a storage control element in processing communication with the main storage and channel subsystem and coupled to at least one central processing unit.
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Casper Daniel F.
Elliott Joseph C.
Gonzalez Floyd A.
International Business Machines - Corporation
Lee Thomas
Neff Lily
Schuster Katharina
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