Data processing: structural design – modeling – simulation – and em – Emulation – Of instruction
Reexamination Certificate
1997-11-24
2001-02-06
Teska, Kevin J. (Department: 2763)
Data processing: structural design, modeling, simulation, and em
Emulation
Of instruction
C703S024000, C703S027000, C710S005000, C711S004000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06185521
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates generally to the field of digital computer systems and more particularly to systems and methods for allowing emulation of mainframe channel programs by “open systems” computer systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
“Enterprise” computing systems, that is, computer systems for use in large-scale computing environments such as offices and research laboratories in which rapid processing and manipulation of large amounts of data is required, in the past have been built around large and expensive mainframe computers. Because of their expense, mainframe computers have typically been shared among a number of users, and with the processing power being allocated to particular users based on a number of criteria. However, as the computing power of personal computers, workstations, and the like has increased, they have become more widely used in enterprise computer systems. Unlike mainframe computers, personal computers, workstations and the like are relatively inexpensive devices which are distributed among workers in the enterprise. One advantage that mainframe computers have over personal computers and workstations, however, is that they (the mainframe computers) more easily provide for sharing of the same data and programs, which can be important in an enterprise environment. To facilitate program and data sharing among personal computers and workstations, networks have been developed over which one personal computer or workstation can make use of data and programs on another “remote” device, in general by causing the data and programs to be “downloaded,” that is, transferred to it for processing. In addition, a personal computer or workstation can, typically over a communications medium such as the public telephony system, engage in a communications session with another remote device in which it effectively operates as a terminal on the remote device, enabling the remote device to process programs using data input that it provides.
Typically, when personal computers and workstations are introduced in an enterprise environment, either in addition to or as a replacement for a mainframe computer, it is desired that they (the personal computers and workstations) be able to perform at least some processing operations which are similar to those that were or are being performed by the mainframe computer system. Since programs for controlling these operations have already been prepared for the mainframe computer systems, and have been verified and enhanced over long periods of usage, it would be preferable to merely re-compile the programs for processing by the personal computers and workstations. A problem arises, however, since the architectures of mass storage subsystems which are used with mainframe computer systems, and the mechanism by which data is obtained from and stored in such subsystems, typically differs significantly from those that are used in connection with personal computers and workstations. This problem may be addressed by, for example, reformatting and re-structuring the data that is stored in the mass storage subsystems according to the storage architectures of the personal computers and workstations, but this may require significant changes to the programs during the re-compilation process, which can introduce errors in the programs. In addition, if the data is re-formatted and restructured to accommodate the needs of personal computers and workstations, that may preclude or complicate sharing of the data with the mainframe computers which may also be present in the system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a new and improved system and method for facilitating emulation of a mainframe channel program by an “open systems” computer system.
In brief summary, the invention in one aspect provides a digital computer system comprising a mass storage subsystem and an “open systems” computer system. The mass storage subsystem includes a storage device for storing data and an access control for performing an access operation in connection with the storage device in response to a channel program received thereby in at least one channel program information transfer packet. The channel program includes at least one channel command and the supplementary channel command processing information useful in processing the at least one channel command. The “open systems” computer system performs processing operations in response to programs. During at least one the processing operation, the “open systems” computer system generates a channel program, including at least one the channel command and the supplementary channel command processing information useful in processing the at least one channel command, and transfers the channel program in the at least one channel program information transfer packet to the mass storage subsystem to initiate an access operation.
In another aspect, the invention provides a method of operating a digital computer system comprising an “open systems” computer system mass storage subsystem and a mass storage subsystem. The mass storage subsystem includes a storage device for storing data and an access control for performing an access operation in connection with the storage device. In accordance with the method “open systems” computer system is enabled to generate a channel program, including at least one channel command and supplementary channel command processing information useful in processing the at least one channel command, and transfer the channel program in at least one channel program information transfer packet to the mass storage subsystem to initiate an access operation. The mass storage subsystem is enabled to receive the at least one channel program information transfer packet and perform a the access operation in connection with the storage device in response to the channel program received thereby in the at least one channel program information transfer packet.
In yet another aspect, the invention provides an “open systems” computer program product for use in controlling operations of an “open systems” computer system in a digital computer system. The digital computer system comprises the “open systems” computer system and a mass storage subsystem, the mass storage subsystem storing data for access during an access operation, to facilitate an access operation in connection with the mass storage subsystem. The “open systems” computer program product comprises a computer-readable medium having recorded thereon channel program generation code devices and channel program transfer code devices. The channel program generation code devices enable the “open systems” computer system to generate a channel program, the channel program comprising at least one channel command and supplementary channel command processing information useful in processing the at least one channel command. The channel program transfer code devices enable the “open systems” computer system to transfer the channel program in at least one channel program information transfer packet to the mass storage subsystem to initiate an access operation.
In yet a further aspect, the invention provides a mass storage subsystem computer program product for use in controlling operations of a mass storage subsystem in a digital computer system, the digital computer system comprising the “open systems” computer system and the mass storage subsystem, the mass storage subsystem storing data for access during an access operation, to facilitate an access operation in connection with the mass storage subsystem, the mass storage subsystem computer program product comprises a computer-readable medium having recorded thereon channel program transfer code devices and access operation control code devices. The channel program transfer code devices enable the a mass storage subsystem to receive the at least one channel program information transfer packet. The access operation control code devices enable the mass storage subsystem to perform a the access operation in connection with the storage device in response to the channel program received there
Broda Samuel
EMC Corporation
Fitzgerald Leanne J.
Gunther John M.
Teska Kevin J.
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