公开(公告)号：US5771367A

公开(公告)日：1998-06-23

申请号：US550184

申请日：1995-10-30

申请人： Brent Cameron Beardsley ,  Lawrence Carter Blount ,  Gail Andrea Spear ,  Vern John Legvold

发明人： Brent Cameron Beardsley ,  Lawrence Carter Blount ,  Gail Andrea Spear ,  Vern John Legvold

IPC分类号： G06F11/14 ,  G06F11/20 ,  G06F12/16 ,  G06F11/08 ,  G06F13/00

CPC分类号： G06F11/1666 ,  G06F11/1435 ,  G06F11/20

摘要： An improved storage controller and method for storing and recovering data. The storage controller includes a first cluster for directing data from a host computer to a storage device and a second cluster for directing data from a host computer to a storage device. A first cache memory is connected to the first cluster and a second cache memory is connected to the second cluster. A first nonvolatile memory is connected to the second cluster and a second nonvolatile memory is connected to the first cluster. The first and second cache memories and the first and second nonvolatile stores are thus "cross-coupled" to the first and second clusters to provide improved data recovery capability. Data is directed to the first cache and backed up to the first nonvolatile memory in a first operational mode. In the event of failure of the first nonvolatile memory, data is recovered from the first cache memory. In a particular embodiment, in the event of failure of the first nonvolatile memory, data is directed from the first cache memory to the second cache memory. The cache memories and nonvolatile stores may also be formed on separate power boundaries. By allowing for use of the first cache after failure of an associated nonvolatile memory, a system and technique for mitigating performance degradation in a storage control unit due to a failure in nonvolatile memory associated therewith may be obtained.

摘要翻译： 一种用于存储和恢复数据的改进的存储控制器和方法。 存储控制器包括用于将数据从主计算机引导到存储设备的第一集群和用于将数据从主计算机引导到存储设备的第二集群。 第一高速缓存存储器连接到第一集群，并且第二高速缓存存储器连接到第二集群。 第一非易失性存储器连接到第二集群，并且第二非易失性存储器连接到第一集群。 因此，第一和第二高速缓存存储器以及第一和第二非易失性存储器“交叉耦合”到第一和第二集群以提供改进的数据恢复能力。 数据被引导到第一缓存并在第一操作模式中备份到第一非易失性存储器。 在第一非易失性存储器发生故障的情况下，从第一高速缓冲存储器恢复数据。 在特定实施例中，在第一非易失性存储器发生故障的情况下，将数据从第一高速缓存存储器引导到第二高速缓冲存储器。 高速缓冲存储器和非易失性存储器也可以形成在分开的功率边界上。 通过允许在关联的非易失性存储器故障之后使用第一高速缓存，可以获得用于减轻存储控制单元中由于与其相关联的非易失性存储器中的故障而导致的性能下降的系统和技术。