JP3227069B2 - Input/Output Processing System - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

FIELD OF THEINVENTION The present invention relates to an input/output processing system in a computer device, and more particularly to an input/output processing system applied to a logical computer system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a single central processing unit (CP
A logical computer system is known as a system that allows multiple operating systems (OS) to run simultaneously on a single operating system (CPU), and divides various computer resources (such as an instruction processor, a main memory device, and input/output channels (hereinafter referred to as "channels") into logical units to realize multiple logical computer operating environments. Regarding channels, a channel sharing function is known that allows a single channel to be used simultaneously by multiple logical computers.
In this channel sharing function, when separate I/O requests are made from different logical computers to an I/O device under the same channel, channel access contention occurs. In the conventional input/output processor (IOP), access control to an I/O device is performed completely independently of the priority of the tasks being executed on each logical computer.
This is done on a first-in, first-out (FIFO) basis.
Therefore, to prevent low-priority logical computers from monopolizing channels and interfering with the operations of high-priority systems, each logical computer is given a different channel, and operations are carried out in a way that takes into consideration the occurrence of channel contention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a conventional input/output processing system. The computer system comprises instruction processors (IP) 201 and 202, a main memory 210, an input/output processor (IOP) 220, channels 131 and 132, an input/output control unit (CU) 14, and a memory controller (RAM) 15.
0, and a plurality of input/output devices 150 and 151. In a general-purpose computer, IP, main memory, IOP,
The channels are collectively referred to as a central processing unit (CPU) 100, and their general configuration and operation are well known. For clarity, the following description will be given with reference to FIG. 7 for a case in which there are two channels, two I/O devices, and two logical computers.

In FIG. 7, the IOP 220 holds a subchannel, which is a table that stores the identification numbers of the CUs 140 connected to the I/O devices 150 and 151 and the identification numbers of the channels 131 and 132, in order to control the I/O operations.
An I/O request from S is notified to IOP 220 by specifying the number of this subchannel.
The I/O request 20 connects an I/O request received from the OS to the end of an I/O request queue (described later), and when starting an I/O request, takes out the I/O request from the head of the I/O request queue.

Prior to initiating an I/O operation, the IOP 220:
CU 140 connected to I/O devices 150 and 151
Depending on the usage status of the channels 131 and 132, it is checked whether or not the input/output request can be initiated.
If the I/O request is busy, the I/O request is left in the queue and the same process is performed on another I/O request that is next in the queue. Regarding the channel status check, if an I/O device is connected to multiple channels, all of the channels are checked (regarding the usage status check for channels 131 and 132, both channels are checked since I/O devices 150 and 151 are connected to both channels).

In the case of a logical computer system, each subchannel is maintained separately for each logical computer even if it corresponds to the same I/O device.
I/O requests from different logical computers to the same I/O device are processed as I/O requests to different subchannels. This also applies when a channel is shared, and I/O requests are started in order of their request time, regardless of the importance or priority of each logical computer.

[0007]

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] As an application of a logical computer, for example, a logical computer system that operates in parallel an online system for executing current business such as online production business and a development system for executing new business program development business can be considered. In a conventional IOP-based input/output processing system under such an operating form, if the development system with a low priority issues frequent input/output requests to an input/output device under a specific channel and the amount of data in such input/output requests is large, the channel is occupied by the logical computer on the development system side, and the execution of input/output processing in the logical computer on the online system with a high priority is delayed, increasing the response time, which can have a negative effect on the online production business.

In the past, the hardware configuration was divided into channels for logical computers with high importance (such as for online business) and channels for logical computers with low importance (such as for development work),
The aim was to avoid the adverse effects on business operations mentioned above.
However, with such a hardware configuration,
There were problems such as a significant increase in the number of channels required to guarantee performance, and a lack of flexibility in the connection configuration between channels and CUs.

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an input/output processing system which solves the above problems, optimizes the allocation of input/output requests to each channel regardless of the hardware configuration related to the channels, and prevents adverse effects on business operations being carried out on each logical computer.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, the input/output processing system of the present invention is a logical computer system in which a plurality of logical computers operating on a single central processing unit perform input/output processing using one or more shared channels, comprising: channel usage allocation management means for registering and managing in advance the channel usage allocation amount for each logical computer in the shared channel; data transfer time measurement means for measuring the data transfer time by each operating logical computer for each shared channel at predetermined intervals and recording the data transfer time in a channel management table corresponding to the shared channel; and input/output processing selection and startup means for determining a channel usage fulfillment rate for each shared channel and logical computer from the data transfer time and the channel usage allocation amount measured and recorded in the data transfer time measurement means, and for preferentially selecting and starting an I/O request from a logical computer whose channel usage fulfillment rate does not reach a predetermined boundary value.

The present invention is also configured to further comprise a channel usage allocation setting means for changing the setting of the channel usage allocation amount in the channel usage allocation management means during operation.

Furthermore, the channel usage allocation setting means is operated by commands from an operating system.

[0013]

Operation The operation based on the above configuration will now be described.

[0014] The input/output processing system of the present invention is a logical computer system in which a plurality of logical computers operating on a single central processing unit perform input/output processing using one or more shared channels, and is configured to comprise a channel usage allocation management means in which the channel usage allocation amount for the shared channel for each logical computer is registered and managed in advance, a data transfer time measurement means for measuring the data transfer time by each operating logical computer for each shared channel at predetermined intervals and recording the data transfer time in a channel management table corresponding to the shared channel, and an input/output processing selection and startup means for calculating a channel usage fulfillment rate for each shared channel and logical computer from the data transfer time and the channel usage allocation amount measured and recorded in the data transfer time measurement means, and for preferentially selecting and starting an input/output request from a logical computer whose channel usage fulfillment rate does not reach a predetermined boundary value.

That is, when judging whether or not to start an I/O request newly taken out of the queue after the end of an I/O process using a certain channel, the data transfer time measured and recorded by the data transfer time measurement means by each logical computer for the channel is used.
Since the I/O requests from logical computers whose channel usage fulfillment rate calculated from the channel usage status (data transfer time) and the channel usage allocation amount previously specified for each logical computer has not reached the boundary value are preferentially started, it is possible to reliably guarantee the I/O performance of each logical computer according to the specified channel usage allocation amount. Therefore, it is possible to optimize the allocation of I/O requests to each channel regardless of the channel-related hardware configuration, and prevent adverse effects on business operations being carried out by each logical computer (such as delays in I/O of other logical computers due to channel occupation by a specific logical computer). As a result of the above, the number of channels required to guarantee I/O performance is reduced, improving the efficiency of use of channels and channel-related hardware, and the degree of freedom in the connection configuration around the channels is increased, making it possible to more flexibly determine the channel-related hardware configuration.

[0016] Furthermore, by configuring the system to further include a channel usage allocation setting means for changing the setting of the channel usage allocation amount in the channel usage allocation management means during operation, it is possible to operate the system while changing the setting of the optimal channel usage allocation amount depending on the input/output load status of the logical computer during the day and night, for example.

[0017] Furthermore, by operating the channel usage allocation setting means with commands from the operating system, it becomes possible to automatically change the channel usage allocation amount from within a business program, making it possible, for example, to automate operations involving changing the setting of the optimal channel usage allocation amount, thereby reducing operating costs.

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of an input/output processing system according to the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a logical computer system including an embodiment of an input/output processing system according to the present invention. In the figure, 100 is a single central processing unit (CP).
Reference numerals 101, 102, and 103 denote logical computers, 110 denotes service ratio setting means (corresponding to the "channel usage distribution setting means" in the claims), 114 denotes a service ratio management table (corresponding to the "channel usage distribution management means" in the claims), 120 denotes priority logical computer determination means, 121 denotes input/output request receiving means, 122 denotes input/output starting means with priority control, 123 denotes an input/output request queue, 124 denotes an interval timer, 130 denotes data transfer time measurement means (corresponding to the "data transfer time measurement means" in the claims), 131 and 132 are channels (corresponding to the "shared channel" in the claims), 133 and 134 denote channel management tables, 140 denotes an input/output control unit (CU), 150 and
Numeral 51 denotes an input/output device, and logical computers 101, 102,
The shared channel service ratios 111, 112, and 113 are defined in advance for each of the priority logical computer determination means 120 and the priority controlled input/output starting means 122.
In addition, the service ratio setting means 110, the service ratio management table 114, and the priority logical computer determination means 12
0, input/output request accepting means 121, input/output starting means with priority control 122, input/output request queue 123, interval timer 124, data transfer time measuring means 130, and channel management tables 133 and 134 correspond to an input/output processor (IOP).

2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the service ratio management table in FIG. 1. When a logical computer is created on the CPU 100 and made available for use, the service ratios 111, 112, and
113 is stored in the service ratio storage area 114b in the service ratio management table 114 by the service ratio setting means 110.
(Hereinafter, the service ratio of logical computer n is written as Sn). At the same time, the service ratios of all logical computers are added up, and the obtained sum is set as the total service ratio St, which is then set in the total service ratio storage area 114a in the service ratio management table 114. The value of the service ratio is stored in the instruction processor (I
The service ratio management table 114 may be set to be proportional to the allocation amount of the CPU (CPU 1, CPU 2, CPU 3, CPU 4, CPU 5, CPU 6, CPU 7, CPU 8, CPU 9, CPU 10, CPU 11, CPU 12, CPU 13, CPU 14, CPU 15, CPU 16, CPU 17, CPU 18, CPU 19, CPU 20, CPU 21, CPU 22, CPU 23, CPU 24, CPU 25, CPU 26, CPU 27, CPU 28, CPU 29, CPU 30, CPU 31, CPU 32, CPU 33, CPU 34, CPU 35, CPU 36, CPU 37, CPU 38, CPU 39 ...
The contents of the setting of 14 can be freely changed during system operation, and the actual setting change is performed by instructions from an operation management program that manages a plurality of logical computers in an integrated manner. This is done by issuing a command for changing the channel service ratio from the OS on the logical computer, and the service ratio is transmitted from the OS to the IOP.
This can be easily achieved by notifying the

[0021] Figure 3 shows an example of the configuration of the I/O request queue in Figure 1. When an I/O request is issued by an I/O start command from the OS running on the logical computer,
The IOP uses the I/O request reception unit 121 to register the I/O request in the I/O request queue 123. The specific contents of each I/O request are stored in the I/O request queue 123.
The I/O request table 300 includes the identification number 301 of the connection channel, the identification number 302 of the logical computer, and the like, and is added to the end of the I/O request queue 123. An I/O device can have multiple channels connected. When multiple connection channels are connected, the identification number 302 of the connection channel in the I/O request table 300 is added to the end of the I/O request queue 123.
Multiple numbers of 02 are also stored.

[0022] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the channel management table in Fig. 1. When the above-mentioned I/O request is registered in the I/O request queue 123, the channel management table 40 corresponding to the identification number 302 of the connected channel in the I/O request table 300 is found, and the value of the pending execution I/O request count 43 corresponding to the logical computer which issued the I/O request in the channel management table 40 is counted up (+1). At this time, if the I/O device which is the target of the I/O request is connected to multiple channels, the corresponding channel management tables 40 are found for all the connected channels, and the corresponding values of the pending execution I/O request count 43 are counted up.

Data transfer time measurement means 130 in FIG.
is a means for measuring the time during which each logical computer executes data transfer using each channel, and accumulates the data transfer time for each logical computer within a predetermined measurement time (interval time).
In response to a signal from the interval timer 124, the data transfer time from the previous measurement to the present time is regarded as the usage time of the logical computer, and this value is recorded in the channel usage time storage area 42 in the channel management table 40 corresponding to the channel for each logical computer, and then measurement of the data transfer time to obtain the next usage time is started. This series of processes is executed for all channels.
Here, the gap value (constant) of the interval time is stored in advance as the interval time Ti in the interval time storage area 41 in each channel management table 40.

5 is a flow chart showing the flow of processing by the priority logical computer determination means in FIG. 1. The priority logical computer determination means 120 starts the processing by the interval timer 124.
The priority logical computer determination means 120 operates at regular intervals in conjunction with the data transfer time measurement means 130 in response to a signal from the priority logical computer determination means 120.
determines a priority logical computer to be preferentially assigned to an available channel based on the channel usage time Tn for each logical computer recorded by the data transfer time measurement means 130 in the channel usage time storage area 42 in the channel management table 40 corresponding to each channel and the contents of the above-mentioned service ratio management table 114, and sets the priority execution mask 45 in the channel management table 40.

In FIG. 5, first, the channel management table 40 corresponding to the channel under consideration is referenced, and the channel usage time Tn of each logical computer n is calculated based on the recorded interval time Ti and the channel usage time Tn of each logical computer n.
The channel usage rate Un of the logical computer 1 is calculated (step 501). For example, if the interval time Ti = 100 (milliseconds), the channel usage time T1 of the logical computer 1 = 70 (milliseconds), and the channel usage time T2 of the logical computer 2 = 20 (milliseconds), then the channel usage rate U1 of the logical computer 1 = 0.7, and the channel usage rate U2 of the logical computer 2 = 0.2.

After the channel usage ratios for all logical computers are calculated in this manner, the service ratio management table 114 is referenced to compare the preset total service ratio St with the service ratio Sn of each logical computer n.
From the value of S1 of logical computer 1 and the value of the channel usage ratio Un of each logical computer n obtained above, the fulfillment rate Jn of the service ratio of each logical computer n is obtained (step 502). For example, if the service ratio S1 of logical computer 1 is 30 and the service ratio S2 of logical computer 2 is 70, then the total service ratio St is 100, and the fulfillment rate J1 of the service ratio of logical computer 1 is 0.7/(30/100)=
Approximately 2.3 Logical computer 2 service ratio fulfillment rate J2 = 0.2/(70/100) =
The result is approximately 0.29. As a result, it is clear that the logical computers 2 whose service ratio fulfillment rate is less than 1 (corresponding to the "predetermined boundary value" in the claims) are not using the shared channel to the extent of the given service ratio (are not performing input/output processing).

Next, based on the value of the fulfillment rate Jn of the service ratio of each logical computer n obtained as described above, the priority execution mask 45 in the channel management table 40 corresponding to the channel under consideration is set (steps 503 and 504).
In the priority execution mask 45, each of the constituent bits corresponds to one logical computer (the leftmost bit is logical computer 1, the next bit is logical computer 2, etc.), and depending on whether the value of the service ratio fulfillment rate Jn is less than 1 (step 503), the priority execution mask 45 is set to "ON" for logical computers whose service ratio fulfillment rate Jn is less than 1 (step 504a), and set to "OFF" for logical computers whose service ratio fulfillment rate Jn is 1 or more (step 504b).
Therefore, in the above example, the logical computer 1 is set to "OFF" and the logical computer 2 is set to "ON".
N”, the priority execution mask 45 is, for example, “40
00H".

By executing the above process for all shared channels (steps 505 and 506), a priority execution mask for the logical computer according to the data transfer time Tn measured and recorded at each interval time Ti is set for each shared channel.

6 is a flow chart showing the flow of processing by the input/output starting means with priority control in FIG 1. As described above, the IOP registers input/output requests issued by the OS running on the logical computer in the input/output request queue 123. The input/output requests registered in the input/output request queue 123 are then sent to the input/output starting means with priority control 122.
The IOPs are sequentially taken out of the queue and judged as to whether or not the I/O process can be started, and either the I/O process is started or the request remains registered in the I/O request queue 123. In general, an IOP holds a status management flag indicating whether a path (channel, CU, etc.) required to execute an I/O process is in use or free (such as the channel usage status flag 44 in the channel management table 40 shown in FIG. 4), and if the path required by the I/O request is not free, the I/O request is not started and remains registered in the I/O request queue 123. The I/O processing system of this embodiment further checks the priority execution mask described above.

In FIG. 6, the I/O request queue 123
The I/O request is taken from the top of the
1), checking whether the CU connected to the I/O device that is the target of the I/O request is in use or not (step 60
After performing 2), if the CU is not in use,
A check is then made to see if any of the channels connected to the NIC are in use (step 603). If there is a channel that is not in use, a check is made on that channel using the priority execution mask (steps 604 and 605).
5). That is, the logical computer which issued the I/O request is identified by the logical computer identification number 303 in the I/O request table 300 retrieved from the I/O request queue 123, and then the channel management table 40 corresponding to the channel is referenced to determine whether the priority execution mask of the logical computer which issued the I/O request is "ON" (step 604). If it is "ON", the process branches to step 610 to start the I/O processing for the I/O request.

On the other hand, if the priority execution mask is "OFF" in step 604, the channel management table 40 is again referenced to check the priority execution masks and pending execution I/O requests of other logical computers (step 60
5), if the priority execution mask is "ON" and the number of pending I/O requests is not 0, this means that there are other I/O requests that should be prioritized for execution on the channel, so the process branches to step 606 to check other channels (step 607). If no channel that meets the conditions is found even after checking other channels (step 606=YES),
S), the I/O request to be processed is connected to the end of the I/O request queue 123, and left in the queue, with its execution put on hold (step 620).

If, in step 605, the priority execution masks of all other logical computers are "OFF" or the number of pending I/O requests of all other logical computers is 0, there are no other pending I/O requests that should be executed with priority, so the process branches to step 610 and starts I/O processing for the I/O request. When starting I/O processing, the value of the number of pending I/O requests of the logical computer that made the I/O request in the channel management table 40 corresponding to all channels connected to the target I/O device is counted down (step 61
0).

[0033]

As described above in detail, according to the input/output processing system of the present invention, when determining whether or not to activate an input/output request newly taken out of a queue after the end of an input/output process using a certain channel, the input/output request from a logical computer whose channel utilization fulfillment rate calculated from the past (within the previous interval) channel utilization status (data transfer time) measured and recorded by the data transfer time measurement means and the channel utilization allocation amount previously specified for each logical computer has not reached a boundary value is preferentially activated, so that the input/output performance of each logical computer can be reliably guaranteed according to the specified channel utilization allocation amount. Therefore, it is possible to obtain an effect that the allocation of input/output requests to each channel is optimized regardless of the channel-related hardware configuration, and adverse effects on business operations being carried out by each logical computer (such as delays in input/output of other logical computers due to channel occupation by a specific logical computer) can be prevented. In addition, the number of channels required to guarantee input/output performance can be reduced, improving the efficiency of use of channels and channel-related hardware, and the degree of freedom in the connection configuration around the channels is increased, allowing the channel-related hardware configuration to be determined more flexibly.

[0034] Furthermore, by configuring the system to further include a channel usage allocation setting means for changing the setting of the channel usage allocation amount in the channel usage allocation management means during operation, it is possible to obtain the effect of being able to operate the system while changing the setting of the optimal channel usage allocation amount depending on, for example, the input/output load status of the logical computer during the day and at night.

[0035] Furthermore, by operating the channel usage allocation setting means with the commands of the operating system, it becomes possible to automatically change the channel usage allocation amount from within the business program, thereby achieving the effect of reducing operating costs by automating operations that involve changing the setting of the optimal channel usage allocation amount, for example.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a logical computer system including an input/output processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a service ratio management table in FIG.

3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an input/output request queue in FIG. 1;

4 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of a channel management table in FIG. 1;

5 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing by a priority logical computer determination unit in FIG. 1;

6 is a flowchart showing a process flow of an input/output starting means with priority control in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a conventional input/output processing system.

[Explanation of symbols]

100 CPU 101, 102, 103 Logical computer 110 Service ratio setting means 114 Service ratio management table 120 Priority logical computer determination means 121 Input/output request reception means 122 Input/output start means with priority control 123 Input/output request queue 124 Interval timer 130 Data transfer time measurement means 131, 132 Channel 40, 133, 134 Channel management table 140 Input/output control unit (CU) 150, 151 Input/output device

Continued from the front page (56) References JP-A-6-195293 (JP, A) JP-A-6-348601 (JP, A) JP-A-6-35730 (JP, A) JP-A-6-35725 (JP, A) JP-A-63-121956 (JP, A) JP-A-2-226355 (JP, A) JP-A-4-175956 (JP, A) (58) Field of investigation (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G06F 13/10 - 13/14 G06F 9/46

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] [Claim 1] A logical computer system in which a plurality of logical computers operating on a single central processing unit perform input/output processing using one or more shared channels, comprising: a channel usage allocation management means for registering and managing in advance the channel usage allocation amount for each logical computer; a data transfer time measurement means for measuring the data transfer time by each operating logical computer for each shared channel at predetermined intervals and recording the measured data transfer time in a channel management table corresponding to the shared channel; and an input/output processing selection and startup means for calculating a channel usage fulfillment rate for each shared channel and logical computer from the data transfer time and the channel usage allocation amount measured and recorded in the data transfer time measurement means, and for preferentially selecting and starting an I/O request from a logical computer whose channel usage fulfillment rate does not reach a predetermined boundary value. 2. The input/output processing system according to claim 1, further comprising a channel usage allocation setting means for changing the setting of the channel usage allocation amount value in said channel usage allocation management means during operation. 3. The input/output processing system according to claim 2, wherein said channel usage allocation setting means is operated by a command from an operating system.