Synchronous input/output commands writing to multiple targets

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9710171-B2
Application number	US-201514872914-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 1, 2015
Priority date	Oct 1, 2015
Publication date	Jul 18, 2017
Grant date	Jul 18, 2017

Abstract

Aspects include communicating synchronous input/output (I/O) commands between an operating system and a recipient. Communicating synchronous I/O commands includes issuing a first synchronous I/O command with a first initiation bit set, where the first synchronous I/O command cause a first mailbox command to be initiated by the recipient with respect to a first storage control unit. Further, communicating synchronous I/O commands issuing a second synchronous I/O command with a second initiation bit set, where the second synchronous I/O command causes a second mailbox command to be initiated by the recipient with respect to at least one subsequent storage control unit. Communicating synchronous I/O commands also includes issuing a third synchronous I/O command with a first completion bit set in response to the first mailbox command being initiated and issuing a fourth synchronous I/O command with a second completion bit set in response to the first mailbox command being initiated.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer program product, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions for communicating synchronous input/output (I/O) commands between an operating system and a recipient embodied therewith, the operating system and the recipient executing on a processor coupled to a memory, the program instructions executable by the processor to cause the operating system to perform:
issuing, to the recipient, a first synchronous I/O command with a first initiation bit set, the first synchronous I/O command causing a first mailbox command to be initiated by the recipient with respect to a first storage control unit;
receiving control of the first storage control unit from the recipient based on the first mailbox command being initiated;
issuing, to the recipient, a second synchronous I/O command with a second initiation bit set, the second synchronous I/O command causing a second mailbox command to be initiated by the recipient with respect to at least one subsequent storage control unit;
receiving control of the second storage control unit from the recipient based on the second mailbox command being initiated,
wherein the first and second mailbox commands respectively cause data transfers to the first and the at least one subsequent storage control units to occur in parallel;
issuing, to the recipient, a third synchronous I/O command with a first completion bit set in response to the first mailbox command being initiated;
issuing, to the recipient, a fourth synchronous I/O command with a second completion bit set in response to the second mailbox command being initiated,
receiving, from the recipient, a first synchronous I/O complete command in response to the third synchronous I/O command; and
receiving, from the recipient, a second synchronous I/O complete command in response to the fourth synchronous I/O command.

2. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the recipient is firmware of the processor.

3. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the first synchronous I/O complete command identifies that a data transfer corresponding to the first mailbox command is complete.

4. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the second synchronous I/O complete command identifies that a data transfer corresponding to the second mailbox command is complete.

5. A system, comprising a processor and a memory storing program instructions for communicating synchronous input/output (I/O) commands between an operating system and a recipient thereon, the operating system and the recipient executing on the processor, the program instructions executable by the processor to cause the operating system to perform:
issuing, to the recipient, a first synchronous I/O command with a first initiation bit set, the first synchronous I/O command causing a first mailbox command to be initiated by the recipient with respect to a first storage control unit;
receiving control of the first storage control unit from the recipient based on the first mailbox command being initiated;
issuing, to the recipient, a second synchronous I/O command with a second initiation bit set, the second synchronous I/O command causing a second mailbox command to be initiated by the recipient with respect to at least one subsequent storage control unit;
receiving control of the second storage control unit from the recipient based on the second mailbox command being initiated;
issuing, to the recipient, a third synchronous I/O command with a first completion bit set in response to the first mailbox command being initiated;
issuing, to the recipient, a fourth synchronous I/O command with a second completion bit set in response to the second mailbox command being initiated,
receiving, from the recipient, a first synchronous I/O complete command in response to the third synchronous I/O command; and
receiving, from the recipient, a second synchronous I/O complete command in response to the fourth synchronous I/O command.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the recipient is firmware of the processor.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the first synchronous I/O complete command identifies that a data transfer corresponding to the first mailbox command is complete.

8. The system of claim 5 , wherein the second synchronous I/O complete command identifies that a data transfer corresponding to the second mailbox command is complete.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Craddock David F
• Sutton Peter G
• Yudenfriend Harry M

Classifications

• G06F13/102 Primary

  where the program performs an interfacing function, e.g. device driver (G06F13/105 takes precedence; contention policies within device drivers G06F9/4881; scheduling within device drivers G06F9/52) · CPC title

• G06F3/0613 Primary

  in relation to throughput · CPC title

• G06F3/0683

  Plurality of storage devices · CPC title

• G06F3/0659

  Command handling arrangements, e.g. command buffers, queues, command scheduling · CPC title

• G06F3/0673

  Single storage device · CPC title