Patent ID: 6349351
Filing Date: 2002-02-19
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A data transfer apparatus for data transfer between devices including:a central processing unit; a main memory unit; a primary bus to which the central processing unit and the main memory unit are connected for data transfer between the central processing unit and the main memory unit; a plurality of secondary buses, at least some of the secondary buses being connected to the primary bus through bus couplers; a plurality of storage devices and a plurality of data processing devices connected to respective secondary buses and communicating via a plurality of transfer paths including at least one of the secondary buses, so that data is transferred between the storage devices and the data processing devices via at least one of the plurality of transfer paths; a table in the main memory for storing relative positions of the storage devices in the apparatus, relative positions of the plurality of data processing devices in the apparatus, and the data transfer efficiencies of the respective transfer paths; a data transfer control module for identifying whether data transfer between the storage devices and the data processing devices only via secondary buses is possible, based on the relative positions of the plurality of storage devices in the apparatus, the relative positions of the plurality of data processing devices in the apparatus, and the data transfer efficiency of the plurality of transfer paths stored in the table; and a volume management module specifying a combination of storage devices to and from which the data can be transferred, based on the relative positions of the plurality of storage devices in the apparatus, the relative positions of the plurality of data processing devices in the apparatus, and the data transfer efficiencies of the respective transfer paths.