Patent ID: 7185124
Filing Date: 2007-02-27
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A disk array apparatus comprising: a high order adaptor connected to a high order apparatus, for receiving data from said high order apparatus; memories for storing data written and read to and from said high order adaptor and control information; disk adaptors for controlling transfer of the data stored in said memories; a plurality of disk drives including first to fourth groups of a plurality of disk drives each storing the data, wherein said first group of a plurality of disk drives and said second group of a plurality of disk drives are arranged in row, and said third group of a plurality of disk drives and said fourth group of a plurality of disk drives are arranged in row different from the row of said first and second groups of a plurality of disk drives; a first data relay device for connecting a first group of a plurality of data transfer paths wired in a direction orthogonally intersecting said row direction and to be connected to said first group of a plurality of disk drives through a first loop-like data transfer path, and for serially transferring the data transferred from said disk adaptor to said first group of a plurality of data transfer paths through said first loop-like data transfer path; a second data relay device for connecting a second group of a plurality of data transfer paths wired in a direction orthogonally intersecting said row direction and to be connected to said second group of a plurality of disk drives through a second loop-like data transfer path, and for serially transferring the data transferred from said disk adaptor to said second group of a plurality of data transfer paths through said second loop-like data transfer path; a third data relay device for connecting a third group of a plurality of data transfer paths wired in a direction orthogonally intersecting said row direction and to be connected to said third group of a plurality of disk drives through a third loop-like data transfer path, and for serially transferring the data transferred from said disk adaptor to said third group of a plurality of data transfer paths through said third loop-like data transfer path; and a fourth data relay device for connecting a fourth group of a plurality of data transfer paths wired in a direction orthogonally intersecting said row direction and to be connected to said fourth group of a plurality of disk drives through a fourth loop-like data transfer path, and for serially transferring the data transferred from said disk adaptor to said fourth group of a plurality of data transfer paths through said fourth loop-like data transfer path; said first and third relay devices being interposed between said first group of a plurality of disk drives and said third group of a plurality of disk drives; said second and fourth relay devices being interposed between said second group of a plurality of disk drives and said fourth group of a plurality of disk drives.