JPH03240121A - Automatic reserving system for information medium - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an operation control method of an automatic media storage system, and is applicable to database backups and other cases where the processing order of media is determined in advance. The present invention relates to a system that supplies a medium to a recording/reproducing device and improves response performance.

[Conventional technology]

Improvements in business efficiency using computers are underway in various fields such as distribution, finance, securities, and manufacturing. As a result, large-capacity storage systems that can store large amounts of data necessary for business execution have become essential. Against this background, the technology of automated warehouse systems developed in the fields of manufacturing and distribution has come to be applied to systems for storing computer storage media. That is, a plurality of shelves capable of storing a large amount of information media, a plurality of recording/playback devices for processing the media, a handling device for transporting the media between the storage shelves and the recording/playback devices, and This system has a control computer and automatically stores media in response to requests from users. In such an information media automatic storage system,
Normally, automatic media operations are performed using the following procedure.

(1) A user requests a host computer to record data on a medium or reproduce data from a medium.

(2) The host computer checks the identification number of the medium requested by the user and the recording/playback device used to process the medium, and sends a mount request to the storage system controller, that is, stores the medium requested by the user. It issues a request to be transported from the shelf to a recording/playback device and to be applied to that device.

(3) The controller determines the storage location of the media and records 1. / Check the physical location of the playback device and instruct the handling device to “transport the medium from where to where.”

(4) The handling device performs the work of mounting the medium according to the instructions.

(5) When the data recording/reproducing process on the medium is completed, the host computer issues a request to the controller to demount the medium, that is, to remove it from the recording/reproducing device and return it to the original shelf. The controller performs a demounting operation in which the handling device returns the medium from the recording/playback device to the original shelf in the same manner as in the mounting operation.

Incidentally, related technologies of this type are described in the May 11, 1987 issue of Nikkei Computer Magazine, page 165, etc.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In the series of medium operations described above, the medium transporting operation by the handling device takes several tens of seconds, accounting for most of the total time required. Therefore, there is a high possibility that the media transport work will become a bottleneck in input/output processing, and how efficiently this work can be performed is the key to improving response performance.

By the way, in ordinary calculation centers, jobs are often scheduled in advance for regular batch processing work. For example, in the case of database backup processing, calculations are made such as from what time to what time to use what recording/playback device and from what volume serial number to what tape to make the backup. It is an object of the present invention to improve response performance by supplying necessary media to the recording/reproducing device before a media processing request is issued using this schedule information.

[Means to solve the problem]

(1) Buffer A buffer is installed for each recording/playback device, and temporarily stores a medium for which a processing request will be generated by the recording/playback device in the future before a processing request is generated. The buffer automatically supplies the necessary media to the recording/playback device when a request occurs, and automatically retrieves the processed medium when the recording/playback process is completed. The processed media in the buffer is then returned to the original shelf by the handling device.

(2) Job schedule information management means Manages the number of the medium required by each job whose execution order is determined in advance, the number of the recording/playback device that mounts it, and manages the progress of the execution status of each job. .

(3) Media buffer storage management means The job start time of the job schedule information is monitored at any time, and if there is no work to be performed by the handling device at a certain time,
The handling device searches for a job that has not yet been executed from the job schedule information, and transports the necessary media from the shelf to the buffer corresponding to the recording/playback device designated by the job and stores it.

(4) Buffer storage medium return management means Monitors whether the amount of media stored in the buffer is larger than a predetermined value based on the buffer status management data, and if the value is larger, the handling device ejects the medium from the buffer and returns it to the original one. Return to shelf.

(5) Buffer operation execution management means The buffer checks which buffer and where the medium is needed based on the buffer status management data, and automatically supplies the medium to the recording/reproducing device. It also checks which buffer and which medium is the processed medium, and collects the medium from the recording/playback device to the buffer.

[Effect]

In order to achieve the above object, a buffer is provided for each recording/playback device, which has a function of temporarily storing the medium, automatically supplying the medium to the recording/playback device, and automatically collecting the medium from the recording/playback device. Then, based on the job scheduling information, necessary media are stored in the buffer from the column before a request to mount the media is issued. As a result, when a mount request occurs, it is possible to quickly supply the medium to the recording/reproducing device using the automatic buffer supply function. Further, the medium for which processing has been completed is collected from the recording/playback device using the automatic buffer collection function 1. This makes it possible to quickly supply the medium for primary use to the recording/reproducing device.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 12. 6 FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an information medium automatic storage system that is an embodiment of the present invention.

The processing device l is a host computer, and has an operating system 101 and a job scheduling management 102.
and job scheduling management 103.

The processing device 2 is a controller that performs execution management of the entire system, and includes a mount/demount management section 104. Buffer storage medium return management unit 105゜Media buffer storage management unit 106. Buffer medium supply/recovery instruction section 107. Handling device mount/demount instruction section 108. Buffer storage return instruction section 109. Media buffer storage instruction section 1
10° recording/playback device controller 111. Buffer controller 112. Handling device controller 11
3. Media storage location data 114. Buffer status management data 115. It consists of a mount/demount work table 116.

As shown in FIG. 3, the job scheduling information 103 includes a job number, job start time, requested medium identification number,
It consists of a recording/playback device number and a flag indicating whether the job was executed.

As shown in FIG. 4, the media storage location data 114 includes the media identification number, the location of the media storage shelf, and the location where the media is actually located (
For example, if it is in a recording/playback device, the device number), the storage location if it is on a shelf other than a shelf, and the current state of the medium (for example, during recording/playback processing).

The buffer status management data 115 is as shown in FIG.
It consists of a buffer number, capacity, medium storage amount, storage medium information, a position where the medium enters and exits from the recording/reproducing device, and a storage limit setting value. The storage medium information includes the position within the buffer, the storage medium identification number, and whether or not processing has been completed for the storage medium.

As shown in FIG. 2, the mount/demount work table 116 includes information on whether the work No. 2 is a mount or a demount, and the start and end points of the request generation time 9 work. When a mount request arrives from the operating system, it is registered in this table, and when the request is completed, it is deleted from the table.

The media storage shelf 3 stores media. A handling device 4 for transporting media between the shelf and the recording/playback device can access any shelf by traveling vertically and horizontally along the shelf. The device 5 is a recording/playback device, and the buffer 6 has a function of temporarily storing the medium, a function of automatically supplying the medium to the recording/playback device, and a function of automatically collecting the medium from the recording/playback device. .

In the buffer 6, as shown in FIG. 11, a shelf 1101 for temporarily storing the medium is installed for each recording/playback device 1102, and a roller 1103 automatically supplies the medium to the recording/playback device. Collect the media from the recording/playback device. Gear 1104 moved shelf 1101 up and down, allowing automatic feeding and retrieval of any media in the buffer regardless of the order in which it was stored in the buffer.

In this embodiment, if there is no work on the mount/demount work table, it is determined that the handling device is idle.

First, we will show how to store media into the buffer.

The media buffer storage means stores media that will be needed in the near future in a buffer corresponding to a designated recording/playback device based on job scheduling information. Once the handling device stores the medium in the buffer, it updates state management data for the medium and buffer.

The process will be explained in detail below according to the flowchart shown in FIG.

5tep601: Input the initial value 0 into the counter C.

This counter is used to count the number of jobs that refer to whether media is placed in the buffer or not, in order to prevent overfilling the buffer with requested media.

5tep602: Check whether there is any work on the mount/demount work table.

5tep603: If there is no work, 5tep60
Proceed to step 4. If so, this process ends.

5tep604: Compare counters C and N. , N is a limit value of the job that refers to whether or not to put a medium in the buffer. If C is smaller than N, the process advances to step 605; otherwise, the process ends.

5step605: From job scheduling information,
Look for ones that aren't running jobs yet.

5tep606: If there is a job at 5tep605, proceed to 5tep607; if there is no job, end this process.

5tep607: Add 1 to C.

5tep608: It is checked from the medium storage position data whether or not a medium is still stored in the buffer corresponding to the recording/playback device specified in the job of 5tep605.

5tep609: If the medium has already been stored in 5tep608, proceed to 5tep602. If not,
Proceed to 5 step 610.

5tep610: If the recording/reproducing device state management data as shown in FIG. 12 indicates that a medium is contained in the designated recording/reproducing device, the process advances to 5tep612.

If not, proceed to 5step 611.

The status management data of the recording/playback device includes the recording/playback device number, the medium identification number in the recording/playback device, a flag indicating whether or not processing is in progress if the medium is inserted, and whether the medium is in the recording/playback device. It consists of a flag indicating whether or not it is present.

5tep611: The handling device is 5tep6
The medium requested by job 05 is transported directly to the recording/playback device.

5tep612: Check whether the amount of media stored in the buffer is larger than a predetermined value based on the status management data of the buffer corresponding to the recording/playback device specified in the job in 5tep605.

5tep613: If the value is larger than the predetermined value in 5tep612, proceed to 5tep602. If not, proceed to 5step 614.

5step 614: The handling device transports the medium requested in Step 605 from the shelf to the buffer.

5tep615: Update media storage area position data and buffer status management data. Proceed to step 5602.

In this way, by temporarily storing the medium in the buffer, when a request occurs, it is only necessary to load the medium from the buffer into the recording/playback device, and the medium can be mounted more quickly than in the past.

Next, we will show how to return media from the buffer.

The buffer storage medium return means monitors whether the medium storage amount of the buffer status management data is larger than a predetermined value, and if the value is larger than the predetermined value, the processed medium recovered in the buffer is returned. is returned to the shelf from which it was ejected from the buffer.

Hereinafter, the process will be explained in detail according to the flowchart shown in FIG.

Step 701: Check whether there is work on the mount/demount work table.

5tep702: If there is no work, 5tep70
If there is, proceed to 5 step 703.

5tep703: Check whether the storage amount of the medium in the buffer is larger than a predetermined value based on the status management data of the buffer corresponding to the recording/reproducing device containing the medium for which processing has been completed.

5tep704: If the value is larger than the predetermined value in 5tep703, proceed to 5tep705. If not, this process ends.

5tep705: The handling device returns the processed medium stored in the buffer to the original shelf.

5tep706: Update media storage position data and buffer status management data. Proceed to 5step 701.

In this way, the media can be returned from the buffer to the original shelf without delaying the mounting operation.

Next, according to the flowchart of FIG. 8, a general processing procedure for a computer job that performs data recording/reproduction processing using the information medium automatic storage system of the present invention will be explained.

5tep 801: (Mount request) The operating system issues a mount request indicating which medium to which recording/playback device, and sends the medium identification number and recording/playback device number to the system controller. .

5tep802: (Physical address conversion) 5te
From p804, the receiver converts the obtained identification number into coordinates indicating the physical location within the system.

Step 803: Determine whether the medium requested to be mounted is in the buffer corresponding to the recording/playback device to be mounted. If the requested medium is in the buffer, Ste
Proceed to ρ806, and if there is none, proceed to 5step 804.

5tep804: Upon receiving the instruction from 5tep803, issue an instruction to the handling device to transport the requested medium from the storage shelf or another buffer to the recording/playback device.

5tep805: Upon receiving the instruction from 5tep804, the handling device transports the medium to the recording/playback device and mounts it. Proceed to step 5808.

5tep806: If there is a medium in the buffer in 5tep803, an instruction is issued to the buffer to mount the requested medium in the buffer on the recording/production device.

5tep 807: Upon receiving the instruction from 5tep 806, the buffer mounts the requested medium on the recording/playback device.

5tep808: Update buffer status management data and media storage location management data.

5tep809: (Job execution) The operating system executes the job. Instructs the recording/reproducing device to perform recording/reproducing processing on the medium upon execution.

5tep810: Upon receiving the instruction from 5tep809, the recording/playback device performs recording/playback processing.

5tep811: (Job end) When the job ends, the operating system performs regular job execution processing.

5tep812: (Demount request) The operating system issues a demount request to return the medium that has been processed by the recording/playback device to its original storage shelf.

5tep813: Determine whether the medium storage amount of the buffer corresponding to the recording/reproducing device for which processing has been completed is greater than a predetermined value. If it is large, 5tep816
If not, proceed to Step 814.

5tep814: Upon receiving the instruction from 5tep813, issue an instruction to the handling device to return the processed medium from the recording/playback device to the original storage shelf.

5tep815: Upon receiving the instruction from 5tep813, the handling device returns the medium to the original storage shelf. Proceed to 5step 819.

5tep816: If the buffer medium storage amount is smaller than the predetermined value in 5tep813, check whether there is any work in the mount/demount work table. If there is work to be done, proceed to Steρ817, otherwise go to 5t
Proceed to ep814.

5tep817: If there is work on the mount/demount work table in 5tep816, an instruction is issued to the buffer to collect the processed medium from the recording/playback device.

5tep818: Upon receiving the instruction from 5tep817, the buffer collects the processed medium from the recording/playback device.

5tep819: Update buffer status management data and media storage location management data.

Next, according to the flowchart of FIG. 9, a method of performing the work of storing the medium in the buffer and the work of returning the medium from the buffer at the same time will be described.

5tep901: The handling device transports the medium requested for processing to the buffer corresponding to the designated recording/playback device.

5tep902: The handling device checks whether or not there is a medium for which processing has been completed in the buffer that transported the medium in 5tep901, based on the buffer status management data.

5tep903: 5 if there is a medium in 5tep902
Proceed to step 904, and if not, end this process.

5tep904: The handling device returns the medium found in 5tep902 to the original shelf.

5tep905: Update buffer status management data and media storage location management data.

Next, with reference to FIG. 10, a method for selecting an operation in which each handling device does not get in the way of other handling devices when performing a medium return operation from the buffer will be described. When storing media in the buffer,
Similarly, this is done by referring to job scheduling information.

Processed media 1002 and 1003 are stored in the buffer 1001.
Suppose there is. The storage shelf 1004 is for the medium 1002, and the storage shelf 1005 is for the medium 1003.

If another handling device 1006 is currently transporting the medium 1007, the handling device 1008 transports the medium 1007.
2, the work of returning the medium 1003 does not interfere with the handling device 1006. Therefore, the handling device 1008 performs the work of returning the medium 1003.

In this embodiment, the determination that the handling device is idle is made based on whether there is work on the mount/demount work table. There is work on this table when a mount/demount request is received but the work cannot be performed because no handling device is available. No work on this table means that there is no mounting/demounting work for the handling device to perform at that time. However, it is not known when a mount request will occur from a user other than regular batch processing. Therefore, if a mount request suddenly occurs from a user after the handling device has determined that it is idle, it cannot respond quickly. To prevent this from happening, when storing or returning media to a buffer, some of the handling devices are configured to perform the work.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, when the media to be mounted on a recording/playback device in the future is determined in advance, such as when backing up a database in an information medium automatic storage system, the media required for the recording/playback device can be loaded before a processing request is issued. can be supplied. This reduces mounting time and improves responsiveness.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of the system of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a mount/demount work table, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a job scheduling information table, and FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a media storage location table. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a buffer status management table, FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a procedure for storing a medium in a buffer, FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a procedure for returning a medium from a buffer, and FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the general procedure of the system associated with job execution, FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the procedure for storing media in the buffer and returning the medium from the buffer, and FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of buffer media return work selection. The explanatory drawing, FIG. 11, is a partial perspective view showing an embodiment of the buffer.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In an automatic media storage system having a plurality of shelves for storing information media, a plurality of handling devices for transporting the media, a plurality of recording/playback devices, and a control computer, the media An information medium automatic storage system characterized by providing a buffer having a temporary storage function and a function of automatically supplying and collecting medium to a recording/reproducing device. 2. In the system according to claim 1, when it is determined in advance which media each recording/reproducing device of the system processes and in what order, such as when backing up a database, The medium to be processed is stored in the buffer in advance, and when a processing request occurs, the buffer automatically supplies the required medium to the designated recording/playback device, automatically collects it after processing, and then removes the processed medium from the buffer. An information medium automatic storage system characterized by returning a medium to its storage shelf. 3. In the system according to claim 2, the job scheduling information managed by the host computer is used to determine the media and designation that will be required in the future from the job start time, media identification number, and recording/playback device number. An information medium automatic storage system that checks the recorded recording/playback device and stores the necessary media in the buffer corresponding to the recording/playback device before the job start time. 4. In the system according to claim 3, when it is determined that there is no work to be performed by the handling device during a certain time period based on the job start time of the job scheduling information managed by the host computer, the buffer is An information media automatic storage system that stores media for future processing. 5. In the system according to claim 2, when it is determined that there is no work to be performed by the handling device during a certain time period based on the job start time of job scheduling information managed by the host computer, the processing is performed from the buffer. An automatic information media storage system that returns processed media to its original shelf. 6. In the system according to claim 2, if there is a buffer whose medium storage capacity is larger than a preset value according to the buffer status management data indicating the medium storage capacity of the buffer, the buffer is stored in that buffer. An automatic information media storage system that returns processed media to its original shelf. 7. In the system according to claim 2, if the required medium does not exist in the buffer that can be accessed by the designated recording/playback device when a processing request is generated, the medium is directly transferred without going through the buffer. An automatic information storage system characterized by transporting information media from a shelf or other buffer and mounting it on a recording/playback device. 8. In the system according to claim 2, if there is a buffer whose medium storage capacity is larger than a preset value according to the buffer status management data indicating the medium storage capacity of the buffer, the medium for which recording/playback processing has been completed is removed from the buffer. An automatic storage system for information media that can be returned directly to the original shelf without storing it. 9. In the system according to claim 2, when it is determined that there is no work to be performed by the handling device in a certain time period based on the job start time of the job scheduling information managed by the host computer, the recording/reproduction is performed. An automatic information media storage system that directly returns processed media to its original shelf without storing it in a buffer. 10. In the system according to claim 2, if the buffer state management data indicating the medium storage capacity of the buffer indicates that the buffer has a medium storage capacity smaller than a preset value, the medium on which the recording/playback process has been completed; An information medium automatic storage system characterized in that the work of storing a medium to be subjected to recording/reproduction processing in the future in the buffer is given priority over the work of returning the medium from the buffer to the original shelf. 11. In the system according to claim 2, if the buffer has a medium storage capacity larger than a preset value according to the buffer state management data indicating the medium storage capacity of the buffer, recording/reproduction processing is performed in the future. An information medium automatic storage system characterized in that the work of returning a medium on which recording/reproduction processing has been completed from the buffer to the original shelf is given priority over the work of storing the medium in the buffer. 12. In the system according to claim 2, when a medium to be subjected to recording/reproduction processing is stored in the buffer, if there is a medium on which recording/reproduction processing has been completed in the same buffer, the medium is stored in the buffer. The information medium automatic storage system is characterized in that the medium after recording/playback processing in the buffer is returned to the original shelf to shorten the time for transporting the medium. 13. In the system according to claim 2, when storing media to be subjected to recording/reproduction processing in the buffer, the order in which the media are used is changed in the work scheduled by the host computer, An information medium automatic storage system that performs operations in an order that does not interfere with the operation of other handling devices when a handling device transports the medium, if there is something that does not hinder execution. 14. In the system according to claim 2, when returning the medium in the buffer for which recording/reproduction processing has been completed to the original shelf,
An information media automatic storage system that performs operations in an order that does not interfere with the operation of other handling devices. 15. In the system according to claim 2, when a request is made from a user, the operation of storing necessary media in the buffer and returning the processed media from the buffer to the original shelf, An information medium automatic storage system that gives priority to mounting the medium requested from the usage book on the crossroads/playback device. 16. The system according to claim 2, wherein the buffer has a function of temporarily storing a medium and a function of automatically supplying and collecting a medium to a recording/reproducing device. 17. The random access buffer according to claim 16, wherein any medium in the buffer can be taken out regardless of the order in which the media are stored.