Storage control device

Abstract

The storage control device of the present invention reduces the power consumption amount by stopping the transmission of power to enclosures that are not accessed. A plurality of additional enclosures is switch-connected via backend switches to a base enclosure. Drives that have not been accessed for a predetermined time or more undergo spin-down. When all of the drives in the enclosure enter a spin-down state, the supply of power from the power supply in the enclosure to the respective drives is stopped. The base enclosure that manages the system constitution of the storage control device turns OFF the switch connected to the enclosure when all of the drives in a certain enclosure have spun down. The transmission of power to this enclosure is accordingly stopped.

1 . A storage system, comprising:
 a first enclosure including a first controller which controls a read/write request and a plurality of first storage devices;   a second enclosure including a plurality of second storage devices, each of the plurality of second storage devices is changed from a normal mode to a power saving mode in case that each of the second storage devices has not been accessed for more than a predetermined time;   a connection switch coupled to the first enclosure and the second enclosure; and   wherein if all of the plurality of second storage devices included in the second enclosure are in the power saving mode, the first controller stops supplying power to the second storage devices.   
     
     
         2 . The storage system according to  claim 1 , wherein the second enclosure further includes a second controller configured to stop supplying power to the second storage devices included in the second enclosure in response to the first controller stopping the power supply to the second storage devices. 
     
     
         3 . The storage system according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the second enclosure further includes a cooling fan; and   if the second controller stops supplying power to the second storage devices, the second controller reduces a rotational speed of the cooling fan.   
     
     
         4 . The storage system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first controller stops supplying power to the second enclosure. 
     
     
         5 . The storage system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a power distribution unit coupled to a power supply and including a first switch coupled to the first enclosure and a second switch coupled to the second enclosure.   
     
     
         6 . The storage system according to  claim 5 , wherein when the first controller stops supplying power to the second enclosure, the first controller turns off the second switch in the power distribution unit. 
     
     
         7 . The storage system according to  claim 6 , wherein the second storage devices are Fibre Channel disk drives. 
     
     
         8 . The storage system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third enclosure coupled to the second enclosure and including a plurality of third storage devices, each of the plurality of third storage devices is changed from the normal mode to the power saving mode in case that each of the third storage devices has not been accessed for more than the predetermined time;   wherein the first controller is configured to stop supplying power to the second enclosure in case that the power supply to the third enclosure is stopped.   
     
     
         9 . A storage system, comprising:
 a first enclosure including a first controller which controls a read/write request and a plurality of first storage devices;   a second enclosure including a plurality of second storage devices, each of the plurality of second storage devices is changed from a normal mode to a power saving mode in case that each of the second storage devices has not been accessed for more than a predetermined time;   a connection switch coupled to the first enclosure and the second enclosure; and   wherein if the second storage devices included in the second enclosure are in the power saving mode, the first controller stops supplying power to the second storage devices.