Storage apparatus, electric power supply method, and program

Abstract

To provide a storage apparatus, an electric power supply method, and a program that can effectively utilize surplus electric power of the electric power stored in a battery for a monitored device during normal times.SOLUTION: In a storage apparatus 10, a storage controller includes a channel adapter, a smart NIC, a CPU, a compression FPGA, a power assist controller, multiple DRAMs, an encryption FPGA, and a back-end (BE) switch. The power assist controller, which is an electric power control unit that monitors a load of a monitored device selected as an electric power assist target device, includes an acquisition unit that acquires information managed by the storage apparatus, a registration unit that registers the acquired information in a corresponding table, a monitoring unit that monitors the load of the monitored device, and an assist unit that, when surplus electric power remains in a battery and the load exceeds a load threshold, assists the monitored device by supplying the surplus electric power to the monitored device until the load is less than or equal to the load threshold.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a storage device, a power supply method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a redundant configuration has been adopted for the power supply system of enterprise (for example, corporate) storage. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a power supply system of a conventional storage device 10. As shown in FIG. The upper part of FIG. 1 shows an example of the configuration and operation of the storage device 10 during normal operation or during a momentary power outage. The storage device 10 is provided with duplicated PSUs (Power Supply Units) 11 to which an AC power supply is connected, duplicated storage controllers 13, and a backup battery 16. For example, a nickel-metal hydride battery is used as the battery 16. The two PSUs 11 each supply DC current converted from AC current to the storage controller 13. The two PSUs 11 operate in active balance, with the two PSUs operating in parallel during normal operation. The load on each PSU 11 is limited to 50% or less of the maximum load so that there is no problem with power even when one system is operating.

[0003] Each PSU 11 is provided with a capacitor 12, which is a capacitor capable of withstanding momentary power outages. During normal operation, the PSU 11 converts the power supplied from an external power source and supplies the power to the storage controller 13. Even in the event of a momentary power outage, the PSU 11 continues to operate normally, and the storage device 10 does not stop. For this reason, the PSU 11 is equipped with a capacitor 12 made of a large-capacity aluminum electrolytic capacitor, which has the ability to withstand momentary power outages. In the event of a momentary power outage, the power stored in the capacitor 12 is supplied to the storage controller 13.

[0004] The storage controller 13 includes a non-backup block 14 and a backup-requiring block 15. The non-backup block 14 includes an accelerator, an IO (Input / Output) module, etc., and does not back up processing results. The backup-requiring block 15 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a DIMM (Dual Inline Memory Module), memory, etc., and requires backup of processing results or user data. For this reason, a backup battery 16 capable of supplying power in the event of a power outage is connected to the backup-requiring block 15.

[0005] The lower part of FIG. 1 shows an example of the configuration and operation of the storage device 10 during a long-term power outage. Unlike the momentary power outage described above, when a long-term power outage occurs, the input AC that supplies AC power to the PSU 11 is lost, causing the PSU 11 to stop. This causes the power supply from the PSU 11 to stop to the storage controller 13. Therefore, power is supplied to the storage controller 13 from the battery 16, which is arranged in parallel with the PSU 11, and the storage controller 13 continues to operate. However, while each module of the non-backup block 14 may stop, the backup-required block 15 requires a backup of the processing results. Therefore, the backup-required block 15 operates using power supplied from the battery 16, and the CPU processing results, data recorded in the DIMM, etc. are compared with the SSD, and then the storage device 10 stops.

[0006] 2 is a diagram showing an example of changes in the power supplied from the conventional PSU 11 and battery 16. The horizontal axis of FIG. 2 represents time, and the vertical axis represents power. The PSU supply power represents the power obtained by adding up the maximum power of two PSUs 11. The storage device 10 operates normally using the PSU supply power until a power outage occurs. On the other hand, the battery supply power represents the power supplied by the battery 16 to the storage controller 13. Normally, the battery 16 is in a standby state, so the battery supply power is almost zero.

[0007] When a power outage occurs, the power supplied by the PSU decreases. When the storage controller 13 detects the occurrence of a power outage, the storage controller 13 controls the battery to increase the power supplied by the battery 16. Even when the storage controller 13 switches to an operation receiving power only from the battery 16, it is necessary for the battery 16 to continue supplying power until the operation switches to a power-saving operation. For this reason, the battery 16 has large capacity and high output characteristics. After the storage controller 13 detects a power outage, the low-power operation continues until the backup operation by the backup-requiring block 15 is completed.

[0008] An example of such a power supply device is disclosed in Patent Document 1. Patent Document 1 discloses "an electronic device including: a connection detection unit that detects connection of a first power source and a second power source; a power information acquisition unit that acquires information on the total amount of power that can be supplied from the plurality of power sources whose connection has been detected; and an instruction unit that compares the total amount of power information with information on the amount of power used in a preset high-speed operation mode of the control unit, and if the amount of power used in the high-speed operation mode of the control unit is greater than the total amount of power, instructs the control unit to operate in an operation mode with lower power consumption." [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-120070 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] Incidentally, the battery 16 shown in Fig. 1 is only used to protect the data in the backup-requiring block 15 in the event of a long-term power outage. Also, as shown in Fig. 2, the battery 16 has large capacity and high output characteristics in preparation for backing up data in the event of a power outage. However, although the battery 16 also stores electricity during normal operation, the power of the battery 16 is not used effectively because the battery 16 is always in standby mode.

[0011] Furthermore, because the battery 16 has a limited lifespan, it must be discarded after a certain period of time, even if it is not being used. On the other hand, devices mounted on the storage controller 13, such as a CPU, accelerator, and cryptographic module, require more power than conventional models. However, the power supplied by the PSU is limited based on the specifications of the PSU 11. This limitation on the power supplied by the PSU also limits the number of functions that can be installed in the storage device 10. In this way, the device configuration of the storage device 10 has often been changed based on the power that can be supplied to the storage device 10.

[0012] The electronic device disclosed in Patent Document 1 is configured to be able to supply power from multiple power sources in accordance with the upper limit of power consumption set by turbo mode. However, Patent Document 1 does not mention power supply during a power outage, and only supplies power from a battery during a power outage. Therefore, even if the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 is used, the problem of not being able to effectively use the power stored in expensive battery 16 during normal operation remains unresolved.

[0013] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to enable the effective use of a power storage unit even during normal operation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] A storage device according to the present invention includes a power control unit that monitors the load of a monitoring device selected as a device to be power assisted. The power control unit includes a monitoring unit that monitors the load of the monitoring device, and an assist unit that, when surplus power remains in the power storage unit and the load exceeds a load threshold, assists the monitoring device by supplying the surplus power to the monitoring device until the load falls below the load threshold. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, it is possible to effectively utilize the power storage unit even during normal operation. Problems, configurations, and effects other than those described above will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a power supply system of a conventional storage apparatus. [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of changes in power supplied from a conventional PSU and a battery. [Figure 3] 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a storage apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an example of a power supply system of a storage apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a power supply between a capacitor and a battery according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 10 is a diagram illustrating an example in which the destinations of power supply are divided according to the characteristics of a capacitor and a battery according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a table listing change effects for each device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an assistance target device list table according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a mode management table according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10]FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a relationship between an operation mode selected by a user and a monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing an example of the operation of the monitoring device and the assisting device according to an operation mode selected by a user according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a power assist controller according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a power management table according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of various processes related to a secondary power supply according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration information table according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing for an assisted device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a monitoring device table according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 illustrates an example of a process for registering a monitoring device and a workload value according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 19] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a monitoring and power assist process for a monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 20] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a workload monitoring process according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 21] 1 is a diagram showing how a power assist controller according to an embodiment of the present invention performs power assist. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification and drawings, components having substantially the same functions or configurations are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted. The storage device described below operates by a program capable of executing a power supply method for controlling power supply from a power storage unit to a monitoring device.

[0018] [One embodiment] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the storage device 10 according to an embodiment. A storage apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention has an operation mode required for the storage apparatus 10 and controls the power supply to a monitoring device associated with the operation mode. That is, in one embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to collectively control the power supply to a plurality of storage apparatuses 10 housed in a rack by using a power storage means in the rack. Therefore, the present invention can also be applied to a data storage center.

[0019] A monitoring device is a device selected as a target for workload (also called load) monitoring. In addition to the power supplied during normal operation, the monitoring device supplies additional power when the workload exceeds a workload threshold, enabling some performance improvement. This operation of supplying additional power to an overloaded monitoring device is called power assist.

[0020] The storage device 10 is configured with a number of devices housed in a storage enclosure. As shown in Fig. 3, the storage device 10 includes a capacitor 12, a storage controller 13, a battery 16, and a backplane 17. The PSU 11, the capacitor 12, the storage controller 13, and the battery 16 are configured in a duplicated manner for redundancy. The capacitor 12 and the battery 16 are examples of a power storage unit that stores surplus power. In addition to storing surplus power, the battery 16 also stores backup power that is used to back up devices in the event of a power outage.

[0021] The storage controller 13 includes a channel adapter 21, a smart NIC (Network Interface Card) 22, a CPU 23, a compression FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) 24, a power assist controller 25, multiple DRAMs (Dynamic Random Access Memories) 26, an encryption FPGA 27, and a BE (Back End) switch 28.

[0022] The channel adapter 21 is used to connect the storage controller 13 to other devices (for example, the backplane 17). The smart NIC 22 is an interface board connected to the CPU 23 and has the function of offloading network interface processing from the CPU 23. By offloading the load of the CPU 23, the smart NIC 22 does not occupy the resources of the CPU 23 itself.

[0023] The CPU 23 controls the operation of each device in the storage controller 13. The power assist controller 25 is an example of a power control unit that monitors the load of a monitoring device selected as a device to be power-assisted. The power assist controller 25 can perform one function of the storage controller 13 and can also be a dedicated controller. The power assist controller 25 is used as an example of a power control unit that monitors the load of a monitoring device selected as a device to be power-assisted and supplies surplus power from a power storage unit to the monitoring device when the load exceeds a load threshold. The power assist controller 25 has various tables, which will be described with reference to Figures 7 and subsequent figures, in a memory (not shown) configured in the storage controller 13, and is capable of writing and reading data to and from the tables. The memory used by the power assist controller 25 is used as an example of a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium that stores a program executed by the power assist controller 25.

[0024] DRAM 26 is an example of volatile memory that requires periodic rewriting of data to prevent data loss.

[0025] The backplane 17 is a type of circuit board and is equipped with multiple SSDs 18. Because the SSDs 18 are non-volatile memories, data written thereto is not lost. Each SSD 18 is connected to a BE switch 28, allowing the CPU 23 to write and read data to and from the SSDs 18. When the CPU 23 writes data to an SSD 18, the data is compressed by a compression FPGA 24. The data may also be encrypted by an encryption FPGA 27.

[0026] Fig. 4 is a system configuration diagram showing an example of a power supply system of the storage device 10. The system configuration diagram shown in Fig. 4 is a hardware configuration showing the power supply flow within the storage device 10. The storage controller 13 includes a CPU 23 and the like used for internal processing of the storage device 10, and operates under an internal OS (Operating System). The system configuration of the storage device 10 is assembled according to user requirements.

[0027] The PSU 11 supplies direct current obtained by AC / DC converting alternating current to the storage controller 13, accelerator 29, drive 30, and fan 31. The accelerator 29 has a function of reducing (offloading) the load on the CPU 23 shown in Fig. 3. The drive 30 includes not only the SSD 18 shown in Fig. 3 but also an HDD (not shown).

[0028] The output side of PSU 11 is connected to capacitor 12 via charging circuit 19A, and to battery 16 via charging circuit 19B. Capacitor 12 and battery 16 are connected in parallel. Charging circuit 19A, which receives power from PSU 11, charges capacitor 12 during normal operation. Similarly, charging circuit 19B, which receives power from PSU 11, charges battery 16 during normal operation. Battery 16 may be, for example, an in-vehicle lithium battery, a lithium phosphate ion battery, an all-solid-state battery, or a lithium-air battery.

[0029] The storage device 10 is provided with ORing circuits 17A to 17C. The ORing circuits 17A to 17C are an example of a power control element that controls the flow of power. Ideal diodes that form a wired OR are used as the ORing circuits 17A to 17C. The current supply to the capacitor 12 and the battery 16 is controlled by the ORing circuits. The ON / OFF of the ORing circuits 17A to 17C is controlled by a power assist controller 25. Note that ON of the ORing circuits 17A to 17C means that they are energized, and OFF means that they are cut off.

[0030] An ORing circuit 17A is installed between the PSU 11 and the storage controller 13. Similarly, an ORing circuit 17B is installed between the capacitor 12 and the storage controller 13, and an ORing circuit 17C is installed between the battery 16 and the storage controller 13. Flow control of the ORing circuit 17A is performed by the PSU 11. Flow control of the ORing circuits 17B and 17C is performed by the power assist controller 25.

[0031] When the workload of a device to be monitored exceeds a workload threshold, the power assist controller 25 enhances the processing performance of the device by supplying surplus power from the battery 16 to the device. To this end, the power assist controller 25 acquires charging current information between the PSU 11 and the capacitor 12. Similarly, the power assist controller 25 acquires charging current information between the PSU 11 and the battery 16. The power assist controller 25 also acquires discharging current information between the capacitor 12 and the ORing circuit 17B. Similarly, the power assist controller 25 acquires discharging current information between the battery 16 and the ORing circuit 17C. The power assist controller 25 also acquires power storage unit information from the capacitor 12 and the battery 16. The power storage unit information includes information on the capacitor voltage, the battery voltage, and the capacity.

[0032] The storage controller 13 issues a power assist request to the power assist controller 25. When issuing the power assist request, for example, device configuration information, the implementation status of PP (Program Products) which is part of the software functions, a task manager, and the amount of input / output execution are referenced. Note that the device configuration information refers to field replaceable units (FRUs) that cover some of the devices mounted in the storage device 10. In addition, the storage controller 13 outputs information about the current power consumption of each device to the power assist controller 25. Based on this information, the power assist controller 25 can calculate the workload of each device and instruct the storage controller 13 to perform power assist for devices whose workload is higher than a workload threshold.

[0033] ORing circuits 17B and 17C are used for power control when the storage controller 13 performs power assist, and flow control of the power supplied to the device is performed. When the storage controller 13 performs power assist, charging of the capacitor 12 and the battery 16 by the charging circuits 19A and 19B is stopped, and the ORing circuits 17B and 17C are controlled so that the power stored in the capacitor 12 or the battery 16 is supplied to the device.

[0034] The storage controller 13 manages the surplus power of the battery 16 based on power storage unit information acquired from the power assist controller 25, and controls the amount of power supplied to each SSD 18 of the backplane 17 based on whether power assist by the power assist controller 25 is required. The storage apparatus 10 can automatically control the balance of power supply and demand in each device. Furthermore, during an instantaneous power outage, power is supplied from the capacitor 12, and during a power outage, power is requested from the battery 16. Even during normal operation, when various devices need to temporarily increase their performance, power stored in the battery 16 is supplied. This makes it possible to supply power above the rated power of the PSU 11, i.e., power to raise the upper limit of the power required by the storage controller 13, accelerator 29, etc.

[0035] Furthermore, the power assist controller 25 accurately recognizes the remaining power information of the battery 16 by monitoring the charge and discharge amount of the battery 16. For example, when a differential backup task is performed at a fixed timing, the power assist controller 25 manages the charge amount of the battery 16 and the execution time of the power assist so that power assist is performed at the timing when the differential backup task is performed. Therefore, the power assist controller 25 can cause the battery 16 to retain the power required for backup using power supplied by the battery 16.

[0036] For example, if recovery processing of a malfunctioning drive 30 is given top priority, a heavy workload may occur. In this case, the power assist controller 25 adjusts the state of the battery 16 in response to a power assist request and manages the execution of the power assist.

[0037] Note that, instead of the power assist controller 25, the storage controller 13 may be responsible for the processing by the power assist controller 25. Furthermore, the power assist controller 25 may be configured inside the storage device 10 and separately from the storage controller 13.

[0038] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of power supply between the capacitor 12 and the battery 16. As shown in FIG. As shown on the left side of Figure 5, the storage device 10 is provided with a capacitor 12 and a battery 16 as secondary power sources. The capacitor 12 is capable of high-speed charging and discharging, and can supply power for a short period of time. However, the capacity that the capacitor 12 can store is small. The capacitor 12 always stores only surplus power, and does not store backup power.

[0039] The battery 16 is capable of slow charging and discharging, and can supply power for a longer period of time than the capacitor 12. The battery 16 also has a large storage capacity. Therefore, the battery 16 stores more surplus power than the capacitor 12, as well as backup power.

[0040] The right side of Figure 5 shows examples of workloads for the CPU 23, memory (RAM) 32, and SSD 18. Each device has a workload threshold. The workload threshold is the value at which each device performs at its maximum, and the workload is controlled so that it does not exceed the threshold.

[0041] The workload example (1) in FIG. 5 shows a situation in which the workload of the memory (RAM) 32 exceeds a threshold. In this case, the power assist controller 25 first checks whether there is surplus power based on the amount of power stored in the secondary power source. Next, the power assist controller 25 estimates the power consumption for each device. For example, the power consumption per second is estimated. Next, the power assist controller 25 determines whether to supply power from the secondary power source to the device whose workload exceeds the threshold, and the duration of the power supply (referred to as the boost time).

[0042] 5 shows a workload example (2) in which the workload becomes less than the threshold value as a result of the power assist controller 25 providing power assistance to the memory (RAM) 32. The power assist controller 25 controls the supply of power from the secondary power source to the memory (RAM) 32, thereby improving the processing amount per unit time of the memory (RAM) 32. As a result, the workload of the memory (RAM) 32 becomes less than the threshold value.

[0043] In addition, the supply of power from the secondary power supply is expected to have the effect of improving the data transfer speed of the memory (RAM) 32 and the access speed of the memory (RAM) 32. Furthermore, when the workload of the CPU 23 exceeds the workload threshold and the CPU 23 is power-assisted, the number of processing commands per unit time increases due to the overclocking of the CPU 23, and the effect of improving performance and processing speed is expected.

[0044] Note that the destinations of the power supply may be divided in consideration of the characteristics of the capacitor 12 and the battery 16. For example, in consideration of the high-speed charge / discharge characteristics of the capacitor 12, the surplus power of the capacitor 12 may be supplied to the monitoring device first, thereby enabling the power assist controller 25 to perform power assist at a higher speed.

[0045] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example in which the destinations of the power supply are divided depending on the characteristics of the capacitor 12 and the battery 16. In FIG. The workload example (1) in Fig. 6 shows that the workloads of the memory (RAM) 32 and the SSD 18 exceed the threshold. Since the workloads of the two devices exceed the threshold, the two devices are controlled to be supplied with power from different secondary power sources.

[0046] 6 illustrates a situation in which the workloads of the memory (RAM) 32 and the SSD 18 fall below the threshold. The power assist controller 25 supplies the power stored in the capacitor 12 to the memory (RAM) 32, and supplies the power stored in the battery 16 to the SSD 18. As a result, the workload of the memory (RAM) 32 falls below the threshold. The memory (RAM) 32 is expected to benefit from improved performance due to overclocking, and the SSD 18 is expected to benefit from improved performance due to write caching.

[0047] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the device-specific change effect list table T1. The device-specific change effect list table T1 has fields for location, judgment item, change method, location effect, and effect on user. The monitored devices are registered in the monitored device table T6 in FIG. 17, which will be described later. The storage device 10 is configured with the CPU, DIMM, encryption FPGA, compression FPGA, smart NIC, BE switch, and fan, all of which are recorded in the location field of the device-specific change effect list table T1 shown in FIG. 7. The storage device 10 also includes the storage controller 13, accelerator 29, and drive 30 shown in FIG. 4.

[0048] The component item stores the names of the components of the storage device, such as the CPU, DIMM, encryption FPGA, compression FPGA, smart NIC, BE switch, and fan shown in FIG. The judgment item field stores information for determining whether the workload of each component is equal to or greater than the workload threshold. For example, for the CPU 23, the CPU usage rate is the judgment item. For the encryption FPGA 27, the drive usage rate and drive operation rate are the judgment items. The drive usage rate represents the usage rate relative to the entire drive, and the drive operation rate represents the ratio of reads and writes to the drive.

[0049] The change method item indicates, for example, the operation of the part to be changed by power assist when the judgment item exceeds a threshold. For example, when the CPU usage rate exceeds a threshold, the CPU 23 is overclocked. When the drive usage rate or drive operation rate of the encrypted FPGA 27 exceeds a threshold, the FPGA power management is changed.

[0050] The "part effect" field indicates the effect of the part obtained by changing the part's operation according to the change method. For example, by overclocking the CPU 23, the effect of improving the CPU processing power is obtained. Also, by changing the FPGA power management of the encrypted FPGA 27, the effect of improving the FPGA processing power is obtained.

[0051] The "effect on users" section shows the improvements in functionality that a part provides to users through part effects. For example, improved CPU processing power as a part effect allows software functions (Program Products) to occupy the CPU 23, improving PP processing speed. Improved CPU processing power can also be expected to improve transaction processing speed.

[0052] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the assist target device list table T2. The assist target device list table T2 has fields for device name and assist effect. The assist target device is a device that is selected from the device-specific change effect list table T1 shown in Fig. 7 according to the operation mode and is the target of power assistance. The assist target device and the monitoring device described below are synonymous.

[0053] The device name field stores the names of devices to be assisted, such as the smart NIC 22, CPU 23, SSD 18, BE switch 28, and FPGA (compression FPGA 24 and encryption FPGA 27) shown in Fig. 3. Furthermore, the device name field also stores the names of devices to be assisted, such as the GPU, memory (RAM), and the like, in addition to the fan 31 shown in Fig. 4.

[0054] The "Assist Effect" field indicates the effect of assisting a monitored device when its workload exceeds a workload threshold. The "Assist Effect" field stores detailed information about the "Part Effect" field in the table T1 listing the effect of changes made by each device in Figure 7. For example, the field indicates that clock scaling is enabled by assisting the smart NIC 22. Clock scaling is a process that dynamically adjusts the clock speed of a semiconductor processor to optimize power efficiency while maintaining the required performance according to workload requirements. The field also indicates that turbo boost is enabled by assisting the CPU 23. Turbo boost is a function that temporarily increases the clock speed when the CPU 23 is heavily loaded, and turbo boost can improve the task processing speed of the CPU 23.

[0055] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the mode management table T3. The mode management table T3 has the following items: operating mode, monitoring device, monitoring parameter, threshold, hysteresis, battery, and capacitor.

[0056] The "operation mode" field stores operation modes that can be selected by the user. For example, one operation mode is "backup priority," which is an operation mode in which the smart NIC 22 performs backup priority processing on the SSD 18. Other selectable operation modes are as follows: "IO processing assist" is an operation mode in which, for example, IO processing of the SSD 18 is assisting in user processing with many transactions. "cooling priority" is an operation mode in which, for example, the fan 31 is rotated at high speed to forcibly cool the CPU 23 that is operating under a high workload.

[0057] The compression assist mode is an operation mode for assisting the compression process of the compression FPGA 24, which becomes a high-power worker node during the compression process. The degeneration optimization mode is an operation mode for assisting the process of rebuilding data stored on each drive based on the data distributed and stored on the remaining drives after replacing a failed drive when one of the drives has failed.

[0058] The monitored device field stores information about devices for which the operating mode can be set. A monitored device is a device that is selected from the assist target devices shown in the assist target device list table T2 in FIG. 8 according to its operating mode and is the target of workload monitoring. For example, a backup-priority operating mode is set for the smart NIC 22 and the BE switch 28. The monitored parameter field stores parameters to be monitored for the monitored device. For example, the availability rate is set as the monitoring parameter for the smart NIC 22 and the BE switch 28. The threshold field stores the workload threshold for the monitored device.

[0059] The hysteresis item stores the hysteresis of the monitored device. When the workload of the monitored device exceeds the workload threshold, power assist is performed. However, hysteresis is used to prevent power assist from being stopped immediately even if the workload falls below the workload threshold. For example, when the availability rate of a monitored device (smart NIC 22) as shown in FIG. 11 (described later) reaches 81% and the workload threshold is 80%, power assist is started.

[0060] Then, when the power assist causes the monitoring device's operation rate to reach 79% and the power assist is stopped, the operation rate is likely to exceed 80% again. As a result, the power assist is turned on and off frequently. Therefore, a 10% margin is provided for hysteresis, and the power assist is continued until the monitoring device's operation rate drops below 70% due to the hysteresis. In this case, the monitoring device's operation rate does not exceed 80% immediately after the power assist is stopped. This prevents the power assist from being switched on and off frequently.

[0061] The battery item stores whether the battery 16 can be used during a power outage. If the battery 16 can be used during a power outage, ON is stored, and if the battery 16 cannot be used, OFF is stored. The capacitor item stores whether the capacitor 12 can be used during a power outage. If the capacitor 12 is usable during a power outage, ON is stored, and if it cannot be used, OFF is stored.

[0062] The item for power outage stores whether the battery 16 and the capacitor 12 are available for use during a power outage. If neither the battery 16 nor the capacitor 12 is available during a power outage, "N / A (Not Available)" is stored. If either the battery 16 or the capacitor 12 is available during a power outage, "OR" is stored.

[0063] 10 is a conceptual diagram showing the relationship between user-selectable operation modes and monitoring devices. A user is a person who uses the storage device 10. Note that the operation modes may be selectable by a system engineer who manages the operation of the storage device 10 instead of the user.

[0064] It is difficult for the user to select which device the power assist controller 25 will power assist. Also, it is difficult for anyone other than the designer to identify devices related to various operation modes in the operation of the storage device 10. Therefore, the storage device 10 autonomously selects a monitoring device to perform power assistance based on the operation mode selected by the user.

[0065] For example, the user-selectable operating modes in FIG. 10 include backup priority, IO assist, cooling priority, compression assist, and degeneracy minimized. Furthermore, the monitored devices include the CPU, DIMM, smart NIC, BE switch, fan, compressor, and encrypted FPGA. The thresholds and hysteresis described above are set for the monitored devices. The thresholds include a threshold at which an assisting device (e.g., battery 16, capacitor 12) starts power assisting the monitored device connected to the operating mode, and a threshold at which the assisting device ends power assisting.

[0066] In the backup priority operating mode, a smart NIC and a BE switch are connected as monitoring devices.

[0067] 10 shows a battery 16 and a capacitor 12 as examples of the assist device. The assist device power-assists the operation of the monitoring device by supplying surplus power to the monitoring device.

[0068] When the user selects backup priority, the smart NIC and BE switch, which are monitoring devices, as well as the threshold and hysteresis, are selected according to the backup priority, and the assist device is set. The smart NIC and BE switch are activated, enabling backup priority.

[0069] FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing an example of the operation of the monitoring device and the assisting device in accordance with the operation mode selected by the user. As described above, if the user selects backup priority, the smart NIC 22 and the BE switch 28 are automatically selected as monitoring devices. Next, the smart NIC 22 and the BE switch 28 associated with the backup priority are automatically selected as the monitoring devices.

[0070] The thresholds of the smart NIC 22 are set to 80% for availability and 10% for hysteresis. The threshold of the BE switch 28 is determined by ORing the following two conditions. The first condition is that the drive operation rate exceeds 80% and is 10% relative to the hysteresis. The second condition is that the busy rate of the BE switch 28 exceeds 10% and is 10% relative to the hysteresis. After either of these conditions is set, an assist setting is made for the battery 16. When at least one of the first and second conditions is met, the assist unit 44 shown in FIG. 12 performs power assist on the BE switch 28 by the battery 16.

[0071] FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the power assist controller 25. As shown in FIG. The power assist controller 25 includes an acquisition unit 41, a registration unit 42, a monitoring unit 43, and an assist unit 44.

[0072] The acquiring unit 41 acquires information managed by the storage device 10. For example, the acquiring unit 41 acquires configuration information of devices that configure the storage device 10 from a configuration information table T5 shown in Fig. 15, which will be described later. The acquiring unit 41 can also access various tables and acquire necessary information from the tables.

[0073] The registration unit 42 registers various pieces of information acquired by the acquisition unit 41 in a table corresponding to this information. For example, the registration unit 42 registers information on a monitoring device selected from the configuration information table T3 based on the device configuration information acquired by the acquisition unit 41 in a monitoring device table T6 shown in Fig. 17, which will be described later. At this time, the registration unit 42 registers multiple monitoring devices in the monitoring device table T6 according to an operation mode selected in advance by a user or the like.

[0074] The monitoring unit 43 monitors the workloads (loads) of the monitoring devices. To this end, the monitoring unit 43 selects multiple monitoring devices according to a pre-selected mode. The monitoring unit 43 monitors the workloads of the multiple monitoring devices read from the monitoring device table T6 according to the selected operation mode.

[0075] When surplus power remains in the battery 16 and the workload exceeds the workload threshold, the assist unit 44 supplies the surplus power to the monitored device until the workload becomes equal to or less than the workload threshold. This operation by the assist unit 44 to reduce the workload of a monitored device whose workload exceeds the threshold is called power assist. When a large-capacity capacitor 12 is used, the assist unit 44 can also supply the surplus power of the capacitor 12 to the monitored device. The power assist by the assist unit 44 is performed indirectly by the assist unit 44 outputting an instruction to the storage controller 13. Upon receiving the instruction, the storage controller 13 supplies surplus power from the battery 16 to the monitored device whose workload exceeds the workload threshold, thereby reducing the workload of the monitored device. The same applies to the process below in which the assist unit 44 supplies surplus power to the monitored device.

[0076] The assist unit 44 supplies surplus power to a monitoring device selected according to the characteristics of the power storage unit. To this end, the assist unit 44 supplies the surplus power of the capacitor 12 and the battery 16 selected according to the characteristics of the capacitor 12 and the battery 16 to the monitoring device by turning on or off ORing circuits 17B, 17C provided in the power lines between the capacitor 12 and the battery 16 and the monitoring device. For example, the assist unit 44 supplies surplus power from the capacitor 12, which is an example of a power storage unit capable of high-speed charging and discharging, to the monitoring device during an instantaneous power outage as power assistance. On the other hand, the assist unit 44 supplies surplus power from the battery 16, which is an example of a power storage unit with large capacity and capable of low-speed charging and discharging, to the monitoring device during a long-term power outage.

[0077] The assist unit 44 can also supply surplus power collectively to multiple monitoring devices grouped according to the selected operation mode. This can prevent multiple monitoring devices suited to the operation mode from suddenly stopping. The assist unit 44 can also select a monitoring device to which surplus power is to be supplied according to the workload status of the monitoring device. This allows the assist unit 44 to control the supply of surplus power only to monitoring devices whose workload exceeds a workload threshold, among the multiple monitoring devices grouped according to the operation mode.

[0078] Here, terms relating to the amount of power used in this specification will be explained. Backup power [w] is the amount of power required to back up SM or CM data in the event of a power outage. SM is an abbreviation for Shared memory, which refers to a memory area shared by multiple applications. CM is an abbreviation for Cache memory, which refers to memory for temporarily storing data. Data stored in CM is migrated to the drive according to the processing flow.

[0079] The current electric energy [w] is the amount of electric energy currently charged in the secondary power source. The surplus power [w] is the amount of power remaining after the backup power amount has been secured in the secondary power supply. The assist unit 44 calculates the surplus power [w] using the following equation (2). Surplus power [w] = current power [w] - backup power [w] … (2)

[0080] The power consumption per unit time [w / s] is the power consumption per unit time of each device during power assist. The power consumption per unit time is measured or calculated based on the manufacturer's parameter sheet, etc.

[0081] The assist time [s] is a period during which the secondary power supply supplies power to the monitoring device during a power outage, thereby power assisting the monitoring device. The assist unit 44 calculates the assist time [s] using the following equation (3). Assist time [s] = Surplus power [w] ÷ Power consumption per unit time [w / s] … (3) The assist time is calculated as the maximum time. As described with reference to Fig. 11, when the workload becomes equal to or less than the workload threshold and then becomes equal to or less than the workload threshold after being reduced by hysteresis, the power assist of the assist unit 44 to the monitoring device ends.

[0082] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the power management table T4. The power supply management table T4 is a table for managing the PSU 11, battery 16, and capacitor 12 used as power supplies for each device in the storage apparatus 10. The power supply management table T4 has the following items: ID, power supply name, model number, maximum power [w], charging time [H], current power amount [w], backup power amount threshold [w], charge / discharge cycle life [times], and current charge / discharge count [times].

[0083] The ID item stores an ID for identifying the power supply. The power supply name item stores the names of the power supplies PSU 11, battery 16, and capacitor 12. The model number field stores the model number of each power supply. The maximum power item stores the maximum power that each power source can output.

[0084] The charging time item stores the charging time of a rechargeable power source. The current power amount field stores the amount of power that each power source can output. The backup power threshold field stores the threshold for the amount of backup power that the battery 16 and the capacitor 12 charge as a backup power source. The item of charge / discharge cycle life stores a charge / discharge cycle life, which is an index of how much charge / discharge the battery 16 can perform before reaching the end of its life. The item of the current number of charge / discharge cycles stores the current number of charge / discharge cycles of the battery 16. Note that the current number of charge / discharge cycles is set only for the battery 16.

[0085] FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing examples of various processes related to secondary power sources. In this process, the processes take advantage of the characteristics of the secondary power sources, the battery 16 and the capacitor 12. For example, the capacitor 12 has a small capacity but a high response rate, so it is used to supplement instantaneous energy. The battery 16 has a large capacity but a low response rate, so it is used to supplement continuous energy. In this process, in addition to the battery 16 and the capacitor 12, a non-AC power source may also be used as an auxiliary power source.

[0086] Flowchart (1) in Fig. 14 shows an example of a power supply configuration registration process for registering information about the installed power supplies when the storage device 10 is started. Since the power assist controller 25 needs to be started before the storage device 10 reaches a ready state, the startup of the storage device 10 and the startup of the power assist controller 25 occur at approximately the same time. In the process shown in flowchart (1) in Fig. 14, first, the storage device 10 is started (S1). Next, the acquisition unit 41 shown in Fig. 12 acquires power supply information, and the registration unit 42 registers the power supply information in the power supply management table T4 (S2), and this process ends.

[0087] 14 shows an example of a charging status registration process for registering the charging status of the battery 16 and the capacitor 12. In this process, the monitoring unit 43 first checks the current amount of power (S11). Next, the registration unit 42 registers the current amount of power in the power management table T4 (S12), and this process ends.

[0088] 14 shows an example of a backup power amount registration process for updating the amount of backup power of the battery 16 and the capacitor 12. In this process, the monitoring unit 43 first checks the amount of power required (S21). Next, the registration unit 42 updates the amount of backup power recorded in the power supply management table T4 (S22), and this process ends.

[0089] 14 shows an example of a power supply configuration acquisition process for acquiring information about the power supplies installed in the storage device 10. In this process, first, the acquisition unit 41 accesses the power supply management table T4 (S31). Next, the acquisition unit 41 acquires power supply information from the power supply management table T4 (S32), and this process ends.

[0090] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the configuration information table T5. The configuration information table T5 has the following fields: ID, device name, model number, and power consumption per unit time [W]. The ID, device name, and model number fields are as described with reference to the power management table T4 in FIG. The unit time power consumption item stores the amount of power consumption per unit time.

[0091] 16 is a flowchart showing an example of processing for an assistance target device. The assistance target device is a device selected as a target for power assistance by the assisting unit 44 from among the parts shown in the device-specific change effect list table T1 shown in FIG.

[0092] The assist targets include the CPU, DIMM, encryption FPGA, compression FPGA, smart NIC, BE switch, and fan, which correspond to the items of parts shown in the device-specific change effect list table T1 in Fig. 7. Also, memory including RAM (not shown), channels, and drives (SSD 18, HDD, etc.) correspond to the assist targets. Furthermore, the CPU core of the CPU 23 may be selected as the assist target.

[0093] 16 shows an example of a configuration information registration process for registering information about each piece of hardware that constitutes the storage device 1010 when the storage device 10 is started up. In this process, first, the storage device 10 is started up (S41). Next, the acquisition unit 41 acquires the configuration information, and the registration unit 42 registers the configuration information in the configuration information table T5 (S42), and this process ends.

[0094] 16 shows an example of a configuration information acquisition process for acquiring information on each piece of hardware that constitutes the storage device 10. In this process, first, the acquisition unit 41 accesses the configuration information table T5 (S51). Next, the acquisition unit 41 acquires the configuration information (S52), and this process ends.

[0095] FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the monitored device table T6. The monitored device table T6 has the following items: ID, monitored device name, model number, power consumption [w], workload threshold, hysteresis, and current workload value. The ID, monitored device name, and model number items are as described with reference to the power management table T4 in FIG. 13.

[0096] The power consumption [w] field stores the power consumed during assistance when the assist unit 44 assists the monitoring device. The workload threshold field stores a workload threshold set for each monitored device. The hysteresis item stores the hysteresis set for each monitoring device. The current workload value item stores the current workload value of the monitored device.

[0097] 18 shows an example of a process for registering a monitoring device and a workload value. One reason for monitoring and assisting with workload values ​​is, for example, to eliminate an increase in the load on the storage device 10. Therefore, workloads for which workloads are monitored as processing loads include, for example, compression processing by the accelerator 29, data restoration processing and correction copy by the CPU 23, and primary / secondary synchronization processing. Furthermore, in the degeneration process when a failure occurs in the storage device 10, the fan 31 is rotated at high speed to rapidly cool each device, which increases the power supplied to the fan 31. Note that the IO process, PP process (task), etc. of the BE switch 28 may also be configured to be monitored.

[0098] A flowchart (1) in FIG. 18 shows an example of a monitoring device registration process in which the power assist controller 25 registers a device to be monitored in the monitoring device table T6 based on the operation mode selected by the user. In this process, first, the registration unit 42 accesses the configuration information of the monitoring device (S61). Next, the user selects a monitoring device (S62). Next, the registration unit 42 registers the device selected by the user as a monitoring device (S63), and this process ends.

[0099] Flowchart (2) in Fig. 18 shows an example of threshold registration processing for registering workload thresholds of monitored devices based on user settings, etc. In this processing, first, the registration unit 42 accesses the monitored device table T6 (S71). Next, the workload threshold is set by the user (S72). Next, the registration unit 42 registers the workload threshold set by the user in the monitored device table T6 (S73), and this processing ends.

[0100] Flowchart (3) in Fig. 18 shows an example of a power consumption registration process for registering the power consumption per unit time of a monitored device. In this process, first, the registration unit 42 accesses the monitored device table T6 (S81). Next, the registration unit 42 calculates the power consumption of the monitored device (S82). Next, the registration unit 42 registers the calculated power consumption of the monitored device in the monitored device table T6 (S83), and this process ends.

[0101] 18 shows an example of a monitoring device information acquisition process for acquiring information about a monitoring device that is a target of a power assist process. In this process, first, the acquisition unit 41 accesses the monitoring device table T6 (S91). Next, the acquisition unit 41 acquires the monitoring device information from the monitoring device table T6 (S92), and this process ends.

[0102] 18 shows an example of threshold information acquisition processing for acquiring threshold information of a monitoring device. In this processing, first, the acquisition unit 41 accesses the monitoring device table T6 (S101). Next, the acquisition unit 41 acquires threshold information (e.g., a workload threshold) from the monitoring device table T6 (S102), and this processing ends.

[0103] In addition to the process of registering each individual monitoring device shown in flowcharts (1) to (5) of Fig. 18, multiple monitoring devices corresponding to the operation mode selected by the user may be registered collectively by setting a multiple assist mode function. It is difficult for a user (including a system engineer) to register a monitoring device unless they understand the configuration and operation of each device that constitutes the storage apparatus 10. For this reason, the power assist controller 25 selects a device that is suitable for the operation mode selected by the user as the monitoring device.

[0104] 10, when the IO processing assist mode is selected, the power assist controller 25 collectively registers the CPU 23, the DIMM, the smart NIC 22, the BE switch 28, and the encrypted FPGA 27 as monitored devices in the monitored device table T6. By such processing by the power assist controller 25, the operations of multiple monitored devices are collectively monitored.

[0105] 19 is a flowchart showing an example of monitoring and power assist processing for a monitored device. In this processing, a device to be monitored is registered based on user settings or the like, and whether or not power assist processing is required is determined. An example of the workload of a monitored device is its operating rate. The operating rate includes the system operating rate, CPU operating rate, CPU core operating rate, etc.

[0106] The workload of a monitoring device may be, for example, the number of IO operations per second performed by the monitoring device. This IO operation includes random access, sequential access, as well as write and read operations. The workload of a monitoring device may be, for example, the amount of tasks performed by the monitoring device. Tasks may include various task types, task processing times, task multiplicities, etc.

[0107] First, the monitoring unit 43 performs a workload monitoring process (S111). When the workload exceeds the workload threshold, a process for determining whether to perform a power assist process is performed. Therefore, the monitoring unit 43 then checks the amount of surplus power (S112). The amount of surplus power is calculated by subtracting the amount of backup power from the amount of current power. The reason for checking the amount of surplus power is to ensure that the amount of backup power remains.

[0108] Next, the monitoring unit 43 determines whether there is a problem with the charge / discharge cycle (lifespan) of the battery 16 by referring to the power supply management table T4 in Fig. 13 (S113). This process is performed to determine whether or not it is acceptable to power assist the monitoring device, taking into account the lifespan, i.e., service life, of the battery 16. If there is a problem with the charge / discharge cycle (lifespan) (YES in S113), the monitoring unit 43 determines not to power assist the monitoring device (S115), and ends this process.

[0109] On the other hand, if there is no problem with the charge / discharge cycle (lifespan) (NO in S113), the monitoring unit 43 determines whether or not there is surplus power in the battery 16 (S114). If there is no surplus power in the battery 16 (NO in S114), the monitoring unit 43 determines not to power assist the monitoring device (S115), and ends this process.

[0110] On the other hand, if the battery 16 has surplus power (YES in S114), the assist unit 44 starts the power assist process (S116). The power assist process continues until the workload of the monitored device becomes equal to or less than the workload threshold or the surplus power of the battery 16 runs out. Therefore, in the power assist process, the assist unit 44 determines whether the workload of the monitored device is equal to or less than the workload threshold (S117). If the workload is equal to or less than the workload threshold (YES in S117), the assist unit 44 updates the number of charge / discharge cycles of the battery 16 (S119) and ends the power assist process. The number of charge / discharge cycles of the battery 16 is stored in, for example, the DRAM 26.

[0111] On the other hand, if the workload exceeds the workload threshold (NO in S117), the assisting unit 44 determines whether or not the power assisting process can be continued (S118). Whether or not the power assisting process can be continued is determined based on whether or not there is surplus power in the battery 16. If the assisting unit 44 determines that the power assisting process can be continued (YES in S118), the process returns to S117 while continuing the power assisting process of step S116, and continues comparing the workload with the workload threshold.

[0112] On the other hand, if the assisting unit 44 determines that the power assisting process cannot be continued (NO in S118), even if the workload of the monitoring device exceeds the workload threshold, there is no surplus power in the battery 16, so it is necessary to resume charging of the battery 16. Therefore, the assisting unit 44 stops the power assisting process, updates the number of charge / discharge cycles of the battery 16 (S119), exits the loop of the power assisting process for the monitoring device, and ends this process. Thereafter, charging of the battery 16 is resumed.

[0113] 20 is a flowchart showing an example of the workload monitoring process in step S111. In the workload monitoring process, workload monitoring is performed on the monitoring devices that are the monitoring targets registered by user settings or the like.

[0114] First, the monitoring unit 43 acquires monitoring device information (e.g., monitoring device name) from the monitoring device table T6 (S121). Next, the monitoring unit 43 acquires threshold information from the monitoring device table T6 (S122). The threshold information includes a workload threshold, hysteresis, and a current workload value.

[0115] Next, the monitoring unit 43 performs a workload monitoring process (S123). In the workload monitoring process, it is determined whether or not the current workload value exceeds the workload threshold (S124). If the workload threshold is not exceeded (NO in S124), monitoring of the current workload value continues by the process of step S124.

[0116] On the other hand, if it is determined that the current workload value exceeds the workload threshold (YES in S124), the workload monitoring process ends and the process returns to step S112 in FIG.

[0117] Fig. 21 is a diagram showing how the power assist controller 25 performs power assist. The horizontal axis of Fig. 21 represents time, and the vertical axis represents power. The PSU supply power represents the power obtained by adding up the maximum power of two PSUs 11. When the workload of a monitored device exceeds the workload threshold, the power assist controller 25 increases the battery supply power at the timing enclosed by the dashed line in the figure, even before a power outage is detected, to provide power assistance to the monitored device.

[0118] This power assist speeds up the operation of the monitoring device, and the workload of the monitoring device becomes less than the workload threshold. When the power assist controller 25 detects a power outage, the power assist controller 25 reduces the power supplied by the PSU and increases the power supplied by the battery. The operation of switching the monitoring device to power-saving operation is the same as the conventional power control described with reference to FIG. 2.

[0119] The power assist controller 25 according to the embodiment described above monitors the workload of each device selected as a monitoring target by comparing it with a workload threshold. For devices whose workload exceeds the workload threshold, the power assist controller 25 performs power assist by supplying surplus power from the capacitor 12 or battery 16, which is a secondary power source, to the device even before a power outage is detected. This power assist provides power greater than the power supplied by the PSU 11 to the storage controller 13. This allows the workload to increase the processing performance of devices whose workload exceeds the workload threshold.

[0120] Conventionally, the battery 16 was only used during a power outage, but now it is used even when there is no power outage. This allows for effective use of surplus power stored in the expensive, large-capacity battery 16.

[0121] Furthermore, the power supplied to the device from the secondary battery during power assist is the surplus power obtained by subtracting the amount of backup power from the amount of current power. Therefore, the amount of backup power does not decrease during power assist, and even if a power outage occurs during power assist, the backup power is supplied to the device, ensuring safe backup of the device.

[0122] Furthermore, the power assist controller 25 performs power assist processing based on the service life and backup power amount of the secondary power source. The service life is determined based on the charge / discharge cycle (lifespan), and if there is no problem with the charge / discharge cycle (lifespan), power assist of the monitoring device is performed, but if there is a problem with the charge / discharge cycle (lifespan), power assist of the monitoring device is not performed. Therefore, if there is a problem with the charge / discharge cycle (lifespan), there is no risk of degrading the performance of the secondary power source due to power assist.

[0123] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that various other applications and modifications are possible without departing from the gist of the present invention as set forth in the claims. For example, the above-described embodiment has described the system configuration in detail and specifically to clearly explain the present invention, and is not necessarily limited to a system including all of the described configurations. Furthermore, it is also possible to add, delete, or replace part of the configuration of this embodiment with other configurations. In addition, the control lines and information lines shown are those that are considered necessary for the explanation, and do not necessarily show all the control lines and information lines in the product. In reality, it can be assumed that almost all components are interconnected. [Explanation of symbols]

[0124] 10...storage device, 11...PSU, 12...capacitor, 13...storage controller, 14...non-backup block, 15...backup block, 16...battery, 18...SSD, 22...smart NIC, 23...CPU, 24...compression FPGA, 25...power assist controller, 26...DRAM, 27...encryption FPGA, 28...BE switch, 29...accelerator, 30...drive, 31...fan, 32...memory, 41...acquisition unit, 42...registration unit, 43...monitoring unit, 44...assist unit

Claims

1. a power control unit that monitors a load of a monitoring device selected as a device to be power assisted; The power control unit a monitoring unit that monitors a load on the monitoring device; and an assist unit that, when surplus power remains in the power storage unit and the load exceeds a load threshold, supplies the surplus power to the monitoring device until the load becomes equal to or less than the load threshold, thereby assisting the monitoring device. Storage device.

2. The assist unit supplies the surplus power to the monitoring device selected according to the characteristics of the power storage unit. The storage device according to claim 1 .

3. The assist unit supplies the surplus power of the power storage unit selected according to characteristics of the power storage unit to the monitoring device by turning on or off a power control element provided in a power line between the power storage unit and the monitoring device. The storage device according to claim 2 .

4. the monitoring unit selects a plurality of the monitoring devices according to the selected mode; The assist unit supplies the surplus power to the plurality of monitoring devices collectively in accordance with the selected mode. The storage device according to claim 3 .

5. The assist unit selects a monitoring device to which the surplus power is to be supplied from among the plurality of monitoring devices in accordance with a load state of the monitoring device. The storage device according to claim 4.

6. The power control unit an acquisition unit that acquires configuration information of the devices that configure the storage device; a registration unit that registers information about the monitoring device selected from the configuration information table based on the acquired configuration information in a monitoring device table. The storage device according to claim 5 .

7. the registration unit registers the plurality of monitoring devices in a monitoring device table according to the selected mode; The monitoring unit monitors the loads of the plurality of monitoring devices read from the monitoring device table in accordance with the selected mode. The storage device according to claim 6.

8. The assisting unit calculates the surplus power by subtracting the amount of backup power from the amount of current power, and calculates the assist time by dividing the surplus power by the amount of power consumed per unit time. The storage device according to claim 7.

9. A power supply method for monitoring a load of a monitoring device selected as a device to be power assisted, comprising: monitoring the load of the monitoring device; and when surplus power remains in the power storage unit and the load exceeds a load threshold, supplying the surplus power to the monitoring device until the load becomes equal to or less than the load threshold, thereby assisting the monitoring device. Power supply method.

10. A program for monitoring a load of a monitoring device selected as a device to be power assisted, and supplying surplus power from a power storage unit to the monitoring device when the load exceeds a load threshold, monitoring the load of the monitoring device; and a procedure of, when surplus power remains in the power storage unit and the load exceeds a load threshold, supplying the surplus power to the monitoring device until the load becomes equal to or less than the load threshold, thereby assisting the monitoring device. A program that is executed by a computer.

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