1. A disk control cluster, comprising:
one or a plurality of channel interface units for interfacing with host computers;
one or a plurality of disk interface units for interfacing with disk drives;
local shared memory units for storing data to be read out of or written to said disk drives and control information about transfer of said data and management information of said disk drives; and
first connection portion for connecting to said channel interface unit and disk interface unit and said local shared memory unit, wherein
said channel interface unit transfers data between said host computers and said interface and said local shared memory to readwrite request of data from said host computers;
said disk interface unit reads out of or writes data by transferring data between said disk unit and said local shared memory; and
said first connection portion has a path for connecting to second connection portion connected to global shared memory which stores said management information of said each disk control cluster.
2. A disk control cluster, comprising:
one or a plurality of channel interface units for interfacing with host computers;
one or a plurality of disk interface units for interfacing with disk drives;
local shared memory units for storing data to be read out of or written to said disk drives and control information about transfer of said data and management information of said disk drives; and
first connection portion for connecting to said channel interface unit and disk interface unit and said local shared memory unit, wherein
said local shared memory is connected to said channel interface unit and said disk interface unit;
said channel interface unit transfers data between said host computers and said interface and said local shared memory to readwrite request of data from said host computers;
said disk interface unit reads out of or writes data by transferring data between said disk unit and said local shared memory;
said local shared memory has a path for connecting to second connection portion connected to global shared memory which stores said management information of said each disk control cluster.
3. A storage system comprising:
disk control cluster which has
one or a plurality of channel interface units for interfacing with host computers;
one or a plurality of disk interface units for interfacing with disk drives;
local shared memory units for storing data to be read out of or written to said disk drives and control information about transfer of said data and management information of said disk drives;
first connection portion for connecting to said channel interface unit and disk interface unit and said local shared memory unit; and
which said local shared memory is connected to said channel interface unit and said disk interface unit;
said channel interface unit transfers data between said host computers and sad interface and said local shared memory to readwrite request of data from said host computers;
said disk interface unit reads out of or writes data by transferring data between said disk unit and said local shared memory, and
global shared memory which stores management information of said each disk control cluster; wherein
said local shared memory is connected to second connection portion connected to said global shred memory; and
said first connection portion of said each disk control cluster is connected to said second connection portion by a path.
4. A storage system according to claim 3, further comprising:
one or a plurality of first connectors connected to said first connection portion in said disk control cluster;
plural second connectors connected to said second connection portion; and
said first connector is connected to said second connector by a path, wherein
said first connector of increased disk control cluster is connected to said second connector by a path when increasing said disk control cluster.
5. A storage system according to claim 4, wherein
said global shared memory stores first information which indicates whether said disk control cluster is connected to said each second connector and second information which indicates memorial area which said disk control cluster managed,
said first and second information is added to information about increased disk control cluster.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A remote shut-off valve comprising a diaphragm valve and a pilot valve, the diaphragm valve having an inlet, an outlet, a valve member and a valve seat, the valve member having a closed position in which it engages the seat and blocks fluid flow from the inlet to the outlet and an open position in which the valve member does not engage the valve seat and fluid can flow from the inlet to the outlet, a first fluid conduit connecting the inlet of the diaphragm valve to the inlet of the pilot valve and a second fluid conduit connecting the outlet of the pilot valve to the outlet of the diaphragm valve, the diaphragm valve having a control chamber, and a flow channel connecting the control chamber to the diaphragm valve inlet, wherein the flow channel is located within the body of the diaphragm valve.
2. A remote shut-off valve according to claim 1 wherein the body of the diaphragm valve includes a removable cap member which provides the control chamber, the flow channel being located within the cap member.
3. A remote shut-off valve according to claim 2 wherein a part of the fluid conduits are formed within the cap member, and in which the flow channel comprises a branch in the first fluid conduit within the cap member.
4. A remote shut-off valve according to claim 2 wherein the diaphragm valve includes a housing, and wherein the periphery of the valve member is clamped between the cap member and the housing.
5. A remote shut-off valve according to claim 1 wherein part of the first and second fluid conduits are provided by respective flexible tubes.
6. A remote shut-off valve according to claim 5 wherein the flexible tubes are secured to the body of the diaphragm valve by way of quick-release connectors.
7. A remote shut-off valve according to claim 6 wherein the quick-release connectors include respective O-ring seals which can engage a part of a flexible tube and provide a seal therearound.
8. A remote shut-off valve according to claim 7 wherein releasable securing means are provided to secure the flexible tubes within the respective O-ring seal.
9. A remote shut-off valve according to claim 8 wherein the releasable securing means for securing the flexible tubes to the body of the diaphragm valve comprises a securing housing within which both of the flexible tubes are retained, the securing housing carrying locking means to lock the securing housing to the body of the diaphragm valve.
10. A remote shut-off valve according to claim 9 wherein the flexible tubes are at least partially resilient, and wherein part of each tube is retained in the securing housing within a respective curved channel.
11. A remote shut-off valve according to claim 10 wherein each curved channel is bordered by a wall, and a part of the wall has an opening through which the flexible tube may be passed.
12. A remote shut-off valve according to claim 5 wherein the pilot valve is located within a valve housing, and wherein the valve housing includes a respective curved channel for each of the flexible tubes.
13. A remote shut-off valve according to claim 1 in which the pilot valve is non-directional.