Disk controller having host processor controls the time for transferring data to disk drive by modifying contents of the memory to indicate data is stored in the memory

摘要

A disk controller and method for transferring data from a host computer to a cache memory of the disk controller and transferring data from the cache memory to disk drives coupled to the disk controller. Received data to be written to disk by the disk controller is stored in a memory within the disk controller. A host I/O processor modifies certain locations within the memory to indicate to a disk I/O processor that the data is in memory and can be written to disk by the disk I/O processor. In this manner intervention of a controller microprocessor is minimized and disk controller performance is improved.