Controlling an apparatus disposed for adapting fiber channel transmissions to an industry standard data bus

摘要

The present invention operates in a file server having a peripheral storage subsystem coupled thereto by means of a fibre channel. The file server includes an apparatus disposed between the file server and the storage subsystem for adapting fibre channel transmissions to and from an industry standard data bus of the file server. The apparatus includes a microprocessor executing a method comprising the following steps. Sensing if an interrupt has occurred by the file server, and if so, determining the condition of the interrupt by the file server and handling it. If an interrupt has not occurred, testing an interface between the fibre channel and the apparatus to assure connectivity of the fibre channel. Next, sense for an action to be taken in response to the interrupt, and if so attempt to take appropriate action. If no action is to be taken, sense if an action is to be taken for communications with the file server, and if so, attempt to take the appropriate action, and if not; sense if a previously queued mailbox action is pending, and if so, check to determine if the doorbell register is empty, and if so load the mailbox registers and the doorbell register. If no action is pending, sense if an interrupt has occurred on the fibre channel. If an interrupt has occurred, determine the condition of the interrupt and handle it. Continually repeat all of the previous steps hereof.