Method of data migration

• US 20010011324A1
• Filed: 02/14/2001
• Published: 08/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Akira Kurano, Hidetoshi Sakaki, Hiroshi Nishijima, Katsunori Nakamura, Takehiro Ishikawa, Toshiaki Hatanaka
• Original Assignee: Akira Kurano, Hidetoshi Sakaki, Hiroshi Nishijima, Katsunori Nakamura, Takehiro Ishikawa, Toshiaki Hatanaka
• Inventors: Sakaki, Hidetoshi, Nishijima, Hiroshi, Hatanaka, Toshiaki, Ishikawa, Takehiro, Nakamura, Katsunori, Kurano, Akira
• Granted Patent: US 6,374,327 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/112
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0647 Migration mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD

Abstract

A method, apparatus and computer program for controlling data migration in an information processing system which includes a central processing unit (CPU), a new storage system connected to the CPU and an old storage system connected to the new storage system. In the information processing system data migration is conducted to transfer data from the old storage system to the new storage system. The invention operates by permitting access by the CPU to the storage systems during data migration. When an access by the CPU is generated the invention determines whether the access is to a region where data migration has been completed or to a region where data migration has not been completed. If the access is to a region where data migration has been completed, then processing of the access is handled by the new storage system. If the access is to a region where data migration has not been completed, then processing of the access is handled by the old storage system causing data related to the access to be transferred from the old storage system to the new storage system. The speed of data migration can be adjusted based upon the utilization of the resources of the information processing system and information of the priority of access to the new storage system by the CPU.

Claims

1. A method of controlling data migration in an information processing system which includes a CPU, a new storage system connected to said CPU and an old storage system connected to said new storage system, wherein data migration is conducted to transfer data from said old storage system to said new storage system, said method comprising the steps of:

permitting access to said storage systems by said CPU during data migration;

determining whether said access is to a region where data migration has been completed;

processing said access to said new storage system when said access is to a region where data migration has been completed; and

processing said access to said old storage system and transferring data related to said access from said old storage system to said new storage system when said access is to a region where data migration has not been completed.

2. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein each storage system is implemented by a disk subsystem which includes a disk controller and a disk volume.

3. A method according to

claim 2

, wherein said disk controller of said new storage system includes cache memory for temporarily storing said data related to said access transferred from said old storage system,

wherein said cache memory is accessible by said CPU.

4. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein said step of processing said access to said new storage system comprises the steps of:

checking whether said access is a READ access or a WRITE access;

when said access is a READ access, transferring data related to said access from said new storage system to said CPU; and

when said access is a WRITE access, transferring data related to said access from said CPU to both said new storage system and said old storage system.

5. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein said step of processing said access to said old storage system comprises the steps of:

checking whether said access is a READ access or a WRITE access;

when said access is a READ access, transferring data related to said access from said old storage system to said new storage system and transferring said data from said new storage system to said CPU; and

when said access is a WRITE access, transferring data related to said access from said old storage system to said new storage system, transferring data from said CPU to said new storage system so as to be combined with said data transferred from said old storage system and transferring said combined data to said old storage system.

6. A method according to

claim 1

further comprising the step of:

adjusting speed of data migration based on resource information acquired from said information processing system.

7. A method according to

claim 6

, wherein said resource information acquired from said information processing system includes cache resource information indicating utilization of cache memory included in said new storage system, path resource information indicating utilization of the connection between said new storage system and said old storage system and old storage system resource information indicating utilization of said old storage system.

8. A method according to

claim 7

, wherein said resource information further includes information concerning utilization of data migration speed according to current settings.

9. A method according to

claim 6

, wherein data migration speed is adjusted in a manner so as to give priority to accesses to said new storage system.

10. A method according to

claim 7

, wherein data migration speed is adjusted in a manner so as to give priority to accesses to said new storage system.

11. A computer program stored on a storage medium for controlling data migration in an information processing system which includes a CPU, a new storage system connected to said CPU and an old storage system connected to said new storage system, wherein data migration is conducted to transfer data from said old storage system to said new storage system, said computer program when executed causes said information processing system to perform the steps of:

permitting access to said storage systems by said CPU during data migration;

determining whether said access is to a region where data migration has been completed;

processing said access to said new storage system when said access is to a region where data migration has been completed; and

processing said access to said old storage system and transferring data related to said access from said old storage system to said new storage system when said access is to a region where data migration has not been completed.

12. A computer program according to

claim 11

, wherein each storage system is implemented by a disk subsystem which includes a disk controller and a disk volume.

13. A computer program according to

claim 12

, wherein said disk controller of said new storage system includes cache memory for temporarily storing said data related to said access transferred from said old storage system,

wherein said cache memory is accessible by said CPU.

14. A computer program according to

claim 11

, wherein said step of processing said access to said new storage system causes said information processing system to perform the steps of:

checking whether said access is a READ access or a WRITE access;

when said access is a READ access, transferring data related to said access from said new storage system to said CPU; and

when said access is a WRITE access, transferring data related to said access from said CPU to both said new storage system and said old storage system.

15. A computer program according to

claim 11

, wherein said step of processing said access to said old storage system causes said information processing system to perform the steps of:

checking whether said access is a READ access or a WRITE access;

when said access is a READ access, transferring data related to said access from said old storage system to said new storage system and transferring said data from said new storage system to said CPU; and

when said access is a WRITE access, transferring data related to said access from said old storage system to said new storage system, transferring data from said CPU to said new storage system so as to be combined with said data transferred from said old storage system and transferring said combined data to said old storage system.

16. A computer program according to

claim 11

, wherein said computer program when executed further causes said information processing system to perform the step of:

adjusting speed of data migration based on resource information acquired from said information processing system.

17. A computer program according to

claim 16

, wherein said resource information acquired from said information processing system includes cache resource information indicating utilization of cache memory included in said new storage system, path resource information indicating utilization of the connection between said new storage system and said old storage system and old storage system resource information indicating utilization of said old storage system.

18. A computer program according to

claim 17

, wherein said resource information further includes information concerning utilization of data migration speed according to current settings.

19. A computer program according to

claim 16

, wherein data migration speed is adjusted in a manner so as to give priority to accesses to said new storage system.

20. A computer program according to

claim 17

, wherein data migration speed is adjusted in a manner so as to give priority to accesses to said new storage system.

21. A server for controlling data migration with respect to another server in an information processing system which includes a CPU, wherein data migration is conducted to transfer data from said another server to said server, said server comprising:

a storage for storing data; and

a data migration control part for permitting access by said CPU to said servers during data migration, determining whether said access is to a region where data migration has been completed, processing said access to said server when said access is to a region where data migration has been completed, and processing said access to said another server and transferring data related to said access from said another server to said server when said access is to a region where data migration has not been completed.

22. A server according to

claim 21

, wherein each server is implemented by a disk subsystem which includes a disk controller and a disk volume as said storage.

23. A server according to

claim 22

, wherein said disk controller of said server includes cache memory for temporarily storing said data related to said access transferred from said another server,

wherein said cache memory is accessible by said CPU.

24. A server according to

claim 21

, wherein said data migration control part, when processing said access to said server, checks whether said access is a READ access or a WRITE access, transfers data related to said access from said server to said CPU when said access is a READ access, transfers data related to said access from said CPU to both said server and said another server when said access is a WRITE access.

25. A server according to

claim 21

, wherein said data migration control part, when processing said access to said another server, checks whether said access is a READ access or a WRITE access, transfers data related to said access from said another server to said server and transfers said data from said server to said CPU when said access is a READ access, and transfers data related to said access from said another server to said server, transfers data from said CPU to said server so as to be combined with said data transferred from said another server and transfers said combined data to said another server when said access is a WRITE access.

26. A server according to

claim 21

, wherein said data migration control part adjusts the speed of data migration based on resource information acquired from said information processing system.

27. A server according to

claim 26

, wherein said resource information acquired from said information processing system includes cache resource information indicating utilization of cache memory included in said server, path resource information indicating utilization of the connection between said server and said another server and another server system resource information indicating utilization of said another server.

28. A server according to

claim 27

, wherein said resource information further includes information concerning utilization of data migration speed according to current settings.

29. A server according to

claim 26

, wherein said data migration control part adjusts data migration speed in a manner so as to give priority to accesses to said server.

30. A server according to

claim 27

, wherein said data migration control part adjusts data migration speed in a manner so as to give priority to accesses to said server.

31. An information processing system which includes a CPU and a plurality of servers, wherein one of said servers controls data migration with respect to another of said servers, wherein data migration is conducted to transfer data from said another server to said one server, said one server comprising:

a storage for storing data; and

a data migration control part for permitting access by said CPU to said servers during data migration, determining whether said access is to a region where data migration has been completed, processing said access to said one server when said access is to a region where data migration has been completed, and processing said access to said another server and transferring data related to said access from said another server to said one server when said access is to a region where data migration has not been completed.

32. An information processing system according to

claim 31

, wherein each server is implemented by a disk subsystem which includes a disk controller and a disk volume as said storage.

33. An information processing system according to

claim 32

, wherein said disk controller of said one server includes cache memory for temporarily storing said data related to said access transferred from said another server,

wherein said cache memory is accessible by said CPU.

34. An information processing system according to

claim 31

, wherein said data migration control part, when processing said one access to said server, checks whether said access is a READ access or a WRITE access, transfers data related to said access from said one server to said CPU when said access is a READ access, transfers data related to said access from said CPU to both said one server and said another server when said access is a WRITE access.

35. An information processing system according to

claim 31

, wherein said data migration control part, when processing said access to said another server, checks whether said access is a READ access or a WRITE access, transfers data related to said access from said another server to said one server and transfers said data from said one server to said CPU when said access is a READ access, and transfers data related to said access from said another server to said one server, transfers data from said CPU to said one server so as to be combined with said data transferred from said another server and transfers said combined data to said another server when said access is a WRITE access.

36. An information processing system to

claim 31

, wherein said data migration control part adjusts the speed of data migration based on resource information acquired from said information processing system.

37. An information processing system according to

claim 36

, wherein said resource information acquired from said information processing system includes cache resource information indicating utilization of cache memory included in said one server, path resource information indicating utilization of the connection between said one server and said another server and another server system resource information indicating utilization of said another server.

38. An information processing system according to

claim 37

, wherein said resource information further includes information concerning utilization of data migration speed according to current settings.

39. An information processing system according to

claim 36

, wherein said data migration control part adjusts data migration speed in a manner so as to give priority to accesses to said one server.

40. An information processing system according to

claim 37

, wherein said data migration control part adjusts data migration speed in a manner so as to give priority to accesses to said one server.