Heterogeneous computer system, heterogeneous input/output system and data back-up method for the systems

• US 20040064610A1
• Filed: 09/17/2003
• Published: 04/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Akira Yamamoto, Toshio Nakano, Yasuko Fukuzawa
• Original Assignee: Akira Yamamoto, Toshio Nakano, Yasuko Fukuzawa
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Akira, Fukuzawa, Yasuko, Nakano, Toshio
• Granted Patent: US 6,871,255 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/74
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1456 Hardware arrangements for backup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0623 in relation to content
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/065 Replication mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0685 Hybrid storage combining heterogeneous device types, e.g. hierarchical storage, hybrid arrays

Abstract

A heterogeneous computer system, a heterogeneous input/output system and a data back-up method for the systems. An I/O subsystem A for open system and an I/O subsystem B for a mainframe are connected by a communication unit. In order to back up the data from at least a disk connected to the I/O subsystem B in a MT library system and in order to permit the mainframe to access the data in the I/O subsystem B, the I/O subsystem A includes a table for assigning a vacant memory address in a local subsystem to the memory of the I/O subsystem for an open system. A request of variable-length record format received from the mainframe is converted into a fixed-length record format for the subsystem B. The disk designated according to the table is accessed, and the data thus obtained is sent to the mainframe and backed up in the back-up system.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a first storage system comprising a first disk controller, and one or more first disks coupled to said first disk controller;

a second storage system comprising a second disk controller, and one or more second disks coupled to said second disk controller; and

a controller coupled to said first storage system, said second storage system, and a host computer,

wherein said controller receives an I/O request issued from said host computer, and sends an I/O request to one of said first storage system and said second storage system based on a disk identification (ID) included in said I/O request issued from said host computer.

2. A computer system as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said I/O request issued from said host computer further includes a first address designates a storage area accessed by said host computer, and

wherein said controller converts said first address to a second address designating a storage area in one of said first storage system and said second storage system, and sends an I/O request including said second address to said one of said first storage system and said second storage system.

3. A computer system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said disk ID designates a disk recognized by said host computer.