Computer system using a storage area network and method of handling data in the computer system

• US 20040073676A1
• Filed: 09/16/2003
• Published: 04/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Oeda, Takashi, Honma, Shigeo, Matsushima, Hiroyuki, Morishima, Hiroshi, Tsukiyama, Tokuhiro, Tomono, Yoji
• Application Number:
  US10/662,527
• Publication Number:
  US 20040073676A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0604 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0629 Configuration or reconfiguration of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

In order to construct an integrated storage system by reinforcing collaboration of components or functions of a storage system in which a storage area network (SAN) is used, in a computer system comprising multiple client computers, multiple various servers, multiple various storages which keep data, a local area network (LAN) which connects the computers and the servers, a storage area networks (SAN) which lies between the servers and said storages, the SAN forms a switched circuit network which is capable of connecting any servers and any storages through fiber channel switches, and the computer system further comprises a terminal which is equipped with operation and management software which performs storage management including management of logical volumes in the various storages, data arrangement, and error monitoring, management of setting up said FC switches, and backup operation for data in said storages.

Claims

1. A computer system which has plural client computers, plural various servers, plural various storages which keep data, a local area network (LAN) which connects said computers and said servers, and a storage area network (SAN) which lies between said servers and said storages,

wherein said SAN forms a switched circuit network which is capable of connecting any said servers and any said storages through fiber channel switches (FC switches),

said computer system comprising a terminal having operation and management software which performs storage management comprising management of logical volumes in said plural storages, data arrangement and error monitoring, management of setting up said FC switches, and a backup operation for data in said storages.

2. The computer system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said SAN is connected to SAN in other computer system via a wide area network (WAN).

3. The computer system as claimed in claim 1, wherein when data in a primary volume in said storage is backed up to a backup device in a non-disruptive manner, a secondary volume corresponding to said primary volume is created in said storage by an internal function, a copy is made from said primary volume to said secondary volume, and said copy is transferred to said backup device via said SAN without passing said LAN.

4. A computer system which has plural client computers, plural various servers, plural various storages which keep data, a local area network (LAN) which connects said computers and said servers, a storage area network (SAN) which lies between said servers and said storages wherein:

wherein said SAN forms a switched circuit network which is capable of connecting any said servers and any said storages through fiber channel switches (FC switches), and

wherein when data in said storage is backed up to a backup device in a non-disruptive manner, said storage has function of receiving instruction of a volume split from said server, function of assuming as if data in a primary volume were kept in a secondary volume at the time of said instruction, and function of backing up said data from said secondary volume to a backup device.

5. A method for managing a system having servers, a storage which keeps data of said servers, a network which connects said servers and said storage, and a backup device which is connected with said network and backs up said data, said method comprising:

a first step of obtaining information to identify data to be executed;

a second step of obtaining specification of processing a data denoted by said information;

a third step of instructing said storage which keeps the data denoted by said information to execute said specification of processing; and

a fourth step of receiving of processing the data denoted by said information from said storage result.

6. The method for managing said system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said specification of processing is to transfer said data from said storage to said backup device.

7. The method for managing said system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said specification of processing is to create a copy of the data denoted by said information, and to transfer said created copy data to said backup device.

8. The method for managing said system as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a fifth step of obtaining a timing at which said specification of processing is executed and a sixth of controlling execution timing of said third step according to said timing.

9. The method for managing a system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said server in said system is connected with an internet, and said data is sent out to said internet.

10. The method for managing said system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said server in said system is connected with an internet, and said data is sent out to said internet.

11. The method for managing said system as claimed in claim 7, wherein, said server in said system is connected with an internet, and said data is sent out to said internet.

12. The method for managing said system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said server in said system is connected with an internet, and said data is sent out to said internet.