Control method for storage device controller system, and storage device controller system

• US 20040123026A1
• Filed: 09/05/2003
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kaneko, Seiji
• Granted Patent: US 7,047,388 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 3/0661 Format or protocol conversion arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD

Abstract

The present invention provides a control method for a storage device controller system provided with a first storage device controller that is connected to first and second storage devices storing data in the CKD format and the FBA format, respectively, and that has first and second communications control means that receive data input/output requests from a mainframe computer and an open system computer, respectively, and a second storage device that is connected to a third storage device storing data in the CKD format and that has third communications means connected to the second communications means, wherein the first storage device controller transmits a command to the second storage device controller if a data read request received from the open system computer is for data stored on the third storage device, and transmits the data that are read out from the third storage device by the second storage device controller to the open system computer.

Claims

1. A control method for a storage device controller system, the storage device controller system comprising:

a first storage device controller having first input/output control means for performing input/output processing with respect to a first storage device storing data in accordance with a first recording format, second input/output control means for performing input/output processing with respect to a second storage device storing data in accordance with a second recording format, first communications control means for receiving data input/output requests from a first information processing device for accessing data stored on said first storage device, and second communications control means for receiving data input/output requests from a second information processing device for accessing data stored on said second storage device; and

a second storage device controller having third input/output control means for performing input/output processing with respect to a third storage device storing data in accordance with said second recording format, and third communications control means for receiving input/output requests with respect to data stored on said third storage device;

wherein said second communications control means and said third communications control means are connected;

said control method comprising;

a step in which said first storage device controller receives a data read request from said first information processing device;

a step in which said first storage device controller determines that said data read request is for data stored on said third storage device;

a step in which said first storage device controller transmits said data read request to said second storage device controller if it is determined that said data read request is for data stored on the third storage device;

a step in which said second storage device controller reads out data stored on said third storage device and transmits said data to the first storage device controller; and

a step in which said first storage device controller transmits said data to said first information processing device.

2. A control method for a storage device controller system according to claim 1,

wherein the step in which said first storage device controller transmits said data to said first information processing device is

a step in which said first storage device controller transmits said data to said first information processing device after converting them to data according to said first recording format.

3. A control method for a storage device controller system according to claim 1,

wherein said first and said second recording formats are FBA format and CKD format, respectively.

4. A control method for a storage device controller system according to claim 1,

wherein said first and said second recording formats are CKD format and FBA format, respectively.

5. A control method for a storage device controller system, the storage device controller system comprising:

a first storage device controller having first input/output control means for performing input/output processing with respect to a first storage device storing data in accordance with a first recording format, second input/output control means for performing input/output processing with respect to a second storage device storing data in accordance with a second recording format, first communications control means for receiving data input/output requests from a first information processing device for accessing data stored on said first storage device, and second communications control means for receiving data input/output requests from a second information processing device for accessing data stored on said second storage device; and

a second storage device controller having third input/output control means for performing input/output processing with respect to a third storage device storing data in accordance with said second recording format, and third communications control means for receiving input/output requests with respect to data stored on said third storage device;

wherein said second communications control means and said third communications control means are connected;

said control method comprising;

a step in which said first storage device controller receives a data write request from said first information processing device;

a step in which said first storage device controller determines that said data write request is for said third storage device;

a step in which said first storage device controller transmits said data write request to said second storage device controller if it is determined that said data write request is for said third storage device;

a step in which said first storage device controller transmits write data received from said first information processing device to said second storage device controller; and

a step in which said second storage device controller writes said write data to said third storage device.

6. A control method for a storage device controller system according to claim 5,

wherein the step in which said first storage device controller transmits write data received from said first information processing device to said second storage device controller is

a step in which said first storage device controller transmits write data received from said first information storage device to said second storage device controller after converting them to data in accordance with said second recording format.

7. A control method for a storage device controller system according to claim 5,

wherein said first and said second recording formats are FBA format and CKD format, respectively.

8. A control method for a storage device controller system according to claim 5,

wherein said first and said second recording formats are CKD format and FBA format, respectively.

9. A storage device controller system comprising:

a first storage device controller having first input/output control means for performing input/output processing with respect to a first storage device storing data in accordance with a first recording format, second input/output control means for performing input/output processing with respect to a second storage device storing data in accordance with a second recording format, first communications control means for receiving data input/output requests from a first information processing device for accessing data stored on said first storage device, and second communications control means for receiving data input/output requests from a second information processing device for accessing data stored on said second storage device; and

a second storage device controller having third input/output control means for performing input/output processing with respect to a third storage device storing data in accordance with said second recording format, and third communications control means for receiving input/output requests with respect to data stored on said third storage device;

wherein said second communications control means and said third communications control means are connected;

wherein said first storage device controller comprises;

means for receiving a data read request from said first information processing device;

means for determining that said data read request is for data stored on said third storage device;

means for transmitting said data read request to said second storage device controller if it is determined that said data read request is for data stored on said third storage device; and

means for transmitting to said first information processing device said data stored on said third storage device that are transmitted from said second storage device controller; and

wherein said second storage device controller comprises;

means for reading out data stored on said third storage device and transmitting said data to said first storage device controller based on said data read request that is transmitted from said first storage device controller.

10. A storage device controller system according to claim 9,

wherein said means for transmitting to said first information processing device said data stored on said third storage device that are transmitted from said second storage device controller are

means for converting data stored on said third storage device that are transmitted from said second storage device into data in accordance with said first recording format and then transmitting them to said first information processing device.

11. A storage device controller system according to claim 9,

wherein said first and said second recording formats are FBA format and CKD format, respectively.

12. A storage device controller system according to claim 9,

wherein said first and said second recording formats are CKD format and FBA format, respectively.

13. A storage device controller system according to claim 9,

wherein said first storage device controller comprises:

means for receiving a data write request from said first information processing device;

means for determining that said data write request is for said third storage device;

means for transmitting said data write request to said second storage device controller if it is determined that said data write request is for said third storage device; and

means for transmitting write data that are received from said first information processing device to said second storage device controller; and

wherein said second storage device controller comprises;

means for writing said write data to said third storage device.

14. A storage device controller system according to claim 13,

wherein said means for transmitting write data that are received from said first information processing device to said second storage device controller are

means for converting write data received from said first information processing device into data in accordance with said second recording format and then transmitting them to said second storage device controller.

15. A storage device controller system according to claim 13,

wherein said first and said second recording formats are FBA format and CKD format, respectively.

16. A storage device controller system according to claim 13,

wherein said first and said second recording formats are CKD format and FBA format, respectively.