Storage control apparatus, storage control method, and computer product

• US 20050166086A1
• Filed: 03/21/2005
• Published: 07/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Watanabe, Takashi
• Application Number:
  US11/083,964
• Publication Number:
  US 20050166086A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/6
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1666 where the redundant component is memory or memory area
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/20 using active fault-masking, e.g. by switching out faulty elements or by switching in spare elements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2089 Redundant storage control functionality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2097 maintaining the standby controller/processing unit updated initialisation or re-synchronisation thereof G06F11/1658 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0813 with a network or matrix configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0815 Cache consistency protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0866 for peripheral storage systems, e.g. disk cache

Abstract

A storage control apparatus that is distributed on a network with a cache device and a disk device to constitute a storage system includes a write control unit that performs a control to write data, for which the client requested to write, into a predetermined number of cache devices from among the cache devices disposed on the network in a redundant manner; and a read control unit that performs, when data, for which the client requested to read, is not stored in any cache device from among the cache devices disposed on the network, controls to read the data from the disk device, to store the data-read in a specific cache device, and to transmit the data-read to the client.

Claims

1. A storage control apparatus that is distributed on a network with a cache device and a disk device to constitute a storage system, receives an access request from a client, and causes the cache device and the disk device to execute a process corresponding to the access request, the storage control apparatus comprising:

a write control unit that performs a control to write data, for which the client requested to write, into a predetermined number of cache devices from among the cache devices disposed on the network in a redundant manner; and

a read control unit that performs, when data, for which the client requested to read, is not stored in any cache device from among the cache devices disposed on the network, controls to read the data from the disk device, to store the data-read in a specific cache device, and to transmit the data-read to the client.

2. The storage control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a Flush control unit that performs, when the data written into the predetermined number of cache devices in the redundant manner is written into the disk, controls to cause a specific cache device from among the predetermined number of cache devices to maintain the data, and to cause other cache devices to free a memory area for the data.

3. The storage control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the write control unit performs the control to write the data, for which the client requested to write, into two cache devices from among the cache devices disposed on the network in the redundant manner.

4. The storage control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the write control unit performs the control to write the data, for which the client requested to write, into all the cache devices disposed on the network in the redundant manner.

5. The storage control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the write control unit instructs the predetermined number of cache devices to transmit the predetermined number with a notification of completion of writing the data to the client.

6. The storage control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a location-information storing unit that stores correspondence between a logical location designated by the client, a memory location in a cache device, and a storing location in a disk device for an area to store data for which the client makes a request for an access; and

an update-information transferring unit that transmits, every time an update is performed for the correspondence stored in the location-information storing unit, information on the update to other storage control apparatus disposed on the network.

7. A storage control method used for a storage control apparatus that is distributed on a network with a cache device and a disk device to constitute a storage system, to receive an access request from a client, and to cause the cache device and the disk device to execute a process corresponding to the access request, the storage control method comprising:

a writing control including performing a control to write data, for which the client requested to write, into a predetermined number of cache devices from among the cache devices disposed on the network in a redundant manner; and

a reading control including performing, when data, for which the client requested to read, is not stored in any cache device from among the cache devices disposed on the network, controls to read the data from the disk device, to store the data-read in a specific cache device, and to transmit the data-read to the client.

8. The storage control method according to claim 7, further comprising a cache control including performing, when the data written into the predetermined number of cache devices in the redundant manner is written into the disk, controls to cause a specific cache device from among the predetermined number of cache devices to maintain the data, and to cause other cache devices to free a memory area for the data.

9. The storage control method according to claim 7, wherein the writing control includes performing the control to write the data, for which the client requested to write, into two cache devices from among the cache devices disposed on the network in the redundant manner.

10. The storage control method according to claim 7, wherein the writing control includes performing the control to write the data, for which the client requested to write, into all the cache devices disposed on the network in the redundant manner.

11. The storage control method according to claim 7, wherein the writing control includes instructing the predetermined number of cache devices to transmit the predetermined number with a notification of completion of writing the data to the client.

12. The storage control method according to claim 7, further comprising:

storing correspondence between a logical location designated by the client, a memory location in a cache device, and a storing location in a disk device for an area to store data for which the client makes a request for an access; and

transferring, every time an update is performed for the correspondence stored at the storing, information on the update to other storage control apparatus disposed on the network.

13. A computer-readable recording medium that stores a storage control program used for a storage control apparatus that is distributed on a network with a cache device and a disk device to constitute a storage system, to receive an access request from a client, and to cause the cache device and the disk device to execute a process corresponding to the access request, wherein the storage control program makes a computer execute

a writing control including performing a control to write data, for which the client requested to write, into a predetermined number of cache devices from among the cache devices disposed on the network in a redundant manner;

and

a reading control including performing, when data, for which the client requested to read, is not stored in any cache device from among the cache devices disposed on the network, controls to read the data from the disk device, to store the data-read in a specific cache device, and to transmit the data-read to the client.

14. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 13, wherein the storage control program further makes the computer execute a cache control including performing, when the data written into the predetermined number of cache devices in the redundant manner is written into the disk, controls to cause a specific cache device from among the predetermined number of cache devices to maintain the data, and to cause other cache devices to free a memory area for the data.

15. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 13, wherein the writing control includes performing the control to write the data, for which the client requested to write, into two cache devices from among the cache devices disposed on the network in the redundant manner.

16. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 13, wherein the writing control includes performing the control to write the data, for which the client requested to write, into all the cache devices disposed on the network in the redundant manner.

17. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 13, wherein the writing control includes instructing the predetermined number of cache devices to transmit the predetermined number with a notification of completion of writing the data to the client.

18. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 13, wherein the storage control program further makes the computer execute

storing correspondence between a logical location designated by the client, a memory location in a cache device, and a storing location in a disk device for an area to store data for which the client makes a request for an access;

and

transferring, every time an update is performed for the correspondence stored at the storing, information on the update to other storage control apparatus disposed on the network.