Information storing method for computer system including a plurality of computers and storage system

• US 20050283575A1
• Filed: 08/13/2004
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Ikuko, Kimura, Shinji, Mikuma, Ayumi
• Granted Patent: US 7,197,606 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/147
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0604 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0632 by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

A computer 10a stores boot information OA1 and application information AP1 stored on a local disk 16a, the information being respectively stored as an OS1 shared file group in a shared LU1 and as a AP1 shared file group in a shared LUn+1. For personal information (including personal information of boot information or AP information), computer 10a stores the information as a user personal file group in an personal LU1. Computer 10a transmits image outline information, LU information and file information for the sets of information stored in shared LU1, shared LUn+1 and personal LU1 to an disk-image management server 30, where the information is stored in the storage device 31 of the disk-image management server 30.

Claims

1. An information storing method for a storage device that is connected with a plurality of computers via a network and comprises a shared storage area for storing shared information shared by said plurality of computers, and personal storage areas for storing personal information used individually by each of said plurality of computers, said method comprising the steps of:

acquiring said shared information and said personal information from a storage module provided on one computer of said plurality of computers;

extracting shared information that is not currently stored in said shared storage area from the shared information acquired from said storage module if a shared storage area that is capable of storing shared information of the same type as the acquired said shared information has been formatted in said storage device; and

storing said extracted shared information and said personal information acquired from said storage module in said personal storage area of said storage device.

2. The information storing method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

formatting said shared storage area in said storage device, if a shared storage area that is capable of storing shared information of the same type as said shared information acquired from said storage module has not been formatted in said storage device; and

storing said shared information acquired from said storage module in the formatted said shared storage area.

3. An information storing method for a storage device in a computer system that comprises a plurality of computers and a shared information storage device shared by the plurality of computers, said method comprising the steps of:

determining whether a boot information storage area has been formatted in said storage device using disk-image management information that indicates storage status of information in said storage device, wherein the boot information storage area stores boot information used when booting a computer, wherein said boot information is stored on one computer among said plurality of computers;

determining whether an application information storage area has been formatted in said storage device using said disk-image management information, wherein the application information storage area stores application information used for execution of an application by the computer, wherein the application information is stored on said one computer;

formatting a personal storage area for storing personal information in said storage device, wherein the personal information is unique to an operating environment of each computer and is stored on said one computer;

storing information that is stored in each said computer and is not currently stored in said boot information storage area in said personal storage area, if said boot information storage area has been formatted;

storing information that is stored in each said computer and is not currently stored in said application information storage area in said personal storage area, if said application information storage area has been formatted;

storing said personal information in said formatted personal storage area; and

reflecting in said disk-image management information the storage status of information in said storage areas.

4. The information storing method according to claim 3 further comprising the steps of:

formatting the boot information storage area in said storage device, if the boot information storage area has not been formatted in said storage device;

storing said boot information stored on said one computer in said formatted boot information storage area; and

reflecting in said disk-image management information the storage status of said boot information stored in said boot information storage area.

5. The information storing method according to claim 4 further comprising the steps of:

formatting the application information storage area for storing application information stored on said one computer in said storage device, if the application information stored on said one computer is not currently stored in said storage device;

storing said application information in said formatted application information storage area; and

reflecting in said disk-image management information the storage status of application boot information stored in said application information storage area.

6. The information storing method according to claim 5,

wherein said information is composed of one or a plurality of files;

wherein said information storing method further comprises the step of, when storing said boot information and said application information in said boot information storage area and said application information storage areas respectively, allocating a unique identifier to each file making up said boot information and said application information, respectively;

wherein extraction of information not currently stored in said boot information storage area and said application information storage area from boot information and application information stored on each said computer is carried out in file units using said identifiers;

and wherein storing of said various sets of information is carried out by means of copying or moving in said file units the various information stored on each said computer.

7. The information storing method according to claim 5 further comprising the steps of:

identifying a boot information storage area where boot information to be updated is being stored;

storing said boot information to be updated in said identified boot information storage area; and

reflecting in said disk-image management information the storage status of said boot information to be updated in said identified boot information storage area.

8. The information storing method according to claim 5 further comprising the steps of:

identifying an application information storage area where application information to be updated is being stored;

storing said application information to be updated in said identified application information storage area; and

reflecting in said disk-image management information the storage status of said application information to be updated in said identified application information storage area.

9. The information storing method according to claim 8, wherein said steps are executed by each of said plurality of computers.

10. The information storing method according to claim 8,

wherein said computer system comprises an installer computer storing information for said storage device, and

wherein said steps are executed by said installer computer.

11. The information storing method according to claim 10,

wherein said computer system comprises a plurality of storage devices;

wherein said information storing method further comprises the step of associating one storage device among said plurality of storage devices with one computer among said plurality of computers;

and wherein said steps are executed between said associated one storage device and one storage device.

12. A computer system comprising:

a plurality of computers;

a storage device shared by said plurality of computers; and

a disk-image management device for administering information stored in said storage device;

wherein said storage device comprises;

a plurality of storage areas capable of storing boot information used to boot a said computers, application information for executing an application on said computers, and personal information consisting of information characteristic of the an operating environment of each of said computers; and

a controller for controlling read/write to said plurality of storage areas;

wherein said disk-image management device comprises a storage module for storing storage area identifying information, said identifying information identifying a storage area for information stored in said storage device;

and wherein each said computer acquires from the storage module of said disk-image management device the identifying information identifying a storage area of information being stored in said storage device, and on the basis of said acquired storage area identifying information, requests the controller of said storage device to write, from among said boot information and said application information stored on said computer, any information not currently stored in said storage device, and said personal information.

13. The computer system according to claim 12,

wherein each said computer determines whether in said storage device a said storage area has been allocated to each of said boot information, said application information, and said personal information;

and if said storage area has not been allocated to any information of said boot information, said application information, and said personal information, requests said controller to allocate a storage area for storing information currently having no said storage area allocated;

wherein said controller, in response to said request, executes allocation of a storage area for storing said currently unallocated information; and

wherein said disk-image management device stores the relationship between the information newly allocated by said controller and said storage area in said storage module.

14. A computer system comprising:

a plurality of computers;

a storage device shared by the plurality of computers;

a disk-image management device for administering information stored in said storage device; and

an installer computer;

wherein said storage device comprises;

a plurality of storage areas capable of storing boot information used to boot a said computers, application information for executing an application on said computers, and personal information consisting of information characteristic of an operating environment of each of said computers; and

a controller for controlling read/write to said plurality of storage areas;

wherein said disk-image management device comprises a storage module for storing storage area identifying information, said identifying information identifying a storage area for information stored in said storage device;

wherein said installer computer acquires from the storage module of said disk-image management device the identifying information identifying a storage area of information being stored in said storage device;

on the basis of said acquired storage area identifying information, determines whether a said storage area has been allocated in said storage device to all of the information consisting of said boot information, said application information, and said personal information for one computer among said plurality of computers; and

requests the controller of said storage device to write, from among said boot information and said application information stored on said one computer, any information not currently stored in said storage device, and said personal information;

wherein said controller, in response to said request, executes allocation of a storage area for storage of said unallocated information;

and wherein said disk-image management device stores the relationship between the information newly allocated by said controller and said storage area in said storage module.