Data processing system having a plurality of storage systems

• US 20060123213A1
• Filed: 12/15/2005
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kasako, Naohisa
• Granted Patent: US 7,457,929 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2058 using more than 2 mirrored copies
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2071 using a plurality of controllers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/855 Details of asynchronous mirroring using a journal to transfer not-yet-mirrored changes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users

Abstract

It is an object of the present invention to conduct data transfer or data copying between a plurality of storage systems, without affecting the host computer of the storage systems. Two or more auxiliary storage systems 100B, 100C are connected to a primary storage system 100A connected to a host device 180. The auxiliary storage systems 100B, 100C read journals of data update from the primary storage system 100A at respective independent timings, save the journals in prescribed logical volumes JNL 2, JNL 3, produce copying of the data present in the primary storage system 100A based on the journals present in the logical volumes JNL 2, JNL 3 at the independent timings, and save the copies in auxiliary logical volumes COPY 1, COPY 3. The primary storage system 100A holds the journals till both auxiliary storage systems 100B, 100C read the journals and restore. The timing of journal read can be controlled according to the journal quantity, processing load, and the like.

Claims

1. A storage system comprising:

a first disk array system coupled to a host computer and having a first controller and a plurality of first disk drives, said first disk drives being related to a first volume as a primary volume and a second volume;

a second disk array system coupled to said first disk array system and having a second controller and a plurality of second disk drives, said second disk drives being related to a third volume as a first secondary volume; and

a third disk array system coupled to said first disk array system and having a third controller and a plurality of third disk drives, said third disk drives is related to a fourth volume as a second secondary volume;

wherein said first controller receives an update data sent from said host computer to said first volume and stores a first data corresponding to said update data in said first volume and stores a second data corresponding to said update data in said second volume and transfers said second data to both said second disk array system and said third disk array system;

wherein said second controller receives said second data from said first disk array system and storing said second data in said third volume; and

wherein said third controller receives said second data from said first disk array system and storing said second data in said fourth volume.

2. A storage system according to claim 1 wherein:

said first controller transfers together a plurality of said second data stored in said second volume to both said second disk array system and said third disk array system.

3. A storage system according to claim 1 wherein:

said first controller transfers together a plurality of said second data stored in said second volume to said second disk array system.

4. A storage system according to claim 1 wherein:

said first controller does not purge said second data stored in said second volume until transferring said second data to both said second disk array system and said third disk array system.

5. A storage system according to claim 1 wherein:

said first controller begins to conduct for deleting said second data stored in said second volume after transferring said second data to both said second disk array system and said third disk array system.

6. A storage system according to claim 1 wherein:

said first disk array system is located at a primary site,

said second disk array system is located at a first remote site, and

said third disk array system is located at a second remote site.

7. A storage system according to claim 1 wherein:

said second disk array system has a fifth volume related to said second disk drives and temporarily storing said second data in said fifth volume before storing in said third volume.

8. A storage system according to claim 1 wherein:

said second disk array system has a fifth volume related to said second disk drives and temporarily storing said second data in said fifth volume before storing in said third volume, and

said third disk array system has a sixth volume related to said third disk drives and temporarily storing said second data in said sixth volume before storing in said fourth volume.

9. A storage system according to claim 1 wherein:

said second data is appended an update information.

10. A storage system according to claim 1 wherein:

said second data is appended an update information, which is used to maintain a consistency between data stored in said third volume and data stored in said fourth volume, if said first disk array system has a failure.

11. A storage system according to claim 1 wherein:

said first controller transfers a plurality of said second data stored in said second volume to both said second disk array system and said third disk array system, and

said plurality of second data are appended an update information, which is used to maintain a consistency between data stored in said third volume and data stored in said fourth volume, if said first disk array system has a failure.

12. A storage system according to claim 1 wherein:

said second disk array system has a fifth volume related to said second disk drives and temporarily storing said second data in said fifth volume before storing in said third volume,

said third disk array system has a sixth volume related to said third disk drives and temporarily storing said second data in said sixth volume before storing in said fourth volume, and

said second data is appended an update information, said update information being used to keep a sequence of updating from said host computer, if said second data is stored in said third volume and said fourth volume.

13. A storage system according to claim 1 wherein:

said second disk array system has a fifth volume related to said second disk drives and temporarily storing said second data in said fifth volume before storing in said third volume,

said third disk array system has a sixth volume related to said third disk drives and temporarily storing said second data in said sixth volume before storing in said fourth volume;

said first controller transfers a plurality of said second data stored in said second volume to both said second disk array system and said third disk array system, and.

said plurality of second data are appended an update information,

said update information is used to keep a sequence of updating from said host computer, if said second data is stored in both said third volume and said fourth volume.

14. A storage system according to claim 1 wherein

said second disk array system sends to said first disk array system a command requiring said second data, and

said first disk array system transfers said second data to said second disk array system in response to said command.

15. A remote copy method of a storage system which comprising a first disk array system coupled to a host computer and having a first controller and a plurality of first disk drives, a second disk array system coupled to said first disk array system and having a second controller and a plurality of second disk drives, and a third disk array system coupled to said first disk array system and having a third controller and a plurality of third disk drives, said remote copy method comprising:

storing an update data sent from said host computer to said first controller in a first volume, which is related to a first portion of said first disk drives and being set as a primary volume, which is related to a second portion of said first disk drives;

storing said update data in said second volume;

transferring said update data stored in said second volume to both said second disk array system and said third disk array system;

receiving, at said second disk array system, said update data, which is stored in said second volume, from said first disk array system with an asynchronous remote copy procedure;

storing said update data received from said first disk array system in a third volume, which is related to a first portion of said second disk drives and being set as a first secondary volume;

receiving, at said third disk array system, said update data, which is stored in said second volume, from said first disk array system with an asynchronous remote copy procedure; and

storing said update data received from said first disk array system in said fourth volume, which is related to a first portion of said third disk drives and being set as a second secondary volume.

16. A remote copy method according to claim 15 wherein:

temporarily storing said update data received from said first disk array system in a fifth volume, which is related to a second portion of said second disk drives, before storing in said third volume

17. A remote copy method according to claim 15 wherein:

beginning to conduct by said first controller for deleting said second data stored in said second volume after transferring said second data to both said second disk array system and said third disk array system.

18. A first disk array system coupled to a host computer, a second disk array system and a third disk array system, comprising

a plurality of first disk drives;

a first volume related to a first portion of said first disk drives and being set as a primary volume;

a second volume related to a second portion of said first disk drives; and

a first controller storing an update data sent from said host computer in said first volume and storing said update data in said second volume and transferring said update data stored in said second volume to both said second disk array system and said third disk array system.

19. A data storing method of a first disk array system coupled to a host computer, a second disk array system and a third disk array system, said first disk array system having a first controller and a plurality of first disk drives, said data storing method comprising:

receiving an update data sent from said host computer to a first volume as a primary volume of a remote copy pair, said first volume is related to a first portion of said first disk array system;

storing a first data corresponding to said update data in said first volume;

storing a second data corresponding to said update data in a second volume, said second volume is related to a second portion of said first disk array system; and

transferring said second data to both said second disk array system and said third disk array system with a remote copy procedure, said second disk array system having a first secondary volume, said third disk array system having a second secondary volume.