Data processing method and system

• US 20060129772A1
• Filed: 03/11/2005
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kawamura, Nobuo, Ito, Yozo, Takada, Makoto
• Granted Patent: US 7,293,194 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2025 using centralised failover 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: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

It is an object of the present invention to use the resources of various sites in an effective manner. The first site has a first DB access part in use. The second site has a second DB access part in use in addition to a first DB access part for standby corresponding to the first DB access part in use. The second DB access part in use writes data into a second storage device that is assigned to the second DB access part itself. The inter-site monitoring server monitors the first DB access part in use and the second DB access part, and in cases where it is detected that the first DB access part in use has gone down, the inter-site monitoring server switches the first DB access part for standby to the DB access part in use.

Claims

1. A data processing method in which a first site comprises a first DB access part in use, a primary first storage device that is assigned to said first DB access part in use, and a secondary second storage device that forms a pair with a primary second storage device;

a second site comprises a second DB access part in use, a first DB access part for standby that corresponds to said first DB access part in use, said primary second storage device that is assigned to said second DB access part in use, and a secondary first storage device that forms a pair with said primary first storage device, and that is assigned to said DB access part for standby; and

an inter-site monitoring server is provided which monitors a first object of monitoring that is at least one of said first DB access part in use, a first server comprising said first DB access part in use, and said first site, and a second object of monitoring that is at least one of said second DB access part in use, a second server comprising said second DB access part in use, and said second site;

said data processing method comprising the steps of;

said first DB access part in use writing data into said primary first storage device;

copying the data that is written into said primary first storage device into said secondary first storage device;

said second DB access part in use writing data into said primary second storage device;

copying the data that is written into said primary second storage device into said secondary second storage device;

said inter-site monitoring server detecting that said first DB access part in use has gone down; and

said inter-site monitoring server switching said first DB access part for standby to said first DB access part in use after detecting that said first DB access part in use has gone down.

2. The data processing method according to claim 1, wherein said first site has another first DB access part corresponding to said second DB access part in use, and said method further comprises a step in which said inter-site monitoring server switches said other first DB access part for standby to said first DB access part in use after detecting that said first DB access part in use has gone down.

4. The data processing method according to claim 1, comprising the steps of:

said inter-site monitoring server registering monitoring result information which indicates whether or not said first object of monitoring and second object of monitoring are normal;

said inter-site monitoring server updating said monitoring result information in accordance with monitoring results for said first object of monitoring and said second object of monitoring;

said inter-site monitoring server receiving inquiries as to whether or not said first object of monitoring is accessible from a client terminal issuing an access request for said first object of monitoring;

said inter-site monitoring server judging whether or not said client terminal can access said first object of monitoring by referring to the monitoring result information that is registered in said specified storage region;

said inter-site monitoring server transmitting the result of said judgment to said client terminal; and

said client terminal sending an access request to said first object of monitoring if it is judged to be accessible.

5. The data processing method according to claim 1, wherein said first site has a plurality of first access parts in use, and a plurality of primary first storage devices;

said second site has a plurality of first DB access parts for standby, and a plurality of secondary first storage devices that respectively correspond to said plurality of primary first storage devices;

said first DB access parts in use and said DB access parts for standby are associated with each other in one-to-one manner; and

said first DB access parts in use and said primary first storage devices are also associated with each other in one-to-one manner.

6. The data processing method according to claim 1, wherein said second site has an additional secondary first storage device that forms a pair with said secondary first storage device, and said first site has an additional secondary second storage device that forms a pair with said secondary second storage device,

said method comprising the steps of:

copying first data stored in said secondary first storage device into said additional secondary first storage device in said second site;

copying second data stored in said secondary second storage device into said additional secondary second storage device in said first site;

dissolving the pair of said secondary first storage device and said additional secondary first storage device in said second site;

dissolving the pair of said secondary first storage device and said additional secondary first storage device in said first site;

said first DB access part in use writing new first data into both said primary first storage device and said additional secondary second storage device;

said second DB access part in use writing new second data into both said primary second storage device and said additional secondary first storage device;

forming a pair consisting of said secondary first storage device and said additional secondary first storage device in said second site in cases where recovery from trouble is effected following the occurrence of such trouble in said first object of monitoring;

forming a pair consisting of said secondary first storage device and said additional secondary first storage device in said first site;

copying said new second data stored in said additional secondary first storage device into said secondary first storage device in said second site;

storing said new second data written into said secondary first storage device in said primary first storage device of said first site;

copying said new second data stored in said primary second storage device into said secondary second storage device; and

copying said new second data copied into said secondary second storage device into said additional secondary second storage device in said first site.

7. The data processing method according to claim 1, wherein said first site further comprises a second DB access part for standby which corresponds to said second DB access part in use,

said method comprising the steps of:

said inter-site monitoring server detecting that said second DB access part in use has gone down; and

said inter-site monitoring server switching said second DB access part for standby to said second DB access part in use after detecting that said second DB access part in use has gone down.

3. The data processing method according to clam 1, wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

said inter-site monitoring server storing DB access part relationship information constituting information that represents the correspondence relationship between the DB access parts and other DB access parts in a predetermined storage region; and

said inter-site monitoring server specifying a DB access part for standby corresponding to the DB access part currently in use that has gone down by referring to the DB access part relationship information stored in said specified storage region; and

wherein, in said switching step, said specified DB access part for standby is switched to the DB access part in use.

8. A device comprising:

a first site having a first DB access part in use, a primary first storage device that is assigned to said first DB access part in use, a second DB access part for standby that corresponds to a second DB access part in use, and a secondary second storage device that forms a pair with a primary second storage device; and

a second site having said second DB access part in use, a first DB access part for standby that corresponds to said first DB access part in use, said primary second storage device that is assigned to said second DB access part in use, and a secondary first storage device that forms a pair with said primary first storage device, and that is assigned to said DB access part for standby,

wherein said first DB access part in use writes data into said primary first storage device, and the data that is written into said primary first storage device is copied into said secondary first storage device;

said second DB access part in use writes data into said primary second storage device, and the data that is written into said primary second storage device is copied into secondary second storage device; and

wherein said device further comprises a storage region that stores at least one computer program, and a processor that reads in and operates said one or more computer programs from said storage region;

said processor monitors a first object of monitoring that is at least one of said first DB access part in use, a first server comprising said first DB access part in use, and said first site, and a second object of monitoring that is at least one of said second DB access part in use, a second server comprising said second DB access part in use, and said second site;

in cases where it is detected by said monitoring that said first DB access part in use has gone down, said processor switches said first DB access part for standby to said first DB access part in use, while in cases where it is detected by said monitoring that said second DB access part in use has gone down, said processor switches said second DB access part for standby to said second DB access part in use.

9. A computer-readable computer program wherein a first site has a first DB access part in use, a primary first storage device that is assigned to said first DB access part in use, a second DB access part for standby that corresponds to a second DB access part in use, and a secondary second storage device that forms a pair with a primary second storage device;

second site has said second DB access part in use, a first DB access part for standby that corresponds to said first DB access part in use, said primary second storage device that is assigned to said second DB access part in use, and a secondary first storage device that forms a pair with said primary first storage device, and that is assigned to said DB access part for standby;

said first DB access part in use writes data into said primary first storage device, and the data that is written into said primary first storage device is copied into said secondary first storage device;

said second DB access part in use writes data into said primary second storage device, and the data that is written into said primary second storage device is copied into secondary second storage device; and

and said computer program causes a computer to execute the steps of;

monitoring a first object of monitoring that is at least one of said first DB access part in use, a first server comprising said first DB access part in use, and said first site, and a second object of monitoring that is at least one of said second DB access part in use, a second server comprising said second DB access part in use, and said second site;

switching said first DB access part for standby to said first DB access part in use in cases where it is detected by said monitoring that said first DB access part in use has gone down; and

switching said second DB access part for standby to said second DB access part in use in cases where it is detected by said monitoring that said second DB access part in use has gone down.