Storage system, a host adapter, a data storage, a method of controlling a node device, a method of controlling a host adapter, a signal-bearing medium embodying a program causing a host adapter to perform a method of controlling a storage system, and a signal-bearing medium embodying a program causing a digital processing apparatus to perform a method of controlling a host adapter

• US 20060224751A1
• Filed: 03/28/2006
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Kuwata, Atsushi
• Application Number:
  US11/390,364
• Publication Number:
  US 20060224751A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/106 across networks, e.g. mapping telephone numbers to data network addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

A storage system for use with a node device, includes host modules that access the node device based on an address conversion information. The node device is connectable to the host modules and includes the address conversion information.

Claims

1. A storage system for use with a node device, said storage system comprising:

host modules that access the node device based on an address conversion information,

wherein said node device is connectable to said host modules and includes said address conversion information.

2. The storage system according to claim 1,

wherein said address conversion information includes an information of address conversion between a host module of said host modules and said node device.

3. The storage system according to claim 2,

wherein said node device includes said address conversion information with respect to each of said host modules.

4. The storage system according to claim 1,

wherein a host module of said host modules retrieves said address conversion information from said node device.

5. The storage system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a service interface module that monitors connection status among said node device and said host modules; and

a management server that carries out integrated management for information gathered by said service interface device.

6. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein one of said host modules includes:

a host computer; and

a host adapter that controls data transfer between said host computer and said node device.

7. The storage system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second node device that is connectable to said node device, said second node device storing said address conversion information.

8. The storage system according to claim 7,

wherein said node device includes a data storage.

9. The storage system according to claim 8, wherein said data storage retrieves said address conversion information from said second node device.

10. The storage system according to claim 9, wherein said data storage updates said address conversion information based on said address conversion information retrieved from said second node device.

11. A storage system for use with a host adapter, said storage system comprising:

node devices; and

a host computer that accesses said node devices,

wherein said host adapter is connectable to said host computer and controls data transfer between said host computer and said node devices, and said host adapter includes said address conversion information.

12. The storage system according to claim 11,

wherein said address conversion information includes an information of address conversion between said host adapter and one of said node devices.

13. The storage system according to claim 11,

wherein said host adapter includes said address conversion information with respect to each of said node devices.

14. The storage system according to claim 11,

wherein one of said node devices is written with said address conversion information from said host adapter.

15. The storage system according to claim 11, wherein said host adapter includes:

a read-only memory (ROM) that includes said information of address conversion between said host adapter and one of said node devices; and

a random access memory (RAM),

wherein said information of address conversion between said host adapter and said one of said node devices is written to said RAM and said one of said node devices.

16. The storage system according to claim 15,

wherein said ROM is invalidated after said address conversion information is written to said RAM and said one of said node devices.

17. A host adapter within a storage system, said storage system comprising:

a host computer, wherein;

said node device is connectable to said host computer and includes an address conversion information; and

the host adapter controls data transfer between said host computer and said node device based on said address conversion information.

18. A host adapter within a storage system, said storage system comprising:

node devices; and

a host computer that accesses said node devices,

wherein said host adapter comprises;

an address conversion information,

wherein said host adapter is connectable to said host computer and controls data transfer between said host computer and said node devices.

19. A node device within a storage system, comprising:

host modules that access the node device based on an address conversion information,

wherein said node device comprises;

said address conversion information,

wherein said node device is connectable to said host modules.

20. A method of controlling a storage system for use with a node device, said storage system comprising:

a host computer; and

a host adapter that controls data transfer between said host computer and a node device based on an information of address conversion between said host computer and said node device, said node device being connectable to said storage system,

wherein said method comprises;

retrieving, by said host adapter, said address conversion information from said node device.

21. The method of controlling a storage system according to claim 20, further comprising:

permitting said host adapter to connect to said host interface.

22. The method of controlling a storage system according to claim 20, further comprising:

starting the host adapter; and

waiting for said node device to start.

23. The method of controlling a storage system according to claim 20, further comprising:

detecting an adjustment in volume of said node device.

24. The method of controlling a storage system according to claim 23, further comprising:

detecting an increase in volume of said node device.

25. The method of controlling a storage system according to claim 23, further comprising:

detecting a decrease in volume of said node device.

26. The method of controlling a storage system according to claim 23, further comprising:

reporting said adjustment in volume of said node device to said host computer, when said host computer searches said volume.

27. The method of controlling a storage system according to claim 20, said method comprising:

detecting an adjustment of a second node device attached to said node device.

28. The method of controlling a storage system according to claim 27, said method further comprising:

detecting an addition of said second node device attached to said node device.

29. The method of controlling a storage system according to claim 27, said method further comprising:

detecting a deletion of said second node device attached to said node device.

30. The method of controlling a storage system according to claim 27, said method further comprising:

retrieving said address conversion information from said second node device; and

updating said address conversion information.

31. The method of controlling a storage system according to claim 30, further comprising:

recognizing an update of said address conversion information of said node device.

32. The method of controlling a storage system according to claim 31, further comprising:

reporting said increase of a volume of said second node device to said host computer, when said host computer searches said volume.

37. A signal-bearing medium embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus, said program causing a host adapter to perform a method of claim 20.

33. A method of controlling a host adapter within a storage system, said storage system comprising:

node devices; and

a host computer that accesses one of said node devices,

wherein said host adapter is connectable to said host computer and controls data transfer between said host computer and said node device, said host adapter including information of address conversion between said host adapter and said node device,

wherein said method comprises;

increasing a number of said host adapter; and

said host adapter writing said address conversion information to one of said node devices.

34. The method of controlling a host adapter according to claim 33, further comprising:

writing said address conversion information stored in a ROM of said host adapter to a RAM of said host adapter.

35. The method of controlling a host adapter according to claim 34, further comprising:

invalidating said address conversion information of said ROM.

36. The method of controlling a host adapter according to claim 35, further comprising:

permitting connection to a host interface.

38. A signal-bearing medium embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus, said program causing said digital processing apparatus to perform a method of claim 33.