Storage control system

• US 20060259709A1
• Filed: 07/21/2006
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hiroshi Kuwabara, Katsuhiro Uchiumi, Keishi Tamura
• Original Assignee: Hiroshi Kuwabara, Katsuhiro Uchiumi, Keishi Tamura
• Inventors: Uchiumi, Katsuhiro, Tamura, Keishi, Kuwabara, Hiroshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,237,083 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/147
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0622 in relation to access
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0632 by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0635 by changing the path, e.g. traffic rerouting, path reconfiguration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0637 Permissions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0662 Virtualisation aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0665 at area level, e.g. provisioning of virtual or logical volumes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

A plurality of key information items with a fixed constitution are stored in a shared memory of a first storage control system. Each key information item corresponds with each of the types of a second storage control system and includes, in a predetermined location in the key information, an information element that indicates the location of a particular information item among the plurality of information items in the control system information. A microprocessor in a Fibre Channel Adapter of the first storage control system determines whether to form a logical path with the second storage control system on the basis of the key information and the control system information that is received from the second storage control system.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A storage control system, connected to an external storage control system and a host device, for controlling access by the host device to the storage resources in the external storage control system, comprising:

a plurality of logical storage devices that store data exchanged with the host device;

one or a plurality of physical storage devices comprising the plurality of logical storage devices;

a cache memory that stores data exchanged between the host device and the physical storage devices;

a shared memory in which control information relating to the data is stored;

a channel control unit, having a control processor, that receives control system information from the external storage control system and controls data communications between the cache memory and at least one of the host device and the external storage control system;

a disk control unit that controls data communications between the cache memory and the physical storage devices; and

a key information item storage area that stores one or a plurality of key information items with a fixed constitution,

wherein each of the one or the plurality of key information items corresponds with each of the type or types of the external storage control systems, and

wherein the control processor of the channel control unit selects a key information item from among the one or the plurality of key information items, judges whether, in the control system information received from the external storage control system and indicated by the information element in the selected key information item, there exists the information element in the selected key information item, and forms a logical path between the host device and the storage resources in the external storage control system when an affirmative judgment result is obtained but does not form the logical path when a negative judgment result is obtained.

3. The storage control system according to claim 2, wherein the key information item includes:

an information element that indicates at least one of the vendor ID and device name of the external storage control system corresponding with this key information item;

an information element that indicates the location in the control system information of at least one of the vendor ID and the device name; and

an information element that indicates at least one of the data size of the vendor ID and the device name.

4. The storage control system according to claim 2, wherein a maintenance/management system for maintaining or managing the storage control system is connected to the channel control unit, and

wherein when the affirmative judgment result is obtained, the control processor of the channel control unit transmits all the information items included in the received control system information to the maintenance/management system such that all the information items are displayed, and forms the logical path upon receiving a logical path formation request from the maintenance/management system.

5. The storage control system according to claim 2, wherein another information element indicating the usable storage capacity in the storage resources in the external storage control system corresponding with the key information item is included in another predetermined location of the key information item, and

wherein when write target data is received from the host device, the control processor of the channel control unit judges whether the storage capacity indicated by the another information element in the key information item corresponding with the type of the external storage control system is exceeded by the total value of the data size of the write target data and the total data size of one or a plurality of data stored cumulatively in the external storage control system, and stores the write target data in the storage resources in the external storage control system when the indicated storage capacity is not exceeded.

6. The storage control system according to claim 5, wherein, when the total value exceeds the indicated storage capacity, the control processor of the channel control unit communicates the fact that it is necessary to increase the storage capacity indicated by the another information element in the key information item to the host device, receives data for increasing the indicated storage capacity and then increases the value of the indicated storage capacity.

7. The storage control system according to claim 2, wherein the control processor of the channel control unit forms the logical path and then, when a predetermined event has occurred, receives the control system information from the external storage control system and performs the judgment, erasing the logical path if a negative judgment result is obtained.

8. The storage control system according to claim 2, wherein a maintenance/management system for maintaining or managing the storage control system is connected to the channel control unit,

wherein the maintenance/management system comprises:

a maintenance/management storage unit for storing data;

the key information item is downloaded to the maintenance/management system from a key management database that stores cumulatively a plurality of key information items corresponding with a plurality of types of the external storage control system and is then stored in the key information item storage area; and

the key information item storage area is provided in at least one of the shared memory, local memory that is used by the control processor of the channel control unit, and the maintenance/management storage unit.

9. The storage control system according to claim 2, wherein a Fibre Channel Adapter or iSCSI adapter connected to the external storage control system is included in the channel control unit, and

wherein the control processor is mounted in the Fibre Channel Adapter or the iSCSI adapter.

10. The storage control system according to claim 9, wherein the Fibre Channel Adapter or the iSCSI adapter transmits an inquiry command according to the SCSI protocol to the external storage control system and receives the control system information from the external storage control system in response to the inquiry command.

11. The storage control system according to claim 2, comprising:

a virtual intermediate storage device between the logical storage device and the physical storage device,

wherein the control processor of the channel control unit forms the logical path by associating the logical storage device and the external logical storage device, which is a storage resource in the external storage control system, with a logical location in the virtual intermediate storage device.

12. A storage system that comprises a first storage control system connected to a host device and a second storage control system connected to the first storage control system,

wherein the second storage control system comprises:

a memory area for memorizing control system information relating to the second storage control system;

a channel control unit, having a control processor, for controlling data communications with the first storage control system; and

a key information item storage area for storing one or a plurality of key information items with a fixed constitution,

wherein each of the one or the plurality of key information items corresponds with each of the type or types of the second storage control system,

wherein the control processor of the channel control unit selects a key information item from among the one or the plurality of key information items, judges whether, in the control system information indicated by the information element in the selected key information item, there exists the information element in the selected key information item, and transmits all information items included in the control system information to the first storage control system when an affirmative judgment result is obtained but does not transmit the control system information or transmits only the other information item or items than the nonconforming information item included in the control system information to the first storage control system when a negative judgment result is obtained, and

wherein upon receiving, from the second storage control system, all the information items included in the control system information, the first storage control system forms a logical path between the host device and the storage resources in the second storage control system based on the received information items but does not form the logical path when all information items included in the control system information are not received or when only some information items are received.