Computer system and data management method using the same

• US 20080104345A1
• Filed: 12/14/2006
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Masayuki, Taguchi, Yuichi, Nasu, Hiroshi, Maruyama, Naoko
• Granted Patent: US 7,669,022 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0796 Safety measures, i.e. ensuring safe condition in the event of error, e.g. for controlling element
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1448 Management of the data involved in backup or backup restore
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1456 Hardware arrangements for backup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1466 to make the backup process non-disruptive
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2094 Redundant storage or storage space G06F11/2056 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention aims at preventing loss of the most recent data even if backup processing ends abnormally.

A computer system includes: a first storage system having a data storage extent for storing data sent from a host computer; a second storage system having at least one actual replicated data storage extent associated with the data storage extent; an archive appliance having a storage medium associated with the replicated data storage extent in the second storage system; a data copy unit for controlling copy processing for reading data from the data storage extent in the first storage system and writing the read data to a first actual replicated data storage extent in the second storage system in accordance with specific configuration information; and a connection switching unit for changing the specific configuration information so that a second actual replicated data storage extent, instead of the first actual replicated data storage extent, is associated with the data storage extent.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a first storage system having a data storage extent for storing data sent from a host computer;

a second storage system connected to the first storage system, and having at least one actual replicated data storage extent associated with the data storage extent;

an archive appliance connected to the second storage system and having a storage medium associated with the replicated data storage extent in the second storage system;

a data copy unit configured to control copy processing for reading data from the data storage extent in the first storage system and writing the read data to a first actual replicated data storage extent in the second storage system in accordance with specific configuration information; and

a connection switching unit configured to change the specific configuration information so that a second actual replicated data storage extent, instead of the first actual replicated data storage extent, is associated with the data storage extent.

2. The computer system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a backup control unit configured to control backup processing for reading data from the first actual replicated data storage extent in the second storage system and to store the read data in the storage medium in the archive appliance.

3. The computer system according to claim 2,

wherein the backup control unit controls the backup processing asynchronously to the copy processing controlled by the data copy unit.

4. The computer system according to claim 3,

wherein, if the copy processing for writing data to the second storage system ends abnormally, the connection switching unit changes the specific configuration information.

5. The computer system according to claim 3,

wherein, if the backup processing for storing data in the archive appliance ends abnormally, the connection switching unit changes the specific configuration information.

6. The computer system according to claim 3, further comprising:

a monitoring unit for monitoring for an abnormal end in the copy processing controlled by the data copy unit,

wherein the connection switching unit changes the specific configuration information if the monitoring unit detects an abnormal termination.

7. The computer system according to claim 6,

wherein the connection switching unit requests new copy processing of the data copy unit if the specific configuration information has been changed by the connection switching unit.

8. The computer system according to claim 1,

wherein the first storage system has a virtual replicated data storage extent associated with the data storage extent, and the virtual replicated data storage extent is associated with the at least one actual replicated data storage extent.

9. A data management method in a computer system provided with a first storage system having a data storage extent, a second storage system connected to the first storage system and having at least one actual replicated data storage extent, and an archive appliance connected to the second storage system and having a specific storage medium, the data management method comprising:

setting specific configuration information so that the data storage extent in the first storage system is associated with a first actual replicated data storage extent in the second storage system, and the first actual replicated data storage extent is associated with the specific storage medium in the archive appliance;

storing data sent from a host computer in the data storage extent;

executing copy processing for reading data from the data storage extent in the first storage system and writing the read data to the first actual replicated data storage extent in the second storage system in accordance with the specific configuration information;

detecting if the copy processing has ended abnormally or not; and

changing the specific configuration information so as to associate a second actual replicated data storage extent, instead of the first actual replicated data storage extent, with the data storage extent, if the copy processing is detected as having terminated abnormally.

10. The data management method according to claim 9, further comprising:

executing backup processing for reading data from the first actual replicated data storage extent formed in the second storage system and storing the read data in the storage medium in the archive appliance.

11. The data management method according to claim 10,

wherein the backup processing is executed asynchronously to the copy processing.

12. The data management method according to claim 11,

wherein the changing the specific configuration information changes the specific configuration information if the copy processing for writing data to the second storage system terminates abnormally.

13. The data management method according to claim 11,

wherein the changing the specific configuration information changes the specific configuration information if the backup processing for storing data in the archive appliance terminates abnormally.

14. The data management method according to claim 11, further comprising:

monitoring for an abnormal end in the copy processing,

wherein the changing the specific configuration information changes the specific configuration information if an abnormal termination is detected during the monitoring for an abnormal end.

15. The data management method according to claim 9, further comprising:

forming a virtual replicated data storage extent in the first storage system, the virtual replicated data storage extent being associated with the data storage extent, and associating the virtual replicated data storage extent with the first actual replicated data storage extent.

16. The data management method according to claim 14, further comprising:

executing, after the specific configuration information has been changed, copy processing for reading data from the data storage extent in the first storage system and writing the read data to the second actual replicated data storage extent in the second storage system in accordance with the changed specific configuration information.