Storage system, a method of file data back up and a method of copying of file data

• US 20080209144A1
• Filed: 07/25/2007
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Fujimoto, Kazuhisa
• Granted Patent: US 8,341,199 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1435 using file system or storage system metadata
• 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 3/0661 Format or protocol conversion arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/959 Network
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

A storage system manages the total capacity of a shared storage medium to store block-basis data and file-basis data. When block data and its address are input through a fiber channel port, an input/output unit converts its data format to a data format that is internally applied by the storage system. When file data and its address are input, a file system converts its data format to a block data format internally applied by the storage system. The file system derives a file logical volume address from the received file address and translates file data to block data. A managing unit derives the address of a block logical volume from the block address delivered from the input/output unit. The managing unit translates block logical volume address or the file logical volume address to a physical address, and writes data to or reads data from the shared storage medium.

Claims

1. A storage system comprising:

a plurality of physical input/output ports;

a control unit coupled to the plurality of physical input/output ports; and

a plurality of disk drives coupled to the control unit, the physical input/output ports being accessible by a block I/O request and being accessible by a file I/O request.

2. A storage system according to claim 1,

wherein the plurality of disk drives are configured into a first storage area assigned to store data related to the block I/O request and a second storage area assigned to store data related to the file I/O request.

3. A storage system according to claim 2,

wherein the storage system includes means for partitioning the storage areas into a first storage area for storing data in a block format and a second storage area for storing data in a file format.

4. A storage system according to claim 3,

wherein said means for partitioning re-designates a particular storage area of one the first and second storage areas into another one of the first and second storage areas.

5. A storage system according to claim 2,

wherein said storage system backs up file data stored in the second storage area, transforms the file data into a block data format and outputs the transformed file data to an external storage system that stores the transformed file data in the block data format via a first port being accessible by a block I/O request.

6. A storage system according to claim 2,

wherein when the file data is copied between said storage system and an external storage system, information concerning a storage area to be copied is notified between a file system of each of the storage systems, and the file data stored in said storage system is copied via a first port being accessible by a block I/O request.

7. A storage system according to claim 2,

wherein the storage system manages said first and second storage areas as logical volumes.

8. A storage system according to claim 1,

wherein a total number of the physical input/output ports is fixed and at least one of which is designed for inputting/outputting block data or file data.

9. A storage system according to claim 1,

wherein the plurality of disk drives are configured into a first storage area that is assigned to store data related to the block I/O request and a second storage area that is assigned to store data related to the file I/O request and a third storage area that does not belong to either the first storage area or the second storage area.

10. A storage system according to claim 9,

wherein the storage system includes means for partitioning the storage areas into the first storage area for storing data in a block format and the second storage area for storing data in the file format and the third storage area.

11. A storage system according to claim 10,

wherein said means for partitioning re-designates a particular storage area of the third storage area into the first or second storage areas.

12. A storage system according to claim 9,

wherein said storage system backs up file data stored in the second storage area, transforms the file data into a block data format and outputs the transformed file data to an external storage system that stores the transformed file data in the block data format via a first port being accessible by a block I/O request.

13. A storage system according to claim 9,

wherein when the file data is copied between said storage system and an external storage system, information concerning the storage area to be copied is notified between a file system of each of the storage systems, and the file data stored in said storage system is copied via a first port being accessible by a block I/O request.

14. A storage system according to claim 9,

wherein the storage system manages said storage areas as logical volumes.

15. A storage system according to claim 9,

wherein a total number of the physical input/output ports is fixed and at least one of which is designed for inputting/outputting block data or file data.

16. A storage system to be coupled to an IP network, said storage system comprising:

a plurality of physical input/output ports to be coupled to the IP network;

a control unit coupled to the physical input/output ports; and

a plurality of disk drives coupled to the control unit,

the physical input/output ports being accessible by a block I/O request via the IP network and a file I/O request via the IP network,

wherein the physical input/output ports are divided into at least a first port being accessible by a block I/O request and a second port being accessible by a file I/O request.

17. A storage system according to claim 16,

wherein the plurality of disk drives are configured into a first storage area assigned to store data related to the block I/O request and a second storage area assigned to store data related to the file I/O request.

18. A storage system according to claim 17,

wherein the storage system includes means for partitioning the storage areas into a first storage area for storing data in a block format and a second storage area for storing data in a file format.

19. A storage system according to claim 18,

wherein said means for partitioning re-designates a particular storage area of one of the first and second storage areas into another one of the first and second storage areas.

20. A storage system according to claim 17,

wherein said storage system backs up file data stored in the second storage area, transforms the file data into the block data format and outputs the transformed file data to an external storage device that stores the transformed file data in the block data format via a first port being accessible by a block I/O request.

21. A storage system according to claim 17,

wherein when the file data is copied between said storage system and an external storage system, information concerning the storage area to be copied is notified between a file system of each of the storage systems, and the file data stored in said storage system is copied via a first port being accessible by a block I/O request.

22. A storage system according to claim 16,

wherein the storage system manages said storage areas as logical volumes.

23. A storage system according to claim 16,

wherein a total number of the physical input/output ports is fixed and at least one of which is designed for inputting/outputting block data or file data.

24. A storage system according to claim 16,

wherein the plurality of disk drives are configured into a first storage area which is assigned to store data related to the block I/O request and a second storage area which is assigned to store data related to the file I/O request and a third storage area that does not belong to either the first storage area or the second storage area.

25. A storage system according to claim 24,

wherein the storage system includes means for partitioning the storage areas into the first storage area for storing data in a block format and the second storage area for storing data in a file format and the third storage area.

26. A storage system according to claim 27,

wherein said means for partitioning re-designates a particular storage area of third storage area into the first or second storage areas.

27. A storage system according to claim 24,

wherein said storage system backs up file data stored in the second storage area, transforms the file data into the block data format and outputs the transformed file data to an external storage device that stores the transformed file data in the block data format via a first port being accessible by a block I/O request.

28. A storage system according to claim 24,

wherein when the file data is copied between said storage system and an external storage system, information concerning the storage area to be copied is notified between a file system of each of the storage systems, and the file data stored in said storage system is copied via a first port being accessible by a block I/O request.

29. A storage system according to claim 24,

wherein the storage system manages said storage areas as logical volumes.

30. A storage system according to claim 24,

wherein a total number of the physical input/output ports is fixed and at least one of which is designed for inputting/outputting block data or file data.