Storage subsystem that connects fibre channel and supports online backup

• US 20080263273A1
• Filed: 06/04/2008
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kenichi Takamoto, Yoshiko Matsumoto
• Original Assignee: Kenichi Takamoto, Yoshiko Matsumoto
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Yoshiko, Takamoto, Kenichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,904,646 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/112
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1456 Hardware arrangements for backup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1466 to make the backup process non-disruptive
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2003/0697 device management, e.g. handlers, drivers, I/O schedulers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0601 Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems

Abstract

A disk array connected to a storage area network via a fibre channel has one or more ports each controlled by a processor. Even the disk array with one port and one processor executes online processing and backup processing at the same time while considering an online processing load. A port controller not only accepts a request from a host computer but issues a request to other storage controllers to allow online processing and backup processing to be executed at the same time. In addition, the disk array, if provided with a plurality of ports, selects ports or schedules processing depending upon the load to prevent backup processing from affecting online processing performance.

Claims

1. A storage system comprising:

a first storage device; and

a second storage device, the first storage device comprising;

a port,

a port control unit to control the port,

a storing device to store a data,

a control unit, and

a memory,

wherein the port control unit;

generates a target task including a plurality of processes to execute a first process which receives data from the second storage device based on a demand received by the first storage device from the second storage device;

generates an initiator task including a plurality of processes to execute a second process which transfers data from the first storage device to the second storage device based on a stored transfer indicating information in the memory by the control unit not waiting the finish of the plurality of processes in the target task; and

controls the port so as to execute in a time-sharing manner the plurality of the processes included in the first process and the second process by changing executions of the generated plurality of processes included in the target task and the plurality of the processes included in the initiator task.

2. A storage system according to the claim 1, wherein the transfer indicating information has an information to determine a forwarding address and an address to indicate a position of data to be transferred.

3. A storage system according to the claim 1, wherein the port control unit stores an information to indicate a data sender and an address information to indicate the position where the data is stored when the first storage device receives a demand from the second storage device.

4. A storage system comprising:

a first storage device; and

a plurality of other devices,

wherein the first storage device comprises;

a port,

a port control unit to control the port,

a storing device to store a data,

a control unit; and

a memory; and

wherein the port control unit generates a target task including a plurality of processes to execute a first process which receives data from a first other device included in the plurality of other devices based on a demand received by the first storage device from the first other device;

generates a first initiator task including a plurality of processes to execute

a second process which transfers data from the first storage device to the first other device based on a stored transfer indicating information in the memory by the control unit;

generates a second initiator task or a second target task not waiting the finish of a plurality of processes included in the generated first initiator task or the first target task; and

controls the port so as to execute in a time-sharing manner the first process and the second process by changing executions of the plurality of the processes included in the generated first target task, the second target task, the first initiator task and the second initiator task.

5. A storage system according to the claim 4, wherein the memory has a priority information to indicate whether the first process or the second process has the priority, and

wherein the control unit receives data in a predetermined time interval in the first process then transfers a predetermined amount of data in the second process if the first process has the priority when the control unit reads the priority information and transfers a predetermined amount of data in the second process then receives data in a predetermined time interval in the first process if the second process has the priority when the control unit reads the priority information.

6. A storage system according to the claim 4, wherein the transfer indicating information has an information to determine a forwarding address and an address to indicate a position of data to be transferred.

7. A storage system according to the claim 4, wherein the port control unit stores an information to indicate a data sender and an address information to indicate the position where the data is stored when the first storage device receives a demand from the second storage device.

8. A storage system according to the claim 6, wherein the port control unit controls so as to change the other device to be communicated based on stored information in the memory.

9. A method for sending/receiving data in a storage system, the storage system comprising:

a first storage device; and

a second storage device, the first storage device comprising;

a port,

a port control unit to control the port,

a storing device to store a data,

a control unit; and

a memory,

wherein the method comprises the step of;

generating a target task including a plurality of processes to execute a first process which receives data from the second storage device based on a demand received by the first storage device from the second storage device;

generating an initiator task including a plurality of processes to execute a second process which transfers data from the first storage device to the second storage device based on a stored transfer indicating information in the memory by the control unit; and

controlling the port so as to execute in a timesharing manner the plurality of the processes included in the first process and the second process by changing executions of the generated plurality of processes included in the target task and the plurality of the processes included in the initiator task.

10. A method for sending/receiving data in a storage system, the storage system comprising:

a first storage device; and

a plurality of other devices, the first storage device comprising;

a port,

a port control unit to control the port,

a storing device to store a data,

a control unit; and

a memory,

wherein the method comprises the step of;

generating a target task including a plurality of processes to execute a first process which receives data from the plurality of other devices based on a demand received by the first storage device from a first other device included in the plurality of other devices;

generating a first initiator task to execute a second process which transfers data from the first storage device to the first other device based on a stored transfer indicating information in the memory by the control unit;

generating a second initiator task or a second target task not waiting the finish of a plurality of processes included in the generated first initiator task or the first target task; and

controlling the port so as to execute in a time-sharing manner the first process and the second process by changing executions of the plurality of the processes included in the generated first target task, the second target task, the first initiator task and the second initiator task.