SYSTEM MANAGING A PLURALITY OF VIRTUAL VOLUMES AND A VIRTUAL VOLUME MANAGEMENT METHOD FOR THE SYSTEM

• US 20110093676A1
• Filed: 10/20/2010
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Umemura, Shoko
• Granted Patent: US 8,122,214 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2069 Management of state, configuration or failover
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2071 using a plurality of controllers
• 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 3/061 Improving I/O performance
• 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 3/065 Replication mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0659 Command handling arrangements, e.g. command buffers, queues, command scheduling
• 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

This invention provides a control technique of a data processing system, in which functions of a highly-functional high-performance storage system are achieved in an inexpensive storage system so as to effectively use the existing system and reduce the cost of its entire system. This system has a RAID system, an external subsystem, a management server, a management client and the like. The management server includes an information management table for storing mapping information of the RAID system and the external subsystem. When performing copy process, the pair creation in which a logical volume of the RAID system is set as a primary volume of copy source and a logical volume of a mapping object of the RAID system mapped from the logical volume of the external subsystem is set as a secondary volume of copy destination is executed from the management client by using the information management table.

Claims

1. A plurality of storage systems comprising:

a first storage system comprising a first control unit managing a plurality of logical units (LUs) and a plurality of first storage devices being controlled to store data by the first control unit, the plurality of LUs including a first type LU and a second type LU, the first type LU corresponding to at least one of the plurality of first storage devices of the first storage system so that data to be stored to the first type LU is stored to the at least one of the plurality of first storage devices of the first storage system, the second type LU mapping to a LU which is managed by a second storage system so that data to be stored to the second type LU is transferred to the LU managed by the second storage system,

wherein the second storage system comprises a second control unit managing the LU and a plurality of second storage devices being controlled to store data by the second control unit, and

wherein the first storage system controls to copy data between the first type LU as a primary LU and the second type LU as a secondary LU that is paired with the primary LU.

2. The plurality of storage systems according to claim 1, wherein the first type LU is a non-virtual logical volume, and

3. The plurality of storage systems according to claim 1, wherein the first storage system manages a first logical unit number (LUN) of the second type LU mapping to a second LUN of the LU managed by the second storage system.

4. The plurality of storage systems according to claim 1, wherein the first storage system manages a mapping information between a first logical unit number (LUN) of the second type LU and a second LUN of the LU managed by the second storage system and controls to transfer the data, to be stored to the second type LU, to the LU managed by the second storage system based on the mapping information.

5. The plurality of storage systems according to claim 1, wherein the first storage system copies data stored in the first type LU as the primary LU to the second type LU as the secondary LU.

6. A plurality of storage systems comprising:

a first storage system comprising a first control unit managing a plurality of logical volumes and a plurality of first storage devices being controlled to store data by the first control unit, the plurality of logical volumes including a first type logical volume and a second type logical volume, the first type logical volume corresponding to at least one of the plurality of first storage devices of the first storage system so that data to be stored to the first type logical volume is stored to the at least one of the plurality of first storage devices of the first storage system, the second type logical volume mapping to a logical volume which is managed by a second storage system so that data to be stored to the second type logical volume is transferred to the logical volume managed by the second storage system,

wherein the second storage system comprises a second control unit managing the logical volume and a plurality of second storage devices being controlled to store data by the second control unit, and

wherein the first storage system controls to copy data between the first type logical volume as a copy source logical volume and the second type logical volume as a copy destination logical volume being paired with the copy source logical volume.

7. The plurality of storage systems according to claim 6, wherein the first type logical volume is a non-virtual logical volume, and the second type logical volume is a virtual logical volume.

8. The plurality of storage systems according to claim 6, wherein the first storage system manages a first logical unit number (LUN) of the second type logical volume mapping to a second LUN of the logical volume managed by the second storage system.

9. A plurality of storage system according to claim 6, wherein the first storage system manages a mapping information between a first logical unit number (LUN) of the second type logical volume and a second LUN of the logical volume managed by the second storage system and controls to transfer the data, to be stored to the second type logical volume, to the logical volume managed by the second storage system based on the mapping information.

10. The plurality of storage systems according to claim 6, wherein the first storage system copies data stored in the first type logical volume as the primary logical volume to the second type logical volume as the secondary logical volume.

11. A control method for a plurality of storage systems comprising a first storage system and a second storage system, the first storage system comprising a first control unit and a plurality of first storage devices being controlled to store data by the first control unit, the second storage system comprising a second control unit and a plurality of second storage devices being controlled to store data by the second control unit, the control method comprising the steps of:

managing, by the first control unit, a plurality of logical units (LUs) including a first type LU and a second type LU, the first type LU corresponding to at least one of the plurality of first storage devices of the first storage system so that data to be stored to the first type LU is stored to the at least one of the plurality of first storage devices of the first storage system, the second type LU mapping to a LU which is managed by a second control unit so that data to be stored to the second type LU is transferred to the LU managed by the second control unit; and

controlling, by the first control unit, to copy data between the first type LU as a primary LU and the second type LU as a secondary LU being paired with the primary LU.

12. The control method for a plurality of storage systems according to claim 11, wherein the first type LU is a non-virtual logical volume, and the second type LU is a virtual logical volume.

13. The control method for a plurality of storage systems according to claim 11, further comprising the step of:

managing, by the first control unit, a first logical unit number (LUN) of the second type LU mapping to a second LUN of the LU managed by the second control unit.

14. The control method for a plurality of storage systems according to claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

managing, by the first control unit, a mapping information between a first logical unit number (LUN) of the second type LU and a second LUN of the LU managed by the second control unit; and

controlling, by the first control unit, to transfer the data, to be stored to the second type LU, to the LU managed by the second control unit based on the mapping information.

15. The control method for a plurality of storage systems according to claim 11, further comprising the step of:

copying, by the first control unit, data stored in the first type LU as the primary LU to the second type LU as the secondary LU.

16. A control method for a plurality of storage systems comprising a first storage system and a second storage system, the first storage system comprising a first control unit and a plurality of first storage devices being controlled to store data by the first control unit, the second storage system comprising a second control unit and a plurality of second storage devices being controlled to store data by the second control unit, the control method comprising the steps of:

managing, by the first control unit, a plurality of logical volumes including a first type logical volume and a second type logical volume, the first type logical volume corresponding to at least one of the plurality of first storage devices of the first storage system so that data to be stored to the first type logical volume is stored to the at least one of the plurality of first storage devices of the first storage system, the second type logical volume mapping to a logical volume which is managed by a second control unit so that data to be stored to the second type logical volume is transferred to the logical volume managed by the second control unit; and

controlling, by the first control unit, to copy data between the first type logical volume as a primary logical volume and the second type logical volume as a secondary logical volume being paired with the primary logical volume.

17. The control method for a plurality of storage systems according to claim 16, wherein the first type logical volume is anon-virtual logical volume, and the second type logical volume is a virtual logical volume.

18. The control method for a plurality of storage systems according to claim 16, comprising:

managing, by the first control unit, a first logical unit number (LUN) of the second type logical volume mapping to a second LUN of the logical volume managed by the second control unit.

19. The control method for a plurality of storage systems according to claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

managing, by the first control unit, a mapping information between a first logical unit number (LUN) of the second type logical volume and a second LUN of the logical volume managed by the second control unit; and

controlling, by the first control unit, to transfer the data, to be stored to the second type logical volume, to the logical volume managed by the second control unit based on the mapping information.

20. The control method for a plurality of storage system according to claim 16, further comprising the step of:

copying, by the first control unit, data stored in the first type logical volume as the primary logical volume to the second type logical volume as the secondary logical volume.