DISK ARRAY CONFIGURATION PROGRAM, COMPUTER, AND COMPUTER SYSTEM

• US 20110246706A1
• Filed: 12/14/2010
• Published: 10/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: MARUOKA, Shinji, GOMYO, Masayuki
• Application Number:
  US12/967,644
• Publication Number:
  US 20110246706A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0866 for peripheral storage systems, e.g. disk cache
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/217 Hybrid disk, e.g. using both magnetic and solid state storage devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/261 Storage comprising a plurality of storage devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0616 in relation to life time, e.g. increasing Mean Time Between Failures [MTBF]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0647 Migration mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0685 Hybrid storage combining heterogeneous device types, e.g. hierarchical storage, hybrid arrays

Abstract

To improve the data input/output performance of a disk array with a hybrid configuration of flash memory and HDDs. A computer that executes a disk array configuration program in accordance with the present invention, when relocating a file from a hard disk to flash memory, stores the file in cache memory without immediately writing the file to the flash memory if the file size is smaller than the block size of the flash memory.

Claims

1. A disk array configuration program for causing a computer to execute a process of configuring a disk array in a storage device that includes flash memory and a hard disk, the program comprising:

causing the computer to perform a disk array configuration step of configuring the storage device as a disk array;

causing the computer to perform a sorting step of sorting access to a file in the storage device into access to the flash memory or the hard disk; and

causing the computer to execute a relocation step of relocating a file from the hard disk to the flash memory,

wherein the relocation step comprises;

causing the computer to execute a step of comparing a file size of the file and a block size of the flash memory, and

causing the computer to execute a step of, if the file size is smaller than the block size, storing the file in cache memory without immediately writing the file to the flash memory.

2. The disk array configuration program according to claim 1, wherein

in the disk array configuration step, the computer is caused to configure a single common virtual disk drive that combines the flash memory and the hard disk, and

in the sorting step, the computer is caused to sort access to the common disk drive into access to the flash memory or the hard disk.

3. The disk array configuration program according to claim 1, wherein in the sorting step, the computer is caused to cause the flash memory and the hard disk to hold identical files in an overlapped manner or hold files exclusively.

4. The disk array configuration program according to claim 1, wherein when a directory on the storage device is operated in the sorting step, the computer is caused to create the same directory structure for the flash memory and the hard disk regardless of whether or not to cause the flash memory and the hard disk to hold identical files in an overlapped manner.

5. The disk array configuration program according to claim 1, further comprising causing the computer to execute a monitoring step of monitoring access to files stored in the storage device to acquire access frequency of each file, wherein in the relocation step, the computer is caused to relocate a file whose access frequency is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold to the flash memory.

6. The disk array configuration program according to claim 1, wherein in the relocation step, the computer is caused to execute a step of immediately writing a file whose file size is greater than or equal to the block size to the flash memory.

7. The disk array configuration program according to claim 5, further comprising:

causing the computer to execute a step of receiving the predetermined threshold specified and reflecting the specified value;

causing the computer to execute a step of receiving a specified condition for executing the relocation step and reflecting the specified condition as an execution timing of the relocation step;

causing the computer to execute a step of receiving a specified time for holding the access frequency in memory and reflecting the specified time;

causing the computer to execute a step of receiving a specified amount of the access frequency to be held in the memory and reflecting the specified amount; and

causing the computer to execute a step of receiving an instruction of whether or not to cause the flash memory and the hard disk to hold identical files in an overlapped manner, and reflecting the specified instruction as an execution condition of the sorting step.

8. The disk array configuration program according to claim 5, further comprising causing the computer to execute the monitoring step, the sorting step, and the relocation step as functions of a filter driver that is configured to trap access to the storage device.

9. A computer for configuring a disk array in a storage device that includes flash memory and a hard disk, comprising:

a disk array configuration unit configured to configure the storage device as a disk array;

a sorting unit configured to sort access to the storage device into access to the flash memory or the hard disk; and

a relocation unit configured to relocate a file from the hard disk to the flash memory;

wherein

the relocation unit compares a file size of the file with a block size of the flash memory, and

the relocation unit, if the file size is smaller than the block size, stores the file in cache memory without immediately writing the file to the flash memory.

10. The computer according to claim 9, wherein

the disk array configuration unit configures a single common virtual disk drive that combines the flash memory and the hard disk, and

the sorting unit sorts access to the common disk drive into access to the flash memory or the hard disk.

11. The computer according to claim 9, wherein the sorting unit causes the flash memory and the hard disk to hold identical files in an overlapped manner or hold files exclusively.

12. The computer according to claim 9, wherein the sorting unit, when operating a directory on the storage device, creates the same directory structure for the flash memory and the hard disk regardless of whether or not to cause the flash memory and the hard disk to hold identical files in an overlapped manner.

13. The computer according to claim 9, further comprising a monitoring unit configured to monitor access to files stored in the storage device and acquire access frequency of each file, wherein the relocation unit relocates a file whose access frequency is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold to the flash memory.

14. The computer according to claim 9, wherein the relocation unit, if the file size is greater than or equal to the block size, immediately writes the file into the flash memory.

15. A computer system comprising:

a storage device including flash memory and a hard disk;

a RAID controller configured to configure a disk array in the storage device; and

a computer configured to write data to the storage device or read data from the storage device, wherein

the computer includes;

a disk array configuration unit configured to configure the storage device as a disk array,

a sorting unit configured to sort access to files in the storage device into access to the flash memory or the hard disk, and

a relocation unit configured to relocate a file from the hard disk to the flash memory,

the relocation unit compares a file size of the file with a block size of the flash memory, and

the relocation unit, if the file size is smaller than the block size, stores the file in cache memory without immediately writing the file to the flash memory.

16. The computer system according to claim 15, wherein

the disk array configuration unit configures a single common virtual disk drive that combines the flash memory and the hard disk, and

the sorting unit sorts access to the common disk drive into access to the flash memory or the hard disk.

17. The computer system according to claim 15, wherein the sorting unit causes the flash memory and the hard disk to hold identical files in an overlapped manner or hold files exclusively.

18. The computer system according to claim 15, wherein the sorting unit, when operating a directory on the storage device, creates the same directory structure for the flash memory and the hard disk regardless of whether or not to cause the flash memory and the hard disk to hold identical files in an overlapped manner.

19. The computer system according to claim 15, further comprising a monitoring unit configured to monitor access to files stored in the storage device and acquire access frequency of each file, wherein the relocation unit relocates a file whose access frequency is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold to the flash memory.

20. The computer system according to claim 15, wherein the relocation unit, if the file size is greater than or equal to the block size, stores the file in cache memory without immediately writing the file to the flash memory.