STORAGE APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD OF THE SAME

• US 20120185426A1
• Filed: 03/25/2010
• Published: 07/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Mori, Mioko, Nakagawa, Hirotaka, Emaru, Hironori
• Granted Patent: US 8,768,883 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/609
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/023 Free address space management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0866 for peripheral storage systems, e.g. disk cache
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/061 Improving I/O performance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0647 Migration mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0665 at area level, e.g. provisioning of virtual or logical volumes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0685 Hybrid storage combining heterogeneous device types, e.g. hierarchical storage, hybrid arrays

Abstract

Problem

To constantly allocate the page storing the actual data of the file to which the required response performance is provided in the pool volume satisfying the required response performance.

Solution

The storage management system 23210, if the required response performance of the file is added to the access request from the host computer 10000, compares the required response performance of the file with the response performance of the pool volume assigned to the page 20041 and, if the response performance of the compared pool volume does not satisfy the required response performance, selects a pool volume whose response performance satisfies the required response performance from the pool volumes, migrates the page 20041 to the selected pool volume 20070, and stores the data in the page 20041 to which the pool volume 20070 is assigned.

Claims

1. A storage apparatus connected to an access request terminal as an access request source via a communication network, comprising:

a plurality of types of storage devices with a different response performance; and

a controller for dividing, with a virtual volume including a virtual storage area as an access target of the access request source, the virtual storage area of the virtual volume into a plurality of blocks, managing each of the blocks by associating it with a page for storing real data of a file designated in an access request from the access request source, and allocating, as a pool volume, a storage area formed in one type of storage device among the plurality of types of storage devices to each of the pages in response to the access request from the access request source,

wherein the controller;

receives the access request from the access request source and compares, if a required response performance given to the file designated in the access request is contained in the access request, the required response performance given to the file designated in the access request and a response performance of a first pool volume allocated to a page for storing real data of the file designated in the access request, selects a pool volume among the pool volumes in which its response performance satisfies the required response performance as a second volume on the condition that the response performance of the first pool volume does not satisfy the required response performance, migrates the page that was allocated to the first pool volume to the selected second pool volume, and stores real data of the file designated in the access request in the page that was migrated to the second pool volume.

2. The storage apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the controller:

manages the response performance of the various types of storage device by associating it with a plurality of logical volumes configuring a logical storage area of the various types of storage devices, allocates, as the pool volume, a storage area from a logical volume among the plurality of logical volumes which was formed in one type of storage device to each of the pages, compares a required response performance required of each of the pages and a response performance of each of the first pool volumes allocated to each of the pages if real data of the file is divided into a plurality of pages, selects a pool volume among the pool volumes in which its response performance satisfies the required response performance as the second pool volume by associating it with each of the pages, migrates each of the pages that was allocated to each of the first pool volumes to each of the selected second pool volumes, and stores real data of the file designated in the access request to each of the pages that was migrated to each of the second pool volumes.

3. The storage apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the controller:

manages the response performance of the various types of storage device by associating it with a plurality of logical volumes configuring a logical storage area of the various types of storage devices, allocates, as the pool volume, a storage area from a logical volume among the plurality of logical volumes which was formed in one type of storage device to each of the pages, compares a required response performance required of each of the pages and a response performance of each of the first pool volumes allocated to each of the pages if real data of the file is divided into a plurality of pages, selects a pool volume among the pool volumes in which its response performance satisfies the required response performance and in which is response time as the response performance is the fastest as a second volume on the condition that the response performance of each of the first pool volumes does not satisfy the required response performance, migrates each of the pages that was allocated to each of the first pool volumes to each of the selected second pool volumes, and stores real data of the file designated in the access request to each of the pages that was migrated to each of the second pool volumes.

4. The storage apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein, if the controller selects two or more pool volumes among the pool volumes in which their response performance satisfies the required response performance, the controller selects a pool volume among the selected two or more pool volumes in which its response time as the response performance is the slowest as the second pool volume.

5. The storage apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the controller:

upon receiving from the access request source a notification to the effect of changing a storage area of a page for storing real data of the file and a command for re-execution, requests the access request source to send an access request including information concerning the storage area of the changed page, and

upon receiving the access request including information concerning the storage area of the changed page from the access request source, compares a required response performance of the storage area of the page that was changed with the access request and a response performance of a new first pool volume allocated to the storage area of the page that was changed with the access request, selects a pool volume among the pool volumes in which its response performance satisfies the required response performance as a new second pool volume on the condition that the response performance of the new first pool volume does not satisfy the required response performance, migrates the page that was allocated to the new first pool volume to the selected new second pool volume, and stores real data of the file designated in the access request in the page that was migrated to the new second pool volume.

6. The storage apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the controller:

upon receiving from the access request source a notification to the effect of changing a storage area of a page for storing real data of the file and a command for re-execution, and information concerning the storage area of the changed page, compares a required response performance of the storage area of the page that was changed with the notification and a response performance of a new first pool volume allocated to the storage area of the page that was changed with the notification, selects a pool volume among the pool volumes in which its response performance satisfies the required response performance as a new second pool volume on the condition that the response performance of the new first pool volume does not satisfy the required response performance, migrates the page that was allocated to the new first pool volume to the selected new second pool volume, and stores real data of the file designated in the access request in the page that was migrated to the new second pool volume.

7. The storage apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the controller:

stores a required response performance concerning the page designated in the access request, and

upon receiving from the access request source a notification to the effect of changing a storage area of the page designated in the access request and a command for re-execution, compares a required response performance of the stored page and a response performance of a new first pool volume allocated to a storage area of the page that was changed with the notification, selects a pool volume among the pool volumes in which its response performance satisfies the required response performance as a new second pool volume on the condition that the response performance of the new first pool volume does not satisfy the required response performance, migrates the page that was allocated to the new first pool volume to the selected new second pool volume, and stores real data of the file designated in the access request in the page that was migrated to the new second pool volume.

8. The storage apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the controller:

stores a required response performance concerning the file designated in the access request, and

if a command for migrating the file is given from the access request source, sets the existing file as a migration source file and sets a file to become a migration destination of the migration source file as a migration destination file, manages the stored required response performance as a required response performance of the migration source file and a required response performance of the migration destination file, sets a new page for storing real data of the migration destination file and manages this as a migration destination page, allocates a third pool volume as a new pool volume to the migration destination page, and migrates data of the migration source file to the migration destination page.

9. A method of controlling a storage apparatus comprising:

a plurality of types of storage devices with a different response performance; and

a controller for dividing, with a virtual volume including a virtual storage area as an access target of the access request source, the virtual storage area of the virtual volume into a plurality of blocks, managing each of the blocks by associating it with a page for storing real data of a file designated in an access request from the access request source, and allocating, as a pool volume, a storage area formed in one type of storage device among the plurality of types of storage devices to each of the pages in response to the access request from the access request source,

wherein the controller;

receives the access request from the access request source and compares, if a required response performance given to the file designated in the access request is contained in the access request, the required response performance given to the file designated in the access request and a response performance of a first pool volume allocated to a page for storing real data of the file designated in the access request,

selects a pool volume among the pool volumes in which its response performance satisfies the required response performance as a second volume on the condition that the response performance of the first pool volume does not satisfy the required response performance, and

migrates the page that was allocated to the first pool volume to the selected second pool volume, and stores real data of the file designated in the access request in the page that was migrated to the second pool volume.

10. The method of controlling a storage apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein the controller:

manages the response performance of the various types of storage device by associating it with a plurality of logical volumes configuring a logical storage area of the various types of storage devices, and allocates, as the pool volume, a storage area from a logical volume among the plurality of logical volumes which was formed in one type of storage device to each of the pages,

compares a required response performance required of each of the pages and a response performance of each of the first pool volumes allocated to each of the pages if real data of the file is divided into a plurality of pages,

selects a pool volume among the pool volumes in which its response performance satisfies the required response performance and in which is response time as the response performance is the fastest as a second volume on the condition that the response performance of each of the first pool volumes does not satisfy the required response performance,

migrates each of the pages that was allocated to each of the first pool volumes to each of the selected second pool volumes, and

stores real data of the file designated in the access request to each of the pages that was migrated to each of the second pool volumes.

11. The method of controlling a storage apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein, if the controller selects two or more pool volumes among the pool volumes in which their response performance satisfies the required response performance, the controller selects a pool volume among the selected two or more pool volumes in which its response time as the response performance is the slowest as the second pool volume.

12. The method of controlling a storage apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein the controller:

upon receiving from the access request source a notification to the effect of changing a storage area of a page for storing real data of the file and a command for re-execution, requests the access request source to send an access request including information concerning the storage area of the changed page,

upon receiving the access request including information concerning the storage area of the changed page from the access request source, compares a required response performance of the storage area of the page that was changed with the access request and a response performance of a new first pool volume allocated to the storage area of the page that was changed with the access request,

selects a pool volume among the pool volumes in which its response performance satisfies the required response performance as a new second pool volume on the condition that the response performance of the new first pool volume does not satisfy the required response performance,

migrates the page that was allocated to the new first pool volume to the selected new second pool volume, and

stores real data of the file designated in the access request in the page that was migrated to the new second pool volume.

13. The method of controlling a storage apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein the controller:

upon receiving from the access request source a notification to the effect of changing a storage area of a page for storing real data of the file and a command for re-execution, and information concerning the storage area of the changed page, compares a required response performance of the storage area of the page that was changed with the notification and a response performance of a new first pool volume allocated to the storage area of the page that was changed with the notification,

selects a pool volume among the pool volumes in which its response performance satisfies the required response performance as a new second pool volume on the condition that the response performance of the new first pool volume does not satisfy the required response performance,

migrates the page that was allocated to the new first pool volume to the selected new second pool volume, and

stores real data of the file designated in the access request in the page that was migrated to the new second pool volume.

14. The method of controlling a storage apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein the controller:

stores a required response performance concerning the page designated in the access request,

upon receiving from the access request source a notification to the effect of changing a storage area of the page designated in the access request and a command for re-execution, compares a required response performance of the stored page and a response performance of a new first pool volume allocated to a storage area of the page that was changed with the notification,

selects a pool volume among the pool volumes in which its response performance satisfies the required response performance as a new second pool volume on the condition that the response performance of the new first pool volume does not satisfy the required response performance,

migrates the page that was allocated to the new first pool volume to the selected new second pool volume, and

stores real data of the file designated in the access request in the page that was migrated to the new second pool volume.

15. The method of controlling a storage apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein the controller:

stores a required response performance concerning the file designated in the access request,

if a command for migrating the file is given from the access request source, sets the existing file as a migration source file and sets a file to become a migration destination of the migration source file as a migration destination file, manages the stored required response performance as a required response performance of the migration source file and a required response performance of the migration destination file, sets a new page for storing real data of the migration destination file and manages this as a migration destination page, and

allocates a third pool volume as a new pool volume to the migration destination page, and migrates data of the migration source file to the migration destination page.