COMPUTER, COMPUTER SYSTEM, AND COMPUTER SYSTEM STARTING METHOD

• US 20130268615A1
• Filed: 09/27/2012
• Published: 10/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: YUNOMAE, Yoshihiro, Sekiguchi, Tomoki, Hatasaki, Keisuke
• Application Number:
  US13/629,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20130268615A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/213
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/441 Multiboot arrangements, i.e. selecting an operating system to be loaded
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

A first server stores start administration information identifying a second server into a storage unit which stores an operating system to be started in the second server. The second server makes a decision whether a storage unit which is access set has start administration information identifying the second server stored therein If the storage unit which is access set is judged according to the decision to have start administration information identifying the second server stored therein the second server starts the operating system stored in the storage unit which is access set. If the storage unit which is access set is judged not to have start administration information identifying the second server stored therein, the second server deters from starting the operating system stored in the storage unit which is access set

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a storage unit connected to a plurality of computers, an operating system to be started in some computer being stored in the storage unit;

a first computer having firmware which stores start administration information identifying the some computer into the storage unit; and

a second computer having firmware for making a decision whether the storage unit which is accessed has start administration information identifying an own computer stored therein, the operating system stored in the accessed storage unit being started by the second computer, when the storage unit which is accessed is judged according to the decision to have start administration information identifying an own computer stored therein.

2. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein

the firmware in the second computer executes a first decision to make a decision whether the accessed storage unit has start administration information which identifies the some computer stored therein, and executes a second decision to make a decision whether the start administration information which identifies the some computer corresponds to identification information which identifies an own computer, when the accessed storage unit is judged according to the first decision to have start administration information which identifies the some computer stored therein, and

the firmware in the second computer judges that the accessed storage unit has start administration information which identifies the own computer stored therein, when the start administration information which identifies the sonic computer is judged according to the second decision to correspond to the identification information.

3. The computer system according to claim 2, wherein

the storage unit is a logical volume obtained by logically dividing a storage area of a storage device connected to the plurality of computers, and the storage unit has a system area where an operating system to be started by the some computer is stored and a volume administration area where start administration information which identifies the some computer is stored by the first computer, and

the accessed storage unit is a logical volume for which an access permission from the second computer is set.

4. The computer system according to claim 3, wherein the second computer deters start of an operating system stored in the accessed storage unit, when the accessed storage unit is judged according to the first decision not to have start administration information which identifies the some computer stored therein.

5. The computer system according to claim 3, wherein the second computer deters start of an operating system stored in the accessed storage unit, when start administration information stored in the accessed storage unit is judged according to the second decision not to correspond to the identification information.

6. The computer system according to claim 3, wherein start administration information which identities the second computer comprises at least some of an identifier unique to the second computer, an identifier unique to a disk adapter included in the second computer, an identifier unique to an interface card included in the second computer, an identifier of the operating system to be started by the second computer, an identifier of an application to be executed on the operating system, and an identifier of a driver to be used on the operating system.

7. The computer system according to claim 3, wherein the computer system comprises an administration computer which transmits start administration information identifying the second computer to the first computer and which transmits the identification information to the second computer.

8. The computer system according to claim 3, wherein the first computer transmits the identification information to the second computer.

9. The computer system according to claim 3, wherein

the second computer has a plurality of kinds of the identification information and start control flags given to the kinds of the identification information, and

the firmware in the second computer makes a decision as to correspondence between the identification information given the start control flags and start administration information stored in the accessed storage unit, as the second decision.

10. The computer system according to claim 3, wherein

the second computer is a virtual computer on a hypervisor included in a physical computer,

the hypervisor has identification information which identifies the second computer, and

the second computer acquires identification information which identifies the second computer from the hypervisor.

11. The computer system according to claim 3, wherein the second computer presents an error, when the accessed storage unit is judged according to the first decision not to have start administration information which identifies the some computer stored therein, or when start administration information stored in the accessed storage unit is judged according to the second decision not to correspond to the identification information.

12. A computer comprising:

a disk adapter connected to a storage unit; and

firmware for making a decision whether the storage unit which is accessed has start administration information identifying an own computer stored therein, and starting an operating system stored in the accessed storage unit, when the storage unit which is accessed is judged according to the decision to have start administration information identifying the own computer stored therein.

13. The computer according to claim 12, wherein

the firmware executes a first decision to make a decision whether the accessed storage unit has start administration information which identifies the own computer or another computer stored therein, and executes a second decision to make a decision whether the start administration information which identifies the own computer or another computer corresponds to identification information which identifies the own computer, when the accessed storage unit is judged according to the first decision to have start administration information which identifies the own computer or another computer stored therein, and

the firmware judges that the accessed storage unit has start administration information which identifies the own computer stored therein, when the start administration information which identifies the own computer or another computer is judged according to the second decision to correspond to the identification information.

14. The computer according to claim 13, wherein the operating system stored in the accessed storage unit is deterred from being started, when the accessed storage unit is judged according to the first decision not to have start administration information which identifies the own computer or another computer stored therein, or when start administration information stored in the accessed storage unit is judged according to the second decision not to correspond to the identification information.

15. The computer according to claim 13, wherein an error is presented, when the accessed storage unit is judged according to the first decision not to have start administration information which identifies the own computer or another computer stored therein, or when start administration information stored in the accessed storage unit is judged according to the second decision not to correspond to the identification information.