STORAGE APPARATUS, CONTROL APPARATUS AND COMPUTER-READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM HAVING STORED THEREIN CONTROL PROGRAM

• US 20160321199A1
• Filed: 03/14/2016
• Published: 11/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: MATSUBAYASHI, HIROKAZU, Oshima, Shoji, MACHIDA, TATSUHIKO
• Granted Patent: US 9,842,070 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/1668 Details of memory controller
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4027 using bus bridges G06F13/4022 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4068 Electrical coupling

Abstract

A storage apparatus includes a plurality of control devices configured to control access a plurality of storage devices, and a relay apparatus including a plurality of coupling devices, each of which is configured to couple the control devices so as to be communicable with each other. The relay apparatus includes, for each coupling device, a monitoring controller configured to perform monitoring of the relay apparatus. A first monitoring controller provided in a first coupling device from among the coupling devices notifies, when the first monitoring controller detects an abnormal state in the relay apparatus, a first control device from among the control devices of information relating to the abnormal state detected by the first monitoring controller. The first control device performs a decoupling process that decouples an abnormal part from the relay apparatus based on the information relating to the abnormal state received from the first monitoring controller.

Claims

1. A storage apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of control devices configured to control access from an upper apparatus to a plurality of storage devices; and

a relay apparatus including a plurality of coupling devices, each of the plurality of coupling devices being configured to couple the plurality of control devices so as to be communicatable with each other;

wherein

the relay apparatus includes, for each of the coupling devices, a monitoring controller configured to perform monitoring of the relay apparatus;

a first monitoring controller provided in a first coupling device from among the plurality of coupling devices notifies, when the first monitoring controller detects an abnormal state in the relay apparatus, a first control device from among the plurality of control devices of information relating to the abnormal state detected by the first monitoring controller; and

the first control device performs a decoupling process that decouples an abnormal part from the relay apparatus based on the information relating to the abnormal state received from the first monitoring controller.

2. The storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the relay apparatus further includes a bridge module configured to couple the plurality of coupling devices so as to be communicatable with each other;

and

when the first control device decides based on the information relating to the abnormal state received from the first monitoring controller that the abnormal part is the bridge module, the first control device performs, for a second coupling device coupled to the first coupling device through the bridge module, a decoupling process that decouples a plurality of modules including a second monitoring controller provided in the second coupling device from the relay apparatus.

3. The storage apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, when the first control device decides that the abnormal part is the bridge module, the first control device controls, in the decoupling process, the second monitoring controller to deactivate a module provided in the second coupling device, and deactivate the second monitoring controller, after the module is deactivated.

4. The storage apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, when the first control device decides based on the information relating to the abnormal state received from the first monitoring controller that the abnormal part is the bridge module and the second monitoring controller, the first control device performs a deactivation process that deactivates the storage apparatus.

5. The storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first control device monitors each of the plurality of monitoring controllers and performs decision of the abnormal part based on a monitoring result and the information relating to the abnormal state received from the first monitoring controller.

6. The storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when a second monitoring controller provided in a second coupling device from among the plurality of coupling devices detects an abnormal state of one or more modules including the first monitoring controller in the first coupling device, the second monitoring controller acquires authority to notify the first control device of the information relating to the abnormal state detected by the second monitoring controller and notifies the first control device of the information relating to the abnormal state.

7. The storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the decoupling process includes:

transmitting an instruction to deactivate operation of the abnormal part to;

the first monitoring controller;

or the monitoring controller of the coupling device that includes the abnormal part, and

setting a state of a module corresponding to the abnormal part in management information so as to be invalid, the management information representing a state of the storage apparatus and being managed by the first control device.

8. The storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the first monitoring controller recognizes that a module corresponding to the module decoupled from the relay apparatus by the decoupling process is coupled with the relay apparatus, the first monitoring controller notifies the first control device of information representing that the module is coupled, and

the first control device sets, based on the information representing that the module is coupled, a state of the module in management information so as to be valid, the management information representing a state of the storage apparatus and being managed by the first control device.

9. A control device served as a first control device comprising:

a processor;

wherein

the control device controls access from an upper apparatus to a plurality of storage devices,

the control device is included in a storage apparatus that includes a plurality of control devices and a relay apparatus,

the relay apparatus includes a plurality of coupling devices,

each of the coupling devices is configured to couple the plurality of control devices so as to be communicatable with each other,

the relay apparatus includes, for each of the coupling devices, a monitoring controller configured to perform monitoring of the relay apparatus, and

the processor

receives, from a first monitoring controller provided in a first coupling device from among the plurality of coupling devices, information relating to an abnormal state in the relay apparatus detected by the first monitoring controller; and

performs a decoupling process that decouples the abnormal part from the relay apparatus based on the information relating to the abnormal state received from the first monitoring controller.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having stored therein a control program for causing a first computer to execute a process for controlling a storage apparatus, the process comprising:

controlling access from an upper apparatus to a plurality of storage devices, the first computer being included in the storage apparatus that includes a plurality of computers and a relay apparatus, the relay apparatus including a plurality of coupling devices, each of the coupling devices being configured to couple the plurality of computers so as to be communicatable with each other, and the relay apparatus including, for each of the coupling devices, a monitoring controller configured to perform monitoring of the relay apparatus;

receiving, from a first monitoring controller from among a plurality of monitoring controllers, information relating to an abnormal state in the relay apparatus detected by the first monitoring controller, the first monitoring controller being included in a first coupling device; and

performing a decoupling process that decouples the abnormal part from the relay apparatus based on the information relating to the abnormal state received from the first monitoring controller.