Heterogeneous computer system, heterogeneous input/output system and data back-up method for the systems

• US 6,892,268 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2003
• Issued: 05/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Akira, Fukuzawa, Yasuko, Nakano, Toshio
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TANH Q
• Application Number:
  US10/663,656
• Publication Number:
  US 20040117552A1
• Time in Patent Office: 601 Days
• Field of Search: 710/3, 710/8, 710/9, 710/15, 710/20, 710/21, 710/36, 710/38, 710/268, 709200-203, 709216-219, 709238-240, 709242-245, 709/249, 709/250, 711/100, 711/111, 711/112, 711/150, 711/151, 711/161, 711/162, 711/165, 711/200, 711/202, 711/203, 711/205, 711206-209, 711/220, 711/221
• US Class Current: 711/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1456 Hardware arrangements for backup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0623 in relation to content
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/065 Replication mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0685 Hybrid storage combining heterogeneous device types, e.g. hierarchical storage, hybrid arrays

Abstract

A heterogeneous computer system, a heterogeneous input/output system and a data back-up method for the systems. An I/O subsystem A for an open system and an I/O subsystem B for a mainframe are connected by a communication unit. In order to back up data from at least a disk connected to the I/O subsystem B in a MT library system and in order to permit the mainframe to access the data in the I/O subsystem B, the I/O subsystem A includes a table for assigning a vacant memory address in a local subsystem to the memory of the I/O subsystem A for an open system. A request of variable-length record format received from the mainframe is converted into a fixed-length record format for the I/O subsystem B. The disk designated according to the table is accessed, and the data thus obtained is sent to the mainframe and backed up in the back-up system.

Claims

1. A storage system comprising:

a first disk controller coupled to a host computer, a processor, and another storage system, said another storage system comprising a second disk controller and at least one second disk coupled to said second disk controller; and

at least one first disk coupled to said first disk controller,

wherein said first disk controller includes a memory in which correlation information among first disk identification information, identification information designating said another storage system, and second disk identification in stored, said correlation information being set in said first disk controller by said processor coupled to said first disk controller; and

wherein said first disk controller is configured to receive a write reguest from said host computer, select a storage system including a target disk corresponding to first disk identification information included in the write request by using said correlation information, obtain, if a selected storage system is said another storage system, identification information designating said another storage system and second disk identification information designating one of said at least one second disk based on said first disk identification information and said correlation information, and send a write request to said another storage system according to said identification information designating said another storage system and said second disk identification information.

2. A storage system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second disk identification information is disk identification information assigned to said another storage system.

3. A storage system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first disk controller writes data to one of said at least one first disk, if the disk designated by said first disk identification information is in said storage system.

4. A storage system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said another storage system further comprises an interface for coupling to said host computer, and said first disk controller is coupled to said second disk controller via the same type of interface as said interface said another storage system.

5. A storage system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said interface via which said first disk controller and said second disk controller are coupled is in accordance with SCSI.