Computer system and a method of assigning a storage device to a computer

• US 6,907,498 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2002
• Issued: 06/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kitamura, Manabu, Murakami, Tatsuya, Yamagami, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): GOODARZI, NASSER MOAZZAMI
• Application Number:
  US10/095,582
• Publication Number:
  US 20020091828A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,189 Days
• Field of Search: 711/114, 711/152, 711/153, 711/156, 707/200, 709/223
• US Class Current: 711/112
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0631 by allocating resources to storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0665 at area level, e.g. provisioning of virtual or logical volumes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0683 Plurality of storage devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99956 File allocation

Abstract

A computer system which has a plurality of computers and a storage device subsystem connected to the plurality of computers. The storage device subsystem has a plurality of storage devices and a plurality of interfaces, through which the subsystem is connected to the computers. One of the plurality of computers has a management means for holding therein data indicative of the storage devices and a connection relationship between the computers and storage device subsystem. Each computer, when wanting a new device, informs the management means of its capacity and type. The management means receives its notification and selects one of the storage devices which satisfies the request. And the management means instructs the storage device subsystem to set predetermined data in such a manner that the computer can access the selected device. The management means also returns predetermined data to the computer as a device assignment requester, the assignment requester computer modifies setting thereof to allow the computer in question can use the assigned device.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

first computers;

a plurality of storage systems each comprising disks, a disk controller coupled to said disks, and ports communicatively coupled to said first computers; and

a second computer communicatively coupled to said plurality of storage systems,

wherein said second computer is configured to;

(a) receive a device assignment request for one of said first computers;

(b) prepare a device satisfying the received request out of storage areas in said plurality of storage systems;

(c) set an access permission for an access from said one of said first computers to the prepared device by informing a storage system, within said plurality of storage systems, having the prepared device of an identification associated with said one of said first computers, based on the received device assignment request.

2. A computer system according to claim 1,

wherein said second computer is further configured to:

(d) inform said one of said first computers of an identification associated with said prepared device; and

wherein said one of said first computers is configured to;

(e) modify a setting of said one of said first computers to make possible to recognize said prepared device on the basis of the received identification.

3. A computer system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a switch coupled to said first computers, said plurality of storage systems, and said second computer,

wherein said second computer is further configured to instruct said switch to modify zoning.

4. A computer system according to claim 1,

wherein said second computer is configured to select a device satisfying the received request out of devices in said plurality of storage systems to prepare a device for said one of said first computers.

5. A computer system according to claim 1,

wherein said second computer is configured to instruct a storage system, within said plurality of storage systems, to configure a new device satisfying the received request, in order to prepared a device for said one of said first computers.

6. A computer system according to claim 1,

wherein said second computer is further configured to select a port via which said prepared device is accessed from said one of said first computers.

7. A computer system according to claim 1,

wherein said request received by said second computer includes a capacity information of a required device.

8. A computer system according to claim 2,

wherein said second computer is further configured to determine an identification associated with said prepared device and inform said one of said first computers of the determined identification.

9. A computer system according to claim 2,

wherein said one of said first computers is configured to create a device file for said prepared device to use said prepared device.

10. A method in a computer system, wherein said computer system includes first computers;

plurality of storage systems each comprising disks, a disk controller coupled to said disks, and ports communicatively coupled to said first computers; and

a second computer communicatively coupled to said plurality of storage systems, the method comprising the steps of;

(a) receiving a device assignment request for one of said first computers at said second computer;

(b) preparing a device satisfying the received request out of storage areas in said plurality of storage systems at said second computer; and

(c) setting an access permission for an access from said one of said first computers to the prepared device for a storage system, within said plurality of storage systems having the prepared device by informing said storage system of an identification associated with said one of said first computers from said second computer, based on the received device assignment request.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

(d) informing said one of said first computers of an identification associated with said prepared device from said second computer; and

(e) modifying a setting of said one of said first computers to make possible to recognize said prepared device on the basis of the received identification at said one of said first computers.

12. The method according to 11, wherein said computer system further comprises a switch coupled to said first computers, said plurality of storage systems, and said second computer, and further comprising the step of instructing said switch to modify zoning from said second computer.

13. The method according to claim 10,

wherein said step of preparing a device out of storage areas in said plurality of storage systems comprises the step of selecting a device satisfying the received request out of devices in said a plurality of storage systems at said second computer to prepare a device for said one of said first computers.

14. The method according to claim 10,

wherein said step of preparing a device out of storage areas in said plurality of storage systems comprises the step of instructing a storage system to configure a new device satisfying the received request from said second computer, in order to prepared a device for said one of said first computers.

15. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of selecting a port via which said prepared device is accessed from said one of said first computers at said second computer.

16. The method according to claim 10, wherein said request received by said second computer includes a capacity information of a required device.

17. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of determining an identification associated with said prepared device at said second computer, and

wherein said second computer informs said one of said first computers of the determined identification.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of modifying a setting of said one of said first computers comprises the step of creating a device file for said prepared device to use said prepared device.