Apparatus and method for online data migration with remote copy

• US 6,938,137 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2003
• Issued: 08/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Akira, Fujibayashi, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Padmanabhan, Mano
• Assistant Examiner(s): Song, Jasmine
• Application Number:
  US10/650,404
• Publication Number:
  US 20040068629A1
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 711/112, 711/161, 711/162, 714/6, 714/7, 707/204
• US Class Current: 711/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2058 using more than 2 mirrored copies
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2069 Management of state, configuration or failover
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2071 using a plurality of controllers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0647 Migration mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

In one embodiment, a new storage system is connected to an old storage system destined for replacement. Prior to starting online data migration, remote copy configuration information from the old storage system is migrated to the new storage system. The aforementioned allows either the new storage system or the old storage system, depending on configuration, to maintain an operational remote copy function with another storage system during the online data migration. The old and new storage systems can be primary storage systems located in a local site. The old and new storage systems can also be secondary storage systems located in a site remotely located from a local site.

Claims

1. A method of installing a new storage system to a computer system having a host computer, a primary storage system and a secondary storage system, the computer system configured to remote copy write data from the host computer to the primary storage system and back up to the secondary storage system, the method comprising:

coupling the new storage system to the primary storage system;

removing a host connection between the host computer and the primary storage system;

coupling the new storage system to the host computer;

receiving at the new storage system remote copy configuration information from the primary storage system;

coupling the new storage system to the second storage system; and

remote copying write data from the host computer to the new storage system to the secondary storage system based on the remote copy configuration information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

migrating data from the primary storage system to the new storage system while the remote copying is performed.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the host computer issues a read request to data not yet migrated from the primary storage system to the new storage system, reading at the new storage system the data from the primary storage system and sending the data to the host computer.

4. A method of installing a new primary storage system and a new secondary storage system to a computer system having a host computer, a primary storage system and a secondary storage system, the computer system configured to remote copy write data from the host computer to the primary storage system and back up to the secondary storage system, the method comprising:

coupling the new primary storage system to the primary storage system;

coupling the new secondary storage system to the secondary storage system;

removing a host connection between the host computer and the primary storage system;

coupling the new primary storage system to the host computer;

receiving at the new primary storage system remote copy configuration information from the primary storage system;

receiving at the new secondary storage system remote copy configuration information from the primary storage system;

coupling the new primary storage system to the new secondary storage system; and

remote copying write data from the host computer to the new storage system to the new secondary storage system based on the remote copy configuration information.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

migrating data from the primary storage system to the new primary storage system while the remote copying is performed.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

if the host computer issues a read request to data not yet migrated from the primary storage system to the new primary storage system, reading at the new primary storage system the data from the primary storage system and sending the data to the host computer.