Method for backing up a disk array system

• US 7,099,901 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2002
• Issued: 08/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Fujiwara, Shinji, Kitamura, Manabu, Sutoh, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Corrielus, Jean M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HWANG, JOON H
• Application Number:
  US10/228,292
• Publication Number:
  US 20040019615A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,463 Days
• Field of Search: 707200-206, 711161-162
• US Class Current: 707/652
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1466 to make the backup process non-disruptive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/959 Network
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

A method for backing up the data of a disk array system having network file server and storage area network functions easily and rapidly without using a route for data to be not backed up. Upon receipt of a backup request, a network file server module copies files on the disk array system'"'"'s regular volumes to a backup volume. The network file server module then requests a storage area network module to copy the files to an external storage device. Finally, the storage area network module copies the current contents of the backup volume to the external storage device. The network file server module can limit the data to be backed up, thereby reducing the backup time requirements. The load on a LAN does not increase because the storage area network module acquires the data to be backed up. The processing speed increases thanks to backup load distribution within the disk array system.

Claims

1. A method for backing up data of a disk array system having a network file server function and a storage area network function, comprising a first functional module configured for the network file server function for permitting access to a plurality of disks and managing the disks on an individual file basis, the first functional module being coupled to a plurality of computers via a local area network, a second functional module configured for the storage area network function for permitting access to the disks on an individual block basis or volume basis, the second functional module being coupled to a storage area network, and communication means for exchanging control information between the first and second functional modules, said method comprising the steps of:

causing said first functional module to copy designated files stored on a first disk volume to a second disk volume for backup purposes upon receipt of a backup request;

notifying said second functional module of a termination of said copy process of said designated files from the first disk volume to the second disk volume and making a request for copying said second disk volume of said designated files to a storage device external to the disk array system via the storage area network; and

causing said second functional module to copy said second disk volume of said designated files to the storage device external to the disk array system upon receipt of a notification of the termination of the copy process and the copy request to the storage device external to the disk array system.

2. The method for backing up data according to claim 1, wherein the communication for reporting the termination of the copy process performed from said first functional module to second functional module and making a request for copying to the storage device external to said disk array system is effected by said communication means or effected via the storage device external to said disk array system.

3. The method for backing up data according to claim 1, wherein said backup request is generated from a host external to the disk array system or generated within said first functional module.

4. The method for backing up the data according to claim 1, wherein the step for copying the designated files onto a second disk volume is performed to copy files specified by said backup request or copy a file designated by information entered in a file specified by said backup request.

5. A method for restoring data of files on a disk array system having a network file server function and a storage area network function, comprising a first functional module configured for the network file server function for permitting access to a plurality of disks and managing the disks on an individual file basis, the first functional module being coupled to a plurality of computers via a local area network, a second functional module configured for the storage area network function for permitting access to the disks on an individual block basis or volume basis, the second functional module being coupled to a storage area network, and communication means for exchanging control information between the first and second functional modules, said method comprising the steps of:

causing said second functional module to copy data containing backing-up files for said files to be restored from an external storage device to a specific disk volume for restoration purposes upon receipt of a data restoration request;

notifying said first functional module of a termination of said copy process; and

causing said first functional module to copy said backing-up files, on an individual file basis, from said specific disk volume to disk volumes to which the files to be restored should belong upon receipt of the notification of the termination of the copy process.

6. The method for restoring data according to claim 5, wherein said data restoration request is generated from a host or generated within said first functional module.

7. The method for restoring data according to claim 5, wherein the communication for reporting the termination of the copy process performed from said second functional module to first functional module is effected by said communication means or effected via a storage device external to said disk array system.

8. The method for restoring data according to claim 5, wherein the step for causing said first functional module to copy backing-up files from said specific disk volume on an individual file basis is performed by referencing a correlation table stored on said specific disk volume to locate the files to be restored and copying the files to respective disk volumes.

9. The method for restoring data according to claim 5, wherein the step for causing said first functional module to copy backing-up files from said specific disk volume on an individual file basis is performed by copying the backing-up files to respective disk volumes in accordance with a file arrangement scheme specified by said data restoration request.