Method and program of collecting performance data for storage network

• US 7,107,273 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2004
• Issued: 09/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamashita, Nobuyuki, Kusama, Takato, Aoshima, Tatsundo, Ohata, Hideo, Takeda, Kei
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Uyen
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHECHTMAN, CHERYL MARIA
• Application Number:
  US10/789,472
• Publication Number:
  US 20050119996A1
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 707/103, 707/200, 709220-226, 709238-244, 702182-186, 714/39, 714/43, 714/47, 711/114
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0653 Monitoring storage devices or systems

Abstract

In a storage network including at least a computer system, at least an external storage and at least a network system for communication of input/output data between the computer system and the external storage, a method of collecting the performance data on the network system and the software operated on the network system, in which the range or degree of data collection is automatically adjusted as required based on the performance data collected.

Claims

1. A method of collecting performance data for a system including a computer, a storage system, and a switch device coupled to the computer and the storage system, the method comprising:

collecting a first performance data from a first element of an access path, used by the computer for accessing from the computer to the storage system via the switch device, the access path including connecting ports of the computer, the storage system and the switch device;

selecting a second element of the access path based on relationship information including a relationship between the connecting ports included in the access path; and

changing a collecting process of a second performance data from the second element of the access path if the first performance data collected from the first element of the access path indicates that a performance condition of the first element is satisfied, in order to determine a cause of the performance condition of the first element.

2. A method of collecting performance data for a system according to claim 1 further comprising,

selecting a third element of the access path based on the relationship information at the same timing of the selecting the second element;

and

changing a collecting process of a third performance data to be collected from the third element of the access path,

wherein the second element is located between the computer and the first element on the access path and the third element is located between the storage system and the first element on the access path.

3. A method of collecting performance data for a system according to claim 1, further comprising:

selecting all elements of the access path based on the relationship information at the same timing of selecting the second element; and

changing a collecting process of a performance data to be collected from the all elements of the access path.

4. A method of collecting performance data for a system according to claim 1,

wherein the relationship information indicates a logical unit used by the computer via the access path, a parity group related to the logical unit and a physical disk drive related to the parity group, and further comprising:

changing a collecting process of a fourth performance data to be collected from the logical unit, the parity group or the physical disk drive at the same timing of changing the collecting process of the second performance data.

5. A method of collecting performance data for a system according to claim 1,

wherein the performance condition of the first element is satisfied if a value of an item of the first performance data is greater/less than a predetermined reference value.

6. A method of collecting performance data for a system according to claim 5,

wherein the item of the first performance data is a data transfer speed.

7. A method of collecting performance data for a system according to claim 5,

wherein the item of the first performance data is a input/output number per second.

8. A method of collecting performance data for a system according to claim 1,

wherein the performance condition of the first element is satisfied if a change ratio of a value of an item of the first performance data is greater/less than a predetermined reference value.

9. A method of collecting performance data for a system according to claim 8,

wherein the item of the first performance data is a data transfer speed.

10. A method of collecting performance data for a system according to claim 8,

wherein the item of the first performance data is a input/output number per second.

11. A method of collecting performance data for a system according to claim 1,

wherein the collecting process of the second performance data of the second element is changed as that the second performance data is collected more/less frequently than before.

12. A method of collecting performance data for a system according to claim 1,

wherein the collecting process of the second performance data of the second element is started/stopped in accordance with the changing step.

13. A method of collecting performance data for a system including a computer, a storage system, and a switch device coupled to the computer and the storage system, wherein a relationship information of connecting ports of the computer, switch device and storage system indicates an access path from the computer to the storage system, the method comprising the steps of:

collecting first performance data from a first element of the access path;

determining if the first performance data indicates that a change in performance of the first element has occurred that satisfies a predetermined condition;

if it is determined that the change in performance of the first element does satisfy the predetermined condition, selecting a second element along the access path based on the relationship information and modifying a manner in which second performance data from the second element is collected in order to determine a cause of the change in performance of the first element.

14. A method of collecting performance data for a system according to claim 13, further comprising,

selecting a third element along the access path based on the relationship information at the same timing of the selecting the second element;

and

modifying a manner in which a third performance data from the third element is collected,

wherein the second element is located between the computer and the first element on the access path and the third element is located between the storage system and the first element on the access path.

15. A method of collecting performance data for a system according to claim 13, further comprising:

selecting all elements along the access path based on the relationship information at the same timing of selecting the second element; and

modifying a manner in which a performance data from the all elements of the access path is collected.

16. A method of collecting performance data for a system according to claim 13,

wherein the relationship information indicates a logical unit used by the computer via the access path, a parity group related to the logical unit and a physical disk drive related to the parity group, and further comprising:

modifying a manner in which a fourth performance data from the logical unit, the parity group or the physical disk drive is collected at the same timing of the modifying a manner in which the second performance data from the second element is collected.

17. A method of collecting performance data for a system according to claim 13,

wherein the change in performance of the first element does satisfy the predetermined condition if a value of an item of the first performance data is greater/less than a predetermined reference value.

18. A method of collecting performance data for a system according to claim 17,

wherein the item of the first performance data is a data transfer speed.

19. A method of collecting performance data for a system according to claim 17,

wherein the item of the first performance data is a input/output number per second.

20. A method of collecting performance data for a system according to claim 13,

wherein the change in performance of the first element does satisfy the predetermined condition if a change ratio of a value of an item of the first performance data is greater/less than a predetermined reference value.

21. A method of collecting performance data for a system according to claim 20,

wherein the item of the first performance data is a data transfer speed.

22. A method of collecting performance data for a system according to claim 20,

wherein the item of the first performance data is a input/output number per second.

23. A method of collecting performance data for a system according to claim 13,

wherein the manner in which the second performance data from the second element is collected is changed as that the second performance data is collected more/less frequently than before.

24. A method of collecting performance data for a system according to claim 13,

wherein the manner in which the second performance data from the second element is collected is started/stopped in accordance with the modifying step.