Method and apparatus for managing faults in storage system having job management function

• US 7,124,139 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2003
• Issued: 10/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Mogi, Kazuhiko, Nishikawa, Norifumi, Kawamura, Nobuo, Nemoto, Naokazu
• Primary Examiner(s): RIMELL, SAMUEL G
• Application Number:
  US10/649,665
• Publication Number:
  US 20040193969A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,146 Days
• Field of Search: 714/1, 714/25, 711/6, 711/114, 711/158, 707/100, 707/104.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0709 in a distributed system consisting of a plurality of standalone computer nodes, e.g. clusters, client-server systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0727 in a storage system, e.g. in a DASD or network based storage system drivers for digital recording or reproducing units G06F3/06; circuits for error detection or correction within digital recording or reproducing units G11B20/18; for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0748 in a remote unit communicating with a single-box computer node experiencing an error/fault remote testing G06F11/2294
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0775 Content or structure details of the error report, e.g. specific table structure, specific error fields
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0617 in relation to availability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0635 by changing the path, e.g. traffic rerouting, path reconfiguration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A computer system identifies jobs affected by a fault which occurs in any device or mechanism in a storage system to control the execution of such jobs. The computer system includes a DBMS server device, a virtualization switch device, and storage device. Each of these devices holds part of data mapping information on a data mapping path from a particular DB table accessed by a job, through a logical volume for storing the table, to physical disk units for distributively storing data on the volume. The management server device acquires the part of data mapping information from each device, and integrates the data mapping information on a job-by-job basis. When any device or mechanism fails on the data mapping path, the management server device identifies jobs affected by the fault with reference to the data mapping information. The management server device also controls the execution of these jobs.

Claims

1. A method of managing faults in a storage system having a job management function for identifying a job in a computer system having a computing device for executing jobs, a storage device including a plurality of physical disk units, and a computer for managing faults, the job is affected by a fault at a location existing on a data mapping path, said data mapping path comprising a particular table on a database accessed by a particular job, a file for storing said table, a logical volume for storing said file, and said physical disk units for distributively storing data on said volume, based on data mapping information related to said data mapping path, said data mapping information including an identifier of an interface situated on said data mapping path for interfacing one device to another, said method comprising the steps of:

collecting part of said data mapping information from each of a plurality of devices including said computing device and said storage device which hold corresponding information on said data mapping path from said job to said physical disk units through said table, said file, and said volume;

integrating said data mapping information on each job of said jobs, separately, for storage in a management table; and

identifying a job affected by a fault with reference to said management table for displaying the affected job upon receipt of a fault report about any of said physical disk units from said storage device.

2. A method of managing fault in a storage system according to claim 1, wherein:

said data mapping information has a hierarchical structure comprised of a real volume for storing said file, one or more virtual volumes for storing said real volume, logical disk units for distributively storing data on said virtual volume, and said physical disk units for distributively storing data on said logical disk units; and

said computer system further comprises a virtualization switch interposed between said computing device and said storage device for converting an identifier of said virtual volume included in an input/output request received from a higher rank device to an identifier of said logical disk unit.

3. A method of managing fault in a storage system according to claim 2, wherein said data mapping information includes information on a correspondence relationship between said file and said real volume, information on a correspondence relationship between said real volume and said virtual volume, information on a correspondence relationship between said virtual volume and said logical disk units, and information on a correspondence relationship between said logical disk units and said physical disk units.

4. A computer system for identifying a job which is affected by a fault at a location existing on a data mapping path, said data mapping path comprising a particular table on a database accessed by a particular job, a file for storing said table, a logical volume for storing said file, and physical disk units for distributively storing data on said volume, based on data mapping information related to said data mapping path, said data mapping information including an identifier of an interface situated on said data mapping path for interfacing one device to another, said computer system comprising:

a computing device for executing a job;

a storage device including a plurality of said physical disk units; and

a server computer for managing faults, said server computer including;

means for collecting part of said data mapping information from each of a plurality of devices including said computing device and said storage device which hold corresponding information on said data mapping path from said job to said physical disk units through said table, said file, and said volume;

means for integrating said data mapping information on each job of said jobs, separately, for storage in a management table; and

means for identifying a job affected by a fault with reference to said management table for displaying the affected job upon receipt of a fault report about any of said physical disk units from said storage device.

5. A computer system according to claim 4, wherein:

said data mapping information has a hierarchical structure comprised of a real volume for storing said file, one or more virtual volumes for storing said real volume, logical disk units for distributively storing data on said virtual volume, and said physical disk units for distributively storing data on said logical disk units; and

said computer system further comprises a virtualization switch interposed between said computing device and said storage device for converting an identifier of said virtual volume included in an input/output request received from a higher rank device to an identifier of said logical disk unit.

6. A computer system according to claim 5, wherein said data mapping information includes information on a correspondence relationship between said file and said real volume, information on a correspondence relationship between said real volume and said virtual volume, information on a correspondence relationship between said virtual volume and said logical disk units, and information on a correspondence relationship between said logical disk units and said physical disk units.