Remote storage disk control device with function to transfer commands to remote storage devices

• US 7,203,806 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2004
• Issued: 04/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Suzuki, Toru, Kasako, Naohisa, Kondo, Shuji, Koide, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Peugh; Brian R.
• Application Number:
  US10/820,629
• Publication Number:
  US 20050060507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 711/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2056 by mirroring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2058 using more than 2 mirrored copies
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2064 while ensuring consistency
• 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 11/2074 Asynchronous techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2082 Data synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/855 Details of asynchronous mirroring using a journal to transfer not-yet-mirrored changes
• 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 3/0617 in relation to availability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0635 by changing the path, e.g. traffic rerouting, path reconfiguration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0646 Horizontal data movement in storage systems, i.e. moving data in between storage devices or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0659 Command handling arrangements, e.g. command buffers, queues, command scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

A storage device system includes an information processing device and at least first and second storage devices. The first and second storage devices are equipped with first and second storage volumes, respectively. The information processing device generates first data including a first instruction that is to be executed by the second storage device, and sends a write request to a first write request section to write the first data according to a first communications protocol in the first storage volume. When the first data written in the first storage volume is the command to be executed by the second storage device, the first storage device sends to a second write request section a write request to write the first data according to a second communications protocol in the second storage volume. The second storage device executes the first command set in the first data that is written in the second storage volume.

Claims

1. A storage system, comprising:

a virtualization device coupled to an information processing device and having a first controller and at least one virtual volume;

said first controller receiving a data input request, which has a first Logical Unit Number (LUN) and data and is sent from said information processing device to said at least one virtual volume, and changing said first LUN included in said data input request into a second LUN of at least one first logical volume in a first storage device based on a relationship between said at least one virtual volume and said at least one first logical volume and relaying said changed data input request to said first logical volume in said first storage device;

said first storage device coupled to said virtualization device and having a second controller and a plurality of first disk drives;

said second controller receiving said changed data input request from said first controller of said virtualization device and storing said data of said changed data input request in said first disk drives related to said at least one first logical volume;

a second storage device having a third controller and a plurality of second disk drives; and

said third controller storing data in said second disk drives related to a second logical volume;

wherein said first controller receives a command, in which said first LUN and command information is sent from said information processing device to said at least one virtual volume, and changes said first LUN included in said command into said second LUN based on said relationship and relays said changed command to said at least one first logical volume,

wherein said second controller receives said changed command from said virtualization device, and

wherein said second controller and/or said third controller changes a pair status between said at least one first logical volume and said second logical volume based on said changed command.

2. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein:

said virtualization device has information of at least one storage device coupled to said virtualization device.

3. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein:

said virtualization device has information of at least one storage device coupled to said virtualization device; and

said virtualization device transferring said changed data input request and said changed command to said first storage device based on said information.

4. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein:

said changed command is used to change said pair status from a first status to a second status;

said first status is that said at least one first logical volume and said second logical volume do not form a pair in which one of said at least one first logical volume and said second logical volume is set as a primary volume and another is set as a secondary volume; and

said second status is that said at least one first logical volume and said second logical volume form said pair.

5. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein:

said change of said pair status is to form a pair of said at least one first logical volume as being a primary volume and said second logical volume as being a secondary volume storing data which are corresponding to data stored in said primary volume.

6. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein:

said change of said pair status is to form a pair of said second logical volume as being a primary volume and said at least one first logical volume as being a secondary volume storing data which are corresponding to data stored in said primary volume.

7. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein:

said changed command is used to change said pair status to a status of copying data stored in said at least one first logical volume as a primary volume to said second logical volume as a secondary volume so that data stored in said at least one first logical volume conform to data stored in said second logical volume.

8. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein:

said changed command is used to change said pair status to a status of copying data stored in said second logical volume as a primary volume to said at least one first logical volume as a secondary volume so that data stored in said second logical volume conform to data stored in said at least one first logical volume.

9. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein:

said changed command is used to change said pair status to a status of copying data needed to be stored in said at least one first logical volume as a primary volume to said second logical volume as a secondary volume, if said second controller receives said changed data input request.

10. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein:

said changed command is used to change said pair status to a status of storing data in relation to said second logical volume as a primary volume in said at least one first logical volume as a secondary volume, if said third controller receives another data input request.

11. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein:

said changed command is used to change said pair status to a status of storing data sent from said information processing device in said at least one first logical volume as a primary volume and not to store data in relation to said at least one first logical volume in said second logical volume as a secondary volume.

12. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein:

said changed command is used to change said pair status to a status of storing data sent from said information processing device in said second logical volume as a primary volume and not to store data in relation to said second logical volume in said at least one first logical volume as a secondary volume.

13. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein:

said changed command is used to change said pair status to a status of restoring data from said at least one first logical volume as a primary volume to said second logical volume as a secondary volume.

14. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein:

said changed command is used to change said pair status to a status of restoring data in relation to said at least one first logical volume in said second logical volume.

15. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein:

said first storage device has a third logical volume, said third logical volume being used to control said first storage device by said information processing device.

16. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein:

said first controller receives another command, which has said first LUN and command information and is sent from said information processing device to said at least one virtual volume, and changes said first LUN included in said another command into said second LUN based on said relationship and transfers said changed another command to said first storage device; and

said first controller receives said changed another command from said virtualization device and replies said pair status to said virtualization device in response to said changed another command.

17. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein:

said first controller has a map of said relationship in a memory and reads said map in said memory on receiving said data input request and said command.

18. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein:

said first and second LUN are based on Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) standards.

19. A storage system, comprising:

a virtualization device coupled to an information processing device and having a first controller and at least one virtual volume;

said first controller receiving a data input request sent from said information processing device to said at least one virtual volume and changing a first Logical Unit Number (LUN) included in said data input request into a second LUN of at least one first logical volume in a first storage device based on a relationship between said at least one virtual volume and said at least one first logical volume and relaying a data input request including said second LUN to said at least one first logical volume in said first storage device;

said first storage device coupled to said virtualization device and having a second controller and a plurality of first disk drives;

said second controller receiving said data input request including said second LUN from said first controller of said virtualization device and storing data of said data input request including said second LUN in said first disk drives related to said at least one first logical volume;

a second storage device having a third controller and a plurality of second disk drives; and

said third controller storing data in said second disk drives related to a second logical volume;

wherein said first controller receives a command sent from said information processing device to said at least one virtual volume and changes said first LUN included in said command into said second LUN based on said relationship and relays a command including said second LUN to said at least one first logical volume, said command including said second LUN is used to inquire a pair status between said at least one first logical volume and said second logical volume,

wherein said second controller receives said command including said second LUN from said virtualization device and replies said pair status to said virtualization device in response to said command including said second LUN.

20. A storage system, comprising:

a virtualization device coupled to an information processing device and having a first controller and at least one virtual volume;

said first controller receiving a data input request, which has a first Logical Unit Number (LUN) and data and is sent from said information processing device to said at least one virtual volume, and changing said first LUN included in said data input request into a second LUN of at least one first logical volume in a first storage device based on a relationship between said at least one virtual volume and said at least one first logical volume and relaying said changed data input request to said at least one first logical volume in said first storage device;

said first storage device coupled to said virtualization device and having a second controller and a plurality of first disk drives;

said second controller receiving said changed data input request from said first controller of said virtualization device and storing said data of said changed data input request in said first disk drives related to said at least one first logical volume;

said second storage device coupled to said first storage device and having a third controller and a plurality of second disk drives; and

said third controller storing data in said second disk drives related to a second logical volume and a third logical volume,

wherein said first controller receives a command, which has said first LUN and command information and is sent from said information processing device to said at least one virtual volume, and changes said first LUN included in said command into said second LUN based on said relationship and relays said changed command to said at least one first logical volume,

wherein said second controller receives said changed command from said virtualization device and transfers said changed command to a second storage device, and

wherein said third controller receives said changed command from said first storage device and changes a pair status between said second logical volume and said third logical volume based on said changed command.

21. A storage system, comprising:

a virtualization device coupled to an information processing device and having a first controller and at least one virtual volume;

said first controller receiving a data input request sent from said information processing device to said at least one virtual volume and changing a first Logical Unit Number (LUN) included in said data input request into a second LUN of at least one first logical volume in a first storage device based on a relationship between said at least one virtual volume and said at least one first logical volume and relaying a data input request including said second LUN to said at least one first logical volume in said first storage device;

said first storage device coupled to said virtualization device and having a second controller and a plurality of first disk drives;

said second controller receiving said data input request including said second LUN from said first controller of said virtualization device and storing data of said data input request including said second LUN in said first disk drives related to said at least one first logical volume;

a second storage device coupled to said first storage device and having a third controller and a plurality of second disk drives; and

said third controller storing data in said second disk drives related to a second logical volume and a third logical volume,

wherein said first controller receives a command sent from said information processing device to said at least one virtual volume and changes said first LUN included in said command into said second LUN based on said relationship and relays a command including said second LUN to said at least one first logical volume, said command including said second LUN is used to inquire a pair status between said second logical volume and said third logical volume,

wherein said second controller receives said command including said second LUN from said virtualization device and changes said second LUN included in said command into a third LUN and transfers a command including said third LUN to a second storage device, and

wherein said third controller receives said command including said third LUN from said first storage device and replies said pair status to said first storage device in response to said command including said third LUN.

22. A storage system, comprising:

a virtualization device coupled to an information processing device and having a first controller and at least one virtual volume;

said first controller receiving a data input request sent from said information processing device to said at least one virtual volume and changing a first Logical Unit Number (LUN) included in said data input request into a second LUN of at least one first logical volume in a first storage device based on a relationship between said at least one virtual volume and said at least one first logical volume and relaying a data input request including said second LUN to said at least one first logical volume in said first storage device;

said first storage device coupled to said virtualization device and having a second controller and a plurality of first disk drives related to said at least one first logical volume;

said second controller receiving said data input request including said second LUN from said first controller of said virtualization device and storing data of said data input request including said second LUN in said first disk drives;

a second storage device having a third controller and a plurality of second disk drives related to a second logical volume; and

said third controller storing data in said second disk drives,

wherein said first controller receives a command sent from said information processing device and relaying said command to said first storage device,

wherein said second controller receives said command from said virtualization device, and

wherein said second controller and/or said third controller changes a pair status between said at least one first logical volume and said second logical volume based on said command.

23. The storage system according to claim 22, wherein:

said first controller has a map of said relationship in a memory and reads said map in said memory on receiving said data input request.

24. The storage system according to claim 22, wherein:

said first and second LUN are based on Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) standards.

25. The storage system according to claim 22, wherein:

said command is used to change said pair status from a first status to a second status;

said first status is that said at least one first logical volume and said second logical volume do not form a pair in which one of said at least one first logical volume and said second logical volume is set as a primary volume and another is set as a secondary volume; and

said second status is that said at least one first logical volume and said second logical volume form said pair.

26. The storage system according to claim 22, wherein:

said command is used to change said pair status to a status of copying data stored in said at least one first logical volume as a primary volume to said second logical volume as a secondary volume so that data stored in said at least one first logical volume conform to data stored in said second logical volume.

27. The storage system according to claim 22, wherein:

said command is used to change said pair status to a status of copying data needed to be stored in said at least one first logical volume as a primary volume to said second logical volume as a secondary volume, if said second controller receives said changed data input request.

28. The storage system according to claim 22, wherein:

said command is used to change said pair status to a status of storing data sent from said information processing device in said at least one first logical volume as a primary volume and not to store data in relation to said at least one first logical volume in said second logical volume as a secondary volume.

29. The storage system according to claim 22, wherein:

said command is used to change said pair status to a status of restoring data from said at least one first logical volume as a primary volume to said second logical volume as a secondary volume.

30. A storage system, comprising:

a virtualization device coupled to an information processing device and having a first controller and at least one virtual volume;

said first controller receiving a data input request, which has a first Logical Unit Number (LUN) and data and is sent from said information processing device to said at least one virtual volume, and changing said first LUN included in said data input request into a second LUN of at least one first logical volume in a first storage device based on a relationship between said at least one virtual volume and said at least one first logical volume and relaying said changed data input request to said at least one first logical volume in said first storage device;

said first storage device coupled to said virtualization device and having a second controller and a plurality of first disk drives related to said at least one first logical volume;

said second controller receiving said changed data input request from said first controller of said virtualization device and storing said data of said changed data input request in said first disk drives;

a second storage device having a third controller and a plurality of second disk drives related to a second logical volume; and

said third controller storing data in said second disk drives;

wherein said first controller receives a command sent from said information processing device and relaying said command to said first storage device, said command is used to inquire a pair status between said at least one first logical volume and said second logical volume, and

wherein said second controller receives said command from said virtualization device and replies said pair status to said virtualization device in response to said command.