Disk array system and fault information control method

• US 7,219,144 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2003
• Issued: 05/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Takata, Yutaka, Ogasawara, Hiroshi, Kobayashi, Naotaka, Matsuki, Kunihito
• Primary Examiner(s): Pwu; Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): BILGRAMI, ASGHAR H
• Application Number:
  US10/745,650
• Publication Number:
  US 20050050401A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,233 Days
• Field of Search: 709/213, 709/223, 709/224, 714/2, 714/42, 714/25
• US Class Current: 709/223
• 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 11/0778 Dumping, i.e. gathering error/state information after a fault for later diagnosis

Abstract

A disk array system in accordance with the present invention comprises: a plurality of storage devices in which data is stored; a storage device control unit that controls storage of data in the plurality of storage devices; a connection unit connected to the storage device control unit; a first communication control unit; and a management terminal. The first communication control unit is connected to the storage device control unit via the connection unit, and connected on a first network external to the own disk array system, and transfers file data over the first network. The first communication control unit transfers data to the connection unit, and reads information on a fault occurring in the own disk array system from the plurality of storage devices so as to transfer the information to the management terminal.

According to the present invention, there is provided a disk array system connectable on a plurality of different kinds of networks and a method of controlling fault information concerning the disk array system.

Claims

1. A disk array system comprising:

a plurality of storage devices in which data is stored;

a storage device control unit that controls storage of data in said plurality of storage devices;

a connection unit connected to said storage device control unit;

a first communication control unit that is connected to said storage device control unit via said connection unit and connected onto a first network external to said own disk array system, and that transfers file data over said first network;

a cache memory that temporarily stores data transferring between said first communication control unit and said storage device control unit; and

a management terminal managing a plurality of resources of said disk array system and being used for acquiring information on fault occurring in said disk array system, said fault information being used to search a reason for said fault, wherein;

said first communication control unit comprises;

a first processor that associates file data, which is transferred over said first network, with block-form data that is stored in said storage device control unit; and

a second processor configured to prevent the first processor from being directly accessed by said management terminal by transferring data to said cache memory in response to a request made by said first processor, by transferring to the first processor an instruction to collect said fault information in said disk array system based on a request sent from said management terminal, by reading information on managing said fault occurring in said disk array system from said plurality of storage devices in response to the request for the information made by said first processor, and then by transmitting the information to said first processor.

2. A disk array system according to claim 1, wherein when said second processor receives the request for the information on managing the fault in said disk array system from said management tenninal, said second processor transfers the request for the information on managing the fault in said disk array system to said first processor.

3. A disk array system according to claim 2, wherein on receipt of the request for the information on managing the fault in said disk array system, said first processor requests said second processor to read the information on managing the fault in said disk array system which is recorded in said plurality of storage devices, and to transfer the information to said first processor.

4. A disk array system according to claim 3, wherein in response to the request for the information sent from said first processor, said second processor requests said storage device control unit via said connection unit to transfer the information on managing the fault in said disk array system.

5. A disk array system according to claim 4, wherein said storage device control unit reads the information on managing the fault in said disk array system from said plurality of storage devices, and transfers the information to said second processor via said connection unit.

6. A disk array system according to claim 5, wherein said second processor transfers the information on managing the fault in said disk array system, which is sent from said storage device control unit, to said first processor.

7. A disk array system according to claim 6, wherein said first processor transmits the information on managing the fault in said disk array system, which is sent from said second processor, to said management terminal.

8. A disk array system according to claim 1, further comprising a second communication control unit that is connected to said storage device control unit via said connection unit, and connected on a second network external to said own disk array system, and that transfers file data over said second network, wherein said second communication control unit comprises:

a third processor that associates file data, which is transferred over said second network, with block-form data that is stored in said storage device control unit; and

a fourth processor that transfers data in response to a request made by said third processor, and transfers information on managing a fault occurring in said third processor to said storage device control unit in response to a request made by said third processor.

9. A disk array system according to claim 8, wherein said fourth processor notifies said second processor that a fault has occurred in said third processor;

and said second processor notifies said first processor that a fault has occurred in said third processor.

10. A disk array system according to claim 9, wherein in response to a request made by said first processor, said second processor transmits the information on managing the fault in said third processor, which is recorded in said plurality of storage devices, to said first processor.

11. A fault information control method of a disk array system comprising the steps of:

providing the disk array system with a plurality of storage devices in which data is stored;

a storage device control unit that controls storage of data in said plurality of storage devices;

a connection unit connected to said storage device control unit; and

a first conununication control unit that is connected to said storage device control unit via said connection unit and connected onto a first network external to said own disk array system, and that transfers file data over said first network;

a cache memory that temporarily stores data transferring between said first communication control unit and said storage device control unit; and

a management terminal managing a plurality of resources of said disk array system, said first communication control unit including a first processor and a second processor;

associating by said first processor file data, which is transferred over said first network, with block-form data that is stored in said storage device control unit;

transferring by said first processor the block-form data that is stored in said storage device control unit; and

making a request for information on managing a fault occurring in said own disk array system by said first processor;

preventing the first processor from being directly accessed by said management terminal by transferring data by said second processor to said cache memory, which is sent from said first processor, via said connection unit, by transferring by said second processor to said first processor an instruction to collect information on a fault in said disk array system based upon a request from said management terminal, by reading by said second processor the information on managing the fault in said disk array system from said plurality of storage devices and then by transmit the information to said first processor; and

using said management terminal to acquire information on fault occurring in said disk array system, and using said fault information to search a reason for said fault.

12. A fault information control method of a disk array system according to claim 11, wherein said second processor reads the information on managing the fault in said disk array system from said plurality of storage devices, in response to the request for the information on the fault in said disk array system from said management terminal.

13. A fault information control method of a disk array system according to claim 12, further comprising requesting by said second processor said storage device control unit via said connection unit to transfer the information on managing the fault in said disk array system in response to the request sent from said first processor.

14. A fault information control method of a disk array system according to claim 13, further comprising reading by said storage device control unit the information on managing the fault in said disk array system from said plurality of storage devices, and transferring by said storage device control unit the information to said second processor via said connection unit.

15. A fault information control method of a disk array system according to claim 14, further comprising transferring by said second processor the information on managing the fault in said disk array system, which is sent from said storage device control unit, to said first processor.

16. A fault information control method of a disk array system according to claim 15, further comprising transmitting by said first processor the information on managing the fault in said disk array system, which is sent from said second processor, to said management terminal.

17. A fault information control method of a disk array system according to claim 11, further comprising:

providing a second communication control unit including a third processor and a fourth processor;

connecting said second communication control unit to said storage device control unit via said connection unit and onto a second network external to said own disk array system, said second communication control unit transferring file data over said second network;

associating by the third processor file data, which is transferred over said second network, with block-form data that is stored in said storage device control unit;

transferring by the third processor the block-form data that is stored in said storage device control unit; and

making a request for information on managing a fault occurring in said own disk array system by the third processor; and

transferring by the fourth processor data, which is sent from said third processor, via said connection unit; and

transferring by the third processor information on managing a fault occurring in said third processor, to said storage device control unit in response to a request made by said third processor.

18. A fault information control method of a disk array system according to claim 17, further comprising:

notifying said second processor by said fourth processor that a fault has occurred in said third processor;

notifying said first processor by said second processor that the fault has occurred in said third processor; and

transmitting by said second processor the information on managing the fault in said third processor, which is recorded in said plurality of storage devices, to said first processor in response to a request made by said first processor.