Storage system controlling power supply module and fan

• US 7,227,713 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2005
• Issued: 06/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Akira, Kaneda, Yasunori, Iwamura, Takashige
• Primary Examiner(s): Sniezek; Andrew L.
• Application Number:
  US11/285,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20060279869A1
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 360/69
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0625 Power saving in storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0634 by changing the state or mode of one or more devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/144 by detection, control, regulation of the temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

When a disk device corresponding to a logical volume is started, a disk system determines and starts a disk device and a fan to be started, while comprehensively considering heat quantity generated by the disk device to be started, the cooling capacity of the fan, and the electric power consumption of the fan or the electric power consumption of the disk device.

Claims

1. A storage system comprising:

a controller;

a disk device connected to the controller;

a cooling device that cools the disk device; and

a power supply module that supplies electric power to the controller, the disk device, and the cooling device,

wherein the controller determines whether or not the disk device is to be started, on the basis of information concerning heat quantity generated by starting the disk device, the cooling capacity of the cooling device, and electric power required to drive the disk device.

2. A storage system according to claim 1,

wherein the controller also considers information concerning electric power required to drive the cooling device when it determines whether or not the disk device is to be started.

3. A storage system according to claim 2, wherein the controller creates a logical volume that is a storage region on the basis of a storage region in the disk device, wherein the controller is connected to a computer, and wherein the controller determines whether or not the disk device is to be started, when the logical volume is used by the computer.

4. A storage system according to claim 3,

wherein the controller determines whether or not the cooling device is to be stopped, on the basis of information concerning heat quantity that is reduced by stopping the disk device.

5. A storage system according to claim 3,

wherein the cooling device is a fan,

wherein the controller decreases the number of rotations of the fan, on the basis of the information concerning heat quantity that is reduced by stopping the disk device.

6. A storage system according to claim 3,

wherein the controller determines whether or not the disk device corresponding to the logical volume is to be stopped, when the logical volume is no longer used by the computer.

7. A storage system according to claim 1, further comprising:

information concerning a predetermined threshold value about electric power,

wherein the controller determines whether or not the disk device is to be started, on the basis of whether or not an electric power consumed by the storage system by driving the disk device exceeds the predetermined threshold value.

8. A storage system according to claim 7,

wherein the threshold value is the maximum electric power of the power supply module.

9. A storage system according to claim 7,

wherein the threshold value is a value to be set by a user who uses the storage system.

10. A storage system according to claim 9,

wherein the controller further determines whether or not driving of the cooling device is necessary.

11. A storage system according to claim 10,

wherein if there is any cooling device required to be driven by driving the disk device, the controller determines whether or not the disk device and the cooling device is to be driven, on the basis of whether or not an electric power consumed by the storage system by driving the disk device and the cooling device exceeds the predetermined threshold value.

12. A storage system according to claim 11,

wherein the controller changes information concerning determination on whether or not the disk device is to be driven, on the basis of a change in the cooling capacity of the cooling device.

13. A storage system according to claim 12,

wherein the change in the cooling capacity of the cooling device is a change based on opening/closing of a cover in a housing that contains the storage system.

14. A storage system according to claim 13,

wherein the controller determines whether or not the disk device is to be started, when the logical volume is mounted on the computer.

15. A storage system according to claim 14,

wherein the controller determines whether or not the disk device is to be stopped, when the logical volume is unmounted from the computer.

16. A storage system according to claim 15,

wherein the controller determines whether or not the disk device is to be started, when an open command of a file stored in the logical volume is transmitted from the computer.

17. A storage system according to claim 16,

wherein the controller determines whether or not the disk device is to be started, when a close command of a file stored in the logical volume is transmitted from the computer.

18. A storage system according to claim 11,

wherein the controller monitors a failure of a device in the storage system, and

when the failure occurs, the controller changes information concerning determination on whether or not the disk device is to be driven.