Storage system

• US 7,243,116 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2004
• Issued: 07/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamagami, Kenji, Suzuki, Susumu
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong; Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, MERILYN P
• Application Number:
  US10/946,034
• Publication Number:
  US 20060020640A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• Field of Search: 707/202, 707/204, 707/1, 707/3, 707/100, 707/200, 707/205, 711/153, 711/162, 711/167, 711/161, 714/7, 714/13
• US Class Current: 707/640
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1466 to make the backup process non-disruptive
• 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 11/2087 with a common controller
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0622 in relation to access
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/065 Replication mechanisms
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

In creating replicas to data of a storage volume in a storage system, a technique in which labor for issuing instructions from a processor can be reduced and then data consistency of related volumes can be secured is provided. A single replication instruction including designated information is issued for data of a logical unit serving as a copy source and a copy destination from a replication-control program of the processor. A control unit of the storage system possesses a multiple-replica creation program which enables a processing for creating replicas while securing the data consistency when an access such as a update or reference occurs for a group including a plurality of pairs of copy-source volume and copy-destination volume based on reception of the instruction. A save volume is provided to identify and control data save and update state by copy-source save information and copy-destination update information at the shared memory.

Claims

1. A storage system, comprising:

a controller coupled to one or more host computers and transferring data sent from one or more said host computers to one or more first logical volumes; and

a plurality of disk drive units having a plurality of disk drives which relate to said first logical volumes;

wherein said controller is adapted to receive a command sent from one of said host computers to create a plurality of pair relationships between said one or more first logical volumes and a plurality of second logical volumes based on said command, said second logical volumes being used to store copies of data stored in said first logical volumes, and to direct said created pair relationships to a split status in which said second logical volumes can be accessed from one or more of said host computers, based on said command,

wherein said first logical volumes or said second logical volumes belong to a consistency group in which consistency among data stored in said second logical volumes at a timing of starting said split status is maintained.

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

said controller is further adapted to;

receive at least one read/write request sent from one or more of said host computers to at least one of said first logical volumes or at least one of said second logical volumes, without being inhibited to receive said read/write request, after receiving said command,

read/write from/to said at least one of said first logical volumes or said at least one of said second logical volumes, and

reply a reply related to said read/write request to said one or more host computers.

3. A storage system according to claim 1 wherein:

each of said first logical volumes is in a simplex condition before receiving said command.

4. A storage system according to claim 1 wherein:

said second logical volumes are recognized as being in a split condition by said host computers after creating said pair relationship.

5. A storage system according to claim 1 wherein:

said second logical volumes are virtually generated.

6. A storage system according to claim 1 wherein:

amounts of data related to at least one of said second logical volumes are different from amounts of data stored in at least one of said first logical volumes.

7. A storage system according to claim 1 wherein:

said command includes information of both said first logical volumes and said second logical volumes.

8. A storage system according to claim 1 wherein:

a display of said host computers or an information processing device displays information related to said first logical volumes or said second logical volumes.

9. A storage system according to claim 1 comprising:

wherein one of said first logical volumes corresponds to one of said second logical volumes, and

wherein another of said first logical volumes corresponds to another of said second logical volumes.

10. A storage system according to claim 2 wherein:

said controller is adapted to;

copy data stored in said at least one of said first logical volumes to a third logical volume or some of said second logical volumes corresponding to said at least one of first logical volumes after receiving said read/write request, and

reply said reply to said host computers after copying data.

11. A storage system according to claim 1 wherein:

said controller is adapted to;

receive a write request sent from one of said host computers to at least one of first logical volumes after receiving said command,

copy first data stored in said at least one of first logical volumes to a third logical volume or some of said second logical volumes corresponding to said at least one of said first logical volumes, if the first data are not copied to said third logical volume or said some of second logical volumes, and

overwrite the first data stored in said at least one of said first logical volumes by second data related to said write request after copying the first data.

12. A storage system according to claim 1 wherein:

said controller is adapted to;

receive a write request sent from one of said host computers to at least one of second logical volumes after receiving said command,

copy first data stored in at least one of said first logical volumes to third logical volume or some of said second logical volumes which have said at least one of said second logical volumes, if the first data are not copied to said third logical volume or said at least one of said second logical volumes, and

write second data related to said write request in said at least one of said second logical volumes after copying the first data.

13. A storage system according to claim 1 wherein:

said controller is adapted to;

receive a read request sent from one of said host computers to at least one of said second logical volumes,

copy first data stored in at least one of said first logical volumes to third logical volume or some of said second logical volumes having said at least one of said second logical volumes, if the first data are not copied to said third logical volume or said some of said second logical volumes, and

read the first data related to said read request from said third logical volume or said at least one of said second logical volumes after copying the first data.

14. A storage system according to claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of third logical volumes;

a plurality of fourth logical volumes;

another consistency group in which consistency among data stored in said fourth logical volumes on said status is maintained;

wherein said controller is further adapted to;

create a plurality of pair relationships between said third logical volumes and said fourth logical volumes based on another command, said fourth logical volumes being used to store copies of data stored in said third logical volumes, and

direct a status of the created pair relationship to a split status in which said fourth logic volume can be accessed from one or more of said host computers based on said another command.

15. A storage system according to claim 1 wherein:

one or more of said second logical volumes are assigned to one or more of a plurality of another disk drives, if said controller receives a write request sent from one or more of said host computers to one or more of said second logical volumes.

16. A storage system according to claim 1 wherein:

each of the first logical volumes is in a condition in which said each of said first logical volumes is not set for each of said pair relationship, before receiving said command.

17. A storage system according to claim 1 wherein:

said second logical volumes are recognized as a condition in which data stored in said second logical volumes are backup data of said first logical volumes and can be accessed, by said host computers after creating said pair relationship.

18. A storage system according to claim 1 wherein:

said controller is adapted to;

receive a read request sent from one of said host computers to at least one of said second logical volumes, and

reply with data to said one of said host computers after copying data from at least one of said first logical volumes to a third logical volume or said at least one of said second logical volumes.

19. A storage system according to claim 1 wherein:

a capacity of at least one storage area related to at least one of said first logical volumes is different from a capacity of at least one storage area related to at least one of said second logical volumes.

20. A storage system, comprising:

a controller coupled to a plurality of host computers or an information processing device and transferring data sent from said host computers to a plurality of first logical regions; and

a plurality of disk drive units having a plurality of disk drives which correspond to said first logical regions;

wherein said controller is adapted to;

receive a command sent from said host computers or said information processing device to relate said first logical regions to a plurality of second logical regions based on said command, said second logical regions being used to store copies of data stored in said first logical regions, and to direct a relationship between said related first logical regions and second logical regions to a status in which said second logical regions can be accessed from one or more of said host computers, based on said command,

receive a write request sent from one of said host computers to at least one of said first logical regions or at least one of said second logical regions after receiving said command, and

reply with data related to said write request to said one of host computers,

wherein said first logical regions and/or said second logical regions are included in a consistency group in which consistency among data stored in said second logical regions at a timing of starting said status is maintained.

21. A storage system according to claim 20, wherein said status is a split status.

22. A storage system, comprising:

a controller coupled to a plurality of host computers or an information processing device to transfer data sent from said host computers to a plurality of first logical volumes; and

a plurality of disk drive units having a plurality of disk drives which relate to said first logical volumes;

wherein said controller is adapted to receive a command sent from said host computers or said information processing device to relate said first logical volumes to a plurality of second logical volumes, said second logical volumes being used to store copies of data stored in said first logical volumes, based on said command for making a consistency group in which consistency among data stored in said second logical volumes is maintained with respect to a point in time, and to make a relationship between said first logical volumes and said second logical volumes to be a status in which said second logical volumes can be accessed from one or more of said host computers, based on said command, wherein said point in time, with respect to which consistency among data stored in said second logical volumes is maintained, is a time of starting said status.

23. A storage system according to claim 22, wherein said status is a split status.

24. A storage system according to claim 22 wherein:

each of said first logical volumes is in a condition in which said each of said first logical volumes is not set for each of said relationships, before receiving said command.

25. A storage system according to claim 22 wherein:

said second logical volumes are recognized as a condition in which said second logical volumes are a plurality of backup volumes of said first logical volumes and can be accessed, by said host computers after making said consistency group.

26. A storage system according to claim 22 wherein:

said controller is adapted to;

receive a read request sent from one of said host computers to at least one of said second logical volumes, and

reply with data to said one of said host computers after copying data from at least one of said first logical volumes to a third logical volume or said at least one of said second logical volumes.

27. A storage system according to claim 22 wherein:

a capacity of at least one storage are area related to at least one of said first logical volumes is different from a capacity of at least one storage area related to at least one of said second logical volumes.

28. A storage system, comprising:

a controller coupled to a plurality of host computers or an information processing device to transfer data sent from said host computers to one or more first logical regions; and

a plurality of disk drive units having a plurality of disk drives which correspond to said first logical regions;

wherein said controller is adapted to receive a command, including information of both said first logical regions and a plurality of second logical regions, sent from said host computers or said information processing device to create a pair relationship between said first logical regions and said second logical regions based on said command, said second logical regions relating to copies of data stored in said first logical regions, and to make said pair relationship to be a status in which said second logical regions are used to maintain consistency among data stored in said second logical regions with respect to a point in time related to said command so that said second logical regions can be accessed from one or more of said host computers, based on said command, wherein said point of time, with respect to which consistency among said second logical regions is maintained, is a time of starting said status.

29. A storage system according to claim 28, wherein said status is a split status.

30. A storage system, comprising:

a controller coupled to one or more host computers or an information processing device and transferring data sent from said one or more host computers to a plurality of first logical volumes; and

a plurality of disk drive units having a plurality of disk drives which relate to said first logical volumes;

wherein said controller is adapted to receive a command sent from said host computers or said information processing device to relate said first logical volumes to a plurality of second logical volumes in accordance with said command for making a pair relationship, said second logical volumes relating to copies of data stored in said first logical volumes, and to make said pair relationship to be a status in which said second logical volumes are used to maintain consistency among data stored in said second logical volumes with respect to a point in time so that said second logical volumes can be accessed from one or more of said host computers, based on said command,

wherein a size of said at least one of said second logical volumes is different from a size of said at least one of said first logical volumes, and

wherein said point of time, with respect to which consistency among data stored in said second logical volumes is maintained, is a time of starting said status.

31. A storage system according to claim 30, wherein said status is a split status.

32. A method of operating a storage system to transfer data sent from one or more host computers to one or more first logical volumes, wherein the storage system includes a plurality of disk drive units having a plurality of disk drives which relate to said first logical volumes, said method comprising:

receiving a command sent from one of said host computers;

creating based on said command a plurality of pair relationships between said first logical volumes and a plurality of second logical volumes, said second logical volumes being used to store copies of data stored in said first logical volumes; and

directing based on said command said created pair relationships to a split status in which said second logical volumes can be accessed from one or more of said host computers, wherein said first logical volumes or said second logical volumes belong to a consistency group in which consistency among data stored in said second logical volumes at a timing of starting said split status is maintained.

33. A method according to claim 32, further comprising:

receiving at least one read/write request sent from one or more of said host computers to at least one of said first logical volumes or at least one of said second logical volumes, without being inhibited to receive said read/write request, after receiving said command,

reading/writing from/to said at least one of said first logical volumes or said at least one of said second logical volumes, and

replying a reply related to said read/write request to said one or more host computers.

34. A method according to claim 33, further comprising:

copying data stored in said at least one of said first logical volumes to a third logical volume or some of said second logical volumes corresponding to said at least one of first logical volumes after receiving said read/write request, and

replying said reply to said host computers after copying data.

35. A method according to claim 32 further comprising:

virtually generating said second logical volumes.

36. A method according to claim 32 wherein:

amounts of data related to said at least one of said second logical volumes are different from amounts of data stored in said at least one of said first logical volumes.

37. A method according to claim 32 wherein:

said command includes information of both said first logical volumes and said second logical volumes.

38. A method according to claim 32, further comprising:

receiving a write request sent from one of said host computers to at least one of first logical volumes after receiving said command,

copying first data stored in said at least one of first logical volumes to a third logical volume or some of said second logical volumes corresponding to said at least one of said first logical volumes, if the first data are not copied to said third logical volume or said some of second logical volumes, and

overwriting the first data stored in said at least one of said first logical volumes by second data related to said write request after copying the first data.

39. A method according to claim 32, further comprising:

receiving a write request sent from one of said host computers to at least one of second logical volumes after receiving said command,

copying first data stored in at least one of said first logical volumes to a third logical volume or some of said second logical volumes which have said at least one of said second logical volumes, if the first data are not copied to said third logical volume or said at least one of said second logical volumes, and

writing second data related to said write request in said at least one of said second logical volumes after copying the first data.

40. A method according to claim 32, further comprising:

receiving a read request sent from one of said host computers to at least one of said second logical volumes,

copying first data stored in at least one of said first logical volumes to a third logical volume or some of said second logical volumes having said at least one of said second logical volumes, if the first data are not copied to said third logical volume or said some of said second logical volumes, and

reading the first data related to said read request from said third logical volume or said at least one of said second logical volumes after copying the first data.

41. A method according to claim 32, further comprising:

assigning one or more of said second logical volumes to one or more of said disk drives, if said controller receives a write request sent from one or more of said host computers to one or more of said second logical volumes.

42. A method according to claim 32, further comprising:

receiving a read request sent from one of said host computers to at least one of said second logical volumes, and replying with data to said one of said host computers copying reading data from at least one of said first logical volumes to a third logical volume or said at least one of said second logical volumes.

43. A method according to claim 32 wherein:

a capacity of at least one storage area related to at least one of said first logical volumes is different from a capacity of at least one storage area related to at least one of said second logical volumes.