Storage system, a method of file data backup and method of copying of file data

• US 7,275,050 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2001
• Issued: 09/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Fujimoto, Kazuhisa
• Primary Examiner(s): LEROUX, ETIENNE PIERRE
• Application Number:
  US10/020,313
• Publication Number:
  US 20020178143A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,107 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/2, 707/8, 707/10, 707/100, 707/101, 707/102, 707/200, 707/204, 707/205, 714/4, 714/6, 713/165, 710/36, 341/50, 709/212, 709/217, 709/219, 711/112
• US Class Current: 711/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1435 using file system or storage system metadata
• 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 3/0661 Format or protocol conversion arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/959 Network
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

A storage system manages the total capacity of a shared storage medium to store block-basis data and file-basis data. When block data and its address are input through a fiber channel port, an inputloutput unit converts its data format to a data format that is internally applied by the storage system. When file data and its address are input, a file system converts its data format to a block data format internally applied by the storage system. The file system derives a file logical volume address from the received file address and translates file data to block data. A managing unit derives the address of a block logical volume from the block address delivered from the input/output unit. The managing unit translates block logical volume address or the file logical volume address to a physical address, and writes data to or reads data from the shared storage medium.

Claims

1. A storage system to be coupled to an IP network, said storage system comprising:

a physical input/output port to be coupled to the IP network;

a control unit coupled to the physical input/output port; and

a plurality of disk drives coupled to the control unit,

the physical input/output port being accessible by a block I/O request having a first port number via the IP network and a file I/O request having a second port number via the IP network,

wherein the plurality of disk drives are configured into a plurality of volumes, of which a first volume is assigned to store data related to the block I/O request and a second volume is assigned to store data related to the file I/O request,

when an I/O request received at the control unit via the physical input/output port is the block I/O request including the first port number, the control unit performs a first operation, corresponding to the first port number, for storing data in the first volume, and

when an I/O request received at the control unit via the physical input/output port is the file I/O request including the second port number, the control unit performs a second operation, corresponding to the second port number, for storing data in the second volume.

2. A storage system according to claim 1,

wherein the block I/O request has an IP packet that includes the first port

number and first information including an address in the first volume.

3. A storage system according to claim 1,

wherein the file I/O request has an IP packet that includes the second port number and second information including file data.

4. A storage system according to claim 1,

wherein the block I/O request has a TCP packet in which the first port number is included.

5. A storage system according to claim 2,

wherein the IP packet encapsulates a TCP packet in which the first port number is included.

6. A storage system according to claim 1,

wherein the first volume and the second volume are concurrently assigned.

7. A storage system according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit maps relationships between logical addresses of the volumes and physical addresses of the disk drives to which data is to be stored.

19. A storage system according to claim 1,

wherein a format of the file I/O request is on the basis of NFS protocol, and the second operation is performed on the basis of the NFS protocol.

20. A storage system according to claim 1,

wherein a format of the block I/O request is on the basis of SCSI protocol, and the first operation is performed on the basis of the SCSI protocol.

8. A storage system coupled to an IP network, the storage system comprising:

a physical port coupled to the IP network;

a control unit coupled to the physical port; and

a plurality of disk drives coupled to the control unit,

the physical port being accessible by a block I/O request having a first port number and first information from a first processor via the IP network and a file I/O request having a second port number and second information from a second processor via the IP network,

wherein the plurality of disk drives are configured into a plurality of volumes, of which a first volume is assigned to store data related to the block I/O request and a second volume is assigned to store data related to the file I/O request

when an I/O request including the first port number is received from the first processor at the control unit via the physical port, the control unit performs a first operation, corresponding to the first port number, for storing data in the first volume, and

when an I/O request including the second port number is received from the second processor at the control unit via the physical port, the control unit performs a second operation, corresponding the second port number, for storing data in the second volume.

9. A storage system according to claim 8,

wherein the block I/O request has an IP packet that includes the first port number and the first information including an address in the first volume.

10. A storage system according to claim 8,

wherein the file I/O request has an IP packet that includes the second port number and the second information including file data.

11. A storage system according to claim 8,

wherein the block I/O request has a TOP packet in which the first port number is included.

12. A storage system according to claim 9,

wherein the IP packet encapsulates a TCP packet in which the first port number is included.

13. A storage system according to claim 8,

wherein the first volume and the second volume are concurrently assigned.

14. A storage system according to claim 8,

wherein the control unit maps relationships between logical addresses of the volumes and physical location of the disk drives to which data is to be stored.

21. A storage system according to claim 8,

wherein a format of the file I/O request is on the basis of NFS protocol, and the second operation is performed on the basis of the NFS protocol.

22. A storage system according to claim 8,

wherein a format of the block I/O request is on the basis of SCSI protocol, and the first operation is performed on the basis of the SCSI protocol.

15. A storage system to be coupled to an IP network, said storage system comprising:

a physical port to be coupled to the IP network;

a control unit coupled to the physical port; and

a plurality of disk drives coupled to the control unit;

wherein the physical port is accessible by a first IP packet having a first port number via the IP network and a second IP packet having a second port number via the IP network,

wherein the plurality of disk drives are configured into a plurality of volumes, of which a first volume is assigned to store data related to the first IP packet and a second volume is assigned to store data related to the second IP packet,

when the first IP packet is received at the control unit via the physical port, the control unit performs a first operation, corresponding to the first port number, for storing block data in the first volume, and

when the second IP packet is received at the control unit via the physical port, the control unit performs a second operation, corresponding to the second port number, for storing file data in the second volume.

16. A storage system according to claim 15,

wherein the first IP packet has a TCP packet in which the first port number is included.

17. A storage system according to claim 15,

wherein the second IP packet has a TCP packet in which the second port number is included.

18. A storage system according to claim 15,

wherein the control unit transforms the file data into block data for storing in the second volume.

23. A storage system according to claim 15,

wherein a format of the file data is on the basis of NFS protocol, and the second operation is performed on the basis of the NFS protocol.

24. A storage system according to claim 15,

wherein a format of the block data is on the basis of SCSI protocol, and the first operation is performed on the basis of the SCSI protocol.

25. A storage system to be coupled to an IP network, said storage system comprising:

a physical input/output port to be coupled to the P network;

a control unit coupled to the physical input/output port; and

a plurality of disk drives coupled to the control unit,

the physical input/output port being accessible by a block I/O request having a first port number via the IP network and a file I/O request having a second port number via the IP network,

wherein the plurality of disk drives are configured into a plurality of volumes, of which a first volume is assigned to store data related to the block I/O request and a second volume is assigned to store data related to the file I/O request,

when an I/O request received at the control unit via the physical input/output port is the block I/O request including the first port number, the control unit performs a first operation, corresponding to the first port number, for storing data in the first volume,

when an I/O request received at the control unit via the physical input/output port is the file I/O request including the second port number, the control unit performs a second operation, corresponding to the second port number, for storing data in the second volume, and

wherein said block I/O request is based upon a SCSI standard.

26. A storage system according to claim 25,

wherein the block I/O request has an IP packet that includes the first port number and first information including an address in the first volume.

27. A storage system according to claim 25,

wherein the file I/O request has an IP packet that includes the second port number and second information including file data.

28. A storage system according to claim 25,

wherein the block I/O request has a TCP packet in which the first port number is included.

29. A storage system according to claim 26,

wherein the IP packet encapsulates a TCP packet in which the first port number is included.

30. A storage system according to claim 25,

wherein the first volume and the second volume are concurrently assigned.

31. A storage system according to claim 25,

wherein the control unit maps relationships between logical addresses of the volumes and physical addresses of the disk drives to which data is to be stored.

43. A storage system according to claim 25,

wherein a format of the file I/O request is on the basis of NFS protocol, and the second operation is performed on the basis of the NFS protocol.

44. A storage system according to claim 25,

wherein a format of the block I/O request is on the basis of SCSI protocol, and the first operation is performed on the basis of the SCSI protocol.

32. A storage system coupled to an IP network, the storage system comprising:

a physical port coupled to the IP network;

a control unit coupled to the physical port; and

a plurality of disk drives coupled to the control unit,

the physical port being accessible by a block I/O request having a first port number and first information from a first processor via the IP network and a file I/O request having a second port number and second information from a second processor via the IP network,

wherein the plurality of disk drives are configured into a plurality of volumes, of which a first volume is assigned to store data related to the block I/O request and a second volume is assigned to store data related to the file I/O request, and

when an I/O request including the first port number is received from the first processor at the control unit via the physical port, the control unit performs a first operation, corresponding to the first port number, for storing data in the first volume,

when an I/O request including the second port number is received from the second processor at the control unit via the physical port, the control unit performs a second operation, corresponding the second port number, for storing data in the second volume, and

wherein said I/O request including the first port number is based upon a SCSI standard.

33. A storage system according to claim 32,

wherein the block I/O request has an IP packet that includes the first port number and the first information including an address in the first volume.

34. A storage system according to claim 32,

wherein the file I/O request has an IP packet that includes the second port number and the second information including file data.

35. A storage system according to claim 32, wherein the block I/O request has a TCP packet in which the first port number is included.

36. A storage system according to claim 33,

wherein the IP packet encapsulates a TCP packet in which the first port number is included.

37. A storage system according to claim 32,

wherein the first volume and the second volume are concurrently assigned.

38. A storage system according to claim 32,

wherein the control unit maps relationships between logical addresses of the volumes and physical location of the disk drives to which data is to be stored.

45. A storage system according to claim 32,

wherein a format of the file I/O request is on the basis of NFS protocol, and the second operation is performed on the basis of the NFS protocol.

46. A storage system according to claim 32,

wherein a format of the block I/O request is on the basis of SCSI protocol, and the first operation is performed on the basis of the SCSI protocol.

39. A storage system to be coupled to an IP network, said storage system comprising:

a physical port to be coupled to the IP network;

a control unit coupled to the physical port; and

a plurality of disk drives coupled to the control unit;

wherein the physical port is accessible by a first IP packet having a first port number via the IP network and a second IP packet having a second port number via the IP network,

wherein the plurality of disk drives are configured into a plurality of volumes, of which a first volume is assigned to store data related to the first IP packet and a second volume is assigned to store data related to the second IP packet,

when the first P packet is received at the control unit via the physical port, the control unit performs a first operation, corresponding to the first port number, for storing block data in the first volume,

when the second IP packet is received at the control unit via the physical port, the control unit performs a second operation, corresponding to the second port number, for storing file data in the second volume, and

wherein said first IP packet is based upon a SCSI standard.

40. A storage system according to claim 39,

wherein the first IP packet has a TCP packet in which the first port number is included.

41. A storage system according to claim 39,

wherein the second IP packet has a TOP packet in which the second port number is included.

42. A storage system according to claim 39,

wherein the control unit transforms the file data into block data for storing in the second volume.

47. A storage system according to claim 39,

wherein a format of the file data is on the basis of NFS protocol, and the second operation is performed on the basis of the NFS protocol.

48. A storage system according to claim 39,

wherein a format of the block data is on the basis of SCSI protocol, and the first operation is performed on the basis of the SCSI protocol.