Data processing system

• US 7,290,103 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2006
• Issued: 10/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Umemura, Shoko
• Primary Examiner(s): Song; Jasmine
• Application Number:
  US11/431,828
• Publication Number:
  US 20060206664A1
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 711/162
• 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 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• 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 3/061 Improving I/O performance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0632 by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0635 by changing the path, e.g. traffic rerouting, path reconfiguration
• 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 3/0665 at area level, e.g. provisioning of virtual or logical volumes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

This invention provides a control technique of a data processing system, in which functions of a highly-functional high-performance storage system are achieved in an inexpensive storage system so as to effectively use the existing system and reduce the cost of its entire system. This system has a RAID system, an external subsystem, a management server, a management client and the like. The management server includes an information management table for storing mapping information of the RAID system and the external subsystem. When performing copy process, the pair creation in which a logical volume of the RAID system is set as a primary volume of copy source and a logical volume of a mapping object of the RAID system mapped from the logical volume of the external subsystem is set as a secondary volume of copy destination is executed from the management client by using the information management table.

Claims

1. A control method in a system coupled to a host computer and a disk array system and having a virtualization system and a management device, said virtualization system having a virtual volume corresponding to a logical volume, said logical volume being related to a plurality of disk drives in said disk array system, said control method comprising:

mapping a first information regarding said logical volume to a second information regarding said virtual volume, said first information including information of a first Logical Unit Number (LUN) regarding said logical volume, said second information including information of a second LUN regarding said virtual volume;

receiving, by said virtualization system, a data input/output request, sent from said host computer, and targeted to said virtual volume;

changing, by said virtualization system, a LUN, which is included in said data input/output request and corresponds to said second LUN, to said first LUN, which corresponds to said second LUN, based on said mapped first and second information;

transferring, by said virtualization system, said changed data input/output request to said logical volume so that said disk array system performs inputting/outputting of data corresponding to said data input/output request to/from said disk drives corresponding to said logical volume,

said control method including the steps of;

displaying, by said management device, a first list including said virtual volume and/or another virtual volume so that a user is able to select a copy source volume forming a copy pair;

setting a selected volume as said copy source volume after displaying said first list;

displaying, by said management device, a second list including said virtual volume and/or another virtual volume so that a user is able to select a copy destination volume forming said copy pair;

setting a selected volume as said copy destination volume after displaying said second list; and

copying data between said copy source volume and said copy destination volume.

2. A control method in said system according to claim 1, further comprising:

displaying information related to said mapped first and second information on a display of said management device.

3. A control method in said system according to claim 1, further comprising:

storing said first information into said management device.

4. A control method in said system according to claim 1, further comprising:

storing said first information into said management device based on information sent from said disk array system; and

storing said second information into said management device.

5. A control method in said system according to claim 1, further comprising:

storing said first information into said management device; and

storing said second information into said management device; and

displaying information related to said mapped first and second information on a display of a computer coupled to said management device.

6. A control method in said system according to claim 5, further comprising:

said management device manages information of a functions of said virtualization system.

7. A control method in said system according to claim 1, further comprising:

said management device manages information of a function of said virtualization system.

8. A control method in a system coupled to a host computer and a disk array system and having a virtualization system and a control device, said virtualization system having a virtual volume corresponding to a logical volume, said logical volume being related to a plurality of disk drives in said disk array system, said control method comprising:

storing a relationship information relating a first information regarding said logical volume to a second information regarding said virtual volume, said first information including information of a first Logical Unit Number (LUN) regarding said logical volume, said second information including information of a second LUN regarding said virtual volume;

receiving, by said virtualization system, a data input request, including a LUN corresponding to said virtual volume and data and sent from said host computer and targeted to said virtual volume;

changing, by said virtualization system, said LUN included in said data input request to said first LUN, which corresponds to said second LUN included in said second information;

transferring, by said virtualization system, said changed data input request to said logical volume so that said disk array system performs inputting of said data corresponding to said data input request to said disk drives related to said logical volume,

said control method including the steps of;

displaying, by said control device, a first list including said virtual volume and/or another virtual volume so that a user is able to select a copy source volume forming a copy pair;

setting a selected volume as said copy source volume after displaying said first list;

displaying, by said control device, a second list including said virtual volume and/or another virtual volume so that a user is able to select a copy destination volume forming said copy pair;

setting a selected volume as said copy destination volume after displaying said second list; and

copying data between said copy source volume and said copy destination volume.

9. A control method in said system according to claim 8, further comprising:

displaying information related to said stored relationship information on a display of a computer coupled to said control device.

10. A control method in said system according to claim 8, further comprising:

storing said first information into said control device based on information sent from said disk array system.

11. A control method in said system according to claim 8, further comprising:

storing said first information into said control device, and

storing said second information into said control device based on information sent from said virtualization system.

12. A control method in said system according to claim 8, further comprising:

storing said first information into said control device, and

storing said second information into said control device based on information sent from said virtualization system; and

displaying information related to said stored relationship information on a display of a computer coupled to said control device.

13. A control method in said system according to claim 8, further comprising:

said control device manages information of a function of said virtualization system.

14. A control method in said system according to claim 12, further comprising:

said control device manages information of a function of said virtualization system.

15. A control method in a system coupled to a host computer and a disk array system and having a virtualization system and a management control device, said virtualization system having a virtual volume corresponding to a logical volume, said logical volume being related to a plurality of disk drives in said disk array system, said control method comprising:

storing a relationship information relating a first Logical Unit Number (LUN) regarding said logical volume to a second LUN regarding said virtual volume;

receiving, by said virtualization system, a data output request sent from said host computer to said virtual volume;

converting, by said virtualization system, a LUN, which is included in said data output request and corresponds to said second LUN, to said first LUN, which corresponds to said second LUN, based on said relationship information;

sending, by said virtualization system, said changed data output request to said disk array system so that said disk array system performs outputting of data corresponding to said data output request from said disk drives corresponding to said logical volume;

receiving, by said virtualization system, a data output response, which includes said data of said data output request, from said disk array system;

sending, by said virtualization system, said data of said data output request to said host computer,

said control method including the steps of;

displaying, by said management control device, a first list including said virtual volume and/or another virtual volume so that a user is able to select a copy source volume forming a copy pair;

setting a selected volume as said copy source volume after displaying said first list;

displaying, by said management control device, a second list including said virtual volume and/or another virtual volume so that a user is able to select a copy destination volume forming said copy pair;

setting a selected volume as said copy destination volume after displaying said second list; and

copying data between said copy source volume and said copy destination volume.

16. A control method in said system according to claim 15, further comprising:

displaying information related to said stored relationship information on a display of a computer coupled to said management control device.

17. A control method in said system according to claim 15, further comprising:

storing, on said management control device, said first LUN based on information sent from said disk array system.

18. A control method in said system according to claim 15, further comprising:

storing, on said management control device, said first LUN; and

storing, on said management control device, said second LUN based on information sent from said virtualization system.

19. A control method in said system according to claim 15, further comprising:

storing, on said management control device, said first LUN;

storing, on said management control device, said second LUN based on information sent from said virtualization system; and

displaying information related to said stored relationship information on a display of a computer coupled to said management control device.

20. A control method in said system according to claim 15, further comprising:

said management control device manages information of a plurality of functions of said virtualization system.

21. A system comprising:

a virtualization system, to be coupled to a host computer and a disk array system, having a virtual volume corresponding to a logical volume, said logical volume being related to a plurality of disk drives in said disk array system; and

a management device configured to communicate with said virtualization system;

wherein said virtualization system is configured to map a first information regarding said logical volume to a second information regarding said virtual volume, said first information including information of a first Logical Unit Number (LUN) regarding said logical volume, said second information including information of a second LUN regarding said virtual volume,

wherein said virtualization system is configured to receive a data input/output request, sent from said host computer, and targeted to said virtual volume,

wherein said virtualization system is configured to change a LUN, which is included in said data input/output request and corresponds to said second LUN, to said first LUN based on said mapped first and second information,

wherein said virtualization system is configured to transfer said changed data input/output request to said logical volume so that said disk array system is able to perform inputting/outputting of data corresponding to said data input/output request to/from said disk drives corresponding to said logical volume,

wherein said management device is configured to display a first list including said virtual volume and/or another virtual volume so that a user is able to select a copy source volume forming a copy pair, and is configured to set a selected volume as said copy source volume after displaying said first list,

wherein said management device is configured to display a second list including said virtual volume and/or another virtual volume so that a user is able to select a copy destination volume forming said copy pair, and is configured to set a selected volume as said copy destination volume after displaying said second list;

wherein said virtualization system is configured to copy data between said copy source volume and said copy destination volume.

22. A system according to claim 21:

wherein said management device is configured to display information related to said mapped first and second information on a display of said management device.

23. A system according to claim 21:

wherein said management device is configured to store said first information into said management device.

24. A system according to claim 21:

wherein said management device is configured to store said first information into said management device based on information sent from said disk array system,

wherein said management device is configured to store said second information into said management device.

25. A system according to claim 21:

wherein said management device is configured to store said first information into said management device; and

wherein said management device is configured to store said second information into said management device; and

wherein said management device is configured to display information related to said mapped first and second information.

26. A system according to claim 25:

wherein said management device is configured to manage information of a plurality of functions of said virtualization system.

27. A system according to claim 21:

wherein said management device is configured to manage information of a function of said virtualization system.

28. A system to be coupled to a host computer and a disk array system, said system comprising;

a virtualization system comprising a virtual volume corresponding to a logical volume, said logical volume being related to a plurality of disk drives in said disk array system; and

a control device to be coupled to said virtualization system;

wherein said virtualization system is configured to store a relationship information relating a first information regarding said logical volume to a second information regarding said virtual volume, said first information including information of a first Logical Unit Number (LUN) regarding said logical volume, said second information including information of a second LUN regarding said virtual volume,

wherein said virtualization system is configured to receive a data input request, including a LUN corresponding to said virtual volume and data and sent from said host computer and targeted to said virtual volume,

wherein said virtualization system is configured to charge said LUN included in said data input request to said first LUN based on said stored relationship information,

wherein said virtualization system is configured to transfer said changed data input request to said logical volume so that said disk array system is able to perform inputting of said data corresponding to said data input request to said disk drives related to said logical volume,

wherein said control device is configured to display a first list including said virtual volume and/or another virtual volume so that a user is able to select a copy source volume forming a copy pair, and is configured to set a selected volume as said copy source volume after displaying said first list,

wherein said control device is configured to display a second list including another virtual volume so that a user is able to select a copy destination volume forming said copy pair, and is configured to set a selected volume as said copy destination volume after displaying said second list,

wherein said virtualization system configured to copy data between said copy source volume and said copy destination volume after receiving information of said copy source volume and information of said copy destination volume.

29. A system according to claim 28:

wherein said control device is configured to display information related to said stored relationship information on a display of a computer coupled to said control device.

30. A system according to claim 28:

wherein said control device is configured to store said first information into said control device based on information sent from said disk array system.

31. A system according to claim 28:

wherein said control device is configured to store said first information into said control device,

wherein said control device is configured to store said second information into said control device.

32. A system according to claim 28:

wherein said control device is configured to store said first information into said control device, and

wherein said control device is configured to store said second information into said control device based on information sent from said virtualization system,

wherein said control device is configured to display information related to said stored relationship information on a display of a computer coupled to said control device.

33. A system according to claim 32:

wherein said control device is configured to manage information of a plurality of functions of said virtualization system.

34. A system according to claim 28:

wherein said control device is configured to manage information of a function of said virtualization system.

35. A system to be coupled to a host computer and a disk array system, said system comprising:

a virtualization system comprising a virtual volume corresponding to a logical volume, said logical volume being related to a plurality of disk drives in said disk array system; and

a management control device, to be coupled to said virtualizaiton system, displaying a first list including said virtual volume and/or another virtual volume so that a user is able to select a copy source volume forming a copy pair, and setting a selected volume as said copy source volume after displaying said first list, and displaying a second list including another virtual volume so that a user is able to select a copy destination volume forming said copy pair, and setting selected volume as said copy destination volume after displaying said second list;

wherein said virtualization system stores a relationship information relating a first Logical Unit Number (LUN) regarding said logical volume to a second LUN regarding said virtual volume, and receives a data output request sent from said host computer to said virtual volume, and converts a LUN, which is a included in a said data output request and corresponds to said second LUN, to said first LUN based on said stored relationship information, and sends said changed data output request to said disk array system so that disk array system is able to perform outputting of data corresponding to said data output request from said disk drives corresponding to said logical volume, and receives a data output response, which includes said data of said data output request, from said disk array system, and sends said data of said data output request to said host computer,

wherein said virtualization system copies data between said copy source volume and said copy destination volume after receiving information of said copy source volume and information of said copy destination volume from said management control device.

36. A system according to claim 35;

wherein said management control device displays information related to said stored relationship information.

37. A system according to claim 35:

said management control device stores said first LUN based on information sent from said disk array system.

38. A system according to claim 35:

wherein said management control device stores said first LUN;

wherein said management control device stores second LUN based on information sent from said virtualization system.

39. A system according to claim 35:

wherein said management control device stores said first LUN;

wherein said management control device stores said second LUN based on information sent from said virtualization system;

wherein said management control device displays information related to said stored relationship information.

40. A system according to claim 35:

wherein said management control device manages information of a plurality of functions of said virtualization system.