Computer system managing an access to a storage system

• US 7,370,104 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2006
• Issued: 05/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Masayuki, Yagisawa, Ikuya, Yamamoto, Akira, Kaneda, Yasunori, Mimatsu, Yasuyuki, Matsumoto, Jun, Matsunami, Naoto, Ichikawa, Masatoshi, Kamimaki, Hideki
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, PHILIP B
• Application Number:
  US11/637,006
• Publication Number:
  US 20070083635A1
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 709223-224, 709213-216, 709/217, 709/229, 711/152, 711163-164
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/17337 Direct connection machines, e.g. completely connected computers, point to point communication networks coupling between buses G06F13/4004
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2003/0697 device management, e.g. handlers, drivers, I/O schedulers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/805 using a security table for the storage sub-system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2206/1012 Load balancing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0601 Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/061 Improving I/O performance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0622 in relation to access
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0631 by allocating resources to storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0637 Permissions
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0683 Plurality of storage devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 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]

Abstract

The Computer System consists of components including more than one Computer and Storage Subsystem to which more than one Computer are connected. The Storage Subsystem is equipped with more than one Storage Unit, Management Table registering information to manage Storage Units accessible by each of the Computers and Controller to control accesses by more than one Computer to more than one Storage Unit. The controller controls the accesses according to the information set in the Management Table when the Storage Unit is accessed by the Computer.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a plurality of computers;

a storage system including a plurality of logical units and at least one interface control circuit coupled to the plurality of computers; and

a management computer coupled to the storage system, said management computer including a memory that stores a relation between a user name and logical unit identification information identifying a private logical unit of a user indicated by the user name;

wherein each of the plurality of logical units is a private logical unit of a predetermined user,

wherein the management computer is arranged to receive a user name and computer identification information identifying a computer, refer to the memory to find the logical unit identification information corresponding to the received user name, and transmit the received computer identification information associated with the received user name and found logical unit identification information to the storage system, and

wherein the storage system is arranged to receive the computer identification information and logical unit identification information transmitted by the management computer and, in response to receipt of the computer identification information and logical unit identification information, to permit the computer identified by the received computer identification information to access the at least one private logical unit indicated by the received logical unit identification information.

2. A computer system according to claim 1,

wherein the storage system is arranged to hold the relation between the computer identification information and the logical unit identification information, both of which are received from the management computer, and

wherein each of the plurality of computers is arranged to transmit a logical unit detection command to the storage system, and the storage system is arranged to respond to the logical unit detection command by informing existence of at least one private logical unit identified by the logical unit identification information corresponded with the computer identification information indicating the computer, from which the logical unit detection command is received.

3. A computer system according to claim 2,

wherein each of the plurality of computers is further arranged to execute a boot-up process of an Operating System (OS) stored in one of the at least one private logical unit informed by the storage system.

4. A computer system according to claim 3,

wherein the relation between the computer identification information and the logical unit identification information, which is held in the storage system, is changed based on a combination of a user name and computer identification information which are received at the management computer.

5. A computer system according to claim 1,

wherein a combination of a private logical unit and a computer permitted to access the private logical unit by the storage system is changed based on a combination of a user name and computer identification information which are received at the management computer.

6. A computer program product for a system that includes a plurality of computers and a storage system having a plurality of logical units and at least one interface control circuit coupled to the plurality of computers, the computer program product comprising:

a recording medium;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for causing a processor to manage a relation between a user name and logical unit identification information identifying a private logical unit of the user indicated by the user name, wherein the plurality of logical units includes the private logical unit, and said relation is stored in a memory connected to the processor;

means, recorded on the recording medium, for causing the processor to find the logical unit identification information corresponding to a received user name, from the relation stored in the memory; and

means, recorded on the recording medium, for causing the processor to transmit received computer identification information associated with the received user name, and the found logical unit identification information, to the storage system, so that the storage system thereby receives the computer identification information and logical unit identification information transmitted by the processor and, in response to receipt of the computer identification information and logical unit identification information, the storage system permits the computer identified by the received computer identification information to access the private logical unit identified by the received logical unit identification information.

7. A computer system comprising:

a plurality of computers;

a storage system including a plurality of logical units and at least one interface control circuit coupled to the plurality of computers; and

a computer program stored in a computer readable memory, which causes a processor to manage a relation between a user name and logical unit identification information identifying a private logical unit of the user indicated by the user name, wherein the plurality of logical units includes the private logical unit, and said relation is stored in a memory connected to the processor;

wherein the computer program causes the processor to find the logical unit identification information corresponding to a received user name, from the relation stored in the memory, and to transmit received computer identification information associated with the received user name, and the found logical unit identification information, to the storage system, and

wherein the storage system is arranged to receive the computer identification information and logical unit identification information transmitted by the processor and, in response to receipt of the computer identification information and logical unit identification information, permit the computer identified by the received computer identification information to access the private logical unit identified by the received logical unit identification information.

8. The computer system according to claim 7, wherein the storage system is arranged to hold the relation between the computer identification information and the logical unit identification information, both of which are received from the processor, and wherein each of the plurality of computers is arranged to transmit a logical unit detection command to the storage system, and the storage system is arranged to respond to the logical unit detection command by informing existence of the private logical unit identified by the logical unit identification information corresponded with the computer identification information indicating the computer, from which the logical unit detection command is received.

9. The computer system according to claim 8,

wherein each of the plurality of computers is further arranged to execute a boot-up process of an Operating System (OS) stored in the private logical unit informed by the storage system.

10. A computer system according to claim 9,

wherein the relation between the computer identification information and the logical unit identification information, which is held in the storage system, is changed based on a combination of a user name and computer identification information which are received at the processor.

11. A computer system according to claim 7,

wherein a combination of a private logical unit and a computer permitted to access the private logical unit by the storage system is changed based on a combination of a user name and computer identification information which are received at the processor.