High performance storage access environment

• US 7,386,596 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2006
• Issued: 06/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Akira, Iwami, Naoko
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, ASHOKKUMAR B
• Application Number:
  US11/592,947
• Publication Number:
  US 20070050506A1
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 370/216, 714/6, 714/7, 714/18, 714/20, 714/47, 714/54, 714/707, 707/9, 707/10, 707/200, 707201-205, 711 1- 6, 711/114, 711/112, 711/106, 711/148, 711/162, 711/165, 711/170, 711200-203, 711/205, 711/207, 711/209, 719/325, 719/328, 719/329, 719/332, 719311-313
• US Class Current: 709/215
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2074 Asynchronous techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/065 Replication mechanisms
• 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 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

The present invention provides improved techniques for managing storage resources, such as disk drives, I/O ports, and the like in a network based storage system according to a user position within the network. Embodiments according to the present invention can provide a relatively high performance storage access environment for the mobile users moving around a wide area. For example, in one applicable environment, there are several data centers in the wide area, and each data center has a local storage system that is connected to the other storage systems through a network. Copies of a user'"'"'s volume can be made in some of the storage systems. A remote copy function is utilized for making real time copies of the user'"'"'s volume.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a plurality of storage systems including a first storage system and a second storage system, each of the plurality of storage systems being configured with a data volume and a storage controller, wherein the storage controller receives a write request from a host computer associated with the storage system and stores write data associated with the write request to the data volume, the storage controller being further operable to execute a remote data copy operation by executing a data send process or a data receive process; and

a directory server coupled to the plurality of storage systems via a network, to be configured to manage group information including correspondence between a first data volume in the first storage system and a second data volume in the second storage system to specify a copy volume group and to manage address information on data volumes and host computers;

wherein the directory server selects the first data volume as a primary volume to be accessed and provides address information of the first data volume to a terminal via the network based on the group information and the address information when an access request is received from the terminal closer to the host computer associated with the first storage system than the second storage system, the access request being target to the copy volume group including the first data volume and the second data volume,

wherein when the directory server selects the first data volume of the first storage system as the primary volume, the first storage system is operable to change a status of the first data volume to the primary volume,

wherein the directory server selects the second data volume as a primary volume to be accessed and provides address information of the second data volume to a terminal via the network based on the group information and the address information when an access request is received from the terminal closer to the host computer associated with the second storage system than the first storage system via the network, the access request being target to the copy volume group including the first data volume and the second data volume,

and wherein when the directory server selects the second data volume of the second storage system as the primary volume, the second storage system is operable to change a status of the second data volume to the primary volume.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second data volume is used as a secondary volume to be copied stored data in the first data volume by using remote copy function between the controllers of the first storage system and the second storage system when the directory server selects the first data volume as a primary volume to be accessed, and wherein the first data volume is used as a secondary volume to be copied stored data in the second data volume by using remote copy function between the controllers of the second storage system and the first storage system when the directory server selects the second data volume as a primary volume to be accessed.

3. The system of claim 2, the system further comprising a third storage system in the copy volume group, the third storage system being configured with a third data volume and a storage controller, wherein the third storage system is used as another secondary volume to be copied stored data in the first or second data volume by using remote copy function between the controllers of the first or second storage system and the third storage system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first storage system and the host computer associated with the first storage system configure a first data center.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein when the directory server selects the first data volume of the first storage system as the primary volume, the second storage system is operable to send remaining updated data to the first storage system.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein when the directory server selects the second data volume of the second storage system as the primary volume, the first storage system is operable to send remaining updated data to the second storage system.

7. A system comprising:

a plurality of storage systems including a first storage system and a second storage system, each of the plurality of storage systems being configured with a data volume and a storage controller, wherein the storage controller receives a write request from a host computer associated with the storage system and stores write data associated with the write request to the data volume, the storage controller being further operable to execute a remote data copy operation by executing a data send process or a data receive process; and

a directory server coupled to the plurality of storage systems via a network, to be configured to manage information including correspondence between a first data volume in the first storage system and a second data volume in the second storage system as a copy volume group;

wherein the directory server selects the first data volume as a primary volume to be accessed and the second data volume as a secondary volume based on the managed information when an access request is received from a terminal closer to the host computer associated with the first storage system than the second storage system, the access request being target to the copy volume group including the first data volume and the second data volume,

wherein when the directory server selects the first data volume of the first storage system as the primary volume, the first storage system is operable to change a status of the first data volume to the primary volume,

wherein when the directory server selects the second data volume of the second storage system as the primary volume, the second storage system is operable to change a status of the second data volume to the primary volume,

wherein the first storage system is received a write request from a host computer associated with the first storage system and stores write data associated with the write request to the first data volume and the second storage system is received data to copy the stored data in the first data volume to the second data volume if the first data volume is selected as a primary volume,

wherein the second storage system is received a write request from a host computer associated with the second storage system and stores write data associated with the write request to the second data volume and the first storage system is received data to copy the stored data in the second data volume to the first data volume if the second data volume is selected as a primary volume.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the managed information includes address information on host computers, and the directory server selects one of the first data volume and the second data volume as a primary volume to be accessed based on the address information and an address of the terminal from which the access request is received.

9. The system of claim 7, the system further comprising a third storage system in the copy volume group, the third storage system being configured with a third data volume and a storage controller, wherein the third storage system is used as another secondary volume to be copied stored data in the first or second data volume.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein when the directory server selects the first data volume of the first storage system as the primary volume, the second storage system is operable to send remaining updated data to the first storage system.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein when the directory server selects the second data volume of the second storage system as the primary volume, the first storage system is operable to send remaining updated data to the second storage system.