Storage subsystem that connects fibre channel and supports online backup
First Claim
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1. A storage system comprising:
- a plurality of controllers,wherein each controller comprises;
a port, connected to a plurality of host computers via a fibre channel network, for receiving first data transferred from said host computers,a port controller, connected to said port, for controlling said port, anda cache memory, connected to said port controller, for temporarily storing data and control information,wherein said port controller receives said first data from said host computers via said port, sends second data via said port to an external storage system connected to said port via said fibre channel network, and executes receiving said first data and sending said second data in a time-sharing manner,wherein said port controller executes an initiator task and a target task, said initiator task is executed to send an access request to another storage system, said target task is executed to make response to an access request received from said host computers, andwherein requests to execute said target task and requests to execute said initiator task are stored in said cache memory as said control information, requests to execute said target task is stored according to said access request from said host computers, requests to execute said initiator task is stored according to a request to send said second data to said external storage system, said port controller executes said target task and said initiator task in time-sharing manner according to said control information.
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Abstract
A disk array connected to a storage area network via a fibre channel has one or more ports each controlled by a processor. Even the disk array with one port and one processor executes online processing and backup processing at the same time while considering an online processing load. A port controller not only accepts a request from a host computer but issues a request to other storage controllers to allow online processing and backup processing to be executed at the same time. In addition, the disk array, if provided with a plurality of ports, selects ports or schedules processing depending upon the load to prevent backup processing from affecting online processing performance.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A storage system comprising:
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a plurality of controllers, wherein each controller comprises; a port, connected to a plurality of host computers via a fibre channel network, for receiving first data transferred from said host computers, a port controller, connected to said port, for controlling said port, and a cache memory, connected to said port controller, for temporarily storing data and control information, wherein said port controller receives said first data from said host computers via said port, sends second data via said port to an external storage system connected to said port via said fibre channel network, and executes receiving said first data and sending said second data in a time-sharing manner, wherein said port controller executes an initiator task and a target task, said initiator task is executed to send an access request to another storage system, said target task is executed to make response to an access request received from said host computers, and wherein requests to execute said target task and requests to execute said initiator task are stored in said cache memory as said control information, requests to execute said target task is stored according to said access request from said host computers, requests to execute said initiator task is stored according to a request to send said second data to said external storage system, said port controller executes said target task and said initiator task in time-sharing manner according to said control information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A controller used in a storage system, connected to a disk device group storing first data from one or more host computers and including a plurality of disk devices, said controller comprising:
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a port, connected to said host computers via a fibre channel network, for receiving said first data transferred from said host computers; a port controller, connected to said port, for controlling said port; and a cache memory, connected to said port controller, for temporarily storing data and control information, wherein said port controller receives said first data from said host computers via a port according to access request from said host computers, sends second data via said port to an external storage system connected to said port via said fibre channel network, and executes receiving said first data and sending said second data in a time-sharing, and wherein said port controller executes an initiator task and a target task, said initiator task is executed to send an access request to another storage system, said target task is executed to make response to an access request received from said host computers, and wherein requests to execute said target task and requests to execute said initiator task are stored in said cache memory as said control information, requests to execute said target task is stored according to said access request from said host computers, requests to execute said initiator task is stored according to a request to send said second data to said external storage system, said port controller executes said target task and said initiator task in time-sharing manner according to said control information. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A storage system coupled to another storage system, comprising:
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a plurality of first storage devices used to store first data; and a plurality of controllers, wherein each controller comprises; a port connected to said another storage system, a port controller, connected to said port, for controlling said port, and a cache memory used to temporarily store said first data and control information, wherein said port controller executes an initiator task and a target task, said initiator task is executed to send said first data stored in at least one of said first storage devices to at least one of a plurality of second storage devices in said another storage systems according to an access request from said another storage system, said target task is executed to receive second data transmitted from said another storage system to at least one of said first storage devices, and wherein requests to execute said target task and requests to execute said initiator task are stored in said cache memory as said control information, requests to execute said target task is stored according to said access request from said host computers, requests to execute said initiator task is stored according to a request to send said second data to said external storage system, said port controller executes said target task and said initiator task in time-sharing manner according to said control information. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A controller used in a storage system coupled to another storage system and connected to a plurality of first storage devices used to store first data comprising:
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a port connected to said another storage system; a port controller, connected to said port, for controlling said port; and a cache memory used to temporarily store said first data and control information, wherein said port controller executes an initiator task and a target task, said initiator task is executed to send said first data stored in at least one of said first storage devices to at least one of a plurality of second storage devices in said another storage system according to an access request from said another storage system, said target task is executed to receive second data transmitted from said another storage system to at least one of said first storage devices, and wherein requests to execute said target task and requests to execute said initiator task are stored in said cache memory as said control information, requests to execute said target task is stored according to said access request from said host computers, requests to execute said initiator task is stored according to a request to send said second data to said external storage system, said port controller executes said target task and said initiator task in time-sharing manner according to said control information. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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Specification