Storage subsystem that connects fibre channel and supports online backup

• US 7,398,367 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2004
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Yoshiko, Takamoto, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Bataille; Pierre-Michel
• Application Number:
  US11/014,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20050102555A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,296 Days
• Field of Search: 711/162, 711/112, 711/114, 711/161, 711/111, 711/113, 711/165, 711/167, 711/156, 714/6, 714/7, 714/5, 714/8
• US Class Current: 711/167
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1456 Hardware arrangements for backup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1466 to make the backup process non-disruptive
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2003/0697 device management, e.g. handlers, drivers, I/O schedulers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0601 Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems

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.

Claims

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, 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.

2. A storage system according to claim 1, wherein said initiator task is a communication task by which said controller transfers data to said another storage system for backup processing, and

wherein said target task is a task by which said controller sends and receives data input/output (I/O) commands to or from the host computer.

3. A storage system according to claim 2, wherein said disk device group has a main logical volume and a sub-logical volume,

wherein said sub-logical volume is the duplicate of said main logical volume, and

wherein said port controller receives said first data which is transferred from said host computers to said main logical volume, and sends second data which is stored in said sub-logical volume to an external storage system for backup while said main logical volume and said sub-logical volume are maintained in a suspended state.

4. A storage system according to claim 1, wherein said initiator task is a task to be generated by said controller and to be sent to said external storage system, and

wherein said target task is a task executed in response to an access request received from another system.

5. A storage system according to claim 1, wherein said port controller executes an ISSUE LOGIN TO TARGET process in response to said initiator task and an AUTHENTICATE LOGIN REQUEST process in response to said target task.

6. A storage system according to claim 1, further comprising:

one more port,

wherein said control information contains a request to execute said target task and request to execute said initiator task corresponding to an information for recognizing ports.

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:

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.

8. A controller according to claim 7, wherein said initiator task is a communication task by which said controller transfers data to said another storage system for backup processing, and

wherein said target task is a task by which said controller sends and receives data input/output (I/O) commands to or from the host computer.

9. A controller according to claim 8, wherein said disk device group has a main logical volume and a sub-logical volume,

wherein said sub-logical volume is the duplicate of said main logical volume, and

wherein said port controller receives said first data which is transferred from said host computers to said main logical volume, and sends second data which is stored in said sub-logical volume to an external storage system for backup while said main logical volume and said sub-logical volume are maintained in a suspended state.

10. A controller according to claim 7,

wherein said initiator task is a task to be generated by said controller and to be sent to said external storage system, and

wherein the said target task is a task executed in response to an access request received from another system.

11. A controller according to claim 7, wherein said port controller executes an ISSUE LOGIN TO TARGET process in response to said initiator task and an AUTHENTICATE LOGIN REQUEST process in response to said target task.

12. A storage system coupled to another storage system, comprising:

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.

13. A storage system according to claim 12, wherein said port controller executes an ISSUE LOGIN TO TARGET process in response to said initiator task and an AUTHENTICATE LOGIN REQUEST process in response to said target task.

14. A storage system according to claim 12, further comprising:

one more port,

wherein said control information contains a request to execute said target task and request to execute said initiator task corresponding to an information for recognizing ports.

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:

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.

16. A controller according to claim 15, wherein said port controller executes an ISSUE LOGIN TO TARGET process in response to said initiator task and an AUTHENTICATE LOGIN REQUEST process in response to said target task.