Cache control method for node apparatus
First Claim
1. A cache control method in a computer system that includes a storage device having a plurality of physical devices for storing data, at least one client, and a relay device, the cache control method comprising:
- relaying, by said relay device, data between said storage device and each of said at least one client,wherein said relay device includes a cache disk module for caching processed data being relayed between said storage device and said at least one client;
relating data processed in the computer system with attribute data which configures a caching operation of the cache disk module that caches the processed data on a primary network which connects each of said at least one client and said relay device to each other; and
mediating the processed data between the storage device and each of the at least one client via a secondary network, which connects said relay device and said storage device to each other, without the caching operation of the cache disk module when the attribute data prohibits the caching operation,wherein a plurality of virtual volumes are formed on said physical devices, and each of said at least one client is assigned to at least one of said virtual volumes, thereby permitting said each of said at least one client to access data stored in said at least one of said virtual volumes to which it is assigned,wherein said attribute data is stored in a cache attribute management table which stores a plurality of entries, each of which sets a corresponding relation between identification information identifying one of said virtual volumes, identification information identifying at least two of said physical devices forming a part of said one of said virtual volumes, and said attribute data, which provides an indication whether data stored in said one of said physical devices is cacheable or not,wherein said attribute data corresponding to each of said at least two of said physical devices may differ from one another,wherein each entry of said cache attribute management table further sets a corresponding relation between an indication as to whether data to be read from each of said at least two of said physical devices forming part of said one of said virtual volumes is cacheable or not and an indication as to whether data to be written to each of said at least two of said physical device forming part of said one of said virtual volumes is cacheable or not, andwherein when one physical device of said at least two of said physical devices is shared by a first virtual volume and a second virtual volume, said attribute data corresponding to said first virtual volume indicates that data stored in said one physical device is cacheable, and said attribute data corresponding to said second virtual volume indicates that data stored in said one physical device is not cacheable.
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Abstract
The present invention provides a technique of controlling cache operation on a node device in a computer system that enables transmission and receipt of data between clients and a storage device via the node device. In accordance with a first control method, the data stored in the storage device includes attribute data, as to whether or not the data is cacheable. This application enables the node device to relay non-cacheable data without process of the cache. In accordance with a second control method, the node device encrypts the data when caching the data in the disk. In accordance with a third control method, non-cacheable data is transmitted and received directly without going through the node device. These applications enable the cache in the node device to be restricted, and thereby ensure security.
30 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A cache control method in a computer system that includes a storage device having a plurality of physical devices for storing data, at least one client, and a relay device, the cache control method comprising:
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relaying, by said relay device, data between said storage device and each of said at least one client, wherein said relay device includes a cache disk module for caching processed data being relayed between said storage device and said at least one client; relating data processed in the computer system with attribute data which configures a caching operation of the cache disk module that caches the processed data on a primary network which connects each of said at least one client and said relay device to each other; and mediating the processed data between the storage device and each of the at least one client via a secondary network, which connects said relay device and said storage device to each other, without the caching operation of the cache disk module when the attribute data prohibits the caching operation, wherein a plurality of virtual volumes are formed on said physical devices, and each of said at least one client is assigned to at least one of said virtual volumes, thereby permitting said each of said at least one client to access data stored in said at least one of said virtual volumes to which it is assigned, wherein said attribute data is stored in a cache attribute management table which stores a plurality of entries, each of which sets a corresponding relation between identification information identifying one of said virtual volumes, identification information identifying at least two of said physical devices forming a part of said one of said virtual volumes, and said attribute data, which provides an indication whether data stored in said one of said physical devices is cacheable or not, wherein said attribute data corresponding to each of said at least two of said physical devices may differ from one another, wherein each entry of said cache attribute management table further sets a corresponding relation between an indication as to whether data to be read from each of said at least two of said physical devices forming part of said one of said virtual volumes is cacheable or not and an indication as to whether data to be written to each of said at least two of said physical device forming part of said one of said virtual volumes is cacheable or not, and wherein when one physical device of said at least two of said physical devices is shared by a first virtual volume and a second virtual volume, said attribute data corresponding to said first virtual volume indicates that data stored in said one physical device is cacheable, and said attribute data corresponding to said second virtual volume indicates that data stored in said one physical device is not cacheable. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A relay device comprising:
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a cache disk module for caching data being relayed between a storage device having a plurality of physical devices for storing data, and at least one client, wherein said relay device relays data between said storage device and each of said at least one client; an obtaining unit that obtains attribute data related with data processed by the at least one client, wherein the attribute data configures a caching operation of the cache disk module that caches the processed data on a primary network which connects each of said at least one client and said relay device to each other; and a mediating unit that mediates the processed data between the storage device and each of the at least one client via a secondary network, which connects said relay device and said storage device to each other, without the caching operation of the cache disk module when the attribute data prohibits the caching operation, wherein a plurality of virtual volumes are formed on said physical devices, and each of said at least one client is assigned at least one of said virtual volumes, thereby permitting said each of said at least one client to access data stored in said at least one of said virtual volumes to which it is assigned, wherein said attribute data is stored in a cache attribute management table which stores a plurality of entries, each of which sets a corresponding relation between identification information identifying one of said virtual volumes, identification information identifying at least two of said physical devices forming a part of said one of said virtual volumes, and said attribute data, which provides an indication whether data stored in said one of said physical devices is cacheable or not, wherein said attribute data corresponding to each of said at least two of said physical devices may differ from one another, wherein each entry of said cache attribute management table further sets a corresponding relation between an indication as to whether data to be read from each of said at least two of said physical devices forming part of said one of said virtual volumes is cacheable or not and an indication as to whether data to be written to each of said at least two of said physical device forming part of said one of said virtual volumes is cacheable or not, and wherein when one physical device of said at least two of said physical devices is shared by a first virtual volume and a second virtual volume, said attribute data corresponding to said first virtual volume indicates that data stored in said one physical device is cacheable, and said attribute data corresponding to said second virtual volume indicates that data stored in said one physical device is not cacheable. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A storage device that is connected to at least one client and a relay device, the storage device comprising:
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a plurality of physical devices upon which are formed a plurality of virtual volumes for storing data processed by the at least one client, wherein said relay device relays data between said storage device and each of the at least one client, wherein said relay device includes a cache disk module for caching processed data being relayed between said storage device and said at least one client, wherein the processed data is mediated between the at least one client and the storage device via a secondary network, which connects said relay device and said storage device to each other, and wherein each of said at least one client is assigned to at least one of said virtual volumes, thereby permitting each of said at least one client to access data stored in said at least one of said virtual volumes to which it is assigned; a relation unit that relates the processed data with attribute data which configures a caching operation of the cache disk module that caches the processed data on a primary network which connects each of said at least one client and said relay device to each other; and a notification unit that notifies the relay device of the attribute data related with the processed data, wherein said attribute data is stored in a cache attribute management table which stores a plurality of entries, each of which sets a corresponding relation between identification information identifying one of said virtual volumes, identification information identifying at least two of said physical devices forming a part of said one of said virtual volumes, and said attribute data, which provides an indication whether data stored in said one of said physical devices is cacheable or not, wherein said attribute data corresponding to each of said at least two of said physical devices may differ from one another, wherein each entry of said cache attribute management table further sets a corresponding relation between an indication as to whether data to be read from each of said at least two of said physical devices forming part of said one of said virtual volumes is cacheable or not and an indication as to whether data to be written to each of said at least two of said physical device forming part of said one of said virtual volumes is cacheable or not, and wherein when one physical device of said at least two of said physical devices is shared by a first virtual volume and a second virtual volume, said attribute data corresponding to said first virtual volume indicates that data stored in said one physical device is cacheable, and said attribute data corresponding to said second virtual volume indicates that data stored in said one physical device is not cacheable. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer readable recording medium in which a computer program is recorded, the computer program causing a computer to control operations of a relay device, the computer program when executed causes the relay device to perform the functions of:
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relaying data between a storage device and each of at least one client, wherein said relay device includes a cache disk module for caching data being relayed between the storage device having a plurality of physical devices for storing data, and the at least one client; obtaining attribute data related with data processed by the at least one client, wherein the attribute data configures, a caching operation of the cache disk module that caches the processed data on a primary network which connects each of said at least one client and said relay device to each other; and mediating the processed data between the storage device and each of the at least one client via a secondary network, which connects said relay device and said storage device to each other, without the caching operation of the cache disk module when the attribute data prohibits the caching operation, wherein a plurality of virtual volumes are formed on said physical devices, and each of said at least one client is assigned at least one of said virtual volumes, thereby permitting said each of said at least one client to access data stored in said at least one of said virtual volumes to which it is assigned, wherein said attribute data is stored in a cache attribute management table which stores a plurality of entries, each of which sets a corresponding relation between identification information identifying one of said virtual volumes, identification information identifying at least two of said physical devices forming a part of said one of said virtual volumes, and said attribute data, which provides an indication whether data stored in said one of said physical devices is cacheable or not, wherein said attribute data corresponding to each of said at least two of said physical devices may differ from one another, wherein each entry of said cache attribute management table further sets a corresponding relation between an indication as to whether data to be read from each of said at least two of said physical devices forming part of said one of said virtual volumes is cacheable or not and an indication as to whether data to be written to each of said at least two of said physical device forming part of said one of said virtual volumes is cacheable or not, and wherein when one physical device of said at least two of said physical devices is shared by a first virtual volume and a second virtual volume, said attribute data corresponding to said first virtual volume indicates that data stored in said one physical device is cacheable, and said attribute data corresponding to said second virtual volume indicates that data stored in said one physical device is not cacheable.
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Specification