Storage system and data processing system

• US 7,529,901 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2007
• Issued: 05/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Hirakawa, Yusuke, Asaka, Yoshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Peugh; Brian R
• Application Number:
  US11/973,773
• Publication Number:
  US 20080215835A1
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 711/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2069 Management of state, configuration or failover
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2074 Asynchronous techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2082 Data synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2003/0697 device management, e.g. handlers, drivers, I/O schedulers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/855 Details of asynchronous mirroring using a journal to transfer not-yet-mirrored changes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0601 Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems

Abstract

A storage system comprises a data set storage region for storing a data set containing data and update information for managing this data, and a control section. The data set storage region is divided into a plurality of storage regions including a first storage region and a second storage region. The control section generates a first data set containing first data and first update data which is update data for same, stores at least the first data of this first data set in the first storage region, generates a second data set containing second data and second update data which is update data for same, and stores at least the second data of this second data set in the second storage region, which is separate from the first storage region.

Claims

1. A storage system, comprising:

a first storage device coupled to an information processing device and having a first controller and first disk drives, a first portion of said first disk drives being related to a first logical volume as a primary logical volume and a plurality of second portions of said first disk drives being related to a plurality of second logical volumes;

said first controller receiving a plurality of data, which are sent from said information processing device and are targeted to said first logical volume, and storing a first portion of said plurality of data in said first portion of said first disk drives and storing said first portion of said plurality of data in said second portions of said first disk drives in alternate shifts and transferring data stored in said second portions of said first disk drives to a second storage device;

said second storage device coupled to said first storage device and having a second controller and second disk drives, a third portion of said second disk drives being related to a third logical volume as a secondary volume forming a pair relationship with said primary volume;

said second controller receiving said data transferred from said first controller and storing a first portion of said transferred data in said third portion of said second disk drives;

a fourth portion of said second disk drives in said second storage device being related to at least one fourth logical volume,

wherein said second controller stores said data transferred from said first controller in said fourth portion of said second disk drives before storing said first portion of said transferred data in said third portion of said second disk drives, and

wherein said storage system is configured to provide information relating to said first logical volume, said plurality of second logical volumes, and said third logical volume for display at said information processing device or another information processing device coupled to the storage system.

2. A storage system according to claim 1:

wherein said second controller reads said data stored in said fourth portion of said second disk drives in alternate shifts.

3. A storage system according to claim 2:

wherein said second controller reads data stored in said fourth portion of said second disk drives in alternate shifts based on maintaining a data consistency with said first logical volume.

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

a plurality of fourth portions of said second disk drives in said second storage device being related to a plurality of fourth logical volumes;

wherein said second controller stores said data transferred from said first controller in said plurality of fourth portions of said second disk drives in alternate shifts before storing said first portion of said transferred data in said third portion of said second disk drives.

5. A storage system according to claim 4:

wherein said second controller reads said data stored in said plurality of fourth portions of said second disk drives in alternate shifts.

6. A storage system according to claim 4:

wherein said second controller stores a first portion of said data stored in said plurality of fourth portions of said second disk drives in said third portion of said second disk drives based on maintaining a data consistency with said first logical volume.

7. A storage system according to claim 1:

wherein said first controller manages a relationship between said data stored in said second portions of said first disk drives and a storage area information of said second portions of said first disk drives.

8. A storage system according to claim 7:

wherein said first controller transfers to said second controller said relationship between said data stored in said second portions of said first disk drives and a storage area information of said second portions of said first disk drives.

9. A storage system according to claim 1:

wherein said first controller has a first information indicating that said first logical volume functions as said primary logical volume and a second information indicating that said second logical volume functions as a logical volume being used to transfer data;

wherein said second controller has a third information indicating that said third logical volume functions as said secondary logical volume.

10. A storage system, comprising:

a first storage device coupled to an information processing device and having a first controller and first disk drives, a first portion of said first disk drives being related to a first logical volume as a primary logical volume and a plurality of second portions of said first disk drives being related to a plurality of second logical volumes;

said first controller receiving a plurality of data, which are sent from said information processing device and are targeted to said first logical volume, and storing a first portion of said plurality of data in said first logical volume and storing said first portion of said plurality of data in said second logical volumes in alternate shifts and transferring data stored in said second logical volumes to a second storage device;

said second storage device coupled to said first storage device and having a second controller and a second disk drives, a third portion of said second disk drives being related to a third logical volume as a secondary volume forming a pair relationship with said primary volume;

said second controller receiving said data transferred from said first controller arid storing a first portion of said transferred data in said third logical volume;

wherein said storage system is configured to provide information relating to said first logical volume, said plurality of second logical volumes, and said third logical volume for display at said information processing device or another information processing device coupled to the storage system.

11. A storage system according to claim 10, further comprising:

a fourth portion of said second disk drives in said second storage device being related to at least me fourth logical volume;

wherein said second controller stores said data transferred from said first controller in said fourth logical volumes before storing said first portion of said transferred data in said third logical volume.

12. A storage system according to claim 11:

wherein said second controller reads said data stored in said fourth logical volumes in alternate shifts.

13. A storage system according to claim 12:

wherein said second controller reads said data stored in said fourth logical volumes in alternate shifts based on maintaining a data consistency with said first logical volume.

14. A storage system according to claim 10, further comprising:

a plurality of fourth portions of said second disk drives in said second storage device being related to a plurality of fourth logical volumes;

wherein said second controller stores said data transferred from said first controller in said plurality of fourth logical volumes in alternate shifts before storing said first portion of said transferred data in said third logical volume.

15. A storage system according to claim 14:

wherein said second controller reads said stored in said plurality of fourth logical volumes in alternate shifts.

16. A storage system according to claim 14:

wherein said second controller stores a first portion of said data stored in said plurality of fourth logical volumes in said third logical volume based on maintaining a data consistency with said first logical volume.

17. A storage system according to claim 10:

wherein said first controller manages a relationship between said data stored in said second logical volumes and a storage area information of said second logical volumes.

18. A storage system according to claim 17:

wherein said first controller transfers to said second controller said relationship between said data stored in said second logical volumes and a storage area information of said second logical volumes.

19. A storage system according to claim 10:

wherein said first controller has a first information indicating that said first logical volume functions as said primary logical volume and a second information indicating that said second logical volume functions as a logical volume being used to transfer data;

wherein said second controller has a third information indicating that said third logical volume functions as said secondary logical volume.