Storage having a logical partitioning capability and systems which include the storage

• US 7,546,426 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2006
• Issued: 06/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Shimada, Kentaro, Hashimoto, Akiyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Bragdon; Reginald G
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOONAN, ERIC T
• Application Number:
  US11/642,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20070106872A1
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 711/153
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0664 at device level, e.g. emulation of a storage device or system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

A storage includes: host interface units; file control processors which receives a file input/output request and translates the file input/output request into a data input/output request; file control memories which store translation control data; groups of disk drives; disk control processors; disk interface units which connect the groups of disk drives and the disk control processors; cache memories; and inter-processor communication units. The storage logically partitions these devices to cause the partitioned devices to operate as two or more virtual NASs.

Claims

1. A storage to be connected to a network, comprising:

a host interface which is arranged to be connected to a host computer and the network and to receive file access from the host computer;

a plurality of disk drives; and

a control unit which translates data of the file access into block data and controls the plurality of disk drives on the basis of the block data, the control unit including a first processor which translates the data of file access into the block data, a second processor which controls the plurality of disk drives on the basis of the block data, and a disk interface which connects the plurality of disk drives;

wherein the control unit logically partitions into units the host interface, the first processor, the second processor, the disk interface, and the plurality of disk drives, allocating a logically-partitioned portion of each of the host interface, the first processor, the second processor, the disk interface, and the plurality of disk drives to each of the units, and causes the units to operate as a plurality of virtual storages independently.

2. The storage according to claim 1, wherein the control unit further includes a plurality of cache memories that temporarily store the block data from the second processor, and the plurality of cache memories is logically partitioned and allocated respectively to the plurality of virtual storages.

3. The storage according to claim 2, wherein the first processor executes a first hypervisor which performs the logical partitioning of the host interface and the first processor, and

wherein the second processor executes a second hypervisor which performs the logical partitioning of the plurality of cache memories, the disk interface, the plurality of disk drives and the second processor.

4. The storage according to claim 3, wherein the control unit further includes a plurality of memories which are used by the first processor and a plurality of communication units which connect the first processor and the second processor,

wherein the plurality of memories are logically partitioned by the first hypervisor and the plurality of communication units are logically partitioned by the second hypervisor.

5. The storage according to claim 2, wherein the first processor and the second processor execute a hypervisor which performs the logical partitioning of the host interface, the first processor, the plurality of cache memories, the second processor, the disk interface, and the plurality of disk drives.

6. The storage according to claim 2, wherein the control unit executes a hypervisor which performs the logical partitioning of the host interface, the first processor, the second processor, the cache memories, the disk interface, and the plurality of disk drives.

7. A storage to be connected to a network, comprising:

a host interface which is arranged to be connected to a host computer and the network and to receive file access from the host computer; and

a control unit which translates data of the file access into block data, the control unit including a first processor which translates the data of file access into the block data, a disk interface which is capable of being connected to a plurality of disk drives, and a second processor which controls the plurality of disk drives on the basis of the block data;

logically partitions into units the host interface, the first processor, the second processor, and the disk interface, allocating a logically-partitioned portion of each of the host interface, the first processor, the second processor, and the disk interface to each of the units; and

causes the units to operate as a plurality of virtual storages independently.

8. The storage according to claim 7, wherein the control unit further includes a plurality of cache memories that temporarily store the block data sent from the second processor, and the plurality of cache memories is logically partitioned and allocated respectively to the plurality of virtual storages.

9. The storage according to claim 8, wherein the first processor executes a first hypervisor which performs the logical partitioning of the host interface and the first processor, and

wherein the second processor executes a second hypervisor which performs the logical partitioning of the plurality of cache memories, the disk interface, and the second processor.

10. The storage according to claim 9, wherein the control unit further includes a plurality of memories which are used by the first processor and a plurality of communication units which connect the first processor and the second processor,

wherein the plurality of memories are logically partitioned by the first hypervisor and the plurality of communication units are logically partitioned by the second hypervisor.

11. The storage according to claim 8, wherein the first processor and the second processor execute a hypervisor which performs the logical partitioning of the host interface, the first processor, the plurality of cache memories, the second processor, the disk interface, and the plurality of disk drives.

12. The storage according to claim 8, wherein the control unit executes a hypervisor which performs the logical partitioning of the host interface, the first processor, the second processor, the cache memories, the disk interface, and the plurality of disk drives.

13. A storage system to be connected to host computers through a network, comprising:

one or more host interfaces which are configured to be connected to ones of the host computers through the network and to receive accesses from the host computers which designate data by a file type identification,

a plurality of disk drives,

one or more disk interfaces which connect the plurality of disk drives; and

one or more control units which first translate the accesses which designate data by the file type identification into the accesses which designate data by a logical volume number and a logical block address, and translate the logical volume number and the logical block address into a number which identifies one of the disk drives and a block address within the disk drive, then finally read data from or write data into the disk drive through the one of the disk interfaces,

wherein the control units logically partition into units the host interfaces, the control units themselves, the disk interfaces, and the plurality of disk drives, individually allocating a logically-partitioned control unit portion which translates an access which designates data by the file type identification into an access which designates data by the logical volume number and the logical block address and a logically-partitioned control unit portion which translates the logical volume number and the logical block address into a number which identifies one of the disk drives and the block address within the disk drive and reads data from or writes data into the disk drive through the one of the disk interfaces, and cause the units to operate as a plurality of virtual storage systems independently.

14. The storage according to claim 13, wherein the control unit further includes a plurality of cache memories that temporarily stores the data of the translated accesses sent from the control unit, and the plurality of cache memories is logically partitioned and allocated respectively to the plurality of virtual storage systems.

15. The storage according to claim 14, wherein the control unit further includes a processor that executes a first hypervisor which performs logical partitioning of the plurality of interfaces and the processor, and executes a second hypervisor which performs logical partitioning of the plurality of cache memories, the plurality of disk drives and the processor.

16. The storage system according to claim 15, wherein the control unit further includes a plurality of memories which is used by the processor and a plurality of communication units which connects the processor,

wherein the plurality of memories is logically partitioned by the first hypervisor, and the plurality of communication units is logically partitioned by the second hypervisor.

17. The storage system according to claim 14, wherein the control unit executes a hypervisor which performs the logical partitioning of the plurality of interfaces, the control unit, the plurality of cache memories, and the plurality of disk drives.

18. The storage system according to claim 13, wherein the control unit executes a hypervisor which performs the logical partitioning of the plurality of interfaces, the control unit, and the plurality of disk drives.