System managing a plurality of virtual volumes and a virtual volume management method for the system

• US 7,565,502 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2007
• Issued: 07/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Umemura, Shoko
• Primary Examiner(s): SONG, HUA JASMINE
• Application Number:
  US11/767,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20070245062A1
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 711/100, 711/114, 711/154, 711161-162, 711/165, 711/170, 711/202, 714/6
• US Class Current: 711/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2069 Management of state, configuration or failover
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2071 using a plurality of controllers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/061 Improving I/O performance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0632 by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0635 by changing the path, e.g. traffic rerouting, path reconfiguration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/065 Replication mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0659 Command handling arrangements, e.g. command buffers, queues, command scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0665 at area level, e.g. provisioning of virtual or logical volumes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

This invention provides a control technique of a data processing system, in which functions of a highly-functional high-performance storage system are achieved in an inexpensive storage system so as to effectively use the existing system and reduce the cost of its entire system. This system has a RAID system, an external subsystem, a management server, a management client and the like. The management server includes an information management table for storing mapping information of the RAID system and the external subsystem. When performing copy process, the pair creation in which a logical volume of the RAID system is set as a primary volume of copy source and a logical volume of a mapping object of the RAID system mapped from the logical volume of the external subsystem is set as a secondary volume of copy destination is executed from the management client by using the information management table.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first storage system, to be coupled to a plurality of first information processing units and at least one second storage system, and said first storage system having a control unit managing a plurality of virtual volumes, one of said plurality of virtual volumes being mapped to a logical volume which is set in a storage device in said second storage system and being adapted to be used for inputting/outputting data by at least one of said plurality of first information processing units so that said data are inputted/outputted to/from said logical volume; and

a second information processing unit causing at least one of said plurality of first information processing units to display first information including two or more of said plurality of virtual volumes so that a copy source volume is selected from said first information;

wherein said second information processing unit causes said at least one of said plurality of first information processing units, which displays said first information, to display second information including two or more of said plurality of virtual volumes so that a copy destination volume is selected from said second information,

wherein said second information identifies a second storage system having a logical volume corresponding to one of said two or more of said plurality of virtual volumes included in said second information, and

wherein said first storage system operates a copy function between said selected copy source volume and said selected copy destination volume.

2. A system according to claim 1:

wherein said first information is a list, and

wherein said first information identifies a second storage system having a logical volume corresponding to one of said two or more of said plurality of virtual volumes included in said first information.

3. A system according to claim 1:

wherein said first information is a list, and

wherein said first information identifies a second storage system having a corresponding logical volume for each of said two or more of said plurality of virtual volumes included in said first information.

4. A system according to claim 1:

wherein said second information is a list.

5. A system according to claim 1:

wherein said second information is a list, and

wherein said second information identifies a second storage system having corresponding logical volume for each of said two or more of said plurality of virtual volumes included in said second information.

6. A system according to claim 1:

wherein said first storage system receives a write command from at least one of said plurality of first information processing units, said write command including a first write destination address information of said one of said plurality of virtual volumes, and

wherein said first storage system changes said first write destination address information of said one of said plurality of virtual volumes to second write destination address information of said logical volume mapped to said one of said plurality of virtual volumes.

7. A system according to claim 1:

wherein said first storage system receives data sent from at least one of said plurality of first information processing units,

wherein said first storage system transmits said data to said logical volume mapped to said one of said plurality of virtual volumes based on a mapping relationship between said one of said plurality of virtual volumes and said logical volume.

8. A system according to claim 1:

wherein said second information processing unit registers said logical volume which is set in said storage device in said at least one second storage system in order to map said logical volume to said one of said plurality of virtual volumes.

9. A system according to claim 1:

wherein said first storage system receives a first read command sent from at least one of said plurality of first information processing units, and sends a second read command, corresponding to said first read command, to said at least one second storage system, and

wherein said first storage system receives data from said at least one second storage system, and converts an address of data received from said at least one second storage system, and transmits data of said converted address to said at least one of said plurality of first information processing units sending said first read command.

10. A system according to claim 1:

wherein said one of said plurality of virtual volumes corresponds to a first Logical Unit Number (LUN), and

wherein said logical volume, mapped to said one of said plurality of virtual volumes, corresponds to a second LUN.

11. A system according to claim 1:

wherein said second information is displayed after a selection is made based on said first information.

12. A computer-readable medium containing a software used in a system including a first information processing unit and a first storage system, said system having a function to connect a plurality of second information processing units and at least one second storage system, and said first storage system having a control unit managing a plurality of virtual volumes, one of said plurality of virtual volumes being mapped to a logical volume which is set in a storage device in said at least one second storage system and being adapted to be used for inputting/outputting data by at least one of said plurality of second information processing units so that said data are inputted/outputted to/from said logical volume:

wherein the software is adapted to cause processing of the steps of;

displaying first information including two or more of said plurality of virtual volumes on at least one of said plurality of second information processing units so that a copy source volume is selected from said first information;

displaying second information including two or more of said plurality of virtual volumes on said at least one of said plurality of second information processing units, which displays said first information, so that a copy destination volume is selected from said second information, and

operating a copy function between said selected copy source volume and said selected copy destination volume, and

wherein said second information identifies a second storage system having a logical volume corresponding to one of said two or more of said plurality of virtual volumes included in said second information.

13. A computer-readable medium according to claim 12:

wherein said first information is a list, and

wherein said first information identifies a second storage system having a logical volume corresponding to one of said two or more of said plurality of virtual volumes included in said first information.

14. A computer-readable medium according to claim 12:

wherein said first information is a list, and

wherein said first information identifies a second storage system having a corresponding logical volume for each of said two or more of said plurality of virtual volumes included in said first information.

15. A computer-readable medium according to claim 12:

wherein said second information is a list.

16. A computer-readable medium according to claim 12:

wherein said second information is a list, and

wherein said second information identifies a second storage system having a corresponding logical volume for each of said two or more of said plurality of virtual volumes included in said second information.

17. A computer-readable medium according to claim 12:

wherein the software is adapted to cause processing of the steps of;

receiving a write command from at least one of said plurality of second information processing units, said write command including first write destination address information of said one of said plurality of virtual volumes, and

changing said first write destination address information of said one of said plurality of virtual volumes to second write destination address information of said logical volume mapped to said one of said plurality of virtual volumes.

18. A computer-readable medium according to claim 12:

wherein the software is adapted to cause processing of the steps of;

receiving data sent from at least one of said plurality of second information processing units,

transmitting said data to said logical volume mapped to said one of said plurality of virtual volumes based on a mapping relationship between said one of said plurality of virtual volumes and said logical volume.

19. A computer-readable medium according to claim 12:

wherein the software is adapted to cause processing of the steps of;

registering said logical volume in order to map said logical volume which is set in said storage device in said at least one second storage device to said one of said plurality of virtual volumes.

20. A computer-readable medium according to claim 12:

wherein the software is adapted to cause processing of the steps of;

receiving a first read command sent from at least one of said plurality of second information processing units, and sending a second read command, corresponding to said first read command, to said at least one second storage system, and

receiving data from said at least one second storage system, and converting an address of data received from said at least one second storage system, and transmitting data of said converted address to said at least one of said plurality of second information processing units sending said first read command.

21. A computer-readable medium according to claim 12:

wherein said one of said plurality of virtual volumes corresponds to a first Logical Unit Number (LUN), and

wherein said logical volume, mapped to said one of said plurality of virtual volumes, corresponds to a second LUN.

22. A computer-readable medium according to claim 12:

wherein said second information is displayed after a selection is made based on said first information.

23. A virtual volume management method of a system having a first information processing unit and a first storage system, said system having a function to connect a plurality of second information processing units and at least one second storage system, and said first storage system having a control unit managing a plurality of virtual volumes, one of said plurality of virtual volumes being mapped to a logical volume which is set in a storage device in said at least one second storage system and being adapted to be used for inputting/outputting data by at least one of said plurality of second information processing units so that said data are inputted/outputted to/from said logical volume, said virtual volume management method comprising:

causing at least one of said plurality of second information processing units to display first information including two or more of said plurality of virtual volumes so that a copy source volume is selected from said first information;

causing said at least one of said plurality of second information processing units, which displays said first information, to display second information including two or more of said plurality of virtual volumes so that a copy destination volume is selected from said second information; and

operating a copy function between said selected copy source volume and said selected copy destination volume,

wherein said second information identifies a second storage system having a logical volume corresponding to one of said two or more of said plurality of virtual volumes included in said second information.

24. A virtual volume management method according to claim 23:

wherein said first information is a list, and

wherein said first information identifies a second storage system having a corresponding logical volume for each of said two or more of said plurality of virtual volumes included in said first information.

25. A virtual volume management method according to claim 23:

wherein said second information is a list, and

wherein said second information identifies a second storage system having a corresponding logical volume for each of said two or more of said plurality of virtual volumes included in said second information.

26. A virtual volume management method according to claim 23:

receiving, in said first storage system, a write command from at least one of said plurality of second information processing units, said write command including first write destination address information of said one of said plurality of virtual volumes, and

changing, in said first storage system, said first write destination address information of said one of said plurality of virtual volumes to second write destination address information of said logical volume mapped to said one of said plurality of virtual volumes,

wherein said first write destination address is a first Logical Unit Number (LUN), and

wherein said second write destination address is a second LUN.

27. A virtual volume management method according to claim 23:

receiving, in said first storage system, a first read command sent from at least one of said plurality of second information processing units, and sending a second read command, corresponding to said first read command, to said at least one second storage system, and

receiving, in said first storage system, data from said at least one second storage system, and converting an address of data received from said at least one second storage system, and transmitting data of said converted address to said at least one of said plurality of second information processing units sending said first read command.

28. A virtual volume-management method according to claim 23:

wherein said second information is displayed after a selection is made based on said first information.

29. A system comprising:

a first storage system, to be coupled to a plurality of first information processing units and at least one second storage system, and said first storage system having a control unit managing a plurality of virtual volumes, one of said plurality of virtual volumes being mapped to a logical volume which is set in a storage device in said at least one second storage system and being adapted to be used for inputting/outputting data by at least one of said plurality of first information processing units so that said data are inputted/outputted to/from said logical volume; and

a second information processing unit causing at least one of said plurality of first information processing units to display first information including at least one of said plurality of virtual volumes so that a copy source volume is selected from said first information;

wherein said second information processing unit causes said at least one of said plurality of first information processing units, which displays said first information, to display second information including at least another one of said plurality of virtual volumes so that a copy destination volume is selected from said second information,

wherein said second information identifies a second storage system having a logical volume corresponding to one of said at least another one of said plurality of virtual volumes included in said second information, and

wherein said first storage system operates a copy function between said selected copy source volume and said selected copy destination volume.

30. A system according to claim 29:

wherein said first information is a list, and

wherein said first information identifies a second storage system corresponding to said at least one of said plurality of virtual volumes included in said first information.

31. A system according to claim 29:

wherein said first information is a list, and

wherein said first information identifies a second storage system having a logical volume, which corresponds to said at least one of said plurality of virtual volumes included in said first information.

32. A system according to claim 29:

wherein said second information is a list.

33. A system according to claim 29:

wherein said second information is a list, and

wherein said second information identifies a second storage system having a corresponding logical volume for each of said at least another one of said plurality of virtual volumes included in said second information.

34. A system according to claim 29:

wherein said first storage system receives a write command from at least one of said plurality of first information processing units, said write command including a first write destination address information of said one of said plurality of virtual volumes, and

wherein said first storage system changes said first write destination address information of said one of said plurality of virtual volumes to second write destination address information of said logical volume mapped to said one of said plurality of virtual volumes.

35. A system according to claim 29:

wherein said first storage system receives data sent from at least one of said plurality of first information processing units,

wherein said first storage system transmits said data to said logical volume mapped to said one of said plurality of virtual volumes based on a mapping relationship between said one of said plurality of virtual volumes and said logical volume.

36. A system according to claim 29:

wherein said second information processing unit registers said logical volume which is set in said storage device in said at least one second storage system in order to map said logical volume to said one of said plurality of virtual volumes.

37. A system according to claim 29:

wherein said first storage system receives a first read command sent from at least one of said plurality of first information processing units, and sends a second read command, corresponding to said first read command, to said at least one second storage system, and

wherein said first storage system receives data from said at least one second storage system, and converts an address of data received from said at least one second storage system, and transmits data of said converted address to said at least one of said plurality of first information processing units sending said first read command.

38. A system according to claim 29:

wherein said one of said plurality of virtual volumes corresponds to a first Logical Unit Number (LUN), and

wherein said logical volume, mapped to said one of said plurality of virtual volumes, corresponds to a second LUN.

39. A system according to claim 29:

wherein said second information is displayed after a selection is made based on said first information.