Storage system

• US 7,650,532 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2004
• Issued: 01/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Fukui, Katsuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausolel; Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Arcos; Jeison C
• Application Number:
  US10/998,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20060075292A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,876 Days
• Field of Search: 714/4, 714/8, 714/25, 714/47, 714/48, 714/51, 709/203
• US Class Current: 714/47.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0727 in a storage system, e.g. in a DASD or network based storage system drivers for digital recording or reproducing units G06F3/06; circuits for error detection or correction within digital recording or reproducing units G11B20/18; for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0748 in a remote unit communicating with a single-box computer node experiencing an error/fault remote testing G06F11/2294
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0784 Routing of error reports, e.g. with a specific transmission path or data flow
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3034 where the computing system component is a storage system, e.g. DASD based or network based digital input from or digital output to record carriers G06F3/06; digital recording or reproducing G11B20/18; for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3055 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the status of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring if the computing system is on, off, available, not available error or fault processing without redundancy G06F11/0703; error detection or correction by redundancy in data representation G06F11/08; error detection or correction by redundancy in operation G06F11/14; error detection or correction by redundancy in hardware G06F11/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning

Abstract

In addition to setting tasks and maintenance tasks for each portion of a storage apparatus, for which ease of operation is demanded, a storage system enables notification of a monitoring and maintenance terminal, for which high reliability is demanded, of fault information, without detracting from reliability. The functions of a SVP 23 and SVP 25 are functions to monitor the storage apparatus 3, and functions for notification to a remote maintenance center terminal 13 or similar, for which high reliability is demanded. The notification function involves notification to a remote maintenance center terminal 3 or similar of a fault or other event in the storage apparatus 3, detected by the monitoring function. The functions of the SVP 23 and SVP 25 are limited to functions for notification of faults in the storage apparatus 3, notification of information other than faults, and SNMP functions, so that the volume of the OS and other programs installed on the SVP 23 and SVP 25 is reduced.

Claims

1. A storage system, comprising:

a storage apparatus, which performs a communication over a communication network with a maintenance terminal;

a first information processing terminal which performs necessary setting tasks, maintenance tasks, or management tasks on each portion of said storage apparatus and which monitors the states of each portion of said storage apparatus, and upon recognizing the occurrence of an event in said storage apparatus, notifies said maintenance terminal of the occurrence of the event;

a second information processing terminal which monitors a state of said first information processing terminal;

a plurality of hubs on communication paths between said first information processing terminal and said second information processing terminal; and

a management table in each of said first information processing terminal and said second information processing terminal, which stores information indicating the results of communication tests performed with the other of said first information processing terminal and said second information processing terminal via a communication path;

wherein each of said first information processing terminal and said second information processing terminal references information recorded in its management table, and based on said information, judges whether the state of the other information processing terminal is anomalous;

wherein upon either of said first information processing terminal or said second information processing terminal judging the state of the other information processing terminal as anomalous, said judging terminal halts operation of said anomalous terminal, and said judging terminal performs tasks previously performed by said anomalous terminal;

wherein each of said first and second information processing terminals has pattern information stored in said management tables;

wherein said pattern information is obtained as a result of communication tests with the other of first and second information processing terminals;

wherein said pattern information is used to detect the presence of a malfunction in the other information processing terminal, and the malfunction location;

wherein said second information processing terminal monitors the states of said plurality of hubs;

wherein each of said first information processing terminal and said second information processing terminal references information recorded in its management table, and based on said information, judges whether the state of a hub is anomalous; and

wherein upon either of said first information processing terminal or said second information processing terminal judging the state of a hub as anomalous, said information processing terminal turns off the anomalous hub, and turns on another hub.

2. A storage system, comprising:

a storage apparatus, which performs a communication over a communication network with a maintenance terminal;

a first information processing terminal comprising said maintenance terminal, which performs necessary setting tasks, maintenance tasks, or management tasks on each portion of said storage apparatus;

a plurality of second information processing terminals, which monitor the states of each portion of said storage apparatus, and upon recognizing the occurrence of an event in said storage apparatus, notify said maintenance terminal of the occurrence of the event; and

a plurality of hubs on communication paths between said second information processing terminals;

wherein said second information processing terminals comprise at least two information processing terminals, one of which is an information processing terminal in an operating state, and another of which is an information processing terminal in a standby state;

wherein each of said second information processing terminals comprises a state monitoring portion which monitors a state of another second information processing terminal through mutual communication;

wherein each of said state monitoring portions has a management table in which is recorded information indicating the results of communication tests performed with the another second information processing terminal;

wherein each of said state monitoring portions references information recorded in said management table to judge whether the state of the another second information processing terminal is anomalous;

wherein upon judging as anomalous the state of said second information processing terminal in the operating state, the state monitoring portion of said second information processing terminal in the standby state causes operation of said second information processing terminal in the operating state to be halted, and causes operation of said second information processing terminal in the standby state;

wherein each of said second information processing terminals has pattern information stored in said management tables,

wherein said pattern information is obtained as a result of communication tests with the other second information processing terminal;

wherein said pattern information is used to detect the presence of a malfunction in another second information processing terminal, and the malfunction location;

wherein said second information processing terminals monitor the states of said plurality of hubs;

wherein each of said second information processing terminals reference information recorded in its management table, and based on said information, judges whether the state of a hub is anomalous; and

wherein upon any of said second information processing terminals judging the state of a hub as anomalous, said second information processing terminal turns off the anomalous hub, and turns on another hub.