Storage controller

• US 7,657,707 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2006
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kishiro, Shigeru, Nakamura, Katsunori, Yamamoto, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Portka; Gary J
• Application Number:
  US11/583,007
• Publication Number:
  US 20070038833A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,202 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 711/121
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2064 while ensuring consistency
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2071 using a plurality of controllers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2074 Asynchronous techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/82 Solving problems relating to consistency ensuring consistency in mirrored systems G06F11/2064

Abstract

A primary controller operates to transmit write data and a write time to a secondary controller in the earlier sequence of the write times after reporting a completion of a request for write to a processing unit. The secondary controller stores the write data and the write time transmitted from the primary controller in the cache memory. At a time, the secondary controller stores the write data in a disk unit in the earlier sequence of the write time. These operations make it possible to guarantee all the write data on or before the reference time.

Claims

1. A data processing method in a data storage system comprising:

a processing unit,

a first storage system coupled to said processing unit; and

a second storage system coupled to said first storage system, said method comprising the steps of;

(a) storing first write data received from said processing unit in a first cache memory of said first storage system,

(b) reporting, to said processing unit, first completion of having written said first write data to said first cache memory of said first storage system,

(c) storing, after receiving second write data from said processing unit which sent said second write data after receiving said first write data, said second write data in said first cache memory of said first storage system,

(d) reporting, to said processing unit, second completion of having written said second write data to said first cache memory of said first storage system,

(e) transmitting said first write data and first information regarding said first write data to said second storage system after reporting, to said processing unit, said first completion,

(f) transmitting said second write data and second information regarding said second write data to said second storage system after reporting, to said processing unit, said second completion,

(g) reporting, by said second storage system, a third completion of having written said first write data to a second cache memory of said second storage system after storing said first write data in said second cache memory of said second storage system,

(h) sending, by said first storage system, a message to said second storage system after receiving said third completion from said second storage system, said message including information for destaging said first write data, and

(i) destaging, by said second storage system, said first write data according to said message after receiving said message from said first storage system.

2. A data processing method according to claim 1, wherein said first information has time information regarding said first write data and said second information has time information regarding said second write data.

3. A data processing method according to claim 2, wherein said first storage system stores said first write data in said first cache memory, after reporting said first completion, and

wherein said first storage system stores said second write data in said first cache memory, after reporting said second completion.

4. A data storage system comprising:

a first storage system including a first storage and a first controller for controlling transfer of data between said first storage and a processing unit;

a second storage system including a second storage and a second controller for controlling transfer of data between said first controller and said second storage system,

wherein said first controller;

(a) stores first write data received from said processing unit in a first cache memory of said first controller,

(b) reports, to said processing unit, first completion of having written said first write data to said first cache memory of said first controller,

(c) stores, after receiving second write data from said processing unit which sent said second write data after receiving said first write data, said second write data in said first cache memory of said first controller,

(d) reports, to said processing unit, second completion of having written said second write data to said first cache memory of said first controller,

(e) transmits said first write data and first information regarding said first write data to said second controller after reporting, to said processing unit, said first completion,

(f) transmits said second write data and said second information regarding said second write data to said second controller after reporting, to said processing unit, said second completion, and

(g) sends, after receiving from said processing unit which received said first write data and said first information, a message to said second controller after receiving a third completion from said second storage system, said message including information for destaging said first write data; and

wherein said second controller;

(h) reports said third completion of having written said first write data to a second cache memory of said second storage system after storing said first write data in said second cache memory of said second storage system, and

(i) destages, after receiving said message from said first controller, said first write data according to said message after receiving said message from said first controller.

5. A data storage system according to claim 4, wherein said first information has time information regarding said first write data and said second information has time information regarding said second write data.

6. A data storage system according to claim 5, wherein said first controller stores said first write data in said first cache memory, after reporting said first completion, and

wherein said first controller stores said second write data in said first cache memory, after reporting said second completion.