Redundant configuration method of a storage system maintenance/management apparatus

• US 7,836,333 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2008
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Osaki, Nobuyuki, Fujita, Takahiro, Ikeda, Hirokazu
• Primary Examiner(s): DUNCAN, MARC M
• Application Number:
  US12/007,334
• Publication Number:
  US 20080244580A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,042 Days
• Field of Search: 714/5, 714/11, 714/13
• US Class Current: 714/5.11
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2028 eliminating a faulty processor or activating a spare
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2041 with more than one idle spare processing component
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2069 Management of state, configuration or failover
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2092 Techniques of failing over between control units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0617 in relation to availability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0635 by changing the path, e.g. traffic rerouting, path reconfiguration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0663 Performing the actions predefined by failover planning, e.g. switching to standby network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0668 by dynamic selection of recovery network elements, e.g. replacement by the most appropriate element after failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0695 the faulty arrangement being the maintenance, administration or management system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 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]

Abstract

Provided is a method of managing a computer system including a plurality of storage systems and a plurality of management appliances for managing the plurality of storage systems. A first management appliance and a second management appliance hold an identifier of a first storage system and management data obtained from the first storage system. The method includes the steps of: selecting a third management appliance from the plurality of management appliances when a failure occurs in the first management appliance; transmitting the identifier held in the second management appliance from the second management appliance to the selected third management appliance; and holding the identifier transmitted from the second management appliance in the selected third management appliance. Thus, it is possible to prevent, after failing-over due to an abnormality of a maintenance/management appliance, a single point of failure from occurring to reduce reliability of the maintenance/management appliance.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a computer system having a plurality of storage systems and a plurality of management apparatuses for managing the plurality of storage systems,

each of the storage systems including a storage device for storing data and a controller for controlling storage of data in the storage device,

each of the management apparatuses including a first interface for receiving data obtained from the storage system, a processor coupled to the first interface, and a memory coupled to the processor,

the first interface being coupled to a first network for interconnecting the plurality of management apparatuses to communicate with one another,

the plurality of management apparatuses including a first management apparatus, a second management apparatus, and a third management apparatus,

the storage systems including a first storage system, the first management apparatus and the second management apparatus holding an identifier of the first storage system and management data obtained from the first storage system,

the method comprising the steps of:

operating the first management apparatus as an active and the second management apparatus as a stand-by to manage the first storage system;

selecting the third management apparatus from the plurality of management apparatuses when a failure occurs in the first management apparatus;

transmitting the identifier of the first storage system held in the second management apparatus from the second management apparatus to the selected third management apparatus;

holding the identifier of the first storage system transmitted from the second management apparatus in the selected third management apparatus; and

operating the second management apparatus as an active and the third management apparatus as a stand-by to manage the first storage system after occurring the failure.

2. The method according to claim 1,

each of the plurality of management apparatuses including the first management apparatus, the second management apparatus, and the third management apparatus being one of an active management apparatus for transmitting the management data obtained from the storage system to another management apparatus and a stand-by management apparatus for receiving the management data transmitted from the active management apparatus,

the method further comprising the steps of:

transmitting the management data obtained from the first storage system and held in the second management apparatus from the second management apparatus to the selected third management apparatus; and

holding the management data transmitted from the second management apparatus in the selected third management apparatus,

wherein the step of selecting the third management apparatus from the plurality of management apparatuses is executed by selecting a stand-by management apparatus whose number of managing storage systems is the smallest in a plurality of management apparatuses.

3. The method according to claim 1,

the plurality of storage systems further including a second storage system,

the plurality of management apparatuses further including a fourth management apparatus and a fifth management apparatus,

the first management apparatus transmitting the management data obtained from the first storage system to the second management apparatus,

the fourth management apparatus transmitting the management data obtained from the second storage system to the second management apparatus,

the second management apparatus receiving the management data from the first management apparatus and the fourth management apparatus, holding the received management data, and holding the identifier of the first storage system and an identifier of the second storage system,

each of the plurality of management apparatuses including the fifth management apparatus being one of an active management apparatus for transmitting the management data obtained from the storage system to another management apparatus and a stand-by management apparatus for receiving the management data transmitted from the active management apparatus,

the method further comprising the steps of:

transmitting the management data obtained from the first storage system and held in the second management apparatus from the second management apparatus to the selected third management apparatus;

holding the management data transmitted from the second management apparatus in the selected third management apparatus;

selecting the fifth management apparatus from the plurality of management apparatuses when a failure occurs in the first management apparatus;

transmitting the identifier of the second storage system and the management data received from the fourth management apparatus held in the second management apparatus from the second management apparatus to the fifth management apparatus; and

holding the identifier of the second storage system and the management data transmitted from the second management apparatus in the fifth management apparatus,

wherein the step of selecting the fifth management apparatus from the plurality of management apparatuses is executed by selecting a stand-by management apparatus having a smallest number of storage devices being acquisition sources of the held management data.

4. The method according to claim 1,

each of the plurality of management apparatuses including the first management apparatus, the second management apparatus, and the third management apparatus is being one of an active management apparatus for transmitting the management data obtained from the storage system to another management apparatus and a stand-by management apparatus for receiving the management data transmitted from the active management apparatus,

the method further comprising the steps of:

transmitting the management data obtained from the first storage system and held in the second management apparatus from the second management apparatus to the selected third management apparatus; and

holding the management data transmitted from the second management apparatus in the selected third management apparatus,

wherein the step of selecting the third management apparatus from the plurality of management apparatuses is executed by selecting a stand-by management apparatus installed in a position nearest to the second management apparatus.

5. The method according to claim 1,

each of the plurality of management apparatuses including the first management apparatus, the second management apparatus, and the third management apparatus being one of an active management apparatus for transmitting the management data obtained from the storage system to another management apparatus and a stand-by management apparatus for receiving the management data transmitted from the active management apparatus,

each of the management apparatuses holding information indicating whether to respond to a predetermined request,

the method further comprising the steps of:

transmitting the management data obtained from the first storage system and held in the second management apparatus from the second management apparatus to the selected third management apparatus; and

holding the management data transmitted from the second management apparatus in the selected third management apparatus, wherein;

the step of selecting the third management apparatus from the plurality of management apparatuses includes the steps of;

transmitting the predetermined request from the second management apparatus to the plurality of management apparatuses;

transmitting a response from the management apparatus which hold information indicating that a response is made to the predetermined request; and

selecting the third management apparatus from the plurality of management apparatuses which have transmitted the response to the predetermined request;

the response contains an address of the first interface of the management apparatus which have transmitted the response, and the number of storage systems being acquisition sources of the management data held in the management apparatus which have transmitted the response; and

the information held in the active management apparatus indicates that no response is made to the predetermined request.

6. The method according to claim 1,

the plurality of management apparatuses further including a sixth management apparatus,

each of the plurality of management apparatuses including the first management apparatus, the second management apparatus, the third management apparatus, and the sixth management apparatus being one of an active management apparatus for transmitting the management data obtained from the storage system to another management apparatus and a stand-by management apparatus for receiving the management data transmitted from the active management apparatus,

the method further comprising the steps of:

transmitting the management data obtained from the first storage system and held in the second management apparatus from the second management apparatus to the selected third management apparatus;

holding the management data transmitted from the second management apparatus in the selected third management apparatus;

selecting a stand-by management apparatus whose number of managing storage systems is the largest in a plurality of management apparatuses;

selecting at least one of the plurality of active management apparatuses which have transmitted the management data to the selected stand-by management apparatus;

transmitting an identifier of the storage system from which the selected at least one active management apparatus has obtained the management data from the selected stand-by management apparatus to the sixth management apparatus;

transmitting management data transmitted from the selected at least one active management apparatus among the management data held by the selected stand-by management apparatus from the selected stand-by management apparatus to the sixth management apparatus; and

holding the identifier of the storage system and the management data transmitted from the selected stand-by management apparatus in the sixth management apparatus.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising preventing, when the computer system does not include the stand-by management apparatus which obtains the management data from the plurality of active management apparatuses, execution of the steps of:

selecting a stand-by management apparatus whose number of managing storage systems is the largest in a plurality of management apparatuses;

selecting at least one of the plurality of active management apparatuses;

transmitting the management data transmitted from the selected at least one active management apparatus from the selected stand-by management apparatus to the sixth management apparatus; and

holding the transmitted management data in the sixth management apparatus.

8. The method according to claim 1,

the plurality of management apparatuses further including a sixth management apparatus, and

each of the plurality of management apparatuses including the first management apparatus, the second management apparatus, the third management apparatus, and the sixth management apparatus being one of an active management apparatus for transmitting the management data obtained from the storage system to another management apparatus and a stand-by management apparatus for receiving the management data transmitted from the active management apparatus,

the method further comprising the steps of:

transmitting the management data obtained from the first storage system and held in the second management apparatus from the second management apparatus to the selected third management apparatus;

holding the management data transmitted from the second management apparatus in the selected third management apparatus;

selecting a stand-by management apparatus installed in a position nearest to the sixth management apparatus among the stand-by management apparatuses which obtain the management data from the plurality of active management apparatuses;

selecting at least one of the plurality of active management apparatuses which have transmitted the management data to the selected stand-by management apparatus;

transmitting an identifier of the storage system from which the selected at least one active management apparatus has obtained the management data from the selected stand-by management apparatus to the sixth management apparatus;

transmitting management data transmitted from the selected at least one active management apparatus among the management data held by the selected stand-by management apparatus from the selected stand-by management apparatus to the sixth management apparatus; and

holding the identifier of the storage system and the management data transmitted from the selected stand-by management apparatus in the sixth management apparatus.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the controller of the storage system includes a third interface coupled to a computer, a second processor coupled to the third interface, and a cache memory coupled to the second processor for temporarily storing data; and

the management data contains at least one selected from data indicating whether a failure has occurred in the second processor, data indicating a use rate of the cache memory, data indicating the number of times of inputting and outputting data to and from the third interface, and data indicating the number of times of inputting and outputting data to and from the storage device.

10. A management apparatus for managing at least one of a plurality of storage systems included in a computer system,

the storage systems including a first storage system,

the computer system including, in addition to the management apparatus, a plurality of other management apparatuses for managing at least one of the plurality of storage systems,

the plurality of other management apparatuses including a first management apparatus and a second management apparatus,

the management apparatus comprising:

a first interface for receiving data obtained from the storage systems;

a processor coupled to the first interface; and

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein;

the management apparatus holds management data obtained from the first storage system;

the management apparatus is coupled to the plurality of other management apparatuses to communicate with the apparatuses via a first network coupled to the first interface;

the first management apparatus holds an identifier of the first storage system and the management data obtained from the first storage system;

the first management apparatus is operated as an active to manage the first storage system;

the second management apparatus is operated as a stand-by to manage the first storage system;

the processor selects the second management apparatus from the plurality of other management apparatuses when a failure occurs in the first management apparatus;

the processor transmits the identifier of the first storage system held in the management apparatus to the selected second management apparatus via the first network;

after occurring the failure, the second management apparatus is operated as an active to manage the first storage system; and

the third management apparatus is operated as a stand-by to manage the first storage system.

11. The management apparatus according to claim 10, wherein:

each of the management apparatus and the plurality of other management apparatuses including the first management apparatus and the second management apparatus is one of an active management apparatus for transmitting the management data obtained from the storage system to one of the management apparatus and the other management apparatuses and a stand-by management apparatus for receiving the management data transmitted from the active management apparatus; and

the processor selects the stand-by management apparatus having a smallest number of storage systems being acquisition sources of the held management data as the second management apparatus; and

the processor transmits the management data obtained from the first storage system and held in the management apparatus to the selected second management apparatus via the first network.

12. The management apparatus according to claim 10, wherein:

the plurality of storage systems further include a second storage system;

the plurality of other management apparatuses further include a third management apparatus and a fourth management apparatus;

the management apparatus receives the management data obtained from the first storage system by the first management apparatus from the first management apparatus;

the management apparatus receives the management data obtained from the second storage system by the third management apparatus from the third management apparatus, and holds the received management data and the identifier of the first storage system and an identifier of the second storage system;

each of the plurality of management apparatuses including the fourth management apparatus is one of an active management apparatus for transmitting the management data obtained from the storage system to one of the management apparatus and the other management apparatuses and a stand-by management apparatus for receiving the management data transmitted from the active management apparatus;

the processor transmits the management data obtained from the first storage system and held in the management apparatus to the selected second management apparatus via the first network;

the processor selects a stand-by management apparatus whose number of managing storage systems is the smallest in a plurality of management apparatuses as the fourth management apparatus when a failure occurs in the first management apparatus; and

the processor transmits the identifier of the second storage system and the management data received from the third management apparatus held in the management apparatus to the fourth management apparatus via the first network.

13. The management apparatus according to claim 10, wherein:

each of the management apparatus and the plurality of other management apparatuses including the first management apparatus and the second management apparatus is one of an active management apparatus for transmitting the management data obtained from the storage system to one of the management apparatus and the other management apparatuses and a stand-by management apparatus for receiving the management data transmitted from the active management apparatus;

the processor selects a stand-by management apparatus installed in a position nearest to the management apparatus as the second management apparatus; and

the processor transmits the management data obtained from the first storage system and held in the management apparatus to the selected second management apparatus via the first network.

14. The management apparatus according to claim 10, wherein:

each of the management apparatus and the plurality of other management apparatuses including the first management apparatus and the second management apparatus is one of an active management apparatus for transmitting the management data obtained from the storage system to one of the management apparatus and the other management apparatuses and a stand-by management apparatus for receiving the management data transmitted from the active management apparatus;

the management apparatus holds information indicating whether to respond to a predetermined request;

the processor transmits the predetermined request to the plurality of other management apparatuses via the first interface;

the processor selects the second management apparatus from the plurality of other management apparatuses which have transmitted a response to the predetermined request; and

the processor transmits the management data obtained from the first storage system and held in the management apparatus to the selected second management apparatus via the first network.

15. The management apparatus according to claim 14, wherein:

the processor that has received the predetermined request via the first interface transmits a response to the predetermined information when the information indicates that a response is made to the predetermined request;

the response contains an address of the first interface of the management apparatus which has transmitted the response, and the number of managing storage systems by the management apparatus which has transmitted the response; and

the information indicates that no response is made to the predetermined request when the management apparatus is the active management apparatus.

16. The management apparatus according to claim 10, wherein:

each of the management apparatus and the plurality of other management apparatuses including the first management apparatus and the second management apparatus is one of an active management apparatus for transmitting the management data obtained from the storage system to one of the management apparatus and the other management apparatuses and a stand-by management apparatus for receiving the management data transmitted from the active management apparatus;

the processor transmits the management data obtained from the first storage system and held in the management apparatus to the selected second management apparatus via the first network;

the processor selects a stand-by management apparatus whose number of managing storage systems is the largest in a plurality of management apparatuses which obtain the management data from the plurality of active management apparatuses;

the processor selects at least one of the plurality of active management apparatuses which have transmitted the management data to the selected stand-by management apparatus;

the processor requests the selected active management apparatus to transmit an identifier of the storage system from which the selected at least one active management apparatus has obtained the management data to the management apparatus;

the processor requests the selected stand-by management apparatus to transmit the management data transmitted from the selected at least one active management apparatus among the management data held in the selected stand-by management apparatus to the management apparatus; and

the processor holds the management data transmitted from the selected stand-by management apparatus.

17. The management apparatus according to claim 16, wherein when the computer system does not include the stand-by management apparatus which obtains the management data from the plurality of active management apparatuses, the processor avoids execution of the steps of:

selecting a stand-by management apparatus whose number of managing storage systems is the largest in a plurality of management apparatuses;

selecting at least one of the plurality of active management apparatuses;

requesting the selected stand-by management apparatus to transmit the management data transmitted from the selected at least one active management apparatus to the management apparatus; and

holding the transmitted management data.

18. The management apparatus according to claim 10, wherein:

each of the management apparatus and the plurality of other management apparatuses including the first management apparatus and the second management apparatus is one of an active management apparatus for transmitting the management data obtained from the storage system to one of the management apparatus and the other management apparatuses and a stand-by management apparatus for receiving the management data transmitted from the active management apparatus;

the processor transmits the management data obtained from the first storage system and held in the management apparatus to the selected second management apparatus via the first network;

the processor selects a stand-by management apparatus installed in a position nearest to the management apparatus among the stand-by management apparatuses which obtain the management data from the plurality of active management apparatuses;

the processor selects at least one of the plurality of active management apparatuses which have transmitted the management data to the selected stand-by management apparatus;

the processor requests the selected stand-by management apparatus to transmit an identifier of the storage system from which the selected at least one active management apparatus has obtained the management data to the management apparatus;

the processor requests the selected stand-by management apparatus to transmit the management data transmitted from the selected at least one active management apparatus among the management data held in the selected stand-by management apparatus to the management apparatus; and

the processor holds the management data transmitted from the selected stand-by management apparatus.

19. The management apparatus according to claim 10, wherein:

the controller of the storage system includes a third interface coupled to a computer, a second processor coupled to the third interface, and a cache memory coupled to the second processor for temporarily storing data; and

the management data contains at least one selected from data indicating whether a failure has occurred in the second processor, data indicating a use rate of the cache memory, data indicating the number of times of inputting and outputting data to and from the third interface, and data indicating the number of times of inputting and outputting data to and from the storage device.