Virtual file servers with storage device

• US 7,970,917 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2010
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Horiuchi, Takashi, Hara, Junichi, Miyata, Kenichi, Nakano, Takahiro, Matsunami, Naoto
• Primary Examiner(s): EL CHANTI, HUSSEIN A
• Application Number:
  US12/687,305
• Publication Number:
  US 20100115055A1
• Time in Patent Office: 530 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709219-220, 709/223, 709/226, 709/229
• US Class Current: 709/229
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A system renting out file servers to many companies in a data center has a security problem so that the user cannot perform operation needing manager authorization in the file servers. An OS provides execution administrative area information of an application program designated by process information which can specify the range of an accessible device to operate the server system of the customer in the administrative area information.

Claims

1. A real server coupled to a plurality of computers and a tape device, comprising:

a processor configured to make a plurality of virtual servers on an operating system, the operating system executing processes for each of the plurality of virtual servers,

wherein each of the plurality of virtual servers receives a file access request from one of the plurality of computers based on access permission information, the access permission information being set with respect to each of the plurality of virtual servers, and each of the plurality of virtual servers responds to the file access request; and

an apparatus manager executed by the processor,

wherein the apparatus manager is configured to generate and delete each of the plurality of virtual servers, and configured to permit or forbid each of the plurality of virtual servers access to the tape device coupled to the real server,

wherein the apparatus manager determines whether a first virtual server of the plurality of the virtual servers is permitted to access the tape device, if the processor receives a backup request of data managed by the first virtual server from a first one of the plurality of computers that is permitted to access the first virtual server, and

wherein the processor backs up the data to the tape device, if the first server is permitted to access the tape device.

2. The real server according to claim 1, wherein when the tape device is prohibited from the first virtual server, the apparatus manager permits access to the tape device for the first virtual server after canceling permission of access of the tape device.

3. The real server according to claim 1, wherein when the apparatus manager permits access to the tape device for the first virtual server, the apparatus manager cancels the permission and permits access to the tape device for a second virtual server of the plurality of the virtual servers.

4. A real server coupled to a plurality of computers comprising:

a processor configured to make a plurality of virtual servers on an operating system, the operating system executing processes for each of the plurality of virtual servers,

wherein each of the plurality of virtual servers receives a file access request from one of the plurality of computers based on access permission information, the access permission information being set with respect to each of the plurality of virtual servers, and each of the plurality of virtual servers responds to the file access request;

a memory storing routing information and mount information;

a storage device comprising a file system mounted on a root directory of a corresponding virtual server; and

an apparatus manager executed by the processor,

wherein the apparatus manager is configured to generate and delete each of the plurality of virtual servers, and configured to permit or forbid each of the plurality of virtual servers access to a tape device coupled to the real server,

wherein the apparatus manager determines whether a first virtual server of the plurality of the virtual servers is permitted to access the tape device, if the processor receives a backup request of data managed by the first virtual server from a first one of the plurality of computers that is permitted to access the first virtual server,

wherein the processor backs up the data to the tape device, if the first server is permitted to access the tape device, and

wherein the processor sets the routing information, mounts the storage device based on the mount information, and provides a shared file server to the plurality of computers.

5. The real server according to claim 4, wherein when the apparatus manager receives a request for making back-up data, the apparatus manager makes the back-up data of the shared file server to the tape device.

6. The real server according to claim 4, wherein when the apparatus manager receives a request to close the shared file server, the apparatus manager closes the shared file server.

7. The real server according to claim 4, wherein when the apparatus manager receives a request to restart the shared file server, the apparatus manager restarts the shared file server.

8. A real server coupled to a plurality of computers comprising:

a processor configured to make a plurality of virtual servers on an operating system, the operating system executing processes for each of the plurality of virtual servers,

wherein each of the plurality of virtual servers receives a file access request from one of the plurality of computers based on access permission information, the access permission information being set with respect to each of the plurality of virtual servers, and each of the plurality of virtual servers responds to the file access request; and

an apparatus manager executed by the processor,

wherein the apparatus manager is configured to generate and delete each of the plurality of virtual servers, and configured to permit or forbid each of the plurality of virtual servers access to a tape device coupled to the real server,

wherein the apparatus manager determines whether a first virtual server of the plurality of the virtual servers is permitted to access the tape device, if the processor receives a backup request of data managed by the first virtual server from a first one of the plurality of computers that is permitted to access the first virtual server,

wherein the processor backs up the data to the tape device, if the first server is permitted to access the tape device, and

wherein the plurality of virtual servers perform as at least one of a NIS (Network Information Server), a DNS (Domain Name System) server, a LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) server, a Web server, or a proxy server.

9. A method of managing a plurality of virtual servers, the method being implemented in a real server coupled to a plurality of computers and a tape device, the real server comprising a processor and an apparatus manager executed by the processor, the method comprising:

configuring, by the processor, the plurality of virtual servers,

wherein an operating system executes processes for each of the plurality of virtual servers;

receiving, by each of the plurality of virtual servers, a file access request from one of the plurality of computers based on access permission information, the access permission information being set with respect to each of the plurality of virtual servers, and responding, by each of the plurality of virtual servers, to the file access request,

wherein the apparatus manager is configured to generate and delete each of the plurality of virtual servers, and configured to permit or forbid each of the plurality of virtual servers access to the tape device coupled to the real server,

wherein the apparatus manager determines whether a first virtual server of the plurality of the virtual servers is permitted to access the tape device, if the processor receives a backup request of data managed by the first virtual server from a first one of the plurality of computers that is permitted to access the first virtual server, and

wherein the processor backs up the data to the tape device, if the first server is permitted to access the tape device.

10. A method of managing a plurality of virtual servers, the method being implemented in a real server coupled to a plurality of computers, the real server comprising a processor, a memory, a storage device, and an apparatus manager executed by the processor, the method comprising:

configuring, by the processor, the plurality of virtual servers on an operating system, the operating system executing processes for each of the plurality of virtual servers;

receiving, by each of the plurality of virtual servers, a file access request from one of the plurality of computers based on access permission information, the access permission information being set with respect to each of the plurality of virtual servers, and responding, by each of the plurality of virtual servers, to the file access request;

storing, in the memory, routing information and mount information,

wherein the storage device of the real server comprises a file system mounted on a root directory of a corresponding virtual server,

wherein the apparatus manager is configured to generate and delete each of the plurality of virtual servers, and configured to permit or forbid each of the plurality of virtual servers access to the tape device coupled to the real server,

wherein the apparatus manager determines whether a first virtual server of the plurality of the virtual servers is permitted to access the tape device, if the processor receives a backup request of data managed by the first virtual server from a first one of the plurality of computers that is permitted to access the first virtual server, and

wherein the processor backs up the data to the tape device, if the first server is permitted to access the tape device;

setting, by the processor, the routing information;

mounting, by the processor, the storage device based on the mount information; and

providing, by the processor, a shared file server to the plurality of computers.

11. A method of managing a plurality of virtual servers, the method being implemented in a real server coupled to a plurality of computers, the real server comprising a processor and an apparatus manager executed by the processor, the method comprising:

configuring, by the processor, a plurality of virtual servers on an operating system, the operating system executing processes for each of the plurality of virtual servers;

receiving, by each of the plurality of virtual servers, a file access request from one of the plurality of computers based on access permission information, the access permission information being set with respect to each of the plurality of virtual, and responding, by each of the plurality of virtual servers, to the file access request,

wherein the apparatus manager is configured to generate and delete each of the plurality of virtual servers, and configured to permit or forbid each of the plurality of virtual servers access to the tape device coupled to the real server,

wherein the apparatus manager determines whether a first virtual server of the plurality of the virtual servers is permitted to access the tape device, if the processor receives a backup request of data managed by the first virtual server from a first one of the plurality of computers that is permitted to access the first virtual server,

wherein the processor backs up the data to the tape device, if the first server is permitted to access the tape device, and

wherein the plurality of virtual servers perform as at least one of a NIS (Network Information Server), a DNS (Domain Name System) server, a LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) server, a Web server, or a proxy server.