Remote storage disk control device and method for controlling the same

• US 7,975,116 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2010
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kondo, Shuji, Suzuki, Toru, Kasako, Naohisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Peugh; Brian R
• Application Number:
  US12/720,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20100169598A1
• Time in Patent Office: 482 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 711/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2066 Optimisation of the communication load
• 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 11/2074 Asynchronous techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2082 Data synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2094 Redundant storage or storage space G06F11/2056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2097 maintaining the standby controller/processing unit updated initialisation or re-synchronisation thereof G06F11/1658 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/855 Details of asynchronous mirroring using a journal to transfer not-yet-mirrored changes

Abstract

A storage device system includes an information processing device, a first storage device equipped with a first storage volume, and a second storage device equipped with a second storage volume. The information processing device and the first storage device are communicatively connected to one another. Also, the first storage device and the second storage device are communicatively connected to one another. The information processing device is equipped with a first write request section that requests to write data in the first storage device according to a first communications protocol, and a second write request section that requests to write data in the second storage device according to a second communications protocol. The information processing device creates first data including a first instruction to be executed in the second storage device.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a storage device system, the storage device system including:

an information processing device,

a first storage device equipped with a first storage volume, and a second storage device equipped with a second storage volume, wherein the information processing device and the first storage device are communicatively connected to one another,

the first storage device and the second storage device are communicatively connected to one another,

the information processing device is equipped with a first write request section that requests to write data in the first storage device according to a first communications protocol, and

the first storage device is equipped with a second write request section that requests to write data in the second storage device according to a second communications protocol,

the method comprising;

a step conducted by the information processing device of creating first data including a first instruction to be executed in the second storage device;

a step conducted by the information processing device of transmitting to the first write request section a request to write the first data in the first storage volume according to the first communications protocol;

a step conducted by the first storage device of, when the first data written in the first storage volume is an instruction to the second storage device, transmitting to the second write request section a request to write the first data in the second storage volume according to the second communications protocol;

a step conducted by the second storage device of executing the first instruction set in the first data written in the second storage volume;

a step conducted by the information processing device of creating second data including a second instruction to be executed by the first storage device;

a step conducted by the information processing device of transmitting to the first write request section a request to write the second data in the first storage volume according to the first communications protocol; and

a step conducted by the first storage device of, when the second data written in the first storage volume is an instruction to the first storage device, executing the second instruction.

2. A method for controlling a storage device system according to claim 1, wherein the first storage device includes a third storage volume, the second storage device includes a fourth storage volume, and the second storage device includes a read request section that requests the first storage device to read data according to a third communications protocol, the method further comprising:

a step conducted by the information processing device of creating the first data including as the first instruction a pair forming instruction to form a pair of the third storage volume as being a primary storage volume and the fourth storage volume as being an auxiliary storage volume; and

a step conducted by the second storage device of receiving the pair forming instruction set in the first data written in the second storage volume, and transmitting to the read request section a request to read data in the third storage volume and write the data into the fourth storage volume according to the third communications protocol.

3. A method for controlling a storage device system according to claim 2, wherein the first storage device includes a fifth storage volume, and the second storage device includes a sixth storage volume, wherein a pair is formed with the third storage volume as being a primary storage volume and the fourth storage volume as being an auxiliary storage volume, and a copy of data to be written in the third storage volume and positional information of the data are stored in the fifth storage volume as a journal, the method further comprising:

a step conducted by the information processing device of creating the first data including as the first instruction a journal acquisition instruction to store a copy of the journal into the sixth storage volume; and

a step conducted by the second storage device of receiving the journal acquisition instruction set in the first data written in the second storage volume, and transmitting to the read request section a request to read data in the fifth storage volume and write the data into the sixth storage volume according to the third communications protocol.

4. A method for controlling a storage device system according to claim 3, further comprising:

a step conducted by the information processing device of creating the first data including as the first instruction a restoration instruction to update the fourth storage volume using a journal stored in the sixth storage volume; and

a step conducted by the second storage device of receiving the restoration instruction set in the first data written in the second storage volume, and writing data stored in the journal written in the sixth storage volume into the fourth storage volume.

5. A method for controlling a storage device system according to claim 1, wherein the first storage includes a third storage volume, and the second storage device includes a fourth storage volume and a sixth storage volume, the method further comprising:

a step conducted by the information processing device of creating the first data including as the first instruction a pair forming instruction to form a pair of the third storage volume as being an auxiliary storage volume and the fourth storage volume as being a primary storage volume; and

a step conducted by the second storage device of receiving the pair forming instruction set in the first data written in the second storage volume, and storing in the sixth storage volume a copy of data to be written in the fourth storage volume and positional information of the data as a journal.

6. A method for controlling a storage device system according to claim 5, further comprising a step conducted by the second storage device of storing pair management information indicating that the pair is formed with the third storage volume as being an auxiliary storage volume and the fourth storage volume as being a primary storage volume.

7. A method for controlling a storage device system according to claim 6, further comprising:

a step conducted by the information processing device of creating the first data including as the first instruction a pair swap instruction to swap the pair such that the third storage volume is set as a primary storage volume and the fourth storage volume is set as an auxiliary storage volume;

a step conducted by the second storage device of receiving the pair swap instruction set in the first data written in the second storage volume, and storing in the pair management information data indicating that the third storage volume is the primary storage volume and the fourth storage volume is the auxiliary storage volume; and

a step conducted by the second storage device of receiving the pair swap instruction, and stopping the step of storing in the sixth storage volume history of data written in the fourth storage volume as a journal.

8. A storage device system comprising:

an information processing device;

a first storage device equipped with a first storage volume; and

a second storage device equipped with a second storage volume

wherein the information processing device and the first storage device are communicatively connected to one another,

the first storage device and the second storage device are communicatively connected to one another,

the information processing device is equipped with a first write request section that requests to write data in the first storage device according to a first communications protocol,

the first storage device is equipped with a second write request section that requests to write data in the second storage device according to a second communications protocol,

the information processing device is equipped with an instruction setting section that creates first data including a first instruction to be executed in the second storage device, and an instruction transmission section that transmits to the first write request section a request to write the first data in the first storage volume according to the first communications protocol,

the first storage device is equipped with a data transfer section that, when the first data written in the first storage volume is an instruction to the second storage device, transmits to the second write request section a request to write the first data in the second storage volume according to the second communications protocol, and

the second storage device is equipped with an instruction execution section that executes the first instruction set in the first data written in the second storage volume, and

wherein the information processing device is equipped with the instruction setting section that creates second data including a second instruction to be executed by the first storage device,

the information processing device is equipped with the instruction transmission section that transmits to the first write request section a request to write the second data in the first storage volume according to the first communications protocol, and

the first storage device is equipped with a first instruction execution section that, when the second data written in the first storage volume is an instruction to the first storage device, executes the second instruction.

9. A storage device system according to claim 8, wherein the first storage device is equipped with a third storage volume, the second storage device is equipped with a fourth storage volume, the second storage device is equipped with a read request section that requests the first storage device to read data according to a third communications protocol,

the information processing device is equipped with the instruction setting section that creates the first data including as the first instruction a pair forming instruction to form a pair of the third storage volume as being a primary storage volume and the fourth storage volume as being an auxiliary storage volume, and

the second storage device is equipped with a copy forming section that receives the pair forming instruction set in the first data written in the second storage volume, and transmits to the read request section a request to read data in the third storage volume and write the data into the fourth storage volume according to the third communications protocol.

10. A storage device system according to claim 9, wherein

the first storage device is equipped with a fifth storage volume,

the second storage device is equipped with a sixth storage volume, wherein a pair is formed with the third storage volume as being a primary storage volume and the fourth storage volume as being an auxiliary storage volume, and a copy of data to be written in the third storage volume and positional information of the data are stored in the fifth storage volume as a journal,

the information processing device is equipped with the instruction setting section that creates the first data including as the first instruction a journal acquisition instruction to store a copy of the journal into the sixth storage volume, and

the second instruction execution section is equipped with a journal acquisition section that receives the journal acquisition instruction set in the first data written in the second storage volume, and transmits to the read request section a request to read data in the fifth storage volume and write the data into the sixth storage volume according to the third communications protocol.

11. A storage device system according to claim 10, wherein

the information processing device is equipped with the instruction setting section that creates the first data including as the first instruction a restoration instruction to update the fourth storage volume using a journal stored in the sixth storage volume, and

the second instruction execution section is equipped with a restoration section that receives the restoration instruction set in the first data written in the second storage volume, and writes data stored in the journal written in the sixth storage volume into the fourth storage volume.

12. A storage device system according to claim 8, wherein the first storage is equipped with a third storage volume, the second storage device is equipped with a fourth storage volume and a sixth storage volume,

the information processing device is equipped with the instruction setting section that creates the first data including as the first instruction a pair forming instruction to form a pair of the third storage volume as being an auxiliary storage volume and the fourth storage volume as being a primary storage volume, and

the second storage device is equipped with a journal storage section that receives the pair forming instruction set in the first data written in the second storage volume, and stores in the sixth storage volume a copy of data written in the fourth storage volume and positional information of the data as a journal.

13. A storage device system according to claim 12, wherein

the second storage device is equipped with a pair management section that stores pair management information indicating that the pair is formed with the third storage volume as being an auxiliary storage volume and the fourth storage volume as being a primary storage volume.

14. A storage device system according to claim 13, wherein

the information processing device is equipped with the instruction setting section that creates the first data including as the first instruction a pair swap instruction to swap the pair such that the third storage volume is set as a primary storage volume and the fourth storage volume is set as an auxiliary storage volume,

the second instruction execution section is equipped with the pair management section that receives the pair swap instruction set in the first data written in the second storage volume, and stores in the pair management information data indicating that the third storage volume is the primary storage volume and the fourth storage volume is the auxiliary storage volume, and

the second storage device is equipped with a journal stop section that receives the pair swap instruction, and stops a processing to store in the sixth storage volume history of data written in the fourth storage volume as a journal.

15. A method for controlling a storage device system, the storage device system including:

an information processing device,

a first storage device equipped with a first storage volume, and

a second storage device equipped with a second storage volume,

wherein the information processing device is equipped with a first write request section that requests to write data in the first storage device according to a first communications protocol, and

the first storage device is equipped with a second write request section that requests to write data in the second storage device according to a second communications protocol,

the method comprising;

a step of creating first data including a first instruction to be executed by the second storage device;

a step of transmitting to the first write request section a request to write the first data in the first storage volume according to the first communications protocol;

a step of, when the first data written in the first storage volume is an instruction to the second storage device, transmitting to the second write request section a request to write the first data in the second storage volume according to the second communications protocol;

a step of executing the first instruction set in the first data written in the second storage volume;

a step of creating second data including a second instruction to be executed by the first storage device;

a step of transmitting to the first write request section a request to write the second data in the first storage volume according to the first communications protocol; and

a step of, when the second data written in the first storage volume is an instruction to the first storage device, executing the second instruction.

16. A method for controlling a storage device system according to claim 15, wherein the first storage device includes a third storage volume, the second storage device includes a fourth storage volume, and the second storage device includes a read request section that requests the first storage device to read data according to a third communications protocol, the method further comprising:

a step of creating the first data including as the first instruction a pair forming instruction to form a pair of the third storage volume as being a primary storage volume and the fourth storage volume as being an auxiliary storage volume; and

a step of receiving the pair forming instruction set in the first data written in the second storage volume, and transmitting to the read request section of the second storage device a request to read data from the third storage volume and write the data in the fourth storage volume according to the third communications protocol.

17. A method for controlling a storage device system according to claim 16, wherein the first storage device includes a fifth storage volume, and the second storage device includes a sixth storage volume, wherein a pair is formed with the third storage volume as being a primary storage volume and the fourth storage volume as being an auxiliary storage volume, and a copy of data to be written in the third storage volume and positional information of the data are stored in the fifth storage volume as a journal, the method further comprising:

a step of creating the first data including as the first instruction a journal acquisition instruction to store a copy of the journal into the sixth storage volume; and

a step of receiving the journal acquisition instruction set in the first data written in the second storage volume, and transmitting to the read request section of the second storage device a request to read data in the fifth storage volume and write the data in the sixth storage volume according to the third communications protocol.

18. A method for controlling a storage device system according to claim 17, further comprising:

a step of creating the first data including as the first instruction a restoration instruction to update the fourth storage volume using a journal stored in the sixth storage volume; and

a step of receiving the restoration instruction set in the first data written in the second storage volume, and writing data stored in the journal written in the sixth storage volume into the fourth storage volume.

19. A method for controlling a storage device system according to claim 15, wherein the first storage includes a third storage volume, and the second storage device includes a fourth storage volume and a sixth storage volume, the method further comprising:

a step of creating the first data including as the first instruction a pair forming instruction to form a pair of the third storage volume as being an auxiliary storage volume and the fourth storage volume as being a primary storage volume; and

a step of receiving the pair forming instruction set in the first data written in the second storage volume, and storing in the sixth storage volume a copy of data to be written in the fourth storage volume and positional information of the data as a journal.

20. A method for controlling a storage device system according to claim 19, further comprising a step of storing pair management information indicating that the pair is formed with the third storage volume as being an auxiliary storage volume and the fourth storage volume as being a primary storage volume.

21. A method for controlling a storage device system according to claim 20, further comprising:

a step of creating the first data including as the first instruction a pair swap instruction to swap the pair such that the third storage volume is set as a primary storage volume and the fourth storage volume is set as an auxiliary storage volume;

a step of receiving the pair swap instruction set in the first data written in the second storage volume, and storing in the pair management information data indicating that the third storage volume is the primary storage volume and the fourth storage volume is the auxiliary storage volume; and

a step of receiving the pair swap instruction, and stopping the step of storing in the sixth storage volume history of data written in the fourth storage volume as a journal.