Management method and system for managing replication by taking into account cluster storage accessibility to a host computer

• US 8,341,455 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2011
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Maki, Nobuhiro, Asano, Masayasu
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHELL, JOSEPH O
• Application Number:
  US13/237,229
• Publication Number:
  US 20120011394A1
• Time in Patent Office: 462 Days
• Field of Search: 714/4.11, 714/4.12, 714/4.2, 714/4.21, 714/15, 714/20, 711/162
• US Class Current: 714/4.11
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2028 eliminating a faulty processor or activating a spare
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2038 with a single idle spare processing component
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2048 where the redundant components share neither address space nor persistent storage
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2071 using a plurality of controllers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2087 with a common controller

Abstract

A management system, which manages a host computer and a storage system, holds cluster information, specifies an active-state host computer and an inactive-state host computer based on a backup instruction specifying a virtual host identifier, determines the need for executing a replication for disaster recovery use, and when necessary, executes this replication for disaster recovery use in combination with a replication for backup use.

Claims

1. A management method of managing a storage system, the storage system providing a plurality of logical volumes and being configured from one or more apparatuses, the storage system providing a plurality of host computers which are coupled to a port, the method comprising:

storing cluster information in a memory;

detecting, via a processor, a failover that has occurred in the plurality of host computers and updating the cluster information;

receiving, via an input/output device, a backup setting request including a virtual host identifier for input use, an application instance identifier for input use, and a backup schedule input value;

(A) specifying, via the processor, by referencing the cluster information, an active-state host computer corresponding to the virtual host identifier for input use, and an inactive-state host computer corresponding to the active-state host computer included in the plurality of host computers;

(B) specifying, via the processor, a first storage subsystem included in the storage system, and a first logical volume provided by the first storage subsystem, which the active-state host computer accesses by executing and application program identified by the application instance identifier for input use;

(C) determining, via the processor, whether the inactive-state host computer is able to access the first storage subsystem and the first logical volume;

(D) selecting, via the processor, in a case where the inactive-state host computer is not able to access the first logical volume, a second storage subsystem included in the storage system that is accessible from the inactive-state host computer, and sending to the first storage subsystem a replication establishment instruction for disaster recovery use, with the first logical volume being made a copy source, and a second logical volume provided by the second storage subsystem being made a copy destination; and

(E) by sending, via the processor, to the active-state host computer, via the port, a backup schedule registration instruction including backup schedule instruction information created on the basis of the backup schedule input value, causing the active-state host computer to control a replication process, for backup use, with the first logical volume in accordance with the backup schedule input value being made the copy source, and with one or more third logical volumes included in the first storage subsystem being made copy destinations.

2. A management method according to claim 1, further comprising:

(F) by acquiring, via the processor, replication process information from the active-state host computer, storing in the memory as catalog information for management use a creation time of backup data created in accordance with the backup schedule input value and the identifiers of the one or more third logical volumes that store the backup data; and

(G) by referencing, via the processor, the catalog information for management use, displaying on the input/output device one or more creation times of the backup data corresponding to the application program specified by the virtual host identifier for input use and the application instance identifier for input use.

3. A management method according to claim 2, further comprising:

receiving via the input/output device, a restore instruction specifying a prescribed backup data inputted based on the virtual host identifier for input use and the application instance identifier for input use, and displaying the backup data creation time; and

specifying, via the processor, one of the third logical volumes that store backup data specified by the restore instruction, and by sending the restore instruction specifying one of the specified third logical volumes to the active-state host computer, causing the storage system to return the backup data stored in one of the third logical volumes to the first logical volume.

4. A management method according to claim 3, wherein, in a case where the inactive-state host computer becomes a next active-state host computer by taking over processing of the application program from the active-state host computer as the result of a failover:

(H) acquiring, via the processor, next information for controlling the replication process, which the next active-state host computer takes over from the active-state host computer;

(I) in accordance with this next information, storing, via the processor, in the memory, as the catalog information, a next backup data creation time created under the control of the active-state host computer, and the identifiers of the one or more third logical volumes that store the backup data; and

(J) by referencing, via the processor, the catalog information for management use, displaying on the input/output device the next backup data creation time as a creation time of the backup data corresponding to the application program.

5. A management method according to claim 3, wherein, in a case where the inactive-state host computer becomes a next active-state host computer by taking over the execution of the application program from the active-state host computer as the result of a failover without being able to access the first storage subsystem:

(K) acquiring, via the processor, the next information for controlling the next backup replication process, with the second logical volume based on the backup schedule input value being made the copy source while one or more fourth logical volumes provided by the second storage subsystem being made the copy destinations;

(L) in accordance with the next information, storing, via the processor, in the memory, as the catalog information, the next backup data creation time created under the control of the active-state host computer, and the identifiers of the one or more third logical volumes that store the backup data; and

(M) by referencing, via the processor, the catalog information for management use, displaying on the input/output device a creation time of the next backup data stored in the fourth logical volume as a creation time of the backup data corresponding to the application program, and suppressing the display of the creation time of the backup data stored in the third logical volume.

6. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a management program, which when executed, causes a management method to be performed, the management method for managing a storage system, the storage system providing a plurality of logical volumes and being configured from one or more apparatuses, the storage system providing a plurality of host computers which are coupled to a port, the method comprising:

storing cluster information in a memory;

detecting, via a processor, a failover that has occurred in the plurality of host computers and updating the cluster information;

receiving, via an input/output device, a backup setting request including a virtual host identifier for input use, and application instance identifier for input use, and a backup schedule input value;

(A) specifying, via the processor, by referencing the cluster information, an active-state host computer corresponding to the virtual host identifier for input use, and an inactive-state host computer corresponding to the active-state host computer included in the plurality of host computers;

(B) specifying, via the processor, a first storage subsystem included in the storage system, and a first logical volume provided by the first storage subsystem, which the active-state host computer accesses by executing and application program identified by the application instance identifier for input use;

(C) determining via the processor, whether the inactive-state host computer is able to access the first storage subsystem and the first logical volume;

(D) selecting, via the processor, in a case where the inactive-state host computer is not able to access the first logical volume, a second storage subsystem included in the storage system that is accessible from the inactive-state host computer, and sending to the first storage subsystem a replication establishment instruction for disaster recovery use, with the first logical volume being made a copy source, and a second logical volume provided by the second storage subsystem being made a copy destination; and

(E) by sending, via the processor, to the active-state host computer, via the port, a backup schedule registration instruction including backup schedule instruction information created on the basis of the backup schedule input value, causing the active-state host computer to control a replication process, for backup use, with the first logical volume in accordance with the backup schedule input value being made the copy source, and with one or more thirst logical volumes included in the first storage subsystem being made copy destinations.

7. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 6, the method further comprising:

(F) by acquiring, via the processor, replication process information format the active-state host computer, storing in the memory as catalog information for management use a creation time of backup data created in accordance with the backup schedule input value and the identifiers of the one or more third logical volumes that store the backup data; and

(G) by referencing, via the processor, the catalog information for management use, displaying on the input/output device one or more creation times of the backup data corresponding to the application program specified by the virtual host identifier for input use and the application instance identifier for input use.

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 7, the method further comprising:

receiving, via the input/output device, a restore instruction specifying a prescribed backup data inputted based on the virtual host identifier for input use and the application instance identifier for input use, and displaying the backup data creation time; and

specifying, via the processor, one of the third logical volumes that store backup data specified by the restore instruction, and by sending the restore instruction specifying one of the specified third logical volumes to the active-state host computer, causing the storage system to return the backup data stored in one of the third logical volumes to the first logical volume.

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 8, wherein, in a case where the inactive-state host computer becomes a next active-state host computer by taking over processing of the application program from the active-state host computer as the result of a failover:

(H) acquiring, via the processor, next information for controlling the replication process, which the next active-state host computer takes over from the active-state host computer;

(I) in accordance with this next information, storing, via the processor, in the memory, as the catalog information, a next backup data creation time created under the control of the active-state host computer, and the identifiers of the one or more third logical volumes that store the backup data; and

(J) by referencing, via the processor, the catalog information for management use, displaying on the input/output device the next backup data creation time as a creation time of the backup data corresponding to the application program.

10. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 8, wherein, in a case where the inactive-state host computer becomes a next active-state host computer by taking over the execution of the application program from the active-state host computer as the result of a failover without being able to access the first storage subsystem:

(K) acquiring, via the processor, the next information for controlling the next backup replication process, with the second logical volume based on the backup schedule input value being made the copy source while one or more fourth logical volumes provided by the second storage subsystem being made the copy destinations;

(L) in accordance with the next information, storing, via the processor, in the memory, as the catalog information, the next backup data creation time created under the control of the active-state host computer, and the identifiers of the one or more third logical volumes that store the backup data; and

(M) by referencing, via the processor, the catalog information for management use, displaying on the input/output device a creation time of the next backup data stored in the fourth logical volume as a creation time of the backup data corresponding to the application program, and suppressing the display of the creation time of the backup data stored in the third logical volume.