Method for creation and management of virtual volumes for DBMs

• US 7,136,862 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2003
• Issued: 11/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Mogi, Kazuhiko, Nishikawa, Norifumi, Idei, Hideomi, Nomoto, Toyohiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Corrielus, Jean M.
• Application Number:
  US10/387,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20040054648A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,344 Days
• Field of Search: 707/100, 707/200
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/21 Design, administration or maintenance of databases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

There is a strong demand for facilitation of management of storage region for DB data is required in a computer system combining an apparatus having the DBMS and virtualization function and software. In order to realize such requirement, the requirements for system management regarding a newly created DB and the information about the function to be set for the DB data are given to a system management server. The system management server detects a data structure of DB from such information and sends independently instructions to virtualization apparatuses to create virtual volumes or the like to which the data of each data structure is stored separately and set the function to the virtual volume as required. Thereafter, the system management server also issues an instruction to the DBMS to create a DB to store the data of data structure to the corresponding virtual volume.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a computer to operate a database management system;

a storage unit to store a database;

a data transfer section which is connected between said computer and said storage unit to control data transfer between said computer and said storage unit and to provide a virtual volume by utilizing a storage region provided by said storage unit; and

a system management server which obtains schema information when said database is created by management of system and issues an instruction to said database management system and said data transfer section to perform storage region management processing of said database based on said schema information.

2. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein said data transfer section is realized with a program executed by said computer.

3. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein said computer is identical to said system management server.

4. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein said system management server includes said data transfer section.

5. A system management server used in a computer system comprising:

a computer to operate a database management system;

a storage unit to store a database; and

a data transfer section connected between said computer and said storage unit to control transfer of data between said computer and said storage unit and dynamically create and provide a virtual volume using a storage region provided by said storage unit whereby

said system management server obtains schema information when said database is created by management of system and issues an instruction to said database management system and said data transfer section to perform storage region management processing of said database based on said schema information, and

said system management server issues an instruction to said data transfer section to create said virtual volume as said storage region management process of database and also issues an instruction to said database management system to assign said virtual volume created for said database management system to a data structure for storage region management of said database.

6. A system management server used in a computer system comprising:

a computer to operate a database management system;

a storage unit to store a database; and

a data transfer section connected between said computer and said storage unit to control transfer of data between said computer and said storage unit and dynamically create and provide a virtual volume using a storage region provided by said storage unit whereby

said system management server obtains schema information when said database is created by management of system, and issues an instruction to said database management system and said data transfer section to perform storage region management processing of said database based on said schema information, and

said system management server issues an instruction to said data transfer section to create said virtual volume as said storage region management process of database and also issues an instruction to said database management system to assign said virtual volume created for said database management system to a data structure for storage region management of said database,

wherein said system management server issues an instruction to assign, when said database is created, said virtual volume created for said data structure for storage region management of database to said database management system together with the schema information of said database.

7. A system management server according to claim 6, wherein said system management server assigns the data of said database so that said virtual volume holds only a data structure of said database.

8. A system management server according to claim 6, wherein

said data transfer section has a data mirroring function to create a mirror of data, and said system management server obtains mirroring function setting information to determine whether said data mirroring function should be used or not for data structures of said database and sets said data mirroring function to said virtual volume based on said mirroring function setting information after creation of said virtual volume is instructed to said data transfer section.

9. A system management server used for a computer system comprising;

a computer to operate a database management system;

a storage unit to store a database; and

a data transfer section connected between said computer and said storage unit, having the functions for controlling transfer of data between said computer and said storage unit, dynamically providing a virtual volume using a storage region provided by said storage unit and dynamically expanding the storage region assigned to said virtual volume,

whereby said system management server obtains schema information when the database is created by management of system and issues an instruction to said database management system and said data transfer section to perform storage region management processing of said database based on said schema information; and

system management server issues an instruction to said data transfer section to expand the storage region of said virtual volume as said storage region management processing of said database.

10. A computer system comprising:

a computer to operate a database management system;

a storage unit connected to said computer and provided with a hard disk drive to provide a logical storage unit to said computer and a convert storing location in said logical unit used at a time of access to a storing location of said hard disk drive; and

a system management server which obtains schema information when a database is created by management of system and issues an instruction to said database management system and said storage unit to perform storage region management processing of said database based on said schema information.

11. A computer system comprising:

a computer to operate a database management system;

a storage unit connected to said computer and provided with a hard disk drive to provide a logical storage unit to said computer and a convert storing location in said logical unit used at a time of access to a storing location of said hard disk drive; and

a system management server which obtains schema information when a database is created by management of system and issues an instruction to said database management system and said storage unit to perform storage region management processing of said database based on said schema information, wherein said storage unit dynamically creates said logical storage unit and said system management server issues an instruction to said storage unit to create said logical storage unit as said storage region management processing of said database and also issues an instruction to said database management system to assign said created logical storage unit to data structure for storage region management of said database.

12. A computer system according to claim 11, wherein said system management server issues, when said database is created, an instruction to said database management system to assign said logical storage unit created in said data structure for storage region management of database together with said schema information of database.

13. A method of creation and management of virtual volume in a computer system comprising a computer to operate a database management system, a storage unit, a data transfer section connected between said computer and said storage unit to control transfer of data between said computer and said storage unit and a system management server for management of system, wherein said data transfer section provides a virtual volume using a storage region provided from said storage unit, wherein:

said system management server obtains, when a database is created, schema information thereof and issues an instruction of creation and management process of said virtual volume used for the storage region of said database to said data transfer section based on said schema information.

14. A method of creation and management of virtual volume in a computer system comprising a computer to operate a database management system, a storage unit, a data transfer section connected between said computer and said storage unit to control transfer of data between said computer and said storage unit and a system management server for management of system, wherein said data transfer section provides a virtual volume using a storage region provided from said storage unit, wherein:

said system management server obtains, when a database is created, schema information thereof and issues an instruction of creation and management process of said virtual volume used for the storage region of said database to said data transfer section based on said schema information, wherein functions of said data transfer section are realized with programs to be executed by said computer.

15. A method of creation and management of virtual volume according to claim 14, wherein said data transfer section has a function to dynamically create said virtual volume and said system management server issues an instruction to said data transfer section to create said virtual volume and also issues an instruction to said database management system to assign said created virtual volume to data structure of storage for region management of said database.

16. A method of creation and management of a logical storage unit in a computer system comprising a computer to operate a database management system, a storage unit connected to said computer and a system management server for management of system, wherein said storage unit includes a hard disk drive, provides a logical storage unit for said computer and converts a storing location of said logical storage unit used for access to a storing location of said hard disk drive, wherein;

said system management server obtains, when a database is created, the schema information thereof and issues an instruction to said storage unit to perform creation and management of said logical storage unit used for a storage region of said database based on said schema information.

17. A method of creation and management of a logical storage unit in a computer system comprising a computer to operate a database management system, a storage unit connected to said computer and a system management server for management of system, wherein said storage unit includes a hard disk drive, provides a logical storage unit for said computer and converts a storing location of said logical storage unit used for access to a storing location of said hard disk drive, wherein;

said system management server obtains, when a database is created, the schema information thereof and issues an instruction to said storage unit to perform creation and management of said logical storage unit used for a storage region of said database based on said schema information, wherein said storage unit has a function to dynamically create said logical storage unit and said system management server issues an instruction to said storage unit to create said logical storage unit and also issues an instruction to said database management system to assign said created logical storage unit to data structure for storage region management of said database together with said schema information of database.

18. A method of creation and management of logical storage unit according to claim 17, wherein said storage unit has a data mirroring function to create a mirror of data and said system management server obtains the mirroring function setting information to determine whether a data mirroring function should be used or not for data structures of said database and sets, after issuing an instruction to said storage unit to create said logical storage unit, said data mirroring function to said logical storage unit based on said mirroring function setting information.

19. A method of creation and management of file in a computer system comprising a computer to operate a database management system, a storage unit connected to said computer and a system management server for management of system, wherein said storage unit includes hard disk drives, has a data mirroring function to create a mirror of data, provides a storage region to said computer as a file and converts a storing location in said file used for access to a storing location of said hard disk drives, wherein

said system management server obtains, when a database is created, schema information thereof, obtains a mirroring function setting information to determine whether the data mirroring function should be used or not for data structures of said database, and issues an instruction to said storage unit to perform said creation and management of files used for said storage region of database based on said schema information and said mirroring function setting information.

20. A computer system, comprising:

a computer configured to operate a database management system;

a storage unit including a plurality of storage devices, a storage controller to control access the storage devices by the computer, the storage devices being used to provide a database that is defined according to given schema information;

a data transfer section coupling said computer and said storage unit to control data transfer between said computer and said storage unit, the data transfer section configured to provide a virtual volume that is defined by one or more logical units, the one or more logical units being defined by one or more storage devices in the storage unit; and

a system management server configured to receive a request to create a new database, the request including function information and schema information corresponding to the new database to be created,

wherein the system management server is configured to issue instructions to said database management system of the computer and said data transfer section in response to the request, and

wherein the instructions includes a first instruction to the data transfer section to create a new virtual volume according to the request and a second instruction to the database management system to create the new database, the new database being associated with the new virtual volume.

21. A computer system according to claim 20, wherein said data transfer section is realized with a program executed by said computer, said data transfer section being a virtualization switch.

22. A computer system according to claim 20, wherein said computer and said system management server are the same.

23. A computer system according to claim 20, wherein said system management server includes said data transfer section.

24. A system management server provided in a computer system,

wherein the computer system includes:

a computer to operate a database management system,

a storage unit including a plurality of storage devices, a storage controller to control the storage devices, the storage devices being used to provide a database that is defined according to given schema information, and

a virtualization switch coupling said computer and said storage unit to control transfer of data between said computer and said storage unit and dynamically create a virtual volume using the storage devices provided by said storage unit, the virtual volume being defined by one or more logical units, the one or more logical units being defined by the storage devices,

wherein said system management server is configured to receive a request to define a new database, the request including schema information relating to the new database to be created,

wherein the system management server is configured to issue, in response to the request, a first instruction to the virtualization switch to define a new virtual volume according to the request and a second instruction to the database management system to create the new database according to the schema information, the new database being associated with the new virtual volume.

25. A system management server according to claim 24, wherein said schema information relates to information needed to manage the new database and includes data structure definition and data location information.

26. A system management server according to claim 25, wherein said virtual volume is configured to be associated with only data structure of said new database.

27. A system management server according to claim 25, wherein the request to the system management server includes function information as well as the schema information, the function information relating to one or more database functions associated with the virtual volume, the one or more database functions including a data mirroring function.

28. A system management server according to claim 24, wherein said virtualization switch is configured to perform a data mirroring function to provide a mirror copy of data, wherein the system management server obtains mirroring function setting information to determine whether or not said data mirroring function should be used for the data structure of said new database, wherein the system management server causes said data mirroring function to be associated with said new virtual volume based on said mirroring function setting information once said new virtual volume has been defined by said virtualization switch.

29. A system management server provided in a computer system,

wherein the computer system includes:

a computer to operate a database management system,

a storage unit including a plurality of storage devices, a storage controller to control access to the storage devices by the computer, the storage devices being used to provide one or more databases, and

a virtualization switch coupling said computer and said storage unit to control transfer of data between said computer and said storage unit, the switch being configured to dynamically provide a virtual volume using a storage region provided by said storage unit and dynamically expand the storage region assigned to said virtual volume,

wherein the system management server is configured to receive a request to create a new database, the request including schema information corresponding to the new database to be created,

wherein the system manager server is configured to issue instructions to said database management system of the computer and said data transfer section in response to the request, the instructions including a first instruction to the virtualization switch to create a new virtual volume according to the request and a second instruction to the database management system to associate a data structure of the new database to the new virtual volume, and

wherein the system manager server is configured to issue an instruction to said virtualization switch to expand a storage region assigned to the new virtual volume.

30. The system manager server of claim 29, wherein the request includes function information.

31. The system manager server of claim 30, wherein the function information relates to one or more database functions associated with the virtual volume, the one or more database functions including a data mirroring function.

32. The system manager server of claim 30, wherein the computer is a host computer including a volume manager that presents a logical volume to the database management system, the logical volume being defined by one or more virtual volume.

33. A method for operating a storage system including a host to operate a database management system, a storage unit, a virtualization switch, and a system management server, the storage unit including a plurality of storage devices, a storage controller to control access to the storage devices, the storage devices being used to provide one or more databases, the virtualization switch coupling said host and said storage unit and configured to control data transfer between said host and said storage unit, the virtualization switch being configured to provide a virtual volume that is defined by one or more logical units, the one or more logical units being defined by one or more storage devices in the storage unit, the method comprising:

receiving a request to create a new database, the request including schema information on the new database to be created;

issuing a first instruction to the virtualization switch to define a virtual volume according to the request; and

issuing a second instruction to the host to create the new database, the new database being associated with the virtual volume defined by the virtualization switch.

34. A method of claim 33, further comprising;

setting management information needed to create the new database according to the request;

determining a configuration of the data structure associated with the database; and

setting one or more database functions to the virtual volume defined by the virtualization switch.

35. A method for operating a storage system including a host to operate a database management system, a storage unit, a virtualization switch, and a system management server, the storage unit including a plurality of storage devices, a storage controller to control access to the storage devices, the storage devices being used to provide one or more databases, the virtualization switch coupling said host and said storage unit and configured to control data transfer between said host and said storage unit, the virtualization switch being configured to provide a virtual volume that is defined by one or more logical units, the one or more logical units being defined by one or more storage devices in the storage unit, the method comprising:

receiving a request to create a new database, the request including schema information on the new database to be created;

issuing a first instruction to the virtualization switch to define a virtual volume according to the request; and

issuing a second instruction to the host to create the new database, the new database being associated with the virtual volume defined by the virtualization switch, wherein said virtualization switch is configured to dynamically create said new virtual volume, and said system management server is configured to issue an instruction to said virtualization switch to define the virtual volume and issue an instruction to said database management system to assign the virtual volume defined by the virtualization switch to data structure of said database.

36. A method of creation and management of a logical storage unit in a computer system comprising a computer to operate a database management system, a storage unit connected to said computer and a system management server for management of system, wherein said storage unit includes a hard disk drive that is used to provide a logical storage unit for said computer and converts a first storage address of said logical storage unit to a second storage address of said hard disk drive, the method comprising:

receiving a first request from a virtualization component to create a new logical unit as part of a virtual data structure to be defined, the virtual data structure comprising a logical unit mapped to the hard disk drive and a virtual volume mapped to the logical unit that is mapped to the hard disk drive; and

creating the new logical unit according to schema information provided by the virtualization component,

wherein one or more database functions are associated with the virtual data structure.

37. A method of creation and management of a logical storage unit in a computer system comprising a computer to operate a database management system, a storage unit connected to said computer and a system management server for management of system, wherein said storage unit includes a hard disk drive that is used to provide a logical storage unit for said computer and converts a first storage address of said logical storage unit to a second storage address of said hard disk drive, the method comprising:

receiving a first request from a virtualization component to create a new logical unit as part of a virtual data structure to be defined, the virtual data structure comprising a logical unit mapped to the hard disk drive and a virtual volume mapped to the logical unit that is mapped to the hard disk drive; and

creating the new logical unit according to schema information provided by the virtualization component,

wherein one or more database functions are associated with the virtual data structure, wherein said storage unit is configured to dynamically create said logical storage unit, wherein said the virtualization component couples the storage unit and the computer to control a data transfer between the storage unit and the computer.

38. A method of creation and management of logical storage unit according to claim 37, wherein said storage unit has a data mirroring function, the method comprising associating the data mirroring function to the new logical unit by the storage unit.