Storage device management method, system and program

• US 7,246,105 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2003
• Issued: 07/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Shimada, Naoki, Aoshima, Tatsundo, Takeda, Kei, Numanoi, Tadashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong; Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown; Sheree N
• Application Number:
  US10/366,554
• Publication Number:
  US 20030220899A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,614 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/103, 707/8, 707/204, 709/200, 709/223, 709/213, 711/100, 702/179
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/061 Improving I/O performance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0649 Lifecycle management
• 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 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/147 for predicting network behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5012 determining service availability, e.g. which services are available at a certain point in time
• 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: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation

Abstract

Use situations of storage devices utilizing a storage area network (SAN) are predicted and the devices are automatically managed on the basis of the predicted results. To manage the devices utilizing the SAN, there is established the policy prescribing actions each executed when some object to be judged satisfies some condition with regard to storage devices. Information concerning use situations of the devices is collected and a value of an object to be judged of the policy is calculated based on collected information to judge whether the value of the object to be judged satisfies a condition of the policy. When the condition is satisfied, the action of the policy is executed. The objects to be judged of the policy may be actual result values in the past, current values or prediction values in the future relative to use capacity of storages, the number of I/O operations of disk or fragmentation.

Claims

1. A method for managing data processed in an information processing system having a management computer, a plurality of server computers and a plurality of storage systems coupled to the server computers via a network, the server computers sending data to at least one of the storage systems, the method comprising:

displaying, on the management computer, configuration information depicting the server computers, at least one switch in the network, the storage systems and the network coupling the server computers and the storage systems via the at least one switch;

defining, by input to the management computer, a data movement condition to trigger movement of data to be processed by at least one of the server computers and at least one of the storage systems in the configuration information displayed on the management computer, the data movement condition including that the data is stored for a certain period of time;

identifying data that satisfies the data movement condition;

moving the identified data that satisfies the data movement condition from a storage area to another storage area, the storage area and the another storage area relating to one or more disks in the storage systems in the configuration information displayed on the management computer;

defining, by input to the management computer, a data compression condition to trigger compression of data to be processed by at least one of the server computers and at least one of the storage systems in the configuration information displayed on the management computer,

identifying data that satisfies the data compression condition; and

compressing the identified data that satisfies the data compression condition.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the period of time is a period of time in which the data is monitored for identifying data that satisfies the data movement condition.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data movement condition further includes an access frequency within said period of time.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data movement condition includes a capacity of a storage area in a storage system at an end of the period of time, and wherein the method further comprises obtaining prediction capacity values for each of a plurality of storage areas each corresponding to one of the storage systems, such that the identifying step identifies a storage area satisfying the data movement condition based on the prediction capacity values, and the moving step moves data from the identified storage area to the another storage area.

16. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data movement condition is defined for data of a certain file that satisfies another condition.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data movement condition is defined for data of a plurality of certain files that satisfy another condition.

37. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

issuing a command targeted to at least one of the storage systems based on the identifying step for identifying data that satisfies the data movement condition;

wherein the moving step is processed in response to the command.

38. A method according to claim 1, wherein the network is a Storage Area Network (SAN).

5. A method for managing data processed in an information processing system having a management computer, a plurality of server computers and a plurality of storage systems coupled to the server computers via a network, the server computers sending data to at least one of the storage systems, the method comprising:

displaying, on the management computer, a configuration describing the server computers, at least one switch in the network and the storage systems;

being set, by input to the management computer, a data deletion condition to trigger deletion of data that is processed by at least one of the server computers and at least one of the storage systems in the configuration displayed on the management computer, the data deletion condition including that the data is stored for a certain period of time;

identifying data that satisfies the data deletion condition;

deleting the identified data that satisfies the data deletion condition from a storage area, which relates to at least one disk in the at least one of the storage systems and stores the identified data,

being set, by input to the management computer, a data compression condition to trigger compression of data that is processed by at least one of the server computers and at least one of the storage systems in the configuration displayed on the management computer,

identifying, data that satisfies the data compression condition; and

compressing the identified data that satisfies the data compression condition.

18. A method according to claim 5, wherein the data deletion condition is set for data of a certain file that satisfies another condition.

19. A method according to claim 5, wherein the data deletion condition is set for data of a plurality of certain files that satisfy another condition.

39. A method according to claim 5, further comprising:

issuing a command targeted to at least one of the storage systems based on the identifying step for identifying data that satisfies the data deletion condition;

wherein the deleting step is processed in response to the command.

40. A method according to claim 5, wherein the network is a Storage Area Network (SAN).

6. A method for managing one or more files in an information processing system having a management computer, a plurality of server computers and a plurality of storage systems coupled to the server computers via a network, the server computers sending data to at least one of the storage systems, the method comprising:

displaying, on the management computer, a configuration depicting the server computers, at least one switch in the network, the storage systems and a plurality of paths being used to couple among the server computers, the at least one switch and the storage systems;

being inputted, on the management computer, a file deletion condition to trigger deletion of a file from at least one of the storage systems in the configuration displayed on the management computer, the file deletion condition including that the file is stored for a certain period of time;

identifying at least one file that satisfies the file deletion condition;

deleting the data corresponding to the identified file from the at least one of the storage systems in the configuration displayed on the management computer;

being inputted, on the management computer, a file compression condition to trigger compression of a file to be processed by at least one of the server computers and at least one of the storage systems in the configuration displayed on the management computer,

identifying at least one file that satisfies the file compression condition; and

compressing data corresponding to the identified file that satisfies the data compression condition.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the file deletion condition includes a rate of a use capacity of a storage area in one of the storage systems, such that the identifying step of the file deletion condition identifies the at least one file stored in a storage area that exceeds the rate of a use capacity, and the deleting step deletes the data corresponding to the identified file from the storage area.

20. A method according to claim 6, wherein the file deletion condition is inputted for a certain file that satisfies another condition.

21. A method according to claim 6, wherein the file deletion condition is inputted for a plurality of certain files that satisfy another condition.

41. A method according to claim 6, further comprising:

issuing a command targeted to at least one of the storage systems based on the identifying step identifying at least one file that satisfies the file deletion condition;

wherein the deleting step is processed in response to the command.

42. A method according to claim 6, wherein the network is a Storage Area Network (SAN).

8. An information processing system, comprising:

a plurality of storage systems coupled to a network and having a plurality of storage areas related to one or more disks,

a plurality of server computers coupled to the storage systems via the network and sending data to at least one of the storage systems via the network, and

a management computer coupled to the server computers and the storage systems,

wherein the management computer displays configuration information depicting the server computers, at least one switch in the network and the storage systems;

wherein, if the management computer receives a data movement condition to trigger movement of data to be processed by at least one of the server computers and at least one of the storage systems in the configuration information displayed on the management computer, the management computer stores the data movement condition, the data movement condition including that the data is stored for a certain period of time;

wherein the storage systems move an identified data that satisfies the data movement condition from one of the storage areas to another one of the storage areas after spending the certain period of time,

wherein, if the management computer receives a data compression condition to trigger compression of data to be processed by at least one of the server computers and at least one of the storage systems in the configuration information displayed on the management computer, the management computer stores the data compression condition;

wherein at least one of the server computers and the storage systems compresses an identified data that satisfies the data compression condition.

9. An information processing system according to claim 8, wherein the period of time is a period of time in which the data is monitored for identification of data that satisfies the data movement condition.

10. An information processing system according to claim 8, wherein the data movement condition includes an access frequency within the period of time.

11. An information processing system according to claim 8, wherein the data movement condition includes a capacity of a storage area of one of the storage systems at an end of the period of time, wherein the computer obtains prediction capacity values for each of a plurality of storage areas of the storage systems, and wherein at least either the computer or at least one of the server computers identifies at least one storage area of one of the storage systems satisfying the data movement condition based on the prediction capacity values, and moves data from the identified storage area to another storage area.

12. An information processing system according to claim 8, wherein at least either the computer or at least one of the server computers has a plurality of programs and a memory which stores link information of each of the programs, and at least either the computer or at least one of the server computers identifies necessary programs to issue a command based on the link information, the command targeted to at least one of the storage systems based on the identification of data that satisfies the data movement condition.

22. An information processing system according to claim 8, wherein the data movement condition is defined for data of a certain file that satisfies another condition.

23. An information processing system according to claim 8, wherein the data movement condition is defined for data of a plurality of certain files that satisfy another condition.

43. An information processing system according to claim 8, wherein at least either the management computer or at least one of the server computers identifies data that satisfies the data movement condition;

and issues a command targeted to at least one of the storage systems based on the identification of data that satisfies the data movement condition; and

wherein the at least one of the storage systems moves the identified data that satisfies the data movement condition in response to the command.

44. A method according to claim 8, wherein the network is a Storage Area Network (SAN).

13. An information processing system, comprising:

a plurality of storage systems coupled to a network and having a plurality of storage areas related to a plurality of disks,

a plurality of server computers coupled to the storage systems via the network and sending data to at least one of the storage systems via the network, and

a management computer coupled to the server computers and the storage systems,

wherein the management computer displays configuration information describing the server computers, at least one switch in the network, the storage systems and a plurality of paths being used to couple among the server computers, the at least one switch and the storage systems,

wherein the management computer is inputted with a data deletion condition to trigger deletion of data processed by at least one of the server computers and at least one of the storage systems in the configuration information displayed on the management computer;

wherein the storage systems delete an identified data that satisfies the data deletion condition based on identifying data that satisfies the data deletion condition;

wherein the management computer is inputted with a data compression condition to trigger compression of data processed by at least one of the server computers and at least one of the storage systems in the configuration information displayed on the management computer, and

wherein at least one of the server computers and the storage systems compresses an identified data that satisfies the data compression condition based on identifying data that satisfies the data compression condition.

24. An information processing system according to claim 13, wherein the data deletion condition is inputted for data of a certain file that satisfies another condition.

25. An information processing system according to claim 13, wherein the data deletion condition is inputted for data of a plurality of certain files that satisfy another condition.

45. An information processing system according to claim 13, wherein at least either the management computer or at least one of the server computers identifies data that satisfies the data deletion condition;

and issues a command targeted to at least one of the storage systems based on the identification of data that satisfies the data deletion condition; and

wherein the at least one of the storage systems deletes the identified data that satisfies the data deletion condition in response to the command.

46. A method according to claim 13, wherein the network is a Storage Area Network (SAN).

14. An information processing system for managing one or more files, comprising:

a plurality of storage systems coupled to a network and having a plurality of storage areas related to a plurality of disks,

a plurality of server computers coupled to the storage systems via the network and sending data to at least one of the storage systems via the network, and

a management computer coupled to the server computers and the storage systems,

wherein the management computer displays a configuration depicting the server computers, at least one switch in the network and the storage systems;

wherein the management computer is set with a file deletion condition to trigger deletion of at least one file to be processed by at least one of the server computers and at least one of the storage systems in the configuration displayed on the management computer, the file deletion condition including that the at least one file is stored for a certain period of time;

wherein the storage systems delete the data of one or more identified files from the one or more of the storage systems after the certain period of time, the one or more identified files satisfying the file deletion condition;

wherein of the management computer is set with a file compression condition to trigger file compression; and

wherein at least one of the server computers and the storage systems compresses data of one or more identified files that satisfy the file compression condition.

15. An information processing system according to claim 14, wherein the file deletion condition includes a rate of a use capacity of a storage system, such that at least either the management computer or at least one of the server computers identifies the one or more files corresponding to data stored in at least one storage system that exceeds the rate of a use capacity.

26. An information processing system according to claim 14, wherein the file deletion condition is set for a certain file that satisfies another condition.

27. An information processing system according to claim 14, wherein the file deletion condition is set for a plurality of certain files that satisfy another condition.

47. An information processing system according to claim 14, wherein at least either the management computer or at least one of the server computers identifies one or more files that satisfies the file deletion condition;

and issues a command targeted to at least one of the storage systems based on the identification of the one or more files that satisfies the file deletion condition; and

wherein the at least one of the storage systems deletes the one or more identified files that satisfies the file deletion condition in response to the command.

48. A method according to claim 14, wherein the network is a Storage Area Network (SAN).

28. A method for managing data processed in an information processing system having a management computer, a plurality of server computers and a plurality of storages coupled to the server computers via a network, the server computers sending data to at least one of the storages the method comprising:

displaying, on the management computer, configuration information describing the server computers, at least one switch in the network and the storages;

being set, by input to the management computer, a data movement condition to trigger movement of data to be processed by at least one of the server computers and at least one of the storages in the configuration information displayed on the management computer, the data movement condition including that the data is stored for a period of time in which the data is monitored;

moving an identified data that satisfies the data movement condition between a plurality of storage areas related to a plurality of disks in the storages after the period of time,

being set, by input to the management computer, data compression condition to trigger compression of data to be processed by at least one of the server computers and at least one of the storages in the configuration information displayed on the management computer; and

compressing an identified data that satisfies the data compression condition.

29. A method according to claim 28, wherein the data movement condition is set for data of a certain file that satisfies another condition.

30. A method according to claim 28, wherein the data movement condition is set for data of a plurality of certain files that satisfy another condition.

49. A method according to claim 28, further comprising:

identifying data that satisfies the data movement condition, and

issuing a command targeted to at least one of the storages based on the identification of the data that satisfies the file deletion condition;

wherein the moving step is processed in response to the command.

50. A method according to claim 28, wherein the network is a Storage Area Network (SAN).

31. A method for managing data processed in an information processing system having a management computer, a plurality of server computers and a plurality of storage systems coupled to the server computers via a network, the server computers sending data to at least one of the storage systems, the method comprising:

displaying, on the management computer, configuration information depicting the server computers, at least one switch in the network, the storage systems and a plurality of paths being used to couple among the server computers, the at least one switch in the network and the storage systems;

being inputted, by input to the management computer, a data movement condition to trigger movement of data to be processed by at least one of the server computers and at least one of the storage systems in the configuration information displayed on the management computer;

identifying data that satisfies the data movement condition;

moving the identified data from a storage area to another storage area, the storage area and the another storage area relating to one or more disks in the storage systems in the configuration information displayed on the management computer;

being inputted, by the management computer, a data compression condition to trigger compression of data to be processed by at least one of the server computers and at least one of the storage systems in the configuration information displayed on the management computer;

identifying, data that satisfies the data compression condition; and

compressing the identified data that satisfies the data compression condition.

32. A method according to claim 31, further comprising:

being inputted, by using the management computer, a data deletion condition to trigger deletion of data to be processed by at least one of the server computers and at least one of the storage systems in the configuration information displayed on the management computer;

identifying data that satisfies the data deletion condition; and

deleting the identified data that satisfies the data deletion condition.

33. A method according to claim 31, wherein:

the data movement condition includes that the data is stored for a certain period of time.

34. A method according to claim 31, further comprising:

being inputted, by the management computer, a data deletion condition to trigger deletion of data to be processed by at least one of the server computers and at least one of the storage systems in the configuration information displayed on the management computer;

wherein the data deletion condition includes that the data is stored for a certain period of time.

35. A method according to claim 31, wherein:

the data compression condition includes that the data is stored for a certain period of time.

51. A method according to claim 31, further comprising:

issuing a command targeted to at least one of the storage systems based on the identifying step;

wherein the moving step is processed in response to the command.

52. A method according to claim 31, wherein the network is a Storage Area Network (SAN).

36. A method for managing one or more files processed in an information processing system having a management computer, a plurality of server computers and a plurality of storage systems coupled to the server computers via a network, the server computers sending data to at least one of the storage systems, the method comprising:

displaying, on the management computer, a configuration describing the server computers, at least one switch in the network and the storage systems;

being inputted, by input to the management computer, a file deletion condition to trigger deletion of at least one file to be processed by at least one of the server computers and at least one of the storage systems in the configuration displayed on the management computer;

identifying one or more files that satisfy the file deletion condition;

deleting data corresponding to the identified files that satisfy the file deletion condition from the one or more of the storage systems;

being inputted, by input to the management computer, a file compression condition to trigger compression of at least one file to be processed by at least one of the server computers and at least one of the storage systems in the configuration displayed on the management computer,

identifying one or more files that satisfy the file compression condition; and

compressing data corresponding to the identified files that satisfy the file compression condition.

53. A method according to claim 36, further comprising:

issuing a command, targeted to at least one of the storage systems based on the identifying step;

wherein the deleting step is processed in response to the command.

54. A method according to claim 36, wherein the network is a Storage Area Network (SAN).