Remote storage disk control device and method for controlling the same

• US 7,363,461 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2006
• Issued: 04/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Suzuki, Toru, Kasako, Naohisa, Kondo, Shuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Peugh; Brian R.
• Application Number:
  US11/492,892
• Publication Number:
  US 20060282632A1
• Time in Patent Office: 636 Days
• Field of Search: 711/202, 711/112
• US Class Current: 711/202
• 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. The information processing device 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. When the first data written in the first storage volume is an instruction to the second storage device, the first 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. The second storage device executes the first instruction set in the first data written in the second storage volume.

Claims

1. A storage system, comprising:

a first storage device coupled to a first information processing device and having a first disk controller and a plurality of first disk drives, said first disk controller forming a first logical volume related to a first portion of said first disk drives and forming a second logical volume related to a second portion of said first disk drives; and

a second storage device coupled to said first storage device and having a second disk controller and a plurality of second disk drives, said second disk controller forming a third logical volume related to a third portion of said second disk drives and forming a fourth logical volume related to a fourth portion of said second disk drives;

wherein said first disk controller and said second disk controller manage functions of said first logical volume, said second logical volume, said third logical volume and said fourth logical volume,

wherein said first disk controller and said second disk controller perform a first asynchronous remote copy process according to a first status in which

said first logical volume functions as a primary logical volume which stores data sent from said first information processing device,

said second logical volume functions as a logical volume which stores data, corresponding to updated data stored in said first logical volume as said primary logical volume and to be transferred to said second storage device,

said fourth logical volume functions as an auxiliary logical volume, which forms a pair relationship with said first logical volume as said primary logical volume and stores data corresponding to data stored in said first logical volume as said primary logical volume, and

said third logical volume functions as a logical volume which stores data corresponding to at least one data of said fourth logical volume as said auxiliary logical volume,

wherein said first disk controller and said second disk controller perform a second asynchronous remote copy process according to a second status in which

said fourth logical volume functions as a primary logical volume which stores data,

said third logical volume functions as a logical volume which stores data, corresponding to updated data stored in said fourth logical volume as said primary logical volume and to be transferred to said first storage device,

said first logical volume functions as an auxiliary logical volume, which forms a pair relationship with said fourth logical volume as said primary logical volume and stores data corresponding to data stored in said fourth logical volume as said primary logical volume, and

said second logical volume functions as a logical volume which stores data corresponding to at least one data of said first logical volume as said auxiliary logical volume,

wherein said first disk controller and said second disk controller are changed from said first status to said second status based on one or more commands.

2. A storage system according to claim 1, wherein:

said first disk controller manages a plurality of regions in said second logical volume which store data, which will be transferred from said second logical volume to said second storage device, by using at least one pointer during said first status of said storage system.

3. A storage system according to claim 1, wherein:

said second disk controller manages a plurality of regions in said third logical volume during said first status of said storage system.

4. A storage system according to claim 1, wherein:

said first disk controller manages a plurality of regions in said second logical volume which store data, which will be transferred from said second logical volume to said second storage device, during said first status of said storage system, and

said regions in said second logical volume include a plurality of regions in which said data sent from said first information processing device are stored by said first disk controller.

5. A storage system according to claim 1, wherein:

said second disk controller manages a plurality of regions in said third logical volume in which said data corresponding to said at least one data of said fourth logical volume as said auxiliary logical volume are stored, during said first status of said storage system.

6. A storage system according to claim 1, wherein:

said data stored in said second logical volume is appended an update information, which is used to maintain a consistency when said data stored in said first logical volume as said primary logical volume are stored in said fourth logical volume as said auxiliary logical volume.

7. A storage system according to claim 1, wherein:

said second logical volume functions as a journal volume in which a journal data is stored.

8. A storage system according to claim 1, wherein:

said one or more commands are targeted to said second storage device.

9. A storage system according to claim 1, wherein:

said second logical volume repeatedly stores data corresponding to each updated data stored in said first logical volume as said primary logical volume and one or more data stored in said second logical volume are repeatedly transferred to said second storage device during said first asynchronous remote copy process.

10. A storage system, comprising:

a first storage device coupled to a first information processing device and having a first disk controller and a plurality of first disk drives, said first disk controller forming a first logical volume related to a first portion of said first disk drives and forming a second logical volume related to a second portion of said first disk drives; and

a second storage device coupled to a second information processing device and said first storage device and having a second disk controller and a plurality of second disk drives, said second disk controller forming a third logical volume related to a third portion of said second disk drives and forming a fourth logical volume related to a fourth portion of said second disk drives;

wherein said first disk controller and said second disk controller perform a first asynchronous remote copy process according to a first status in which

said first logical volume functions as a primary logical volume which stores data sent from said first information processing device,

said second logical volume functions as a logical volume which stores data, corresponding to updated data stored in said first logical volume as said primary logical volume and to be transferred to said second storage device,

said fourth logical volume functions as an auxiliary logical volume, which forms a pair relationship with said first logical volume as said primary logical volume and stores data corresponding to data stored in said first logical volume as said primary logical volume, and

said third logical volume functions as a logical volume which stores data corresponding to at least one data of said forth logical volume as said auxiliary logical volume,

wherein said first disk controller and said second disk controller perform a second asynchronous remote copy process according to a second status in which

said fourth logical volume functions as a primary logical volume which stores data sent from said second information processing device,

said third logical volume functions as a logical volume which stores data, corresponding to updated data stored in said fourth logical volume as said primary logical volume and to be transferred to said first storage device,

said first logical volume functions as an auxiliary logical volume, which forms a pair relationship with said fourth logical volume as said primary logical volume and stores data corresponding to data stored in said fourth logical volume as said primary logical volume, and

said second logical volume functions as a logical volume which stores data corresponding to at least one data of said first logical volume as said auxiliary logical volume, and

wherein said first disk controller and said second disk controller change said first status to said second status if said first information processing device has a failure.

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

said first disk controller manages a plurality of regions in said second logical volume which store data, which will be transferred from said second logical volume to said second storage device, by using at least one pointer during said first status of said storage system.

12. A storage system according to claim 10, wherein:

said second disk controller manages a plurality of regions in said third logical volume during said first status of said storage system.

13. A storage system according to claim 10, wherein:

said first controller manages a plurality of regions in said second logical volume which store data, which will be transferred from said second logical volume to said second storage device, during said first status of said storage system, and

said regions in said second logical volume include a plurality of regions in which said data sent from said first information processing device are stored by said first disk controller.

14. A storage system according to claim 10, wherein:

said second disk controller manages a plurality of regions in said third logical volume in which said data corresponding to said at least one data of said fourth logical volume as said auxiliary logical volume are stored, during said first status of said storage system.

15. A storage system according to claim 10, wherein:

said second logical volume repeatedly stores data corresponding to each updated data stored in said first logical volume as said primary logical volume and one or more data stored in said second logical volume are repeatedly transferred to said second storage device during said first asynchronous remote copy process.

16. A storage system according to claim 10, wherein:

said first disk controller and said second disk controller change said first status to said second status if at least one of said first disk controller and. said second disk controller receives at least one command to be sent from said second information processing device.

17. A storage system according to claim 16, wherein:

said second disk controller, based on said at least one command, changes said fourth logical volume functioning as said auxiliary logical volume to said fourth logical volume functioning as said primary logical volume and changes said third logical volume functioning as said logical volume, which stores data corresponding to at least one data of said forth logical volume as said auxiliary logical volume, to said third logical volume functioning as said logical volume which stores data, corresponding to updated data stored in said fourth logical volume as said primary logical volume and to be transferred to said first storage device, and

said first disk controller, based on a communication with said second disk controller, changes said first logical volume functioning as said primary logical volume to said first logical volume functioning as said auxiliary logical volume and changes said second logical volume functioning as said logical volume which stores data, corresponding to updated data stored in said first logical volume as said primary logical volume and to be transferred to said second storage device, to said second logical volume functioning as said logical volume which stores data corresponding to at least one data of said first logical volume as said auxiliary logical volume, said communication being processed based on said at least one command.

18. A storage system, comprising:

a first storage device coupled to a first information processing device and having a first disk controller and a plurality of first disk drives, said first disk controller forming a first logical area related to a first portion of said first disk drives and forming a second logical area related to a second portion of said first disk drives; and

a second storage device coupled to said first storage device and having a second disk controller and a plurality of second disk drives, said second disk controller forming a third logical area related to a third portion of said second disk drives and forming a fourth logical area related to a fourth portion of said second disk drives;

wherein said first disk controller and said second disk controller perform a first asynchronous remote copy process according to a first status in which

said first logical area functions as a primary logical volume which stores data sent from said first information processing device,

at least one portion of said second logical area functions as a logical area which stores data, corresponding to updated data stored in said first logical area as said primary logical volume and to be transferred to said second storage device,

said fourth logical area functions as an auxiliary logical volume, which forms a pair relationship with said first logical area as said primary logical volume and which stores data corresponding to data stored in said first logical area as said primary logical volume, and

at least one portion of said third logical area functions as a logical area which stores data corresponding to at least one data of said fourth logical area as said auxiliary logical volume,

wherein said first disk controller and said second disk controller perform a second asynchronous remote copy process according to a second status in which

said fourth logical area functions as a primary logical volume which stores data,

at least one portion of said third logical area functions as a logical area which stores data, corresponding to updated data stored in said fourth logical area as said primary logical volume and to be transferred to said first storage device,

said first logical area functions as an auxiliary logical volume, which forms a pair relationship with said fourth logical area as said primary logical volume and which stores data corresponding to data stored in said fourth logical area as said primary logical volume, and

at least one portion of said second logical area functions as a logical area which stores data corresponding to at least one data of said first logical area as said auxiliary logical volume, and

wherein said first disk controller and said second disk controller change said first status to said second status if at least one of said first disk controller and said second disk controller receives at least one command.

19. A storage system according to claim 18, wherein:

said first disk controller manages a plurality of regions in said second logical area which store data, which will be transferred from said at least one portion of said second logical area to said second storage device, by using at least one pointer during said first status of said storage system.

20. A storage system according to claim 18, wherein:

said second disk controller manages a plurality of regions in said third logical area during said first status of said storage system.

21. A storage system according to claim 18, wherein:

said first disk controller manages a plurality of regions in said second logical area which store data, which will be transferred from said at least one portion of said second logical area to said second storage device, during said first status of said storage system, and

said regions in said second logical area include a plurality of regions in which said data sent from said first information processing device are stored by said first disk controller.

22. A storage system according to claim 18, wherein:

said second disk controller manages a plurality of regions in said third logical area in which said data corresponding to said at least one data of said fourth logical area as said auxiliary logical volume are stored, during said first status of said storage system.

23. A storage system according to claim 18, wherein:

said second logical area repeatedly stores data corresponding to each updated data stored in said first logical area as said primary logical volume and one or more data stored in said second logical area are repeatedly transferred to said second storage device during said first asynchronous remote copy process.

24. A storage system, comprising:

a first storage device coupled to a first information processing device and having a first disk controller and a plurality of first disk drives, said first disk controller forming a first logical area related to a first portion of said first disk drives and forming a second logical area related to a second portion of said first disk drives; and

a second storage device coupled to a second information processing device and said first storage device and having a second disk controller and a plurality of second disk drives, said second disk controller forming a third logical area related to a third portion of said second disk drives and forming a fourth logical area related to a fourth portion of said second disk drives;

wherein said first disk controller and said second disk controller perform a first asynchronous remote copy process according to a first status in which

said first logical area functions as a primary logical volume which stores data sent from said first information processing device,

at least one portion of said second logical area functions as a logical area which stores data, corresponding to an updated data stored in said first logical area as said primary logical volume and to be transferred to said second storage device,

said fourth logical area functions as an auxiliary logical volume, which forms a pair relationship with said first logical area as said primary logical volume and which stores data corresponding to data stored in said first logical area as said primary logical volume,

at least one portion of said third logical area functions as a logical area which stores data corresponding to at least one data of said fourth logical area as said auxiliary logical volume, and

wherein said first disk controller and said second disk controller perform a second asynchronous remote copy process according to a second status in which

said fourth logical area functions as a primary logical volume which stores data sent from said second information processing device,

at least one portion of said third logical area functions as a logical area which stores data, corresponding to an updated data stored in said fourth logical area as said primary logical volume and to be transferred to said first storage device,

said first logical area functions as an auxiliary logical volume, which forms a pair relationship with said fourth logical area as said primary logical volume and which stores data corresponding to data stored in said fourth logical area as said primary logical volume, and

at least one portion of said second logical area functions as a logical area which stores data corresponding to at least one data of said first logical area as said auxiliary logical volume, and

wherein said first disk controller and said second disk controller change said first status to said second status if said first information processing device has a failure.

25. A storage system according to claim 24, wherein:

said first disk controller manages a plurality of regions in said second logical area which store data, which will be transferred from said at least one portion of said second logical area to said second storage device, by using at least one pointer during said first status of said storage system.

26. A storage system according to claim 24, wherein:

said second disk controller manages a plurality of regions in said third logical area during said first status of said storage system.

27. A storage system according to claim 24, wherein:

said first disk controller manages a plurality of regions in said second logical area which store data, which will be transferred from said at least one portion of said second logical area to said second storage device, during said first status of said storage system, and

said regions in said second logical area include a plurality of regions in which said data sent from said first information processing device are stored by said first disk controller.

28. A storage system according to claim 24, wherein:

said second disk controller manages a plurality of regions in said third logical area in which said data corresponding to said at least one data of said fourth logical area as said auxiliary logical volume are stored, during said first status of said storage system.

29. A storage system according to claim 24, wherein:

said second logical area repeatedly stores data corresponding to each updated data stored in said first logical area as said primary logical volume and one or more data stored in said second logical area are repeatedly transferred to said second storage device during said first asynchronous remote copy process.

30. A storage system according to claim 24, wherein:

said first disk controller and said second disk controller change said first status to said second status if at least one of said first disk controller and said second disk controller receives said at least one command to be sent from said second information processing device.

31. A storage system according to claim 30, wherein:

said second disk controller, based on said at least one command, implements said fourth logical area functioning as said primary logical volume instead of said fourth logical area functioning as said auxiliary logical volume and implements said at least one portion of third logical area functioning as said logical area, which stores data, corresponding to an updated data stored in said fourth logical area as said primary logical volume and to be transferred to said first storage device, instead of said at least one portion of third logical area functioning as said logical area which stores data corresponding to at least one data of said fourth logical area as said auxiliary logical volume, and

said first disk controller, based on a communication with said second disk controller, implements said first logical area functioning as said auxiliary logical volume instead of said first logical area functioning as said primary logical volume and implements said at least one portion of second logical area functioning as said logical area, which stores data corresponding to at least one data of said first logical area as said auxiliary logical volume, instead of said at least one portion of second logical area functioning as said logical area which stores data, corresponding to an updated data stored in said first logical area as said primary logical volume and to be transferred to said second storage device, said communication being processed based on said at least one command.