Hierarchical management storage system and storage system operating method

• US 8,209,292 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2009
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Ito, Akira, Takaoka, Nobumitsu, Nakano, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): WILSON, KIMBERLY LOVEL
• Application Number:
  US12/575,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20110040729A1
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• Field of Search: 707/654, 707/999.204
• US Class Current: 707/654
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1456 Hardware arrangements for backup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1458 Management of the backup or restore process
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1744 using compression, e.g. sparse files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/185 Hierarchical storage management [HSM] systems, e.g. file migration or policies thereof details of archiving G06F16/11
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0643 Management of files
• 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]

Abstract

The storage system eliminates inconsistency between a stub, and a file data storage location indicated by the stub. In a storage system that executes HSM using stubs, information relating to a higher tier, which is a data migration source, is recorded during data migration. The stub in the higher tier is correctly restored using the higher-tier information thus recorded. The stub is restored, and inconsistency between information in the HSM layers is resolved.

Claims

1. A storage system, comprising:

a first storage apparatus coupled to a client computer and including;

a first processor,

a first memory storing a program executed by the first processor,

a first storage area storing a plurality of file data which are access targets of the client computer, and

a second storage area storing backup data of the file data by control of the first processor; and

a second storage apparatus coupled to the first storage apparatus and including;

a second processor,

a second memory storing a program executed by the second processor, and

a third storage area storing the file data migrated from the first storage area by control of the first and second processors, wherein

when backup of the plurality of file data from the first storage area to the second storage area is executed,

the first processor creates copy data of the plurality of file data as backup data and stores the backup data in the second storage area, and manages a first time at which the backup data is created, and,

when one or more first file data included in the plurality of file data is migrated from the first storage area to the third storage area,

the first processor creates a stub indicating a storage location for the first file data in the third storage area, stores the stub in place of the first file data in the first storage area, and sends the first file data to the third storage area, and

the second processor stores the first file data, received from the first storage apparatus by control of the first processor, in the third storage area, and manages a second time at which each of the first file data is migrated, and

when the plurality of file data of the first storage area is recovered using the backup data in the second storage area,

the first processor replaces the plurality of file data in the first storage area with the backup data in the second storage area, and sends the first time to the second storage apparatus,

the second processor compares the first time received from the first storage apparatus with the second time for each of the one or more first file data stored in the third storage area, and extracts first file data from the one or more first file data for which the second time is newer than the first time, and

the first processor restores a stub indicating a storage location in the third storage area of the extracted first file data, and stores the stub in the first storage area.

2. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein after the first file data of the plurality of file data is migrated from the first storage area to the third storage area,

in cases where access to the first file data of the plurality of file data is received from the client computer, the first processor judges whether or not the first file data is file data replaced with a stub, and

in cases where the first file data is file data replaced with a stub, the first processor specifies a storage location in the third storage area of the first file data, according to information of the stub, and supplies the first file data stored in the third storage area to the client computer.

3. The storage system according to claim 2, wherein the second storage apparatus is a storage apparatus of a lower performance or a higher capacity than the first storage apparatus, and

the first processor migrates file data for which a fixed period has elapsed since the last update time, of the plurality of file data, from the first storage area to the third storage area.

4. The storage system according to claim 3, wherein the stub stored in the first storage area of the first storage apparatus exists for each of the first file data migrated from the first storage area to the third storage area, and is information which includes an identifier for each file data migration, a migration time, and a storage location in the third storage area of the first file data,

the second processor sends, to the first storage apparatus, information relating to the identifier, the migration time, and the storage location in the third storage area of the first file data, the sent information corresponding to first file data which is extracted from the one or more first file data and for which the second time is newer than the first time, and

the first processor restores a stub for the extracted file data on the basis of information received from the second storage apparatus, and stores the stub in the first storage area.

5. The storage system according to claim 1, wherein

in cases where one or more second file data of a plurality of migrated file data stored in the third storage area is deleted, the second processor performs control to manage a deletion time of each of the second file data as a third time, and to delete a stub which corresponds to the second file data and which is stored in the first storage area, and

when a fault occurs in the first storage area, and the plurality of file data in the first storage area is recovered by using the backup data in the second storage area,

the first processor replaces the plurality of file data in the first storage area with the backup data in the second storage area, and, for each of the plurality of file data included in the backup data, compares the first time with the third time, extracts file data for which the third time is newer than the first time from the plurality of file data, and deletes a stub which corresponds to the extracted file data and which is stored in the first storage area.

6. A method of operating a storage system that includes:

a first storage apparatus, which is coupled to a client computer and includes a first storage area storing a plurality of file data which are access targets of the client computer, and a second storage area storing backup data of the plurality of file data; and

a second storage apparatus, which is coupled to the first storage apparatus, and includes a third storage area storing the file data migrated from the first storage area,

the method comprising;

when backup of the plurality of file data from the first storage area to the second storage area is executed, creating copy data of the plurality of file data as backup data and storing the backup data in the second storage area, and managing a first time at which the backup data is created;

when one or more file data included in the plurality of file data is selected and migrated from the first storage area to the third storage area, creating a stub indicating a storage location for each of the migrated file data in the third storage area, storing the stub in place of the migrated file data in the first storage area, storing the migrated file data the third storage area, and managing a second time at which each of the migrated file data is migrated; and

when the plurality of file data in the first storage area is recovered using the backup data in the second storage area, replacing the plurality of file data in the first storage area with the backup data in the second storage area, comparing the first time with the second time for each of the migrated file data stored in the third storage area, and extracting file data for which the second time is newer than the first time from the migrated file data, and restoring a stub indicating a storage location in the third storage area of the extracted file data, and storing the stub in the first storage area.

7. The storage system operating method according to claim 6, further comprising:

after first file data of the plurality of file data is migrated from the first storage area to the third storage area,

in cases where access to the first file data of the plurality of file data is received from the client computer, judging whether or not the first file data is file data replaced with a stub; and

in cases where the first file data is file data replaced with a stub, specifying a storage, location in the third storage area of the first file data, according to information of the stub, and supplying the first file data stored in the third storage area to the client computer.

8. The storage system operating method according to claim 7, wherein

the second storage apparatus is a storage apparatus of a lower performance or a higher capacity than the first storage apparatus,

the method further comprising:

migrating file data for which a fixed period has elapsed since the last update time, of the plurality of file data stored in the first storage area, from the first storage area to the third storage area.

9. The storage system operating method according to claim 8, wherein

the stub stored in the first storage area of the first storage apparatus exists for each file data migrated from the first storage area to the third storage area, and is information which includes an identifier for each file data migration, a migration time, and a storage location in the third storage area of the file data,

the method further comprising:

sending, from the second storage apparatus to the first storage apparatus, information relating to the identifier, the migration time, and the storage location in the third storage area of the file data, the sent information corresponding to file data which is extracted from the migrated file data and for which the second time is newer than the first time; and

restoring a stub for the extracted file data on the basis of information sent from the second storage apparatus to the first storage apparatus, and storing the stub in the first storage area.

10. The storage system operating method according to claim 6, further comprising:

in cases where one or more file data of a plurality of migrated file data stored in the third storage area is deleted, performing control to manage a deletion time of the deleted file data as a third time, and to delete a stub which corresponds to the deleted file data and which is stored in the first storage area; and

when a fault occurs in the first storage area, and the plurality of file data of the first storage area is recovered by using the backup data in the second storage area, replacing the plurality of file data in the first storage area with the backup data in the second storage area, and, for each of the plurality of file data included in the backup data, comparing the first time with the third time, extracting, from the plurality of file data, file data for which the third time is newer than the first time, and deleting a stub which corresponds to the extracted file data and which is stored in the first storage area.