Abstract: When configuration information about a configuration of a storage is changed, a determining unit of a storage device determines whether configuration information just updated is to be stored in accordance with a main update cause of the configuration information and/or a update content of the configuration information. If the determining unit determines that the configuration information is to be stored, a configuration-information storing unit stores the configuration information just updated in a configuration-information storage unit.

Abstract: In a storage system, a first reboot controller in a first control apparatus causes a second control apparatus to reboot, when it is detected that a second control apparatus has stopped access operations. The first reboot controller also places a boot event record in a non-volatile storage device of the second control apparatus to indicate that the rebooting of the second control apparatus has been caused by the first control apparatus. After that, a second reboot controller in the second control apparatus causes at least the first control apparatus to reboot while keeping intact the cache data stored in a cache memory of the first control apparatus, when the access controller of the first control apparatus is stopped while the second control apparatus is rebooted, and when a boot event record is found in the non-volatile storage device of the second control apparatus.

Abstract: In a storage system, a first reboot controller in a first control apparatus causes a second control apparatus to reboot, when it is detected that a second control apparatus has stopped access operations. The first reboot controller also places a boot event record in a non-volatile storage device of the second control apparatus to indicate that the rebooting of the second control apparatus has been caused by the first control apparatus. After that, a second reboot controller in the second control apparatus causes at least the first control apparatus to reboot while keeping intact the cache data stored in a cache memory of the first control apparatus, when the access controller of the first control apparatus is stopped while the second control apparatus is rebooted, and when a boot event record is found in the non-volatile storage device of the second control apparatus.

Abstract: When configuration information about a configuration of a storage is changed, a determining unit of a storage device determines whether configuration information just updated is to be stored in accordance with a main update cause of the configuration information and/or a update content of the configuration information. If the determining unit determines that the configuration information is to be stored, a configuration-information storing unit stores the configuration information just updated in a configuration-information storage unit.

Abstract: A storage control apparatus that stores backup target in a predetermined storage area of a storage apparatus includes a determination unit for determining whether or not the backup target data has been modified, and a backup processing unit for performing the backup processing for the backup target data when the determination unit determines that the backup target data has been modified.

Abstract: A RAID controller accesses an access request area on logical volumes distributed and stored on a plurality of physical disks according to a disk access request from a host. The controller has a plurality of management modules which are in-charge of plurality of the redundant groups respectively and issuing a logical format request for each area of said logical volume by referring to a management table for managing progress information of the logical format processing. Each management module has a plurality of the management table for being in-charge of said plurality of redundant groups and a queue for queuing the disk access request. The management module, according to the disk access request, judges whether all the access request areas have been logically formatted referring to the management table.

Abstract: A storage controller executes logical format to enable host access to a physical disk, where the logical format of a physical disk is executed without waiting for host access. The storage controller comprises a logical format management module having bit map memory for managing progress information on format processing of a logical volume, and a lower layer module which accesses a physical disk according to the request of the management module. The management module judges whether all the access areas have been formatted referring to the bit map memory, requests the disk access to the lower layer module if judged as formatted, while, issues a logical format processing request before the disk access, queues the disk access request to the queue if not formatted, further searches the unformatted area from the bit map memory, and issues a logical format processing request if no disk access request exists in the queue.

Abstract: A RAID controller accesses an access request area on logical volumes distributed and stored on a plurality of physical disks according to a disk access request from a host. The controller has a plurality of management modules which are in-charge of plurality of the redundant groups respectively and issuing a logical format request for each area of said logical volume by referring to a management table for managing progress information of the logical format processing. Each management module has a plurality of the management table for being in-charge of said plurality of redundant groups and a queue for queuing the disk access request. The management module, according to the disk access request, judges whether all the access request areas have been logically formatted referring to the management table.

Abstract: A storage controller executes logical format to enable host access to a physical disk, where the logical format of a physical disk is executed without waiting for host access. The storage controller comprises a logical format management module having bit map memory for managing progress information on format processing of a logical volume, and a lower layer module which accesses a physical disk according to the request of the management module. The management module judges whether all the access areas have been formatted referring to the bit map memory, requests the disk access to the lower layer module if judged as formatted, while, issues a logical format processing request before the disk access, queues the disk access request to the queue if not formatted, further searches the unformatted area from the bit map memory, and issues a logical format processing request if no disk access request exists in the queue.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method for assaying fatty acids in a system containing albumin together with the fatty acids using acyl-CoA synthetase, characterized by performing the assay in the presence of a water-soluble salt of a dibasic fatty acid having 10 to 18 carbon atoms or a benzenesulfonate optionally having one or more C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 side chains.