Abstract: A storage apparatus has a tiered pool including a plurality of storage tiers formed by a plurality of real page groups having different input/output performance and provides a virtual volume to which a storage area is allocated by a real page unit. At a time point before new data to be written to the virtual volume occurs based on a data object, if a real page is allocated to a write destination virtual page which is a write destination of the new data, a host computer transmits a change command to change the real page allocated to the write destination virtual page to a real page in a storage tier having predetermined performance to the storage apparatus. The storage apparatus changes the real page allocated to the write destination virtual page to a real page in the storage tier having the predetermined performance according to the change command.

Abstract: A storage apparatus has a tiered pool including a plurality of storage tiers formed by a plurality of real page groups having different input/output performance and provides a virtual volume to which a storage area is allocated by a real page unit. At a time point before new data to be written to the virtual volume occurs based on a data object, if a real page is allocated to a write destination virtual page which is a write destination of the new data, a host computer transmits a change command to change the real page allocated to the write destination virtual page to a real page in a storage tier having predetermined performance to the storage apparatus. The storage apparatus changes the real page allocated to the write destination virtual page to a real page in the storage tier having the predetermined performance according to the change command.

Abstract: A storage system assigns a real area from a pool to a virtual area in a virtual volume, and stores data into the real area. The pool comprises a plurality of real areas based on a plurality of types of storage devices with different characteristics, and the plurality of real areas are managed as a plurality of tiers depending on the characteristics of the storage devices. Moreover, the storage system moves the data from one tier to another tier in the pool, for each real area.

Abstract: A storage device control method for operating a logical volume to which a control command cannot be issued directly from a host computer is provided. The host computer manages a storage device. The storage device includes a disk device which provides logical volumes and a disk control device which controls the disk device. The host computer issues a control command to a recognized volume in the disk control device. The disk control device operates a recognized volume which is an issue destination of the control command or an unrecognized volume contained in the control command. A logical volume to which the control command is to be issued from the host computer is determined by using definition information (a disk information table, a copy pair information table, or a copy group information table) concerning copy operation retained by storage control software which operates on the host computer.

Abstract: When a virtual tape of the main storage system is updated, journal data is created. The journal data is transmitted to the disaster recovery storage system asynchronously with the timing at which the write data is received. The journal data includes a marker to notify of the start of updating and a marker to notify of the completion of updating. The disaster recovery storage system prohibits the use of the copy destination data during the period from start of updating until completion of updating, and permits referencing the copy destination data during other periods.

Abstract: When a virtual tape of the main storage system is updated, journal data is created. The journal data is transmitted to the disaster recovery storage system asynchronously with the timing at which the write data is received. The journal data includes a marker to notify of the start of updating and a marker to notify of the completion of updating. The disaster recovery storage system prohibits the use of the copy destination data during the period from start of updating until completion of updating, and permits referencing the copy destination data during other periods.

Abstract: A storage device control method for operating a logical volume to which a control command cannot be issued directly from a host computer is provided. The host computer manages a storage device. The storage device includes a disk device which provides logical volumes and a disk control device which controls the disk device. The host computer issues a control command to a recognized volume in the disk control device. The disk control device operates a recognized volume which is an issue destination of the control command or an unrecognized volume contained in the control command. A logical volume to which the control command is to be issued from the host computer is determined by using definition information (a disk information table, a copy pair information table, or a copy group information table) concerning copy operation retained by storage control software which operates on the host computer.