Patents by Inventor Takeyuki Imazu

Takeyuki Imazu has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8661219
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Taiki Miyaji, Takeyuki Imazu, Nobuhiro Maki
  • Patent number: 8266377
    Abstract: A computer system including a first storage system connected to a first host computer, a second storage system connected to a second host computer and a third storage system connected to the first and second storage systems. The second storage system sets transfer setting before an occurrence of a failure, the transfer setting being provided with a dedicated storage area to be used for transferring data to the third storage system by asynchronous copy in response to a failure at the first host computer. Before the start of data transfer between the second storage system and third storage system to be executed after an occurrence of the failure, the second storage system checks the dedicated storage area, data transfer line and transfer setting information, and if an abnormal state is detected, this abnormal state is reported to the host computer as information attached to the transfer setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuri Hiraiwa, Nobuhiro Maki, Takeyuki Imazu
  • Patent number: 8214613
    Abstract: In a storage system, one or more storage apparatuses provide a management computer with a first volume for storing data from the management computer, provide a host computer with a second volume for storing data from the host computer, and manage a volume address for the one or more storage apparatuses to manage the first volume and the second volume in the one or more storage apparatuses. The management computer issues a command specifying an arbitrary volume address to the one or more storage apparatuses, and designates, when receiving a normal response from the arbitrary volume address, a volume with the arbitrary volume address as the second volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Maki, Takeyuki Imazu, Hiroshi Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20120096232
    Abstract: A computer system including a first storage system connected to a first host computer, a second storage system connected to a second host computer and a third storage system connected to the first and second storage systems. The second storage system sets transfer setting before an occurrence of a failure, the transfer setting being provided with a dedicated storage area to be used for transferring data to the third storage system by asynchronous copy in response to a failure at the first host computer. Before the start of data transfer between the second storage system and third storage system to be executed after an occurrence of the failure, the second storage system checks the dedicated storage area, data transfer line and transfer setting information, and if an abnormal state is detected, this abnormal state is reported to the host computer as information attached to the transfer setting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Inventors: Yuri Hiraiwa, Nobuhiro Maki, Takeyuki Imazu
  • Patent number: 8108606
    Abstract: A computer system including a first storage system connected to a first host computer, a second storage system connected to a second host computer and a third storage system connected to the first and second storage systems. The second storage system sets transfer setting before an occurrence of a failure, the transfer setting being provided with a dedicated storage area to be used for transferring data to the third storage system by asynchronous copy in response to a failure at the first host computer. Before the start of data transfer between the second storage system and third storage system to be executed after an occurrence of the failure, the second storage system checks the dedicated storage area, data transfer line and transfer setting information, and if an abnormal state is detected, this abnormal state is reported to the host computer as information attached to the transfer setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuri Hiraiwa, Nobuhiro Maki, Takeyuki Imazu
  • Publication number: 20110307676
    Abstract: In a storage system, one or more storage apparatuses provide a management computer with a first volume for storing data from the management computer, provide a host computer with a second volume for storing data from the host computer, and manage a volume address for the one or more storage apparatuses to manage the first volume and the second volume in the one or more storage apparatuses. The management computer issues a command specifying an arbitrary volume address to the one or more storage apparatuses, and designates, when receiving a normal response from the arbitrary volume address, a volume with the arbitrary volume address as the second volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Inventors: Nobuhiro MAKI, Takeyuki Imazu, Hiroshi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8078581
    Abstract: A plurality of second groups respectively including one or more second volumes are configured in correspondence with each of the first groups of a remote copy source in a remote copy destination, journals are acquired from the first storage apparatus periodically and in the order the journals were created for each of the configured second groups, and the acquired journals are reflected in the corresponding second volume in the corresponding second group. In addition, the latest time stamp of each of the second groups containing the journals retained in the second volume in an unreflected state is compared, the time difference of the latest and oldest time stamps is detected, and prescribed control processing is executed for acquiring the journals regarding the second group with the oldest time stamp in preference to the journals regarding other second groups when the time difference exceeds a preset threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd
    Inventors: Kensuke Amaki, Kenichi Oyamada, Takeyuki Imazu, Yoshinori Matsui
  • Patent number: 8010761
    Abstract: In a storage system, one or more storage apparatuses provide a management computer with a first volume for storing data from the management computer, provide a host computer with a second volume for storing data from the host computer, and manage a volume address for the one or more storage apparatuses to manage the first volume and the second volume in the one or more storage apparatuses. The management computer issues a command specifying an arbitrary volume address to the one or more storage apparatuses, and designates, when receiving a normal response from the arbitrary volume address, a volume with the arbitrary volume address as the second volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Maki, Takeyuki Imazu, Hiroshi Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20110202738
    Abstract: A computer system including a first storage system connected to a first host computer, a second storage system connected to a second host computer and a third storage system connected to the first and second storage systems. The second storage system sets transfer setting before an occurrence of a failure, the transfer setting being provided with a dedicated storage area to be used for transferring data to the third storage system by asynchronous copy in response to a failure at the first host computer. Before the start of data transfer between the second storage system and third storage system to be executed after an occurrence of the failure, the second storage system checks the dedicated storage area, data transfer line and transfer setting information, and if an abnormal state is detected, this abnormal state is reported to the host computer as information attached to the transfer setting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Inventors: Yuri HIRAIWA, Nobuhiro MAKI, Takeyuki Imazu
  • Patent number: 7958306
    Abstract: A computer system including a first storage system connected to a first host computer, a second storage system connected to a second host computer and a third storage system connected to the first and second storage systems. The second storage system sets transfer setting before an occurrence of a failure, the transfer setting being provided with a dedicated storage area to be used for transferring data to the third storage system by asynchronous copy in response to a failure at the first host computer. Before the start of data transfer between the second storage system and third storage system to be executed after an occurrence of the failure, the second storage system checks the dedicated storage area, data transfer line and transfer setting information, and if an abnormal state is detected, this abnormal state is reported to the host computer as information attached to the transfer setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuri Hiraiwa, Nobuhiro Maki, Takeyuki Imazu
  • Publication number: 20110004736
    Abstract: A computer system including a first storage system connected to a first host computer, a second storage system connected to a second host computer and a third storage system connected to the first and second storage systems. The second storage system sets transfer setting before an occurrence of a failure, the transfer setting being provided with a dedicated storage area to be used for transferring data to the third storage system by asynchronous copy in response to a failure at the first host computer. Before the start of data transfer between the second storage system and third storage system to be executed after an occurrence of the failure, the second storage system checks the dedicated storage area, data transfer line and transfer setting information, and if an abnormal state is detected, this abnormal state is reported to the host computer as information attached to the transfer setting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Inventors: Yuri HIRAIWA, Nobuhiro Maki, Takeyuki Imazu
  • Patent number: 7827367
    Abstract: A controller sets a specified time which is a time that specifies a time in the future relative to the current time for all of one or more secondary storage systems. The respective secondary storage systems have a logical volume for backup (BVOL), and set a backup preparation end state when a journal up to a specified time has been established, and report information showing a preparation end state to the controller. The controller issues a backup command to all of the one or more secondary storage systems when information showing a preparation end state is reported from all of the one or more secondary storage systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeyuki Imazu, Yuri Hiraiwa, Nobuhiro Maki, Yoshiyuki Nishi, Kazuhiko Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7809887
    Abstract: A computer system including a first storage system connected to a first host computer, a second storage system connected to a second host computer and a third storage system connected to the first and second storage systems. The second storage system sets transfer setting before an occurrence of a failure, the transfer setting being provided with a dedicated storage area to be used for transferring data to the third storage system by asynchronous copy in response to a failure at the first host computer. Before the start of data transfer between the second storage system and third storage system to be executed after an occurrence of the failure, the second storage system checks the dedicated storage area, data transfer line and transfer setting information, and if an abnormal state is detected, this abnormal state is reported to the host computer as information attached to the transfer setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuri Hiraiwa, Nobuhiro Maki, Takeyuki Imazu
  • Publication number: 20090282201
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2008
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Inventors: Taiki MIYAJI, Takeyuki IMAZU, Nobuhiro MAKI
  • Publication number: 20090216971
    Abstract: In a storage system, one or more storage apparatuses provide a management computer with a first volume for storing data from the management computer, provide a host computer with a second volume for storing data from the host computer, and manage a volume address for the one or more storage apparatuses to manage the first volume and the second volume in the one or more storage apparatuses. The management computer issues a command specifying an arbitrary volume address to the one or more storage apparatuses, and designates, when receiving a normal response from the arbitrary volume address, a volume with the arbitrary volume address as the second volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Inventors: Nobuhiro MAKI, Takeyuki IMAZU, Hiroshi YAMAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20090150630
    Abstract: A computer system including a first storage system connected to a first host computer, a second storage system connected to a second host computer and a third storage system connected to the first and second storage systems. The second storage system sets transfer setting before an occurrence of a failure, the transfer setting being provided with a dedicated storage area to be used for transferring data to the third storage system by asynchronous copy in response to a failure at the first host computer. Before the start of data transfer between the second storage system and third storage system to be executed after an occurrence of the failure, the second storage system checks the dedicated storage area, data transfer line and transfer setting information, and if an abnormal state is detected, this abnormal state is reported to the host computer as information attached to the transfer setting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Inventors: Yuri Hiraiwa, Nobuhiro Maki, Takeyuki Imazu
  • Publication number: 20090132779
    Abstract: A plurality of second groups respectively including one or more second volumes are configured in correspondence with each of the first groups of a remote copy source in a remote copy destination, journals are acquired from the first storage apparatus periodically and in the order the journals were created for each of the configured second groups, and the acquired journals are reflected in the corresponding second volume in the corresponding second group. In addition, the latest time stamp of each of the second groups containing the journals retained in the second volume in an unreflected state is compared, the time difference of the latest and oldest time stamps is detected, and prescribed control processing is executed for acquiring the journals regarding the second group with the oldest time stamp in preference to the journals regarding other second groups when the time difference exceeds a preset threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2008
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Kensuke AMAKI, Kenichi OYAMADA, Takeyuki IMAZU, Yoshinori MATSUI
  • Patent number: 7512757
    Abstract: A computer system including a first storage system connected to a first host computer, a second storage system connected to a second host computer and a third storage system connected to the first and second storage systems. The second storage system sets transfer setting before an occurrence of a failure, the transfer setting being provided with a dedicated storage area to be used for transferring data to the third storage system by asynchronous copy in response to a failure at the first host computer. Before the start of data transfer between the second storage system and third storage system to be executed after an occurrence of the failure, the second storage system checks the dedicated storage area, data transfer line and transfer setting information, and if an abnormal state is detected, this abnormal state is reported to the host computer as information attached to the transfer setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuri Hiraiwa, Nobuhiro Maki, Takeyuki Imazu
  • Publication number: 20080209146
    Abstract: A controller sets a specified time which is a time that specifies a time in the future relative to the current time for all of one or more secondary storage systems. The respective secondary storage systems have a logical volume for backup (BVOL), and set a backup preparation end state when a journal up to a specified time has been established, and report information showing a preparation end state to the controller. The controller issues a backup command to all of the one or more secondary storage systems when information showing a preparation end state is reported from all of the one or more secondary storage systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2008
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Inventors: Takeyuki Imazu, Yuri Hiraiwa, Nobuhiro Maki, Yoshiyuki Nishi, Kazuhiko Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20070254922
    Abstract: A computer system including a first storage system connected to a first host computer, a second storage system connected to a second host computer and a third storage system connected to the first and second storage systems. The second storage system sets transfer setting before an occurrence of a failure, the transfer setting being provided with a dedicated storage area to be used for transferring data to the third storage system by asynchronous copy in response to a failure at the first host computer. Before the start of data transfer between the second storage system and third storage system to be executed after an occurrence of the failure, the second storage system checks the dedicated storage area, data transfer line and transfer setting information, and if an abnormal state is detected, this abnormal state is reported to the host computer as information attached to the transfer setting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventors: Yuri Hiraiwa, Nobuhiro Maki, Takeyuki Imazu