Abstract: Provided is straightforward management of licenses which are assigned to virtual storage spanning a plurality of physical storage. In a storage system 1 which provides virtual storage spanning a plurality of physical storage apparatuses 2 to a host computer 4, the physical storage apparatuses 2 comprise a controller portion 11 which manages storage, and a license management portion (management computer 12) which manages licenses assigned to virtual storage such that the licenses are shared by the plurality of physical storage apparatuses 2 comprising the virtual storage. In the plurality of physical storage apparatuses 2, in which the controller portion 11 and the license management portion in the same physical storage apparatus 2 synchronize and retain first information for managing the storage and second information for managing the licenses, and share the licenses, the respective license management portions retain the second information relating to the licenses with the same content.

Abstract: Provided is straightforward management of licenses which are assigned to virtual storage spanning a plurality of physical storage. In a storage system 1 which provides virtual storage spanning a plurality of physical storage apparatuses 2 to a host computer 4, the physical storage apparatuses 2 comprise a controller portion 11 which manages storage, and a license management portion (management computer 12) which manages licenses assigned to virtual storage such that the licenses are shared by the plurality of physical storage apparatuses 2 comprising the virtual storage. In the plurality of physical storage apparatuses 2, in which the controller portion 11 and the license management portion in the same physical storage apparatus 2 synchronize and retain first information for managing the storage and second information for managing the licenses, and share the licenses, the respective license management portions retain the second information relating to the licenses with the same content.

Abstract: Conventionally, the fees for using services of a storage system was calculated based on the status of use or access performance of storage areas and not based on migration of data. The present invention provides a storage system in which multiple tiers composed of storage areas of various memory devices are assigned in page units and the assigned tiers are changed based on access frequency, wherein stored costs are calculated based on status of use of the storage areas constituting the tiers, and migration costs are calculated and charged based on the amount of migration of data among tiers and the I/O access counts after migration, according to which appropriate charging of cost for using the storage system is enabled.

Abstract: Conventionally, the fees for using services of a storage system was calculated based on the status of use or access performance of storage areas and not based on migration of data. The present invention provides a storage system in which multiple tiers composed of storage areas of various memory devices are assigned in page units and the assigned tiers are changed based on access frequency, wherein stored costs are calculated based on status of use of the storage areas constituting the tiers, and migration costs are calculated and charged based on the amount of migration of data among tiers and the I/O access counts after migration, according to which appropriate charging of cost for using the storage system is enabled.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for controlling a first storage system receiving commands from a first and second managers to create a consistency group with a second storage system. Host writes are received at the first storage system, wherein the first storage system includes a first storage system primary site and a first storage system secondary site. The first storage system sends the host writes from the first storage system primary site to the first storage system secondary site. Host write operations are quiesced at the first storage system in response to a first command from a first manager. Host write operations are resumed at the first storage system in response to receiving a second command from the first manager. The first storage system receives a run command with a marker, wherein the marker indicates a cycle number to control the cycles of the first and second storage systems.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for managing consistency groups using heterogeneous replication engines replicating data. A common linkage manager issues a prepare to create consistency group command to a first replication manager and a second replication manager, wherein the first and second replication managers issue create consistency group commands to first and second replication engines, respectively, to form a consistency group of data at a first source storage and a second source storage to copy to a first target storage and second target storage, respectively.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for controlling a first storage system receiving commands from a first and second managers to create a consistency group with a second storage system. Host writes are received at the first storage system, wherein the first storage system includes a first storage system primary site and a first storage system secondary site. The first storage system sends the host writes from the first storage system primary site to the first storage system secondary site. Host write operations are quiesced at the first storage system in response to a first command from a first manager. Host write operations are resumed at the first storage system in response to receiving a second command from the first manager. The first storage system receives a run command with a marker, wherein the marker indicates a cycle number to control the cycles of the first and second storage systems.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for managing consistency groups using heterogeneous replication engines replicating data. A common linkage manager issues a prepare to create consistency group command to a first replication manager and a second replication manager, wherein the first and second replication managers issue create consistency group commands to first and second replication engines, respectively, to form a consistency group of data at a first source storage and a second source storage to copy to a first target storage and second target storage, respectively.

Abstract: A method and system which prevents starting-up problems in plural magnetic disk storage devices included in a disk array system during restart following halt of the magnetic disk storage devices after long term operation. The disk array system includes the plural magnetic disk storage devices, a microprocessor unit (MPU) which controls the magnetic disk storage devices, a control memory, a parity calculator, and cache memory. The control memory contains a operation time control table in which a tolerable continuous operation time Ti and a halt time Ts are stored. Each of the magnetic disk storage devices is intentionally stopped individually for the halt time Ts at time interval of the tolerable continuous operation time Ti.

Abstract: A method and system which prevents starting-up problems in plural magnetic disk storage devices included in a disk array system during restart following halt of the magnetic disk storage devices after long term operation. The disk array system includes the plural magnetic disk storage devices, a microprocessor unit (MPU) which controls the magnetic disk storage devices, a control memory, a parity calculator, and cache memory. The control memory contains a operation time control table in which a tolerable continuous operation time Ti and a halt time Ts are stored. Each of the magnetic disk storage devices is intentionally stopped individually for the halt time Ts at time interval of the tolerable continuous operation time Ti.