Abstract: A storage system comprises a virtual volume configured of multiple virtual areas and a pool configured of multiple actual area groups of different performances. The controller of the storage system manages which actual areas are assigned to which virtual areas and the access load on the actual areas assigned to the virtual areas. The controller, if the access load of a first actual area assigned to a first virtual area is inappropriate for a first actual area group comprising the first actual area, migrates data to a second actual area in a second actual area group which is appropriate for the access load of the first actual area from the first actual area. The controller performs data migration between actual areas for achieving data allocation at a certain point of time based on history information which is the information related to a virtual area at a point of time in the past and an actual area assigned to the virtual area.

Abstract: Multiple storage area groups into which multiple storage areas provided by multiple storage devices are classified with reference to storage area attributes are managed. The multiple logical volumes to which, in accordance with a write request to at least one address included in multiple addresses in the logical volume, at least one storage area included in the multiple storage areas is allocated are provided. In accordance with the access condition of the at least one address in the logical volume, the data written to the at least one address by the write request is migrated from the at least one storage area included in one of the multiple storage area groups to at least one storage area in another storage area group included in the multiple storage area groups.

Abstract: This invention is intended for the purpose of providing the storage system, the storage apparatus, and the storage system by which, even if the storage areas allocated to the virtual volume are managed in management units set by the RAID group, overhead for parity calculation does not become excessive. This invention, by releasing a specific management unit not fully utilized for page allocation from allocation to the virtual volume and migrating the allocated pages belonging to this specific management unit to the other management unit, makes the storage areas of the specific management unit available for the write accesses for the other virtual volumes from the host computer.

Abstract: Provided is a disk array system which is connected to a computer and which data is transmitted by the computer, including: a plurality of disk drives for storing user data transmitted by the computer; a cache memory for temporarily storing data sent/received among the computer and the plurality of disk drives; and a control unit for controlling input/output of the data to/from the cache memory, in which the control unit stores user data identification information that is capable of judging whether the user data is stored in a sector of the disk drive. The disk array system according to this invention allows the identification of user data of a disk drive.

Abstract: A storage system is provided with a memory region, a cache memory region, and a processor. The memory region stores the time relation information that indicates a time relationship of a data element that has been stored into the cache memory region and that is to be written to the logical region and a snapshot acquisition point of time to the primary volume. The processor judges whether or not the data element that has been stored into the cache memory region is a snapshot configuration element based on the time relation information for the data element that is to be written to a logical region of a write destination that conforms to the write request that specifies the primary volume and that has been stored into the cache memory region.

Abstract: A plurality of CPU cores each have control rights for logical storage areas of one or more types among logical storage areas of a plurality of types. As a source for an area to be assigned to the logical storage areas, a physical storage area which is common to the logical storage areas of the plurality of types is managed. In the case of a data access to a logical storage area corresponding to the control rights of the CPU core, the respective CPU core assigns an area required to store the data from the common physical storage area.

Abstract: A storage control device uses write management information that manages locations of the occurrence of writing in one or more first storage devices in order to specify one or more locations where writing has occurred, and backs up one or more data elements stored in one or more specified locations to a second storage device. In order to perform a restore operation, write management information at the time of a backup is stored, and data elements stored in the second storage device are restored to one or more locations specified from the write management information at that time of backup, or to one or more new locations specified from new write management information indicating one or more new locations corresponding to the one or more locations.

Abstract: Conventionally, an encryption key for encrypting data to be backed up in a tape cannot be allocated for each logical data management unit. To solve the problem, provided is a storage system including: a disk storage device; a tape storage device in which a tape storage medium is loaded; and a controller for controlling the disk storage device and the tape storage device, in which the controller is configured to: generate, upon reception of a request for setting a tape group including one or more tape storage media, a first encryption key used for encrypting data stored in the tape group set by the request; and hold information for correlating the generated first encryption key with the tape group.

Abstract: A second storage system (SS2) comprises a plurality of tapes, a first storage device capable of performing random access at a rate higher than the tapes, and a virtual storage device emulating the first storage device. A first storage system (SS1) comprises a second storage device and a third storage device that has the virtual storage device mapped therewith. The SS2 reserves a storage space on the first storage device and reads data from the tape corresponding to the virtual storage device into the storage space. The SS1 performs copying between the second storage device and third storage device and, in this process, sends a command for access generated in the third storage device to the virtual storage device. When receiving the Access Command corresponding to the virtual storage device, the SS2 accesses the storage space.

Abstract: To provide a storage apparatus in which a plurality of drives in a unit are separately treated and the unit can be easily exchanged for another unit even when RAID groups are freely composed. The storage apparatus includes a plurality of drive cases in each of which a plurality of units are detachably mounted, each of the units including a plurality of drives that are detachably, and a controller case in which a disk control section is provided, wherein the disk control section comprises a RAID group creation section for creating a RAID group using the plurality of disks and an exchange indicating section for giving a notice that a unit is ready to exchange after rebuilding or copying of data in disks included in the unit at the time of exchange of the unit.

Abstract: To realize backup that gives no influence on on-line performance at low cost, provided is a storage system including one or more disk storage devices, a tape storage device, and a controller for controlling the at least one disk storage device and the tape storage device. The controller stores a copy of data stored in a first volume in a third volume, reads the copy of the data stored in the first volume from the third volume to store the copy in a first tape storage medium of the tape storage device, stores a copy of data stored in a second volume in the third volume, and reads the copy of the data stored in the second volume from the third volume to store the copy in a second tape storage medium of the tape storage device.

Abstract: A method for allocating optimum pages to a logical volume according to the usage of the logical volume and an access characteristic is provided. A storage system is connected to a host computer, includes plural disk drives and a controller to control the plural disk drives, includes a first disk drive group including at least one disk drive, holds information indicating that a first attribute is assigned to a logical volume, assigns the first attribute when a first logical volume including plural first logical storage areas is provided to the host computer, reserves plural physical storage areas of the first disk drive group as the plural first logical storage areas, reserves the plural first logical storage areas included in the first logical volume as storage areas for storing data requested by the host computer, and stores the data requested by the host computer into the allocated physical storage areas.

Abstract: Multiple storage area groups into which multiple storage areas provided by multiple storage devices are classified with reference to storage area attributes are managed. The multiple logical volumes to which, in accordance with a write request to at least one address included in multiple addresses in the logical volume, at least one storage area included in the multiple storage areas is allocated are provided. In accordance with the access condition of the at least one address in the logical volume, the data written to the at least one address by the write request is migrated from the at least one storage area included in one of the multiple storage area groups to at least one storage area in another storage area group included in the multiple storage area groups.

Abstract: There is provided a storage system accessed by a host computer, comprising: an interface coupled to the host computer; a processor coupled the interface; a memory coupled to the processor; and a storage device for storing the data. The storage device comprises a first storage device in which the stored data is accessed sequentially from a beginning, and a second storage device in which the stored data can be accessed at random. The data stored in the first storage device is replicated to the second storage device, and the replicated data is accessed by the host computer. The processor receives a candidate of the data including a priority of the data from the host computer, and replicates the data included in the candidate of the data, and stored in the first storage device to the second storage device in accordance with the priority before reception of an access request.

Abstract: A plurality of CPU cores each have control rights for logical storage areas of one or more types among logical storage areas of a plurality of types. As a source for an area to be assigned to the logical storage areas, a physical storage area which is common to the logical storage areas of the plurality of types is managed. Each CPU core, in the case of a data access to a logical storage area corresponding to the control rights of the CPU core, assigns an area required to store the data from the common physical storage area.

Abstract: A storage system comprises a virtual volume configured of multiple virtual areas and a pool configured of multiple actual area groups of different performances. The controller of the storage system manages which actual areas are assigned to which virtual areas and the access load on the actual areas assigned to the virtual areas. The controller, if the access load of a first actual area assigned to a first virtual area is inappropriate for a first actual area group comprising the first actual area, migrates data to a second actual area in a second actual area group which is appropriate for the access load of the first actual area from the first actual area. The controller performs data migration between actual areas for achieving data allocation at a certain point of time based on history information which is the information related to a virtual area at a point of time in the past and an actual area assigned to the virtual area.

Abstract: This invention is intended for the purpose of providing the storage system, the storage apparatus, and the storage system by which, even if the storage areas allocated to the virtual volume are managed in management units set by the RAID group, overhead for parity calculation does not become excessive. This invention, by releasing a specific management unit not fully utilized for page allocation from allocation to the virtual volume and migrating the allocated pages belonging to this specific management unit to the other management unit, makes the storage areas of the specific management unit available for the write accesses for the other virtual volumes from the host computer.

Abstract: In the case in which data in a storage system A is remotely copied to a storage system B, it is not taken into account whether the data of the remote copy is WORM data. In the case in which a setting is made such that data stored in a volume in the storage system A is copied to a volume in the storage system B, storage system A judges whether an attribute to the effect that data can be referred to and can be updated or to the effect that data can be referred to but cannot be updated is added to the volume in the storage system A. Then, if the volume is a volume to which the attribute to the effect that data can be referred to but cannot be updated is added, such attribute is added to the volume in the storage system B.

Abstract: In a virtual disk library device access of data stored in a tape can be conducted at a high speed with a high-speed archiving process from a disk to the tape in units of LUs maintained. The efficiency of update of the data stored in the tape can be improved. In this system, when the data stored in the tape is to be accessed with a high-speed archiving process in units of LUs from the disk to the tape maintained, a disk staging process is performed in the unit of a page that is smaller than the unit of an LU, and accordingly, high-speed access can be implemented. In addition, when an update process for the data (LU) stored in the tape is performed, the host can be responded by only staging an update target page of the LU, and a prior disk staging process is performed for the remaining pages of the LU in the background. Accordingly, when the data is re-stored in the tape, immediately storing the data in the tape can be performed without performing a staging process.

Abstract: Multiple storage area groups into which multiple storage areas provided by multiple storage devices are classified with reference to storage area attributes are managed. The multiple logical volumes to which, in accordance with a write request to at least one address included in multiple addresses in the logical volume, at least one storage area included in the multiple storage areas is allocated are provided. In accordance with the access condition of the at least one address in the logical volume, the data written to the at least one address by the write request is migrated from the at least one storage area included in one of the multiple storage area groups to at least one storage area in another storage area group included in the multiple storage area groups.