Abstract: There are provided a mainframe 1 constituting a host device and a disk array system 2 having logical volumes (LDEV) 30 connected with the mainframe 1. The mainframe 1 is provided with an input/output device configuration definition information storage section 14 that stores the address of an LDEV 30a. By referring to the input/output device configuration definition information storage section 14, a command is then issued giving an instruction to perform back-up of the LDEV 30a specifying the address of the LDEV 30a. The disk array system 2 receives the back-up command, specifies the generation to which the LDEV 30a is to be backed up and backs up to an LDEV 30b to 30d corresponding to the specified generation.

Abstract: In order to realize asynchronous type system assuring the consistency of data with the function of disk subsystems without the need of introducing new software to a host unit and without the deterioration of the performance of a main center, in a remote copy system which copies the data to the disk subsystems of the remote center for duplicating the data in the disk subsystems of the main center, the disk subsystems give serial numbers and times to the data together with writing said data to the storage devices in the disk subsystem and transfer said data to the other disk subsystems, and the other disk subsystems arrange the two or more data in the sequence of the serial numbers, decide the oldest time among the latest time given to each of the disk subsystems communicating among the disk subsystems and the data given with the time not later than the decided oldest time are the objects of writing to each of the disk storage devices.

Abstract: In order to assign logical devices efficiently to logical units, a disk control system that receives a process command for writing or reading of data from an information processing device, and performs a write or read process of data with respect to a logical device corresponding to a logical unit specified by that process command, includes means for managing logical devices, which are logical storage regions that have been set in a storage region provided by a disk drive, means for storing a correspondence between logical units, which are storage regions that have been set logically, and the logical devices, and means for assigning, when a process command has been received for a logical unit to which no logical device has been assigned, a logical device to that logical unit and performing processing with regard to that logical device.

Abstract: A method of selecting logical volumes that are the targets for data migration to equilibrate the load on a system, based on the accessing data of the physical drives and logical drives under the disk array controllers, without increasing the load of the disk array controller. An external manager communicates with two or more disk array controllers, gathers and manages the access data and the configuration data relating to the physical drives and logical volumes of each disk array controller, and prepares an optimum data migration instruction to equilibrate the access load.

Abstract: A method for controlling a storage system including a host computer, and a first and a second storage control apparatuses each receiving a data input/output request from the host computer and executing a data input/output process for a storage device in response to the request, comprises connecting a first communication path between the host computer and the first apparatus; connecting a second communication path between the first apparatus and the second apparatus; receiving by the first apparatus a first data input/output request from the host computer through the first path; when the first apparatus has judged that the first request is not for the first apparatus, transmitting by the first apparatus a second data input/output request corresponding to the first request, to the second apparatus through the second path; and by the second apparatus, receiving the second request and executing a data input/output process corresponding to the second request received.

Abstract: In a storage subsystem, performance tuning is performed with respect to all of the logical devices including external storage subsystems that are not directly connected to host computers. The physical storage units presented by the external storage subsystems are defined as logical devices of the storage subsystem, and I/O processing requests from the host computers are relayed to the logical devices. At the time of relaying, I/O processing conditions are monitored. When the load of an external storage subsystem is high, then operating conditions of ports and processors are examined. When the load can be reduced by changing the configuration of those ports and processors, the configuration is changed to reduce the load. When the load can not be reduced, data is migrated from a logical device having a high load to a logical device having a sufficient performance.

Abstract: In a storage subsystem, performance tuning is performed with respect to whole logical devices including external storage subsystems that are not directly connected to host computers. Physical storage units presented by the external storage subsystems are defined as logical devices of the storage subsystem itself, and I/O processing requests from the host computers are relayed to those logical devices. At the time of relaying, I/O processing conditions are monitored. When there exists an external storage subsystem whose load is high, then, operating conditions of ports and processors are examined. In the case where the load can be reduced by changing the configuration of those ports and processors, the configuration is changed to reduce the load. In the case where the load can not be reduced, data is migrated from a logical device having a high load to a logical device having a sufficient performance.

Abstract: A first storage device control device stores, when a first data write/read request is received, correspondences between first logical units and second logical units referenced when determining whether or not storage regions identified by first logical units set in the request are storage regions of the first logical device control device or storage regions of a second storage device control device, the second storage device control device transmits all or some of identification information (logical unit information) of the second logical units to a management computer, the first storage device control device transmits all or some of the correspondences (mapping information) to the management computer, and the management computer references the received logical unit information and the mapping information to generate information representing whether or not the second logical units are corresponded to the first logical units.

Abstract: A subsystem logics partitioning and managing apparatus comprises a recognition unit for recognizing logical and physical resources that constitute a subsystem a partition definition table in which the logical and physical resources in the subsystem are assigned for each user at an interface level at which a storage configuration can be referenced by a storage management program an account table in which an account is set for each user-specific partition defined in the partition definition table a receiving unit for receiving a user account transmitted from an information processing unit and checking the received user account against the account table, to recognize a partition that corresponds to the user and a unit for outputting, at a GUI level, logical resources and physical resources that are contained in the recognized partition to an output interface as a resource configuration in the subsystem.

Abstract: A subsystem logics partitioning and managing apparatus comprises a recognition unit for recognizing logical and physical resources that constitute a subsystem a partition definition table in which the logical and physical resources in the subsystem are assigned for each user at an interface level at which a storage configuration can be referenced by a storage management program an account table in which an account is set for each user-specific partition defined in the partition definition table a receiving unit for receiving a user account transmitted from an information processing unit and checking the received user account against the account table, to recognize a partition that corresponds to the user and a unit for outputting, at a GUI level, logical resources and physical resources that are contained in the recognized partition to an output interface as a resource configuration in the subsystem.

Abstract: A subsystem logics partitioning and managing apparatus comprises a recognition unit for recognizing logical and physical resources that constitute a subsystem a partition definition table in which the logical and physical resources in the subsystem are assigned for each user at an interface level at which a storage configuration can be referenced by a storage management program an account table in which an account is set for each user-specific partition defined in the partition definition table a receiving unit for receiving a user account transmitted from an information processing unit and checking the received user account against the account table, to recognize a partition that corresponds to the user and a unit for outputting, at a GUI level, logical resources and physical resources that are contained in the recognized partition to an output interface as a resource configuration in the subsystem.

Abstract: A disk array apparatus that is capable of effecting saving and operation of data with a simple construction. When a host computer sets “write inhibit” or “read/write inhibit” for an LDEV which is set on a first storage device, this setting is registered in an access attribute management table and is also reflected onto a migration management table. A migration control program moves the LDEV for which access limitation has been set to a lower-speed (lower-performance) second storage device or to an external storage device. When the access limitation is released, the moved LDEV is restored to the first storage device from the storage device to which the LDEV has been moved. By performing migration control in interlocking relation to control of access attributes, it is possible to obtain a simple data saving function and data management function.

Abstract: A storage control apparatus comprises a data I/O control unit which has communication ports adapted to connect with any of information processing apparatuses, is communicatively connected to physical disk drives for storing data, and performs data read/write from/to the drives according to a data I/O request received from the processing apparatus; a first memory storing a data read/written among the data stored in the disk drives; and a second memory storing information on management of storage resources including the communication ports, the physical disk drives, and a storage capacity of the first memory allocated for each user using the processing apparatuses. Upon reception of a request of the information on management from a user, an identifier of the communication port, an identifier of the disk drive, and a storage capacity of the first memory allocated for the user are transmitted to a user interface.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method A method for controlling a storage system including a host computer; a first storage controller connected communicably to the host computer, for receiving a data frame transmitted from the host computer and executing data input to and data output from a first storage device in response to a data input/output request described in the data frame; and a second storage controller connected communicably to the first storage controller, comprising relaying by the first storage controller, upon receipt of the data frame transmitted from the host computer, the data frame to the second storage controller in response to information described in the data frame.

Abstract: A first storage control device is provided with a virtual LU for showing a logical volume possessed by a second storage control device as if it were its own volume. When data processing requested from a host device is, for example, a specific processing of large load (such as direct backup, logical volume copy, and so on), whether or not the requested processing can be executed by the second storage control device is judged. When it is executable, a command is transmitted to the second storage control device to make it take over the processing.

Abstract: A subsystem logics partitioning and managing apparatus comprises a recognition unit for recognizing logical and physical resources that constitute a subsystem a partition definition table in which the logical and physical resources in the subsystem are assigned for each user at an interface level at which a storage configuration can be referenced by a storage management program an account table in which an account is set for each user-specific partition defined in the partition definition table a receiving unit for receiving a user account transmitted from an information processing unit and checking the received user account against the account table, to recognize a partition that corresponds to the user and a unit for outputting, at a GUI level, logical resources and physical resources that are contained in the recognized partition to an output interface as a resource configuration in the subsystem.

Abstract: A DBMS performs a checkpoint process for maintaining consistency of data. A snapshot acquisition control program detects the checkpoint process externally to the DBMS and creates a snapshot in an external storage according to the timing of the checkpoint. Correspondence between checkpoints and snapshots is maintained in a CP-SH correspondence management table to make it possible to restore in a short time data at the time of an arbitrary checkpoint.

Abstract: A disk subsystem assures the sequence and the coherence of data updating with two or more disk subsystems is provided with an asynchronous remote copy function. A main center 9 includes a computer system having the configuration of slave subsystems 3-2 to 3-n connected with a master disk subsystem 3-1. It secures the coherence between data at the main center 9 and the remote center 10 at the temporary suspension by repeating temporary suspension and release of the temporary suspension of the remote copy by the master subsystem 3-1 at predetermined opportunities. It also repeats temporary suspension and release of the temporary suspension of the remote copy by slave subsystems 3-2 to 3-n connected to it.

Abstract: A method of selecting logical volumes that are the targets for data migration to equilibrate the load on a system, based on the accessing data of the physical drives and logical drives under the disk array controllers, without increasing the load of the disk array controller. An external manager communicates with two or more disk array controllers, gathers and manages the access data and the configuration data relating to the physical drives and logical volumes of each disk array controller, and prepares an optimum data migration instruction to equilibrate the access load.

Abstract: A disk subsystem assures the sequence and the coherence of data updating with two or more disk subsystems is provided with an asynchronous remote copy function. A main center 9 includes a computer system having the configuration of slave subsystems 3-2 to 3-n connected with a master disk subsystem 3-1. It secures the coherence between data at the main center 9 and the remote center 10 at the temporary suspension by repeating temporary suspension and release of the temporary suspension of the remote copy by the master subsystem 3-1 at predetermined opportunities. It also repeats temporary suspension and release of the temporary suspension of the remote copy by slave subsystems 3-2 to 3-n connected to it.