Abstract: Disclosed is a storage system that includes a first node and a second node. The first node and the second node are connected to a client and a storage device. The first node includes a first memory for cache data, receives data from the client, stores the data into the first memory, and controls the storing the content of the data into the storage device from the first memory in accordance with an instruction from the second node. The second node includes a second memory for the same cache data as the first memory. If the content of data in the storage device or the content of data in the second memory before the storing of the data is the same as the content of the data in the second memory, the second node instructs the first node not to store the content of the data into the storage device.

Abstract: Disclosed is a storage system that includes a first node and a second node. The first node and the second node are connected to a client and a storage device. The first node includes a first memory for cache data, receives data from the client, stores the data into the first memory, and controls the storing the content of the data into the storage device from the first memory in accordance with an instruction from the second node. The second node includes a second memory for the same cache data as the first memory. If the content of data in the storage device or the content of data in the second memory before the storing of the data is the same as the content of the data in the second memory, the second node instructs the first node not to store the content of the data into the storage device.

Abstract: A controller unit, a plurality of storage devices, a log area, and a normal area are provided. A quantity of log storage devices forming the log area is smaller than a quantity of normal storage devices forming the normal area. In an operational period, in which the controller unit may accept an input-output command, a power consumption condition of the log storage devices is constantly in a normal condition in which an input or output of data can be carried out, while a power consumption condition of the normal storage devices is in an energy saving condition in which a power consumption is lower than in the normal condition. The controller unit, when receiving the input-output command if the power consumption condition of the normal storage devices is the normal condition, carries out an input or output with respect to both the normal area and the log area.

Abstract: A storage system having a plurality of storage devices including a first type storage device and a second type storage device, a reliability attribute and/or a performance attribute of the first type storage device being different from a reliability attribute and/or a performance attribute of the second type storage device. The storage system also has a control unit and managing a plurality of virtual volumes. If necessary, a storage area allocated to a first portion of a virtual volume of the plurality of virtual volumes is changed from a first type storage area of the plurality of first type storage areas to a second type storage area of the plurality of second type storage areas while another first type storage area of the plurality of first type storage areas is allocated to a second portion of the virtual volume.

Abstract: The present invention is able to improve the processing performance of a storage system by respectively virtualizing the external volumes and enabling the shared use of such external volumes by a plurality of available virtualization storage devices. By virtualizing and incorporating the external volume of an external storage device, a first virtualization storage device is able to provide the volume to a host as though it is an internal volume. When the load of the first virtualization storage device increases, a second virtualization storage device 2 is newly introduced, and connected to the storage system. When a transfer direction is issued from a management terminal, the external volume relating to the selected logical volume is transferred from the first virtualization storage device to the second virtualization storage device.

Abstract: [Problem] Providing a storage apparatus and a snapshot control method for the same for preventing, even after long-term operation of snapshots as a means for backup, an increase in the amount of pre-update data retained in a differential volume. [Solution] According to this invention, snapshots utilizing pre-update data are replaced with snapshots utilizing update data so that the areas, in the differential volume, storing the pre-update data are released as free areas correspondingly, thereby avoiding accumulation of the pre-update data in the differential volume.

Abstract: The present invention is able to improve the processing performance of a storage system by respectively virtualizing the external volumes and enabling the shared use of such external volumes by a plurality of available virtualization storage devices. By virtualizing and incorporating the external volume of an external storage device, a first virtualization storage device is able to provide the volume to a host as though it is an internal volume. When the load of the first virtualization storage device increases, a second virtualization storage device 2 is newly introduced, and connected to the storage system. When a transfer direction is issued from a management terminal, the external volume relating to the selected logical volume is transferred from the first virtualization storage device to the second virtualization storage device.

Abstract: A storage system having a plurality of storage devices including a first type storage device and a second type storage device, a reliability attribute and/or a performance attribute of the first type storage device being different from a reliability attribute and/or a performance attribute of the second type storage device. The storage system also has a control unit and managing a plurality of virtual volumes. If necessary, a storage area allocated to a first portion of a virtual volume of the plurality of virtual volumes is changed from a first type storage area of the plurality of first type storage areas to a second type storage area of the plurality of second type storage areas while another first type storage area of the plurality of first type storage areas is allocated to a second portion of the virtual volume.

Abstract: Provided is a storage system, including: one or more disk drives storing data; a disk controller for controlling data access to the disk drive; a power supply controller for autonomously turning off a power source of the disk drive according to the data access status to the disk drive, and autonomously turning on the power source of the disk drive, which was turned off, after the lapse of a prescribed period from the time the power source was turned off irrespective of the data access status to the disk drive; and a media inspection unit for inspecting a failure in the disk drive in which the power source thereof was autonomously turned on irrespective of the data access status to the disk drive.

Abstract: A storage system having a plurality of storage devices including a first type storage device and a second type storage device, a reliability attribute and/or a performance attribute of the first type storage device being different from a reliability attribute and/or a performance attribute of the second type storage device. The storage system also has a control unit and managing a plurality of virtual volumes. If necessary, a storage area allocated to a first portion of a virtual volume of the plurality of virtual volumes is changed from a first type storage area of the plurality of first type storage areas to a second type storage area of the plurality of second type storage areas while another first type storage area of the plurality of first type storage areas is allocated to a second portion of the virtual volume.

Abstract: The present invention provides a file management system and method, and a storage system that can prevent file-multiplexing in a storage apparatus, and efficiently use the storage capacity of the storage apparatus. The storage apparatus stores first management information for managing two or more kinds of classification list, each classification list including one or more keywords, and second management information for managing the kinds of classification list set for each of one or more users with regard to each of one or more tiers of their respective virtual file trees; and sends, in response to a request from a client apparatus to search the classification lists for a classification list set for a directory, the classification list set for the relevant user with regard to the tier matching the request to the client apparatus with reference to the first and second management information.

Abstract: Provided is a storage system, including: one or more disk drives storing data; a disk controller for controlling data access to the disk drive; a power supply controller for autonomously turning off a power source of the disk drive according to the data access status to the disk drive, and autonomously turning on the power source of the disk drive, which was turned off, after the lapse of a prescribed period from the time the power source was turned off irrespective of the data access status to the disk drive; and a media inspection unit for inspecting a failure in the disk drive in which the power source thereof was autonomously turned on irrespective of the data access status to the disk drive.

Abstract: A replication system capable of automatically forming an authentic copy pair with a primary volume at a copy destination system without depending on an operator and realizing the pair formation without labeling a tape is provided.

Abstract: The present invention is able to improve the processing performance of a storage system by respectively virtualizing the external volumes and enabling the shared use of such external volumes by a plurality of available virtualization storage devices. By virtualizing and incorporating the external volume of an external storage device, a first virtualization storage device is able to provide the volume to a host as though it is an internal volume. When the load of the first virtualization storage device increases, a second virtualization storage device 2 is newly introduced, and connected to the storage system. When a transfer direction is issued from a management terminal, the external volume relating to the selected logical volume is transferred from the first virtualization storage device to the second virtualization storage device.

Abstract: Provided is a storage system, including: one or more disk drives storing data; a disk controller for controlling data access to the disk drive; a power supply controller for autonomously turning off a power source of the disk drive according to the data access status to the disk drive, and autonomously turning on the power source of the disk drive, which was turned off, after the lapse of a prescribed period from the time the power source was turned off irrespective of the data access status to the disk drive; and a media inspection unit for inspecting a failure in the disk drive in which the power source thereof was autonomously turned on irrespective of the data access status to the disk drive.

Abstract: The present invention is able to improve the processing performance of a storage system by respectively virtualizing the external volumes and enabling the shared use of such external volumes by a plurality of available virtualization storage devices. By virtualizing and incorporating the external volume of an external storage device, a first virtualization storage device is able to provide the volume to a host as though it is an internal volume. When the load of the first virtualization storage device increases, a second virtualization storage device 2 is newly introduced, and connected to the storage system. When a transfer direction is issued from a management terminal, the external volume relating to the selected logical volume is transferred from the first virtualization storage device to the second virtualization storage device.

Abstract: The present invention is able to improve the processing performance of a storage system by respectively virtualizing the external volumes and enabling the shared use of such external volumes by a plurality of available virtualization storage devices. By virtualizing and incorporating the external volume of an external storage device, a first virtualization storage device is able to provide the volume to a host as though it is an internal volume. When the load of the first virtualization storage device increases, a second virtualization storage device 2 is newly introduced, and connected to the storage system. When a transfer direction is issued from a management terminal, the external volume relating to the selected logical volume is transferred from the first virtualization storage device to the second virtualization storage device.

Abstract: A disk array system including a plurality of disk drives, including: a plurality of first-type disk drives being used to form a first-type logical unit having a plurality of a first-type of chunks; a plurality of second-type disk drives being used to form a second-type logical unit having a plurality of a second-type of chunks; and a storage controller, if the storage controller copies data stored in a source chunk to a destination chunk, selecting the destination chunk from the first-type of chunks or the second-type of chunks.

Abstract: A storage system having a plurality of storage devices including a first type storage device and a second type storage device, a reliability attribute and/or a performance attribute of the first type storage device being different from a reliability attribute and/or a performance attribute of the second type storage device. The storage system also has a control unit and managing a plurality of virtual volumes. If necessary, a storage area allocated to a first portion of a virtual volume of the plurality of virtual volumes is changed from a first type storage area of the plurality of first type storage areas to a second type storage area of the plurality of second type storage areas while another first type storage area of the plurality of first type storage areas is allocated to a second portion of the virtual volume.

Abstract: [Problem] Providing a storage apparatus and a snapshot control method for the same for preventing, even after long-term operation of snapshots as a means for backup, an increase in the amount of pre-update data retained in a differential volume. [Solution] According to this invention, snapshots utilizing pre-update data are replaced with snapshots utilizing update data so that the areas, in the differential volume, storing the pre-update data are released as free areas correspondingly, thereby avoiding accumulation of the pre-update data in the differential volume.