Abstract: A RAID controller accesses an access request area on logical volumes distributed and stored on a plurality of physical disks according to a disk access request from a host. The controller has a plurality of management modules which are in-charge of plurality of the redundant groups respectively and issuing a logical format request for each area of said logical volume by referring to a management table for managing progress information of the logical format processing. Each management module has a plurality of the management table for being in-charge of said plurality of redundant groups and a queue for queuing the disk access request. The management module, according to the disk access request, judges whether all the access request areas have been logically formatted referring to the management table.

Abstract: An input/output control apparatus controls input/output requests from a host unit to a plurality of subordinate unit. A priority order managing section in the input/output control apparatus controls a priority order of the input/output requests based on priority orders of the input/output requests given by the host unit, for each of the subordinate units.

Abstract: A processing method for copying between storage device data regions and a memory system are provided to allow immediate access in a state of having completed copying in response to a copy instruction, even when actual data is being copied in a remote system, thus preventing a decrease in the performance of the access to the copy source during copying. Processes include copying data in a data region of a copy source to an intermediate media data region for each prescribed block unit in response to a copy instruction, as well as copying the data copied to the intermediate media data region to a copy destination data region. Processes also include interrupting copying and processing an access when there is an external access for a block of the copy source or the copy destination data region during the copy processing.

Abstract: An input/output scheduling unit forms input/output groups obtained by grouping inputs/outputs to/from a disk apparatus. The input/output scheduling unit defines a ratio of the time during which each input/output group uses the disk apparatus and defines quanta &tgr;1 to &tgr;3 during which each input/output group can continuously use the disk apparatus on the basis of the defined time ratios. When input/output requests are received from a plurality of input/output groups to the disk apparatus, the input/output scheduling unit performs the time-sharing for sequentially switching the allocating times &tgr;1 to &tgr;3 between the input/output groups which competed and using the disk apparatus. Further, an allocating time of the remaining quanta is distributed to the quanta on the shortage side by an allocating time control unit in accordance with a degree of jam of each input/output group.

Abstract: A storage controller executes logical format to enable host access to a physical disk, where the logical format of a physical disk is executed without waiting for host access. The storage controller comprises a logical format management module having bit map memory for managing progress information on format processing of a logical volume, and a lower layer module which accesses a physical disk according to the request of the management module. The management module judges whether all the access areas have been formatted referring to the bit map memory, requests the disk access to the lower layer module if judged as formatted, while, issues a logical format processing request before the disk access, queues the disk access request to the queue if not formatted, further searches the unformatted area from the bit map memory, and issues a logical format processing request if no disk access request exists in the queue.

Abstract: A storage controller executes logical format to enable host access to a physical disk, where the logical format of a physical disk is executed without waiting for host access. The storage controller comprises a logical format management module having bit map memory for managing progress information on format processing of a logical volume, and a lower layer module which accesses a physical disk according to the request of the management module. The management module judges whether all the access areas have been formatted referring to the bit map memory, requests the disk access to the lower layer module if judged as formatted, while, issues a logical format processing request before the disk access, queues the disk access request to the queue if not formatted, further searches the unformatted area from the bit map memory, and issues a logical format processing request if no disk access request exists in the queue.

Abstract: A RAID controller accesses an access request area on logical volumes distributed and stored on a plurality of physical disks according to a disk access request from a host. The controller has a plurality of management modules which are in-charge of plurality of the redundant groups respectively and issuing a logical format request for each area of said logical volume by referring to a management table for managing progress information of the logical format processing. Each management module has a plurality of the management table for being in-charge of said plurality of redundant groups and a queue for queuing the disk access request. The management module, according to the disk access request, judges whether all the access request areas have been logically formatted referring to the management table.

Abstract: An input/output control apparatus controls input/output requests from a host unit to a plurality of subordinate unit. A priority order managing section in the input/output control apparatus controls a priority order of the input/output requests based on priority orders of the input/output requests given by the host unit, for each of the subordinate units.

Abstract: A processing method for copying between storage device data regions and a memory system are provided to allow immediate access in a state of having completed copying in response to a copy instruction, even when actual data is being copied in a remote system, thus preventing a decrease in the performance of the access to the copy source during copying. Processes include copying data in a data region of a copy source to an intermediate media data region for each prescribed block unit in response to a copy instruction, as well as copying the data copied to the intermediate media data region to a copy destination data region. Processes also include interrupting copying and processing an access when there is an external access for a block of the copy source or the copy destination data region during the copy processing.