Patents by Inventor Kazuhisa Fujimoto

Kazuhisa Fujimoto has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7467238
    Abstract: A disk controller has a channel adapter having a connection interface to a host computer or a disk drive; a memory adapter for temporarily storing data to be transferred between the host computer and disk drive; a processor adapter for controlling operations of the channel adapter and memory adapter; and a switch adapter for configuring an inner network by interconnecting the channel adapter, memory adapter and processor adapter, wherein the channel adapter, memory adapter, processor adapter and switch adapter each include a DMA controller for performing a communication protocol control of the inner network; and packet multiplex communication is performed among the DMA controllers provided in the adapters. The disk controller can realize a high transfer efficiency and a low cost while retaining a high reliability. A storage system includes an interface unit having an interface with a server or hard drives, a memory unit, a processor unit, and an interconnection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mutsumi Hosoya, Naoki Watanabe, Shuji Nakamura, Yasuo Inoue, Kazuhisa Fujimoto, Kentaro Shimada
  • Patent number: 7464221
    Abstract: A storage system including a storage device 1 which includes: media 50 for storing data from a host computer 2; a medium controller 14 for controlling the media; a plurality of channel controllers 11 for connecting to the host computer 2 through a channel; and a cache memory 13 for temporarily storing data from the host computer 2, wherein the media 50 have a restriction on a number of writing times. The storage device 1 includes a bus 123 for directly transferring data from the medium controller 14 to the channel controller 11.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuji Nakamura, Kazuhisa Fujimoto, Akira Fujibayashi
  • Patent number: 7464223
    Abstract: A storage system having a cluster configuration that prevents a load from concentrating on a certain storage node and enhances access performance is disclosed. The storage system is provided with plural storage adaptors having a cache memory for storing data read/written according to an I/O request from a host and a device for holding the data stored in the cache memory, means for connecting an external storage having a logical device that handles the read/written data and a cache memory to the storage adaptor, means for monitoring and grasping a usage situation of each cache memory of the plural storage adaptors and means for referring to information of the usage situation of each cache memory acquired by the grasping means and selecting any of the storage adaptors so that usage of each cache memory is equalized, and the logical device of the external storage is controlled by the storage adaptor selected by the selection means via connection means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuo Watanabe, Yasutomo Yamamoto, Kazuhisa Fujimoto
  • Publication number: 20080294698
    Abstract: A storage system includes a file server connected with a plurality of computers, and a second storage device connected with a first storage device, in which the second storage device has a second volume; the first storage device has a virtual volume virtualized with a first volume and the second volume as a self-device possessed volume; and the file server mounts the first volume as a first directory, mounts the virtual volume as a second directory, and copies predetermined files in the second directory into the first directory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2008
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Fujimoto, Naoto Matsunami, Hirotoshi Akaike
  • Publication number: 20080295102
    Abstract: A computing system includes a plurality of computing units, a tiered storage unit including a first storage medium and a second storage medium having a transfer rate lower than that of the first storage medium, and connected to a plurality of the computing units; and a system management unit connected to a plurality of the computing units and the tiered storage unit. The system management unit creates a computation job execution schedule for a plurality of the computing units or obtains the computation job execution schedule from other unit in the computing system, plans a data migration in the tiered storage unit according to the execution schedule using a predetermined method, and instructs the tiered storage unit to migrate a data based on the plan.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Inventors: Hirotoshi Akaike, Kazuhisa Fujimoto, Shuji Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20080270701
    Abstract: A storage system 1 includes: plural protocol transformation units 10 that transform, to a protocol within the system, a read/write protocol of data exchanged with servers 3 or hard disk groups 2; plural cache control units 21 that include cache memory units 111 storing data read/written with the servers 3 or the hard disk groups 2 and which include the function of controlling the cache memory units 111; and an interconnection network 31 that connects the protocol transformation units 10 and the cache control units 21. In this storage system 1, the plural cache control units 21 are divided into plural control clusters 70, control of the cache memory units 111 is independent inside the control clusters, and a system management unit 60 that manages, as a single system, the plural protocol transformation units 10 and the plural control clusters 70 is connected to the interconnection network 30.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Fujimoto, Mutsumi Hosoya, Kentaro Shimada, Akira Yamamoto, Naoko Iwami, Yasutomo Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20080256307
    Abstract: Provided is storage subsystem including: a storage unit containing multiple disk groups; and a control device for controlling the storage unit. The storage unit includes at least one redundant disk group composed of at least a first disk group and a second disk group for redundancy. The control device is configured to: put the first disk group into a power-on state; put the second disk group into a power-off state; read/write data stored in the first disk group; turns on power of the second disk group at a predetermined timing; write, in the second disk group, data that has been written in the first disk group while the second disk group has been in the power-off state; and put one of the first and second disk group into the power-on state and the other one of the first and second disk group into the power-off state after the writing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Inventor: Kazuhisa FUJIMOTO
  • Patent number: 7426646
    Abstract: To provide a storage system capable of minimizing a performance deterioration, saving power consumption, and realizing a high reliability. A storage system according to the present invention includes a computer, a storage apparatus connected with the computer, and a storage management apparatus connected to the storage apparatus, the storage apparatus including a hard disk unit to control a data write operation and a data read operation between the computer and the hard disk unit, and control on/off states of power supply of the hard disk unit on a group basis, and the system management apparatus collecting running information about the computer and computer execution job information for each computer, and determining an on/off time of the power supply of the hard disk unit on the group basis to record the collected information and the on/off time of the power supply on the group basis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuhisa Fujimoto
  • Publication number: 20080209144
    Abstract: A storage system manages the total capacity of a shared storage medium to store block-basis data and file-basis data. When block data and its address are input through a fiber channel port, an input/output unit converts its data format to a data format that is internally applied by the storage system. When file data and its address are input, a file system converts its data format to a block data format internally applied by the storage system. The file system derives a file logical volume address from the received file address and translates file data to block data. A managing unit derives the address of a block logical volume from the block address delivered from the input/output unit. The managing unit translates block logical volume address or the file logical volume address to a physical address, and writes data to or reads data from the shared storage medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2007
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Inventor: Kazuhisa Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 7380004
    Abstract: A storage system is provided with a plurality of interface units each for connection with a server; an interface unit for connection with hard disk drives; a plurality of microprocessor units each for processing commands; and a switch unit for interconnecting the interface units and microprocessor units. A management console is also connected to the storage system. The storage system forces the management console to select an unused interface unit from among the plurality of interface units for use in a data input/output process between the server and the storage system, select a microprocessor unit which meets required performance of the server from among the plurality of microprocessor units for use in the data input/output process, and notify the administrator of the selected interface unit and microprocessor unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Norio Shimozono, Kazuhisa Fujimoto, Kiyoshi Honda, Naoko Iwami
  • Patent number: 7372962
    Abstract: A storage system 1 includes a channel interface (IF) unit 11 having an interface with a server 3, a disk IF unit 16 having an interface with a hard disk unit 2 , a memory unit 21 for storing data to be read/written from/to the server 3 or the hard disk unit 2 , a switching unit 51, and the hard disk group 2. The channel IF unit 11, the disk IF unit 16, and the memory unit 21 are connected to each other through the switching unit 51, and an encryption and decryption processing unit 201 is provided between a host IF unit 101 and a transfer controller 103 in the channel IF unit 11.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Fujimoto, Makio Mizuno, Dai Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20080098194
    Abstract: Provided is a computer system, in which a storage system includes a first control module for logically dividing first resources of the storage system and operating them as independent virtual storage systems. A computer includes a second control module for logically dividing second resources of the computer and operating them as independent virtual machines. The computer system holds first information indicating a correlation among the virtual machine, the virtual storage system, and the first resources. The first control module specifies the first resource allocated to the virtual storage system whose power is cut based on the first information, and powers off the specified first resource. Thus, system power consumption can be reduced by managing power of the storage system shared by a plurality of virtual machines in a virtualization environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2007
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Inventors: Akiyoshi Hashimoto, Shuji Nakamura, Kazuhisa Fujimoto
  • Publication number: 20080091876
    Abstract: This storage apparatus that provides to a host computer a logical device for storing data sent from the host computer includes a nonvolatile memory for storing the data, a disk-shaped memory device for storing the data, and a controller for controlling the nonvolatile memory and the disk-shaped memory device. The controller redundantly configures the logical device with the nonvolatile memory and the disk-shaped memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2006
    Publication date: April 17, 2008
    Inventors: Akira FUJIBAYASHI, Shuji Nakamura, Kazuhisa Fujimoto
  • Publication number: 20080010402
    Abstract: A disk array controller which includes a channel interface unit for connecting a host computer through a first type channel, a channel interface unit for connecting a host computer through a second type channel, a plurality of disk interface units provided with an interface with a magnetic disk unit respectively, a cache memory unit, and a shared memory unit. The number of access paths connected to said cache memory unit is less than the number of access paths connected to the shared memory unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2007
    Publication date: January 10, 2008
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Fujimoto, Atsushi Tanaka, Akira Fujibayashi
  • Patent number: 7318122
    Abstract: A disk array controller which includes a channel interface unit for connecting a host computer through a first type channel, a channel interface unit for connecting a host computer through a second type channel, a plurality of disk interface units provided with an interface with a magnetic disk unit respectively, a cache memory unit, and a shared memory unit. The number of access paths connected to said cache memory unit is less than the number of access paths connected to the shared memory unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Fujimoto, Atsushi Tanaka, Akira Fujibayashi
  • Publication number: 20070283079
    Abstract: A flash memory storage system has a plurality of flash memory devices comprising a plurality of flash memories, and a controller having an I/O processing control unit for accessing a flash memory device specified by a designated access destination in an I/O request received from an external device from among the plurality of flash memory devices. A parity group can be configured of flash memory devices having identical internal configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2006
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Inventors: Takashige Iwamura, Kazuhisa Fujimoto, Yoshiaki Eguchi, Shunji Kawamura
  • Publication number: 20070271413
    Abstract: A storage control apparatus according to the present invention includes a plurality of connecting units connected to one or more host computers and one or more hard disk drives as storage media for storing data, one or more non-volatile storage media which are of a different type from the hard disk drives and which store data WRITE requested from the host computer, a plurality of processing units for processing WRITE and READ requests from the host computer by using the hard disk drives or the non-volatile storage media and, a plurality of memory units for storing control information to be by the processing units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2006
    Publication date: November 22, 2007
    Inventors: Akira Fujibayashi, Kazuhisa Fujimoto, Shuji Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20070245063
    Abstract: To provide a storage system with a cost/performance meeting the system scale, from a small-scale to a large-scale configuration. In the storage system, protocol transformation units and data caching control units are connected to each other through an interconnection, the data caching control units are divided into plural control clusters, each of the control clusters including at least two or more data caching control units, control of a cache memory is conducted independently for each of the control clusters, and one of the plural data caching control units manages, as a single system, protocol transformation units and the plural control clusters based on management information stored in a system management information memory unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2007
    Publication date: October 18, 2007
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Fujimoto, Mutsumi Hosoya, Naoki Watanabe, Kentaro Shimada
  • Publication number: 20070245136
    Abstract: When there is an access passing between unit disk controllers, the band of a mutual connecting network must be very large in order to exhibit the performance sufficiently, so that the cost is increased. In the present invention, the access number of a logical volume is monitored, the change of an access path is suggested to an upper class device, and the logical volume is moved or copied to each unit disk controller, so that the mutual connecting network is used mainly for copy of the logical volume, thereby reducing the necessary band.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2007
    Publication date: October 18, 2007
    Inventors: Akira Fujibayashi, Kazuhisa Fujimoto, Hiroki Kanai
  • Patent number: 7275050
    Abstract: A storage system manages the total capacity of a shared storage medium to store block-basis data and file-basis data. When block data and its address are input through a fiber channel port, an inputloutput unit converts its data format to a data format that is internally applied by the storage system. When file data and its address are input, a file system converts its data format to a block data format internally applied by the storage system. The file system derives a file logical volume address from the received file address and translates file data to block data. A managing unit derives the address of a block logical volume from the block address delivered from the input/output unit. The managing unit translates block logical volume address or the file logical volume address to a physical address, and writes data to or reads data from the shared storage medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuhisa Fujimoto