Abstract: An apparatus includes a first cache memory, a second cache memory, and a processor coupled to the first cache memory and the second cache memory, and configured to store data in the second cache memory, the data being deleted from the first cache memory, store first data stored in a first address of the storage device, in the second cache memory, in case where the first address is included in first management information and is not included in second management information, according to a request for access to the first address of the storage device, the first management information including an address in the storage device of specific data stored in the storage device, and the second management information including an address in the storage device of data stored in both of the second cache memory and the storage device, and register the first address in the second management information.

Abstract: An operational management server manages a storage device that includes a plurality of types of disks having different performances. A setting unit sets a target value of a performance to a volume produced by using the different types of the disks. An allocation rate management unit determines allocation rates of the respective types of the disks included in the volume on the basis of the target value set by the setting unit, and instructs the storage device to reproduce the volume in accordance with the determined allocation rates.

Abstract: A first control apparatus includes a first memory unit including a local cache, a first power supply that supplies electric power to the first memory unit, and a control unit. The control unit controls a write into a memory device by a write-back method, using the local cache. The control unit mirrors data of the local cache in a mirror cache of a second control apparatus. The control unit determines whether the mirror cache is included in a second memory unit that receives electric power from a second power supply of the second control apparatus, upon detecting an abnormal state of a battery for supplying electric power to the second memory unit in case of power outage of the second power supply. The second memory unit switches write control for the memory device to a write-through method, when the second memory unit includes the mirror cache.

Abstract: A control device includes a processor. The processor is configured to collect plural types of performance information regarding a first data unit. The processor is configured to determine, on basis of the collected plural types of performance information, whether to transfer the first data unit from a first storage device which is under control of a first controller to a second storage device which is positioned as higher than the first storage device. The processor is configured to transfer the first data unit from the first storage device to the second storage device depending on a result of the determination.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a first cache memory, a second cache memory, and a processor coupled to the first cache memory and the second cache memory, and configured to store data in the second cache memory, the data being deleted from the first cache memory, store first data stored in a first address of the storage device, in the second cache memory, in case where the first address is included in first management information and is not included in second management information, according to a request for access to the first address of the storage device, the first management information including an address in the storage device of specific data stored in the storage device, and the second management information including an address in the storage device of data stored in both of the second cache memory and the storage device, and register the first address in the second management information.

Abstract: A control unit stores data used in a process to a shared cache memory. The control unit provides a shared queue in a memory space of the shared cache memory and performs LRU control with the use of the shared queue. The control unit also provides a local queue in the memory space of the shared cache memory. The control unit enqueues a CBE (management information) for a cache page used by a core in a process to the local queue. The control unit dequeues a plurality of CBEs from the local queue upon satisfaction of a predetermined condition, and enqueues the dequeued CBEs to the shared queue.

Abstract: An operational management server manages a storage device that includes a plurality of types of disks having different performances. A setting unit sets a target value of a performance to a volume produced by using the different types of the disks. An allocation rate management unit determines allocation rates of the respective types of the disks included in the volume on the basis of the target value set by the setting unit, and instructs the storage device to reproduce the volume in accordance with the determined allocation rates.

Abstract: In a storage apparatus, in the case where a data block to be written to a storage medium is a zero data block containing only zero data, a zero data information memory stores zero data identification information indicating that the data block is a zero data block. A control apparatus receives a data block from an access requesting apparatus in association with a write request issued by the access requesting apparatus for writing the data block a specified number of times to a predetermined storage area of the storage medium, and when determining that the data block is a zero data block containing only zero data, sets zero data identification information in the zero data information memory, and when completing the setting of the zero data identification information, sends the access requesting apparatus a completion notice of the writing to the storage medium.

Abstract: A virtual storage device including a releasable region decider that decides whether each of a plurality of management unit regions is a releasable region, being allocated a physical region and being a release candidate region, by referring to management data that associates allocation data representing a state of allocating a physical region to the management unit region and release candidate region data representing whether the management unit region is a release candidate region with each other; a determinator that determines whether the management unit region decided to be the releasable region by the releasable region decider is an all-zero region all data in which are zero; and a releaser that releases allocation of a physical region allocated to the management unit region determined to be the all-zero region by the determinator. This configuration makes it possible to efficiently use the storage region.

Abstract: A policy determining unit determines an allocation method for blocks on the basis of information on a hierarchical policy stored in a policy management table and information on a volume stored in a volume management table. Then, on the basis of the determination result performed by the policy determining unit, a first allocating unit performs allocation on the basis of the specified capacity and a second allocating unit performs allocation on the basis of the specified percentage for each volume.

Abstract: A storage device that allocates an unused physical storage area to logical storage areas to which write has been requested by an upper device, the storage device including a pattern test unit that tests whether a data pattern written to each of the logical storage areas is a data pattern indicating that allocation of the physical storage area is needed, a skip control unit that determines a skip object for which the pattern test unit does not perform the test among the logical storage areas being test objects of the pattern test unit, and excludes the skip object from the test objects, and a release control unit that releases allocation of a physical storage area to a logical storage area, tested by the pattern test unit, to which the data pattern indicating that allocation of the physical storage area is not needed.

Abstract: A tape library control apparatus includes a storage for storing configuration information, a diagnostic evaluator, and a command controller. A tape library apparatus includes may include a plurality of tape drives and a plurality of magnetic tapes which includes specific magnetic tapes assigned for respective pieces of data specified by each data request issued by a host computer and a common magnetic tape provided for writing the respective pieces of the data. The diagnostic evaluator determines a use mode of the tape library apparatus on the basis of the configuration information. When the total number of the specific magnetic tapes is higher than the number of available tape drives, the use mode is determined and a command is issued to the tape library apparatus from the command controller to write data to the specific magnetic tape and to write to the common magnetic tape the respective pieces of the data.

Abstract: A storage system includes an interface processor for receiving a read or write request, a primary storage, a secondary storage, a storage control device and a temporary storage area for temporarily storing data for the primary storage in case that an access to the primary storage fails. The storage control device includes a controller for, in case that the access to the primary storage fails when the read request is received by the interface processor, determining whether the read requested data is stored on the temporary storage area, controlling to read the read requested data from the temporary storage area when the read requested data is stored on the temporary storage area, and controlling to read the read requested data from the secondary storage when the requested data is not stored on the temporary storage area.

Abstract: In a storage apparatus, in the case where a data block to be written to a storage medium is a zero data block containing only zero data, a zero data information memory stores zero data identification information indicating that the data block is a zero data block. A control apparatus receives a data block from an access requesting apparatus in association with a write request issued by the access requesting apparatus for writing the data block a specified number of times to a predetermined storage area of the storage medium, and when determining that the data block is a zero data block containing only zero data, sets zero data identification information in the zero data information memory, and when completing the setting of the zero data identification information, sends the access requesting apparatus a completion notice of the writing to the storage medium.

Abstract: A tape library control apparatus includes a storage for storing configuration information, a diagnostic evaluator, and a command controller. A tape library apparatus includes may include a plurality of tape drives and a plurality of magnetic tapes which includes specific magnetic tapes assigned for respective pieces of data specified by each data request issued by a host computer and a common magnetic tape provided for writing the respective pieces of the data. The diagnostic evaluator determines a use mode of the tape library apparatus on the basis of the configuration information. When the total number of the specific magnetic tapes is higher than the number of available tape drives, the use mode is determined and a command is issued to the tape library apparatus from the command controller to write data to the specific magnetic tape and to write to the common magnetic tape the respective pieces of the data.

Abstract: In a data recording apparatus, a monitoring unit detects a VLU including an MRB that manages an area that has not been accessed for a specified time period based on a current time, a time management table, and a parameter table. From MRBs of the detected VLU, the monitoring unit selects a plurality of MRBs with an unaccessed time period equal to or more than the specified time period and equal to or less than a total time. The monitoring unit performs synchronization process for data in a primary storage managed by the selected MRBs at a time. During the synchronization process, a correction value is adjusted when there is a data conflict with another device.

Abstract: A storage system includes an interface processor for receiving a read or write request, a primary storage, a secondary storage, a storage control device and a temporary storage area for temporarily storing data for the primary storage in case that an access to the primary storage fails. The storage control device includes a controller for, in case that the access to the primary storage fails when the read request is received by the interface processor, determining whether the read requested data is stored on the temporary storage area, controlling to read the read requested data from the temporary storage area when the read requested data is stored on the temporary storage area, and controlling to read the read requested data from the secondary storage when the requested data is not stored on the temporary storage area.

Abstract: A discharge lamp in which fluctuation of the arc when the lamp starts and in which devitrification and damage of the arc tube are prevented, so that light intensity can be kept uniform over a long time is achieved by the cathode having a tapering part with a diameter which decreases in the direction to the tip that is formed with an area with different diameters extending around the tapering part in the peripheral direction which has concave-convex parts with groups of convex parts which are located next to one another in the axial direction of the cathode, the concave-convex parts in longitudinal cross section being arranged such that corner points of each convex part are located inside of an edge line of the tapering part, and an envelope curve which connects the corner points is convex with respect to the center line of the cathode.

Abstract: A data recording apparatus includes a determining unit that determines whether a storable area is present in the first storage device. The storable area is a combination of a plurality of empty areas having contiguous physical addresses with a total data volume larger than that of a volume of the data. When the determining unit determines that the storable area is present, a first storage unit stores the data in the storable area, and a second storage unit stores the data that has been stored by the first storage unit in the storable area as a lump into the second storage device.

Abstract: At power-on again, a restore processing unit restores block information tables from a primary storage to a volatile memory. After classifying the block information tables into group-specific links of a plurality of time zones, a first sort processing unit connects the group-specific links to form a group classification link. Then, a second sort processing unit sequentially retrieves the block information tables of the group classification link from the earliest time stamp side for insertion in a position so as to achieve a time-stamp ascending order, thereby reconfiguring the links.