Abstract: Privacy information of a user is protected without hampering convenience when such user is to process a file in an online file storage. Provided is a file sharing system including at least one or more information processing units and a storage apparatus connected to the at least one or more information processing units via the Internet, and for storing files from the at least one or more information processing units in the storage apparatus and sharing the stored files with the at least one or more information processing units. The information processing unit includes a file creation unit for separating, when creating a file in the storage apparatus, privacy information that identifies a user creating the file from information required for creating the file in the storage apparatus, and creating the file in the storage apparatus by using information obtained by converting the separated privacy information.

Abstract: Provided are a content transfer system, a content transfer method, and a home server capable of backing up all backup target contents without having to transfer all backup target contents. This content transfer system includes a home storage and an online storage. The home storage transfers identifying information of a backup target content to the online storage and requests the online storage to determine the existence of a content that is identical to the backup target content upon requesting the online storage to back up the backup target content, transfers metadata to the online storage when an identical content exists in the online storage, and transfers the backup target content to the online storage in all other cases.

Abstract: This storage system includes one or more household appliances, a home server storing contents data and management information of the contents data received from the one or more household appliances and pre-set with an unused capacity limit, and an online storage center. When the actual unused capacity in the home server falls below the capacity limit, the home server sends to and stores in the online storage center prescribed contents data and management information of the prescribed contents data among the contents data and management information of the contents data stored in the home server, and deletes the prescribed contents data from the home server while leaving the management information of the prescribed contents data stored in the home server.

Abstract: A storage system comprises a plurality of storage nodes and a controller coupling unit interconnecting controllers within the storage nodes. A memory in the controller has a plurality of shared memory areas each associated with a combination of one CPU core with one logical unit controller. When a network controller of a first storage node receives a host command addressed to a logical unit of a second storage node, the CPU core of the first storage node stores the host command in the shared memory area associated with the logical unit controller of the second storage node. The logical unit controller of the second storage node acquires the stored host command in the shared memory area via the controller coupling unit.

Abstract: A voice communication system, which is connected to LAN to which communication terminals are connected and to a public network to which telephones are connected, is provided with a communication server between the LAN and public network having different protocols from each other. The communication server enables a voice communication between a telephone on the public network and a communication terminal connected to the LAN by performing processing similar to that for a voice communication between two communication terminals connected to the LAN. The communication server determines whether an address of the other party inputted by a user is a communication terminal address or a telephone number, and transmits a voice communication request to a communication terminal of the other party when the address is a communication terminal address.

Abstract: In a system where a storage device is coupled to a computer, a storage area in the storage device is efficiently allocated to the computer. The system comprises a virtualization apparatus to be coupled to the virtualization apparatus. The virtualization apparatus, responding to a request from the computer, issues a notice to the effect that a predetermined size of virtual volume has been allocated to the computer. The virtualization apparatus, upon receiving an access request from the computer to the virtual volume, allocates storage areas existing in a plurality of storage devices to the virtual volume, converts the access request received from the computer to an access request addressed to a storage device having the storage devices allocated to the virtual volume, and transmits the converted access request to the storage device.

Abstract: The storage system includes a plurality of storage nodes and a control device coupling unit. Each of the storage nodes includes at least one storage device configured to store data and at least one control device configured to control input and output of data for the storage device. The control device coupling unit is configured to connect the control devices without using an access path between the control device and a host computer connected to the storage system. The control devices connected by the control device coupling unit are included in mutually different storage nodes.

Abstract: A storage device (1) communicating with a host computer and other storage devices through a network is characterized in that the storage device (1) secures memory buffers for temporarily storing data in a remote copy operation carried out between the storage devices. A network memory (100) in the storage device (1) includes an available buffer comprising a plurality of memory buffers and an in-use buffer also comprising a plurality of memory buffers. A buffer control unit (215) secures memory buffers of the available buffer as a reserved buffer having a reserved-buffer size specified in a buffer reservation request made by a storage management device (8) in response to the request. The buffer control unit (215) then allocates the memory buffers of the reserved buffer as the in-use buffer in response to a request received from the storage management device (8) to start a remote copy operation.

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.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved techniques for managing storage resources, such as disk drives, I/O ports, and the like in a network based storage system according to a user position within the network. Embodiments according to the present invention can provide a relatively high performance storage access environment for the mobile users moving around a wide area. For example, in one applicable environment, there are several data centers in the wide area, and each data center has a local storage system that is connected to the other storage systems through a network. Copies of a user's volume can be made in some of the storage systems. A remote copy function is utilized for making real time copies of the user's volume.

Abstract: In a storage system having a plurality of virtualization apparatuses that allocate a storage area which a storage device has, form a plurality of virtual volumes, and process input-output from a host processor to one of the virtual volumes, a request for completing all the input-output being processed that is received from the host processor and temporarily holding the input-output processing received subsequently is issued to the plurality of virtualization apparatuses, when a completion report of the processing of the input-output in response to the request is received from the plurality of virtualization apparatuses and the completion report is received from all the virtualization apparatuses to which the request was issued, an instruction of an allocation change of the storage area of the storage device is sent to all the virtualization apparatuses, and when the completion report of the allocation change is received from all the virtualization apparatuses, the storage area of the storage device is allocat

Abstract: The present invention provides improved techniques for managing storage resources, such as disk drives, I/O ports, and the like in a network based storage system according to a user position within the network. Embodiments according to the present invention can provide a relatively high performance storage access environment for the mobile users moving around a wide area. For example, in one applicable environment, there are several data centers in the wide area, and each data center has a local storage system that is connected to the other storage systems through a network. Copies of a user's volume can be made in some of the storage systems. A remote copy function is utilized for making real time copies of the user's volume.

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.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to systems and methods of controlling data transfer between a host system and a plurality of storage devices. One embodiment is directed to a virtualization controller for controlling data transfer between a host system and a plurality of storage devices. The virtualization controller comprises a plurality of first ports for connection with the plurality of storage devices each having a storage area to store data; a second port for connection with the host system; a processor; and a memory configured to store volume mapping information which correlates first identification information used by the host system to access a first storage area in one of the storage devices, with second identification information for identifying the first storage area, the correlation being used by the processor to access the first storage area.

Abstract: To provide a technique whereby a value of an error recovery level determined in negotiation processing between an initiator and a target can be set to a suitable value that is intended by a manager. A storage system comprises a storage section containing a target module that is connected to an initiator device; and a management section that manages the storage section. The target module carries out negotiation processing with the initiator device so as to determine a value of a first error recovery level. The first error recovery level is determined as the smaller of a value of a second error recovery level of the initiator device and a value of a third error recovery level of the target module. The management section carries out setting processing for allocating the initiator device that is to be connected to the target module to the target module, according to an instruction from a manager. In the setting processing, the value of third error recovery level is notified to the manager.

Abstract: A voice communication system, which is connected to a LAN to which communication terminals are connected and to a public network to which telephones are connected, is provided with a communication server between the LAN and public network having different protocols from each other. The communication server enables a voice communication between a telephone on the public network and a communication terminal connected to the LAN by performing processing similar to that for a voice communication between two communication terminals connected to the LAN. The communication server determines whether an address of the other party inputted by a user is a communication terminal address or a telephone number, and transmits a voice communication request to a communication terminal of the other party when the address is a communication terminal address.

Abstract: A voice communication system, which is connected to a LAN to which communication terminals are connected and to a public network to which telephones are connected, is provided with a communication server between the LAN and public network having different protocols from each other. The communication server enables a voice communication between a telephone on the public network and a communication terminal connected to the LAN by performing processing similar to that for a voice communication between two communication terminals connected to the LAN. The communication server determines whether an address of the other party inputted by a user is a communication terminal address or a telephone number, and transmits a voice communication request to a communication terminal of the other party when the address is a communication terminal address.

Abstract: A voice communication system, which is connected to a LAN to which communication terminals are connected and to a public network to which telephones are connected, is provided with a communication server between the LAN and public network having different protocols from each other. The communication server enables a voice communication between a telephone on the public network and a communication terminal connected to the LAN by performing processing similar to that for a voice communication between two communication terminals connected to the LAN. The communication server determines whether an address of the other party inputted by a user is a communication terminal address or a telephone number, and transmits a voice communication request to a communication terminal of the other party when the address is a communication terminal address.

Abstract: A voice communication system, which is connected to a LAN to which communication terminals are connected and to a public network to which telephones are connected, is provided with a communication server between the LAN and public network having different protocols from each other. The communication server enables a voice communication between a telephone on the public network and a communication terminal connected to the LAN by performing processing similar to that for a voice communication between two communication terminals connected to the LAN. The communication server determines whether an address of the other party inputted by a user is a communication terminal address or a telephone number, and transmits a voice communication request to a communication terminal of the other party when the address is a communication terminal address.

Abstract: A voice communication system, which is connected to a LAN to which communication terminals are connected and to a public network to which telephones are connected, is provided with a communication server between the LAN and public network having different protocols from each other. The communication server enables a voice communication between a telephone on the public network and a communication terminal connected to the LAN by performing processing similar to that for a voice communication between two communication terminals connected to the LAN. The communication server determines whether an address of the other party inputted by a user is a communication terminal address or a telephone number, and transmits a voice communication request to a communication terminal of the other party when the address is a communication terminal address.