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 virtualization switch virtualizes a data storage area provided by a server device and provides it to a server device with. This virtualization switch processes a priority control and a bandwidth control also on the output side to packets which make an access to a virtual volume and which have different demands for a QoS but identical IP headers according to a discrimination result of a TCP connection. Here, the TCP connection is discriminated by managing a TCP source port on the side of the virtualization switch.

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: The storage system is configured to expand from small to large configurations at a reasonable cost with performance decided approximately to a target system scale. The storage system has a plurality of protocol transformation units, each used for transforming a protocol to be exchanged with the server or disk drives, and a plurality of data caching control units, each having a cache memory unit for storing data and a function for controlling the cache memory unit. The plurality of data cashing control units are divided into a plurality of control clusters while the cache memory unit is controlled only in its corresponding control cluster independently and the system management unit is connected to an interconnection, such that the system management unit manages the plurality of protocol transformation units and the plurality of control clusters are managed integrally as one system.

Abstract: The relation between a NAS server and a port set with a network address given to the NAS server is uniquely decided at 1:1 so that the processing performance of a TCP/IP processor or the NAS server creates a bottleneck to lower the response. A host computer separates: an I/F portion, to which an address which sends a command is given; a NAS server portion; a cache control portion which processes a device; and an I/F portion which accesses an external storage, and accesses them through an internal network 170 so that the corresponding relation between the I/F and the NAS server and the corresponding relation between the address given to the I/F and the NAS server can be arbitrarily reconfigured according to the processing load or the like.

Abstract: A load balancing method includes a measurement step of measuring reception loads of respective storage ports 301 provided in a storage system 300; an allocation changing step of changing a transmitting rate of a computer port 208 provided in a computer 200, which is allocated for each of the storage ports, on the basis of the reception loads of the respective storage ports 301 measured in the measurement step; and a transmission step of transmitting data to the respective storage ports 301 of the storage system 300 at a transmitting rate in a range not exceeding the transmitting rate for each of the storage ports 301 changed in the allocation changing step.

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: 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: Conventionally, when a switch virtualizing a storage (storage virtualization switch) is installed in a computer system including an SAN, a host computer, and a storage device, since a port ID of a virtual storage and a port ID of a storage device assigned to the virtual storage are different, the computer system has to be suspended at the time of installation of the storage virtualization switch. According to one embodiment of the invention, the storage virtualization switch installed in the computer system assigns a port ID to a port of a virtual storage generated by the storage virtualization switch so as to be equivalent to a port ID of an existing storage device and, in the case in which the port ID is designated as an access destination by an access request from one computer to the storage device, sends the access request to the virtual storage.

Abstract: The relation between a NAS server and a port set with a network address given to the NAS server is uniquely decided at 1:1 so that the processing performance of a TCP/IP processor or the NAS server creates a bottleneck to lower the response. A host computer separates: an I/F portion, to which an address which sends a command is given; a NAS server portion; a cache control portion which processes device; and an I/F portion which accesses an external storage, and accesses them through an internal network 170 so that the corresponding relation between the I/F and the NAS server and the corresponding relation between the address given to the I/F and the NAS server can be arbitrarily reconfigurated according to the processing load or the like.

Abstract: In order to avoid location of a buffer or a cache memory required for recovering a path trouble in the conventional storage unit, a new switch is provided between a computer and a storage unit. This switch manages a command to be relayed thereby, transmits to the computer an error response if the switch detects a trouble, and at a time changes a setting so that the subsequent commands may be transmitted through an alternate path.

Abstract: A method is provided with which a name of a virtual port is not changed when virtualized storage is moved among switches. Information about a creator and a borrower of name information is added to a table including name information and address information of a virtual port of a name server managing the name information and the address information. The name information is provided to plural switches and managed. In addition, name information, which can be used commonly among name servers managing the name information and the address information is pooled in advance, and the name information of the virtual port is borrowed from there.

Abstract: A copy management switch is placed in a network that connects a storage device with a computer. This copy management switch is connected to the computer, a first storage device, and a second storage device over the network. The copy management switch copies beforehand data stored in the first storage device to the second storage device. On receiving a read request, which is issued from the computer to the first storage device, the copy management switch converts the read request to the first storage device into a read request to the second storage device, and then transmits the converted read request to the second storage device. The second storage device transfers, to the copy management switch, data corresponding to the read request. The copy management switch transfers the data to the computer as data transferred from the first storage device.

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.

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: 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: An image pickup apparatus certifies unchanged image data by photographing a person using the image pickup apparatus. Two steps are carried out with the image pickup apparatus, coding image data and enciphering the coded image data, which includes changing the original data to encryption data. The enciphering also includes adding a watermark to the coded data. The coding of the image data and enciphering of the coded data are performed before the coded data is stored in a medium or is transferred to another device.

Abstract: A data conversion apparatus included an information input device, a holder for holding information designating a method of the conversion processing from input portion when the kind of the input information is examined and is judged as predetermined data for executing a data conversion processing, a convertor for executing the data in accordance with a predetermined rule, a synthesizer for generating new data by combining the input information with a predetermined data content, and an information output device for outputting the new data so generated. When the kind of the data is screen configuration data describing configuration of the screen output of an information processing unit, the predetermined rule adds a display area of the screen configuration and converts it to a screen configuration data capable of displaying a plurality of screen configurations on the same screen.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus certifies unchanged image data by photographing a person using the image pickup apparatus. Two steps are carried out with the image pickup apparatus, coding image data and enciphering the coded image data, which includes changing the original data to encryption data. The enciphering also includes adding a watermark to the coded data. The coding of the image data and enciphering of the coded data are performed before the coded data is stored in a medium or is transferred to another device.

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.