Patents by Inventor Noriko Nakajima

Noriko Nakajima 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: 8527716
    Abstract: Since only one golden image (GI) of a snapshot can exist and is shared among a plurality of storage apparatuses, there was a problem that migration or copy thereof deteriorates the capacity efficiency and increases the cost for managing consistency. The present invention solves the above-mentioned problem by either (1) a direct sharing method of generating a parent-child relationship of snapshots among different storage apparatuses at the time of creating differential LUs from the GI or (2) a virtual sharing method of creating virtual LUs of the GI in the respective storage apparatuses and creating differential LUs of the snapshots from the created virtual LUs, using a storage virtualization function among a plurality of storage apparatuses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Tanaka, Noriko Nakajima, Yasunori Kaneda
  • Patent number: 8458697
    Abstract: A first computer is provided that executes a plurality of virtual machines (VMs), a storage device, and a second computer is provided that applies patches to OSs (operating systems) operating upon the VMs to the VMs. The storage device holds storage regions (golden images (GIs)) that store data of the OSs operating upon the VMs at certain time instants, a storage region that stores patches applied to the OSs of the VMs after those certain time instants, and snapshots of the GIs. Patches applied to the OSs of the VMs accessed in the snapshots are stored in the storage pool. The second computer selects, as a GI to be a source of acquisition of snapshots, a GI to which are applied patches of a combination that can be created from patches applied to the OS of some VM, and deletes patches that are patches applied to the selected GI, and that moreover, among the patches applied to that VM, are stored in the storage pool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Amano, Yasunori Kaneda, Toru Tanaka, Noriko Nakajima
  • Publication number: 20130117427
    Abstract: A computer system is provided that is capable of reducing an administrator's operational errors by connecting a new server to a SAN and automating a SAN boot setting, and capable of lightening the administrator's task of checking for a wrong connection by detecting a wrong connection made when a new server is connected to an SNW connection device. Once a new server connected to a PnP SAN starts with a boot program obtained from a boot management server, the new server transmits configuration information on the new server to a resource management server. In response to a request from the resource management server, a storage device refers to PnP SAN information to transmit SAN information on a storage network connection device to which the new server is connected. The resource management server determines to add the new server to a resource group on the basis of the SAN information and requirement information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Amano, Akihisa Nagami, Yasunori Kaneda, Noriko Nakajima
  • Publication number: 20130073780
    Abstract: Since only one golden image (GI) of a snapshot can exist and is shared among a plurality of storage apparatuses, there was a problem that migration or copy thereof deteriorates the capacity efficiency and increases the cost for managing consistency. The present invention solves the above-mentioned problem by either (1) a direct sharing method of generating a parent-child relationship of snapshots among different storage apparatuses at the time of creating differential LUs from the GI or (2) a virtual sharing method of creating virtual LUs of the GI in the respective storage apparatuses and creating differential LUs of the snapshots from the created virtual LUs, using a storage virtualization function among a plurality of storage apparatuses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Toru Tanaka, Noriko Nakajima, Yasunori Kaneda
  • Publication number: 20120246425
    Abstract: It is an object to use a storage region in an efficient manner and maintain a performance of a storage system. A volume group GR11 includes reference volumes 1411, 1413, and 1415 and source volumes 1412, 1414, 1416, and 1417 that derive from the reference volumes. Each of the volumes stores only the difference data from a volume that is a parent thereof. A volume that is a cause of a problem is moved or copied from a pool of the moment 1410 to other pool 1420. A configuration of a volume group is modified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Toru Tanaka, Noriko Nakajima, Takashi Amano, Yasunori Kaneda
  • Patent number: 8271718
    Abstract: The present invention provides a criterion for determining whether or not to apply de-duplication processing. That is, by setting a reduction effect threshold to control switching the de-duplication between ON and OFF, the present invention allows operation such that the de-duplication is applied for a volume for which a high capacity-reduction effect is provided by the de-duplication processing, and in contrast, the de-duplication is not applied to maintain performance for a volume for which a low capacity-reduction effect is provided by the de-duplication processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Noriko Nakajima, Yuichi Taguchi
  • Publication number: 20120222028
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a technique that can comprehensively manage plural kinds of network addresses allocated to virtual computers. In a virtual computer management method according to the present invention, a MAC address, an IP address, and virtual communication interface identification information are allocated anew to a virtual computer to be created anew and the MAC address, the IP address, and the virtual communication interface identification information are set to be unable to be allocated anew (FIG. 1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Inventors: Noriko Nakajima, Yasunori Kaneda, Akihisa Nagami, Toru Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8180962
    Abstract: Since the threshold excess is judged by a value of high-workload IO of backup that is designed on the assumption that the workload of storage is high, whether the performance limit has been reached remains uncertain. Furthermore, although an optimistic prediction trend with low workload trend and a pessimistic prediction trend with high pessimistic workload trend are presented, LUs that require improvement remain uncertain. Moreover, the time to improve the configuration and the effect of the improvement remain uncertain. To improve the configuration, configuration information, performance information, and operation information are acquired from storage, a performance limit excess time is predicted based on the performance information excluding LUs exceeding the performance trend, and an optimal improved configuration is determined from the performance limit after improvement and the time required for the improvement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Tanaka, Yuichi Taguchi, Noriko Nakajima
  • Publication number: 20120066680
    Abstract: A first computer is provided that executes a plurality of virtual machines (VMs), a storage device, and a second computer is provided that applies patches to OSs (operating systems) operating upon the VMs to the VMs. The storage device holds storage regions (golden images (GIs)) that store data of the OSs operating upon the VMs at certain time instants, a storage region (i.e. a storage pool) that stores patches applied to the OSs of the VMs after those certain time instants, and snapshots of the GIs. Patches applied to the OSs of the VMs accessed in the snapshots are stored in the storage pool. The second computer selects, as a GI to be a source of acquisition of snapshots, a GI to which are applied patches of a combination that can be created from patches applied to the OS of some VM, and deletes patches that are patches applied to the selected GI, and that moreover, among the patches applied to that VM, are stored in the storage pool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Amano, Yasunori Kaneda, Toru Tanaka, Noriko Nakajima
  • Patent number: 8078815
    Abstract: A storage subsystem includes: a controller; a first logical storage area corresponding to a RAID group configured by a plurality of storage devices; and a second logical storage area corresponding to a plurality of the RAID groups each configured by the plurality of storage devices, and storing a copy of data stored in the first logical storage area. In the storage subsystem, the first and second logical storage areas form a copy group, and for starting copying from the first to second logical storage area, the controller performs a mode change, from a power saving mode to a ready mode, to the plurality of storage devices configuring the plurality of RAID groups corresponding to the second logical storage area. With such a storage subsystem, the time can be reduced for activating copy-destination storage devices to which a power saving function is applied, and the copy time is thus favorably reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Noriko Nakajima, Yuichi Taguchi, Jun Mizuno
  • Publication number: 20110231452
    Abstract: Log manipulation by a first administrator is prevented so that the reliability of system auditing can be improved. After receiving a service start request from a management computer, a storage subsystem creates a first resource group regarding which access by a host computer is permitted, and also creates a second resource group regarding which access by the management computer is permitted. The storage subsystem further creates a data storage area, to which data is to be written by the host computer, and makes the data storage area belong to the first resource group, while it also creates a log storage area, in which log information indicating past operation performed on the data storage area by the host computer is to be recorded, and makes the log storage area belong to the second resource group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Noriko Nakajima, Yuichi Taguchi, Yoshiki Kano
  • Patent number: 8024532
    Abstract: There is provided a computer system comprising a first storage system and a second storage system coupled to the first storage system. The first storage system provides a first storage area. The second storage system provides a second storage area. The second storage system reads and writes the requested data from and to the first storage area associated with the second storage area; specifies the first storage area associated with the second storage area from which the data is to be erased upon reception of a request for erasing the data stored in the second storage area; and transmits the request for erasing the data to the first storage system providing the specified first storage area. The first storage system erases the data stored in the specified first storage area, based on a data erasure condition included in the request for erasing the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuichi Taguchi, Masayuki Yamamoto, Hiroshi Nasu, Noriko Nakajima
  • Publication number: 20110150974
    Abstract: A medicament used for prophylactic and/or therapeutic treatment of xerostomia, which is in the form for oral mucosal administration comprising a spirooxathiolane quinuclidine derivative represented by the following general formula (I) or an acid addition salt thereof: [Formula 1] (wherein R1 and R2 may be the same or different, and independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, a cyclopentyl group, a cyclohexyl group, a monoaryl- or diaryl-substituted methylol group, or an aryl-substituted alkyl group) as an active ingredient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2005
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicants: DAIICHI PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD., SAITAMA DAIICHI PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Noriko Nakajima, Norihiro Shinkai, Hitoshi Yamauchi, Masahiko Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 7895394
    Abstract: A processor of a storage controller receives an erasure process request relating to data stored in a storage unit, from a host computer, via a data I/O interface, detects a logical storage extent which is different to the logical storage extent allocated to the storage unit and which can be allocated, allocates the logical storage extent thus detected to the storage unit, sends a notification indicating that access to the storage unit is possible, to the host computer which is the source of the request, and then executes erasure of the data in the logical storage extent that is associated with the storage unit forming the erasure object, and sends a data erasure notification to the management computer when the data has been erased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Noriko Nakajima, Yuichi Taguchi, Jun Mizuno
  • Publication number: 20110029739
    Abstract: The present invention provides a criterion for determining whether or not to apply de-duplication processing. That is, by setting a reduction effect threshold to control switching the de-duplication between ON and OFF, the present invention allows operation such that the de-duplication is applied for a volume for which a high capacity-reduction effect is provided by the de-duplication processing, and in contrast, the de-duplication is not applied to maintain performance for a volume for which a low capacity-reduction effect is provided by the de-duplication processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Inventors: Noriko Nakajima, Yuichi Taguchi
  • Patent number: 7831551
    Abstract: According to this invention, a computer system has a host computer, a first storage subsystem providing a first volume, a second storage subsystem providing a second volume for storing a copy of data stored in the first volume. The computer system stores copy configuration information including correspondence between the first volume and the second volume. The management computer transmits the data erasure request to the first storage subsystem upon reception of a first data erasure request for erasing the first volume. The first storage subsystem stops a copying process of data stored in the first volume to the second volume, transmits a second data erasure request for erasing the second volume to the second storage subsystem, and erases the data stored in the first volume. Thus, in the case of erasing data stored in a storage area, corresponding data stored in a destination storage area is also erased so that security risks can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nasu, Yuichi Taguchi, Noriko Nakajima
  • Publication number: 20100205371
    Abstract: The threshold excess is judged by a peak value, and therefore, since the threshold excess is judged by a value of high-workload IO of backup or the like that is designed on the assumption that the workload of storage is high, whether the performance limit has been reached remains uncertain. Furthermore, although an optimistic prediction trend with low workload trend and a pessimistic prediction trend with high pessimistic workload trend are presented, LUs that require improvement remain uncertain. Moreover, the time to improve the configuration and the effect of the improvement remain uncertain, and therefore, an improved configuration cannot be determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Inventors: Toru Tanaka, Yuichi Taguchi, Noriko Nakajima
  • Publication number: 20100082935
    Abstract: It is necessary to install a program called an agent in order to keep track of how much a file system on a computer uses a disk. On this account, loads might be applied to a server due to installation work or the agent program to increase primary costs. In addition, software inside a storage device determines and records a target block for data input/output and keeps track of capacity utilization, which might degrade the input/output performance of the storage device. A computer system is provided in which configuration information and operating information are acquired from a storage device, when data input/output is made from a computer to a logical unit, it is determined that the computer uses the logical unit to which input/output is made, and capacity used by the computer is computed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2008
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Inventors: Toru TANAKA, Yuichi TAGUCHI, Noriko NAKAJIMA
  • Publication number: 20100049916
    Abstract: A storage subsystem includes: a controller; a first logical storage area corresponding to a RAID group configured by a plurality of storage devices; and a second logical storage area corresponding to a plurality of the RAID groups each configured by the plurality of storage devices, and storing a copy of data stored in the first logical storage area. In the storage subsystem, the first and second logical storage areas form a copy group, and for starting copying from the first to second logical storage area, the controller performs a mode change, from a power saving mode to a ready mode, to the plurality of storage devices configuring the plurality of RAID groups corresponding to the second logical storage area. With such a storage subsystem, the time can be reduced for activating copy-destination storage devices to which a power saving function is applied, and the copy time is thus favorably reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Inventors: Noriko NAKAJIMA, Yuichi TAGUCHI, Jun Mizuno
  • Publication number: 20090216973
    Abstract: To prevent, when data is erased from a storage system that stores differential of updated data, a large amount of differential data from being created, a storage subsystem provides a first storage area which stores data, and includes a second storage area which stores a replication of data stored in the first storage area. When the data stored in the first storage area is updated, the data is replicated to the second storage area before the data is updated. When a request to erase the data stored in the first storage area is received, replication of unupdated data to the second storage area is suspended and the data stored in the first storage area is erased based on the request to erase the data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2008
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Inventors: Noriko NAKAJIMA, Yuichi Taguchi, Hiroshi Nasu, Masayuki YAMAMOTO