Abstract: In asynchronous remote copy, there is time difference between data update and remote copy in a primary storage system. The primary storage system loses data unreflected on a secondary storage system in disaster and cannot control the amount of data lost. The primary storage system obtains the data reflection state of remote copy between it and the secondary storage system to manage the amount of data update delay between the storage systems. When the amount of delay meets a configured start condition, a process of reducing the amount of delay is started. When the amount of delay meets a separately configured stop condition, the process of reducing the amount of delay is stopped. The configuration of whether the process of reducing the amount of delay is performed and the configuration of the conditions are performed from outside.

Abstract: In a data processing system having a primary site and a secondary site, storage systems are connected to each other via a communication line, data update history is recorded in a storage device as a journal in the primary site, and the journal is transferred to the secondary site via the communication line. During such transfer, loads will not concentrate to a specific volume, by switching the volume that stores the journal in the primary site, while, by switching the transfer-destination volume of the journal in the secondary site. With such arrangement, in a data processing system, it is possible to ensure data consistency in a plurality of sites and prevent the system throughput capacity from being deteriorated without applying loads to a host and a network, and without causing load concentration on a specific storage device that is caused as a result of data update or recovery operations.

Abstract: A storage apparatus installed in a first site generates a snapshot of a copy source logical device in an intermediate logical device. Next, an external storage apparatus including a logical device corresponding to the intermediate logical device is disconnected from the first site and connected to the second site. A storage apparatus in the second site is made to recognize the logical device in the external storage device as a logical device of a remote copy target. Next, the storage apparatus instructs the second site about writing in the copy target logical device through a global network on the basis of the difference data managed with the bit map.

Abstract: In asynchronous remote copy, there is time difference between data update and remote copy in a primary storage system. The primary storage system loses data unreflected on a secondary storage system in disaster and cannot control the amount of data lost. The primary storage system obtains the data reflection state of remote copy between it and the secondary storage system to manage the amount of data update delay between the storage systems. When the amount of delay meets a configured start condition, a process of reducing the amount of delay is started. When the amount of delay meets a separately configured stop condition, the process of reducing the amount of delay is stopped. The configuration of whether the process of reducing the amount of delay is performed and the configuration of the conditions are performed from outside.

Abstract: In order to limit users who can check for validity of a certificate in a system which uses public key certificates, a validity check permit permitting a request to check for validity of the certificate is issued by a permit issuing server 120 to the applicant of the certificate. The certificate applicant sends the validity check permit to a relevant user when the certificate is used (step 701). When having a certificate validity checking server check for validity of the certificate, the user sends the validity check permit of the certificate to be checked to the certificate validity checking server (step 704). The certificate validity checking server verifies the validity check permit (step 706).

Abstract: In a system comprising a first storage system providing plural first logical volumes including real logical volume and a virtual logical volume with a host, a second storage system having a second logical volume, and a management computer, when the first storage system receives an access request to the virtual logical volume, it accesses a second logical volume associated with the virtual logical volume. In this system, when the management computer receives a request to guard one of the plural first logical volumes, it checks whether a target first logical volume of the request is a real logical volume or a virtual logical volume, in case of the virtual logical volume, generates and provides a possible at least one option to guard the virtual logical volume by considering a program for volume guard, which each of the first storage system and the second storage system has.

Abstract: An access control attribute that can be established for an extent that is provided in a storage device may be any access control attribute signifying write permission, read permission, and write prohibition, but an access control attribute signifying read prohibition is not supported. In cases where a read request for read target data is received from a communication device that transmits the read request, the data processing system reads read target data from a read source extent without retrieving an access control attribute of the read source extent according to the read request from among a plurality of access control attributes.

Abstract: A storage system is utilized to its fullest storage capacity by setting a write inhibitive attribute to a desired storage area of the storage system. The storage system has a logical volume in which data is stored and a control device which controls access to the data stored in the logical volume. A first area of a desired size is set in the logical volume, and an access control attribute is set to the first area. In response to a request made by a computer to perform access to the logical volume, the control device notifies the computer that the control device does not perform the access when an area designated by the access request contains at least a part of the first area and the access control attribute set to the first area inhibits the type of the access requested.

Abstract: Composition of a consistency group is changed easily without releasing a volume pair of the consistency group concerning a remote copying system and a remote copying method using a sequence number. In order to change the composition of the consistency group, predetermined data sent from a data sending side after the relevant change is received. At that time, a reflection operation of the predetermined data on a logical storage area is started on a data receiving side after reflection of the predetermined data sent from the data sending side before the relevant change on the logical storage area is terminated.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for guaranteeing a data consistency among a plurality of storages and sites, when data transfer is performed by asynchronous remote copying from a site including a plurality of storages. When writing is made into a first storage system or a second storage system, the storage system that received the writing transfers the write data to the other storage system within the site by synchronous remote copying. At this timing the first storage system gives the write data information for order assurance. Furthermore, the first or the second storage system transfers the write data and thus given information for order assurance to the third or the fourth storage system by asynchronous remote copying. Furthermore, the third or the fourth storage system which has received the write data transfers to the other storage system within the same site the write data and information for order assurance by synchronous remote copy.

Abstract: In asynchronous remote copy, there is time difference between data update and remote copy in a primary storage system. The primary storage system loses data unreflected on a secondary storage system in disaster and cannot control the amount of data lost. The primary storage system obtains the data reflection state of remote copy between it and the secondary storage system to manage the amount of data update delay between the storage systems. When the amount of delay meets a configured start condition, a process of reducing the amount of delay is started. When the amount of delay meets a separately configured stop condition, the process of reducing the amount of delay is stopped. The configuration of whether the process of reducing the amount of delay is performed and the configuration of the conditions are performed from outside.

Abstract: In a data processing system having a primary site and a secondary site, storage systems are connected to each other via a communication line, data update history is recorded in a storage device as a journal in the primary site, and the journal is transferred to the secondary site via the communication line. During such transfer, loads will not concentrate to a specific volume, by switching the volume that stores the journal in the primary site, while, by switching the transfer-destination volume of the journal in the secondary site. With such arrangement, in a data processing system, it is possible to ensure data consistency in a plurality of sites and prevent the system throughput capacity from being deteriorated without applying loads to a host and a network, and without causing load concentration on a specific storage device that is caused as a result of data update or recovery operations.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to limit users who can check for validity of a certificate in a system which uses public key certificates. To achieve this object, in the present invention, a validity check permit permitting a request to check for validity of the certificate is issued by a permit issuing server 120 to the applicant of the certificate. The certificate applicant sends the validity check permit to a relevant user when the certificate is used (step 701). When having a certificate validity checking server check for validity of the certificate, the user sends the validity check permit of the certificate to be checked to the certificate validity checking server (step 704). The certificate validity checking server verifies the validity check permit (step 706).