Abstract: A storage system allocates a data storage area in response to an access request from a first computer if the capacity of a first physical storage device configuring a first logical storage area, provided to the first computer, is equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold. The storage system associates the first logical storage area with another physical storage device, which is different from the first physical storage device associated with a second logical storage area provided to the first computer and a second computer, and allocates a data storage area from the another physical storage device if the capacity of the first physical storage device associated with the first logical storage area exceeds the predetermined threshold.

Abstract: The system is composed of the storage apparatuses with dynamic chunk allocation capabilities, the centralized management computer. Some storage apparatuses have the extra HDDs or volumes for providing extra capacity (extra chunks), which are concealed by a secret key. The storage apparatus with the closed segment has the key management program and key management table. The centralized management computer has the storage on demand management program, the pending request table, the priority table and the master key table. The storage apparatus may connect to the other storage apparatuses for sharing the extra capacities in the closed segment. The storage apparatus issues the chunk addition request to the centralized management computer. The centralized management computer provides a key according to the priority table and the master key table.

Abstract: In a computer system including a plurality of data storage apparatuses and a management computer, a given data storage apparatus, upon receipt of a control request for a local data storage apparatus from a management computer, accesses the hierarchical relation information between the storage areas in the local data storage apparatus and the storage areas of the other data storage apparatuses, and in the case where a storage area in the local data storage apparatus is set to correspond to a level lower than the other data storage apparatuses, transmits an approval request to the other data storage apparatuses. The given data storage apparatus, upon receipt of the approval from the other data storage apparatuses, executes the control request of the management computer.

Abstract: In an information processing system including a computer device, and a storage device storing data used by the computer device, the region in which the data is held is managed in association with a change, over the passage of time in the performance and availability required of the data holding region. The computer device includes a storage device managing unit for managing the storage device which stores data used by the computer device. The storage device managing unit periodically monitors temporal characteristics information, and moves data, if the storage region having functional characteristics corresponding to the temporal characteristics information is different from the storage region to which the data is currently assigned.

Abstract: A unified storage system for executing a variety of types of storage control software using a single standardized hardware platform includes multiple storage control modules connected to storage devices for storing data related to input/output (I/O) operations. A first type of storage control software is initially installed and executed on a first storage control module for processing a first type of I/O operations. A management module replaces the first type of storage control software by installing a second type of storage control software onto the first storage control module. When the second type of storage control software is installed and executed, the first storage control module processes a second type of I/O operation, different from the first type of I/O operation. Control of volumes originally accessed by the first storage control module may be transferred to a second storage control module having the first type of storage control software installed.

Abstract: A storage system allocates a data storage area in response to an access request from a first computer if the capacity of a first physical storage device configuring a first logical storage area, provided to the first computer, is equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold. The storage system associates the first logical storage area with another physical storage device, which is different from the first physical storage device associated with a second logical storage area provided to the first computer and a second computer, and allocates a data storage area from the another physical storage device if the capacity of the first physical storage device associated with the first logical storage area exceeds the predetermined threshold.

Abstract: The identification information about unnecessary files is registered to generate an unnecessary-file database. The identification information about files stored on a plurality of storage devices connected to a host computer is acquired to judge with the unnecessary-file database whether the identification information about files conforms to unnecessary-file conditions. Files nonconforming to the unnecessary-file conditions are checked to determine whether they are already migrated to a different storage device. If all the files stored on a storage device conform to the unnecessary-file conditions or are already migrated to a different storage device, the identification information about the former storage device is displayed to indicate that the storage device can be removed.

Abstract: In a computer system including a plurality of data storage apparatuses and a management computer, a given data storage apparatus, upon receipt of a control request for a local data storage apparatus from a management computer, accesses the hierarchical relation information between the storage areas in the local data storage apparatus and the storage areas of the other data storage apparatuses, and in the case where a storage area in the local data storage apparatus is set to correspond to a level lower than the other data storage apparatuses, transmits an approval request to the other data storage apparatuses. The given data storage apparatus, upon receipt of the approval from the other data storage apparatuses, executes the control request of the management computer.

Abstract: A computer system to prevent intervention and falsification by setting encrypted transfer between a host computer and a first storage device that provides a virtual volume and between the first storage device and second and third storage devices that provide a real volume corresponding to the virtual volume. A management computer specifies the second and third storage device that provide the real volume corresponding to the virtual volume by providing a volume corresponding to the virtual volume used by a host computer in which encrypted transfer becomes necessary, and setting the encrypted transfer to communication between the first storage device and the second and third storage devices, makes a reconnection thereof, and also sets the encrypted transfer to an I/O port used for the communication with the host computer in the first storage device.

Abstract: A unified storage system for executing a variety of types of storage control software using a single standardized hardware platform includes multiple storage control modules connected to storage devices for storing data related to input/output (I/O) operations. A first type of storage control software is initially installed and executed on a first storage control module for processing a first type of I/O operations. A management module replaces the first type of storage control software by installing a second type of storage control software onto the first storage control module. When the second type of storage control software is installed and executed, the first storage control module processes a second type of I/O operation, different from the first type of I/O operation. Control of volumes originally accessed by the first storage control module may be transferred to a second storage control module having the first type of storage control software installed.

Abstract: A management computer collects, from a storage subsystem via a management network, path definition information including the contents of a security setting made to a path accessible to a volume in the storage subsystem, and when the volume in the storage subsystem is an original volume having a replica volume, replica definition information of the original volume. Based on the replica configuration information thus collected from the storage subsystem, the replica relationship between the volumes is to be grasped. Then, based on the path definition information also collected from the storage subsystem, the contents of the path security setting are verified for the volumes under the same replica relationship, and the verification result is output. In such a structure, consistency verification can be easily done for the security setting of the original and replica volumes.

Abstract: To migrate a configuration that an old storage device has to a new storage device. A new storage device obtains a configuration of an old storage device, by using a migration manager, and prepares a logical volume definition of the new storage device based on a logical volume definition in the configuration. Also, based a cache allocation definition in the configuration and cache capacity of the new storage device, a cache allocation definition of the new storage device is prepared. Further, based on a port bandwidth allocation definition in the configuration and bandwidth capacity of a port of the new storage device, a port bandwidth allocation definition of the new storage device is prepared. The prepared logical volume definition, cache allocation definition and port bandwidth allocation definition are set up in a configuration of the new storage device.

Abstract: A system is composed of multiple storage control modules, which are connected to each other via interconnects. The aforesaid interconnects connecting the storage control modules may cause certain extra latency. Each storage control module may have data preservation module, which can preserve data stored by host computers. The system incorporates a latency table and provides a volume according to the latency table in accordance with a request from a host computer or an administrator. The latency table is dynamically created or statically stored in the inventive system.

Abstract: Provided is a storage medium management system, in which when the same data as that stored in a first physical storage area is stored in a second physical storage area, a storage system connected to a host computer compares the number of remaining rewritable times for the first physical storage area and the number of remaining rewritable times for the second physical storage area with each other. When the number of remaining rewritable times for the first physical storage area is less than the number of remaining rewritable times for the second physical storage area, the storage system writes data written from the host computer to the second physical storage area and copies the data written in the second physical storage area to the first physical storage area.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide a method for creating a command device in a storage system in a server virtualization environment. The storage system is coupled to a host computer having a virtual machine. The host computer includes a memory and a processor. The method comprises receiving a command device registration request to register a command device as a storage device for command transmission, the command device to be used in a virtual machine of the host computer; creating a virtual device by allocating a storage area of the storage system to the virtual device; and mounting the virtual device as the command device to the virtual machine in which the command device is used. Utilizing this invention, a block-access storage system can be controlled with in-band storage management command even in a server virtualization environment without a dedicated physical device.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide methods and apparatus for controlling data volume creation at the storage system. In one embodiment, a storage system comprises a processor; a memory; and a plurality of chunks that are to be allocated to data volumes, each chunk having one or more data blocks. The plurality of chunks include zero or more used chunks which are allocated to one or more data volumes, and zero or more remaining chunks which are not used chunks. A new data volume creation operation to create a new data volume is prohibited or warned against before the new data volume is created, in accordance with a total number of the remaining chunks in the storage system. The remaining chunks may further include reserved chunks which are reserved for use in one or more data volumes but have not been allocated.

Abstract: A network topology management system includes information processing units, storage units, connection units that control connection switching between the information processing units and the storage units, a management unit that manages a network topology consisting of the information processing units, the storage units and the connection units, and an emulator connected to the connection units and to the management unit the network. The emulator comprises a conversion section that converts first equipment identification information that identifies the information processing units or the storage units into second equipment identification information that is recognizable by the management unit to identify the information processing units or the storage units, and a transmitting section that sends the second equipment identification information to the management unit. The management device has a control section that manages the network topology based on the second equipment identification information.

Abstract: Responsive to a manipulation a storage administrator performs, the authority to manage the physical configuration of a storage system is either given or not given to the storage administrator. Specifically, a volume allocation program installed in a management computer gives the storage administrator the authority to manage the physical configuration of a storage system including a created volume, responsive to creation of a volume. A volume un-allocation program installed in the management computer verifies responsive to un-allocation of a volume whether the storage administrator is not given the authority to manage the physical configuration of the storage system including the un-allocated volume. Thus, by use of the two programs, the storage administrator can manage both a physical configuration and a logical configuration exclusive of other storage administrators.

Abstract: When a disk device corresponding to a logical volume is started, a disk system determines and starts a disk device and a fan to be started, while comprehensively considering heat quantity generated by the disk device to be started, the cooling capacity of the fan, and the electric power consumption of the fan or the electric power consumption of the disk device.

Abstract: A storage system stores golden image of a server or any physical/virtual machine execution environment and associate the golden image and the storage port. The storage system also creates the copy of the golden image to the logical volume, and allocates the internal path between the storage port and the logical volume. Upon receiving an access request from the host computer via the storage port, the storage system transfers the access request between the storage port and the logical volume which stores the copy of golden image associated with the host computer.