Hitachi, Ltd.

Akemi Sanada

Toshio Nakano

Masaaki Kobayashi

Kenichi Takamoto

Masahiko Sato

Kenji Muraoka

Hidehiko Iwasaki

Hideo Tabuchi

Sajio Ishizuki

Isamu Kage

Akira Murotani

Tetsuya Kishimoto

Tetsuya Abe

Yasuaki Nakamura

Tomohiko Suzuki

A drop in the access performance to a source volume is prevented by executing various control methods according to the snapshot usage method. A storage apparatus comprises one or more storage devices which provide storage areas; and a controller which creates a logical volume in the storage area provided by the one or more storage devices, and which reads and writes data from/to the logical volume according to a request from a host, wherein the controller acquires one or more snapshots which are data images at certain time points of the logical volume, wherein the controller determines whether the logical volume is subject to abrupt load fluctuations on the basis of performance information of the logical volume and the snapshots, and wherein, if the logical volume is subject to abrupt load fluctuations, the controller executes predetermined control processing according to usage cases of the snapshots.

Storage apparatus and method for controlling storage apparatus involving snapshots

A storage system adapted to be coupled to a plurality of host devices via a fiber channel. The storage system including a plurality of storage devices, at least a portion of the plurality of storage devices corresponding to a logical unit of a plurality of logical units, the logical unit having a logical unit number (LUN). The storage system also including a storage control device having a cache memory and controlling to store data, addressed to the LUN, into the portion of the plurality of storage devices. The storages system also including an input device being adapted to be used to set information, which is used to prevent an unauthorized access to the logical unit and which corresponds to a relationship between a host device of the plurality of host devices and the logical unit.

Fiber channel connection storage controller

A storage system adapted to be coupled to a plurality of host devices via a fibre channel. The storage system including a plurality of storage devices, at least a portion of the plurality of storage devices corresponding to a logical unit of a plurality of logical units, the logical unit having a logical unit number (LUN). The storage system also including a storage control device having a cache memory and controlling to store data, addressed to the LUN, into the portion of the plurality of storage devices. The storages system also including an input device being adapted to be used to set information, which is used to prevent an unauthorized access to the logical unit and which corresponds to a relationship between a host device of the plurality of host devices and the logical unit.

N_Port_Name information capable of distinctly identifying a host computer has seen set in a microprocessorof a storage controllerprior to start-up of host computers; upon startup of the host computers, when the storage controllerreceives a frame issued, then the microprocessoroperates to perform comparison for determining whether the N_Port_Name information stored in the frame has been already set in the microprocessorand registered to the N_Port_Name list within a control table maintained. When such comparison results in match, then continue execution of processing based on the frame instruction; if comparison results in failure of match, then reject any request.

Reduction of the initial investment cost of a user of a storage system can be realized, and the user of the storage system can easily perform timely addition for a short time. In a preferred embodiment, a method for renting and charging the storage system includes the steps of: reading a used volume from a use management table held in the storage system; and sending the read used volume from the storage system to a charging system. Preferably, the storage system has means for allowing an owner to grasp that a user starts using the storage system, wherein the owner rents to the user a storage system having a disk volume, a cache volume, and other components more than the user's increase intension, charges for a used volume of the user for a fixed period, and reviews the added volume and the charged cost on the fixed period basis.

Method and apparatus for rental storage system

Method for rental storage system

A storage controller determines a difference between a control table containing fiber channel port configuration of an upper node device and security information, and information fetched from a name server, thereby detecting replacement of a fiber channel port and correcting the control table. This enables data input/output in the same way as before fiber channel port replacement without consciously modifying the security information.

Storage controller and computer system for managing information related to connection port

N_Port_Name information capable of distinctly identifying a host computer has seen set in a microprocessor of a storage controller prior to start-up of host computers ; upon startup of the host computers , when the storage controller receives a frame issued, then the microprocessor operates to perform comparison for determining whether the N_Port_Name information stored in the frame has been already set in the microprocessor and registered to the N_Port_Name list within a control table maintained. When such comparison results in match, then continue execution of processing based on the frame instruction; if comparison results in failure of match, then reject any request.

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Chigasaki, Japan

Akemi Sanada