Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi Software Engineering Company, Ltd.

Katsuhiro Okumoto

Hisao Honma

Hiroshi Arakawa

Kenta Ninose

Kazuhide Sano

Akira Deguchi

Shintaro Inoue

Shuji Kondo

Masamitsu Takahashi

Takamasa Sato

Masao Inoue

Yusuke Hirakawa

Keishi Tamura

Hisao Homma

Yoshihito Nakagawa

Keiichi Kaiya

Osamu Sakaguchi

Takeo Fujimoto

Hironobu Inoue

Takuya Ichikawa

Yoshifumi Miyatake

Shuji Kondou

Kazuaki Shono

In a previous storage apparatus, differential JNLs are reflected in order of the sequential numbers, to the data volumes thereof. If a first storage apparatus is suspended, it is determined which is newer: the sequential number which the journal recently reflected in a second storage apparatus or the sequential number reflected in a third storage apparatus. In the newer storage apparatus having the newer sequential number, it is determined whether one or more JNLs from the journal having the sequential number next to the sequential number which is not determined to be the newer to the journal having the sequential number determined to be the newer exist, or not. If the result of the determination is positive, from the newer storage apparatus to the previous storage apparatus which is not the newer of the second and the third storage apparatuses, one or more differential JNLs are copied.

Asynchronous remote copy system and storage control method

In one of the storage control apparatuses in the remote copy system which performs asynchronous remote copy between the storage control apparatuses, virtual logical volumes complying with Thin Provisioning are adopted as journal volumes to which journals are written. The controller in the one of the storage control apparatuses assigns a smaller actual area based on the storage apparatus than in case of assignment to the entire area of the journal volume, and adds a journal to the assigned actual area. If a new journal cannot be added, the controller performs wraparound, that is, overwrites the oldest journal in the assigned actual area by the new journal.

Storage system effectively managing a capacity for remote copy

A remote copy system includes a first storage device performing data transmission/reception with a host computer, a second storage device receiving data from the first storage device, and a third storage device receiving data from the second storage device. The first storage device includes a logical volume, the second storage device includes a logical volume being a virtual volume, and the third storage device includes a logical volume. The first storage system changes the state of a first pair of the logical volumes based on the state of a second pair of the logical volumes. With such a remote copy system and a method for use therein, any data backup failure can be prevented.

Remote copy system and method

Storage control apparatus and storage control method

A computer system for performing a remote copy using a journal so as to maintain conformability of data stored in a secondary storage system even though a time stamp is not granted to write data received by a primary storage system. A storage managing unit issues an ID, such as a time stamp number (TS#) next to an immediately previously issued ID to one or more primary storage systems (PDKCs) at regular or irregular intervals. Upon receiving a write command, each PDKC prepares a journal (JNL) including a replica of write data and the newest ID from the storage managing unit, and transmits the journal to a secondary storage system (SDKC). The SDKC stores a received JNL and reflects up to a particular JNL of non-reflected JNLs in a secondary volume. The particular JNL has an ID older by one than the oldest ID of the newest arrival completion IDs in one or more SDKCs.

Computer system and method for performing remote copy using journal

Before starting asynchronous remote copy in the multihop method (asynchronous remote copy from the first to the second storage apparatus, and from the second to the third storage apparatus), the first initial copy which is the copy for making the contents of the first data volume in the first storage apparatus and the contents of the second data volume in the second storage apparatus consistent and the second initial copy which is the copy for making the contents of the second data volume and the contents of the third data volume in the third storage apparatus consistent are performed. In the second initial copy, the second storage apparatus creates a journal including the update number and the data in the second data volume, and the journal is transferred from the second storage apparatus to the third storage apparatus. The created update number is acquired from the first storage apparatus.

Data written in the primary logical volume of the first storage device are transmitted to the third storage device via the second storage device, the data being written in the same location as the primary logical volume within the secondary logical volume in the third storage device; when transmission of the data stops among the first to the third storage devices, the respective second storage device and the third storage device manage locations in the secondary logical volume where the data held thereby are to be written; and, when transmission of the data resumes among the first to the third storage devices, the locations in the secondary logical volume managed by the respective second and the third storage devices are aggregated, the data to be written in the respective aggregated location in the secondary logical volume being transmitted from the first storage device to the third storage device via the second storage device.

Storage system and remote copy recovery method

To provide a remote copy system and the control method for the same capable of performing the setting of volume pairs in the consistency group and changing the setting by the simple operation without depending on the pair definition processing. A copy pair configured of a primary volume and a secondary volume is suspended, and the suspended primary volume and the secondary volume are set to another consistency group different from the original consistency group, and then the primary volume and the secondary volume are resynchronized.

Remote copy system and remote copy control method in which a copy pair is changed from a first consistency group to a second consistency group (STG)

To inhibit the occurrence of communication failures in the system in which a secondary storage control apparatus acquires journal data from a primary storage control apparatus and writes the data to a secondary volume. The primary storage control apparatus comprises a command processing unit, a journal data creation unit, a journal data transfer unit which reads journal data to the secondary storage control apparatus, and a transfer control unit. In specified occasions, the transfer control unit controls at least either one of the journal data transfer amount by the journal data transfer unit and the width of the communication band utilized for journal data transfer.

Storage system and volume pair synchronization method

In a previous storage apparatus, differential JNLs are reflected in order of the update numbers, to the data volumes thereof. If a first storage apparatus is suspended, it is determined which is newer: the update number which the journal recently reflected in a second storage apparatus or the update number reflected in a third storage apparatus. In the newer storage apparatus having the newer update number, it is determined whether one or more JNLs from the journal having the update number next to the update number which is not determined to be the newer to the journal having the update number determined to be the newer exist, or not. If the result of the determination is positive, from the newer storage apparatus to the previous storage apparatus which is not the newer of the second and the third storage apparatuses, one or more differential JNLs are copied.

A storage system for managing a plurality of asynchronous remote copy proceedings between a plurality of first storage control devices and a plurality of second storage control devices, wherein each of a plurality of second storage control devices stores one or more update data corresponding to one or more update data related information including the same update reflection time information with the one that is received or older update reflection time information than this in a one or more second logical volume and changes status of the one or more second logical volumes to suspend status.

Storage system and remote copy control method for storage system

The storage system includes a first storage device, configured to be installed in a first site and providing a primary logical volume in which data received from a host computer is written; a second storage device, configured to be installed in a second site and providing a virtual logical volume, which has no structure for storing data received from the first storage system; and a third storage device, configured to be installed in a third site and providing a secondary logical volume in which data received from the second storage system is written. Data written in the primary logical volume of the first storage device are remote-copied to the secondary logical volume of the third storage device via the virtual logical volume of the second storage device.

When performing asynchronous remote copying, whether or not a disaster has occurred at a main site is judged at a remote site; and if the disaster has occurred, recovery processing is immediately started at the remote site. When asynchronous remote copying is performed between a controller and a controller, the controller transfers remote copy target data in a storage apparatus and command information via a remote copy channel to the controller; and after receiving the remote copy target data, the controller stores the remote copy target data in a storage apparatus; and if the controller fails to receive the command information within a set time period, the controller judges that a disaster has occurred, and then outputs the judgment result to a backup center server; and the backup center server executes recovery processing based on data in the storage apparatus when the disaster has occurred.

Remote copy system

Before starting asynchronous remote copy in the multihop method (asynchronous remote copy from the first to the second storage apparatus to the third storage apparatus), a first and a second initial copy are performed. The first initial copy is a copy for making the contents of the first data volume in the first storage apparatus and the contents of the second data volume in the second storage apparatus consistent and the second initial copy is a copy for making the contents of the second data volume and the contents of the third data volume in the third storage apparatus consistent. In the second initial copy, the second storage apparatus creates a journal including the update number and the data in the second data volume, and the journal is transferred from the second storage apparatus to the third storage apparatus. The created update number is acquired from the first storage apparatus.

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Odawara, Japan

Katsuhiro Okumoto