Hitachi, Ltd.

Kazuhide Sano

Katsuhiro Okumoto

Katsunori Nakamura

Koji Ozawa

Takeshi Koide

Shuji Kondo

Hiroshi Arakawa

Tomohiro Kawaguchi

Hideo Saito

Kenta Ninose

Kenji Sekine

Hidenori Suzuki

Shigeo Homma

Hisao Honma

Takashi Noda

Tomoyuki Kato

A migration-destination primary storage apparatus (MD-PDKC) comprises a second PVOL and a second journal storage area storing a journal corresponding to write data for the second PVOL, and executes a data copy to the second PVOL from a first PVOL, which is in a migration-source primary storage apparatus (MS-PDKC) and forms a copy pair with an SVOL in a secondary storage apparatus (SDKC). After the data copy has been completed, the MD-PDKC acquires the latest write sequence information from the MS-PDKC, and upon receiving a write request for the second PVOL, writes the write-request write data to the second PVOL, creates a journal by using journal data corresponding to the write data and also by using update information showing write sequence information based on the acquired latest write sequence information, and writes the journal to the second journal storage area.

Storage apparatus and storage apparatus migration method

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

This invention proposes a computing system and a backup method capable of improving the backup efficiency. In accordance with copy requests from the host, the data written to the first logical volume in the first storage system is copied to the second logical volume in the first storage system, the data copied to the second logical volume is used to form a journal and is transferred to the second storage system asynchronously, with the writing of data from the host to the first logical volume. In the second storage system, the data transferred from the first storage system is written to the third logical volume in the second storage system.

Computing system and backup 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

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 data processing system in which main and sub disk storage devices are under the control of individual each disk control devices, the write processing time is reduced by selectively sending data according to the command-chaining time between main and sub disk control devices. A section for judging cable length and function of the sub disk control deviceestimates command-chaining time between a pair of main and sub disk storage devices. The channel command analyzing sectionestimates the number of records to be transferred and the length of a record using a LOCATE RECORD command. The command judgment section for the sub disk control deviceoptimizes the command-chain to be issued to the sub disk control device using the above-mentioned information. Then, the section for issuing command to the sub disk control deviceissues the optimized command chain. Thus, a shorter transmission time is realized by either sending individual records or an entire track of data.

External storage control device and data transfer method between external storage control devices

A storage apparatus enables efficient data restoration even if restoration is attempted using several different restoration points. The storage system is connected to a host apparatus, and includes a storage unit having various logical volumes formed therein and a controller configured to control I/O processing with respect to the storage unit. The controller stores journal data for a data volume in a journal volume, and also stores snapshot data for the data volume in a snapshot volume. In accordance with a restoration request designating a restore point, the controller restores the data volume to the state it was in as of the designated restore point, by applying the snapshot data stored in the snapshot volume and subsequently applying the journal data stored in the journal volume. During that process, the controller saves the data in the data volume to which certain journal data is going to be applied, in a journal backup volume.

Storage system and method for managing data using the same

The storage system of the present invention has a simple configuration and ensures redundancy of the system. The primary storage control device and the first secondary storage control device are connected by a synchronous read method, and the primary storage control device and the second secondary storage control device are connected by an asynchronous read method. The primary storage control device sets a management number in the update data and saves a journal data. The primary storage control device associates the management number with the update data and transmits them to the first secondary storage control device. The first secondary storage control device writes the update data to the first secondary volume, associates the management number with the storage destination address of the update data and stores them in the maintenance table. If the primary storage control device stops, the first secondary storage control device becomes anew a primary storage control device. The first secondary storage control device is connected to the second secondary storage control device by an asynchronous read method.

Storage system and storage management method

In a data processing system in which main and sub disk storage devices are under the control of individual each disk control devices, the write processing time is reduced by selectively sending data according to the command-chaining time between main and sub disk control devices. A section for judging cable length and function of the sub disk control device estimates command-chaining time between a pair of main and sub disk storage devices. The channel command analyzing section estimates the number of records to be transferred and the length of a record using a LOCATE RECORD command. The command judgment section for the sub disk control device optimizes the command-chain to be issued to the sub disk control device using the above-mentioned information. Then, the section for issuing command to the sub disk control device issues the optimized command chain. Thus, a shorter transmission time is realized by either sending individual records or an entire track of data.

In a data processing system in which main and sub disk storage devices are under the control of individual each disk control devices, the write processing time is reduced by selectively sending data according to the command-chaining time between main and sub disk control devices. A section for judging cable length and function of the sub disk control device,estimates command-chaining time between a pair of main and sub disk storage devices. The channel command analyzing section,estimates the number of records to be transferred and the length of a record using a LOCATE RECORD command. The command judgment section for the sub disk control device,optimizes the command-chain to be issued to the sub disk control device using the above-mentioned information. Then, the section for issuing command to the sub disk control device,issues the optimized command chain. Thus, a shorter transmission time is realized by either sending individual records or an entire track of data.

In a data processing system in which main and sub disk storage devices are under the control of individual each disk control devices, the write processing time is reduced by selectively sending data according to the command-chaining time between main and sub disk control devices. A section for judging cable length and function of the sub disk control device 36 estimates command-chaining time between a pair of main and sub disk storage devices. The channel command analyzing section 31 estimates the number of records to be transferred and the length of a record using a LOCATE RECORD command. The command judgment section for the sub disk control device 32 optimizes the command-chain to be issued to the sub disk control device using the above-mentioned information. Then, the section for issuing command to the sub disk control device 35 issues the optimized command chain. Thus, a shorter transmission time is realized by either sending individual records or an entire track of data.

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Fujinomiya, Japan

Kazuhide Sano