Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi Computer Peripherals Co., Ltd.

Tatsuo Namba

Katsuhiro Uchiumi

Naoki Futawatari

Itaru Isobe

Toru Harima

Kazuaki Tanaka

Masanobu Ikeda

Minoru Kosuge

Akiyori Tamura

Naoshi Nishi

Naoki Hirosawa

Provided is a service processor (SVP)that validates a configuration of a storage systemhaving a server device, a storage deviceproviding the server device with a storage area, and a FC switchcoupling the storage deviceand the server device. The SVPincludes a configuration information storing partwhich acquires predetermined constituent element information from the storage deviceand stores the predetermined constituent element information on a configuration management table; a configuration change detecting partwhich compares constituent element information stored in the configuration management tableand the acquired constituent element information, and determines whether there is a change in a constituent element, and if there is a change, determines whether, in a vendor certification information database, there is a constituent element after changing which has received certification; a vendor certification test conducting partwhich conducts a vendor certification test targeted for a storage system, if there is no constituent element having received certification; and a data storing partwhich stores a result of the vendor certification test in a constituent element determination tableof the storage system

Information processing apparatus and operation method of the same

The present invention unitarily manages the configuration change of a storage system so as to know the latest configuration, and evaluates the reliability in advance when the configuration is changed so that the generation of a failure is suppressed. When the hostis connected to the switch, the attribute information of HBA 1A and the attribute information of the switchare stored in the connection information storage unitC by FDMI (Fabric Device Management Interface) (S, S). Each attribute information is associated with each other and is managed as combination information. The storage deviceacquires the combination information from the switch(S, S), and requests the management deviceto judge the reliability of this combination (S). The management devicejudges the combination of the HBA and the switch (S), and notifies this judgment result to the storage device(S). When the configuration of the storage system is changed, the reliability of the configuration can be confirmed before starting operation with the configuration after change, and therefore the generation of a failure can be decreased.

Managing storage system configuration information

The present invention unitarily manages the configuration change of a storage system so as to know the latest configuration, and evaluates the reliability in advance when the configuration is changed so that the generation of a failure is suppressed. When the hostis connected to the switch, the attribute information of HBAA and the attribute information of the switchare stored in the connection information storage unitC by FDMI (Fabric Device Management Interface) (S, S). Each attribute information is associated with each other and is managed as combination information. The storage deviceacquires the combination information from the switch(S, S), and requests the management deviceto judge the reliability of this combination (S). The management devicejudges the combination of the HBA and the switch (S), and notifies this judgment result to the storage device(S). When the configuration of the storage system is changed, the reliability of the configuration can be confirmed before starting operation with the configuration after change, and therefore the generation of a failure can be decreased.

Storage system

The present invention unitarily manages the configuration change of a storage system so as to know the latest configuration, and evaluates the reliability in advance when the configuration is changed so that the generation of a failure is suppressed. When the hostis connected to the switchthe attribute information of HBAA and the attribute information of the switchare stored in the connection information storage unitC by FDMI (Fabric Device Management Interface) (SS). Each attribute information is associated with each other and is managed as combination information. The storage deviceacquires the combination information from the switch(S, S), and requests the management deviceto judge the reliability of this combination (S). The management devicejudges the combination of the HBA and the switch (S), and notifies this judgment result to the storage device(S). When the configuration of the storage system is changed, the reliability of the configuration can be confirmed before starting operation with the configuration after change, and therefore the generation of a failure can be decreased.

A method of accessing a multifile storage medium and a library system. The library system includes recording/reproducing apparatuses for performing a recording/reproducing operation on the multifile storage medium, a plurality of recording/reproduction control units for controlling transaction of information with a host, a plurality of buffers provided between the recording/reproduction control units and the recording/reproducing apparatuses, a library control unit for controlling the whole library system, a directory for recording correspondence between the individual multifile recording media and a plurality of files stored therein, a shelf for housing the multifile storage media and handling devices. The plural buffers can be accessed independently of one another. Plural files are transferred between the buffers and the storage medium on a file-by-file basis. The access requests to the files are disposed of within the buffer.

Method of accessing multifile storage medium and library system

In an automatic library system for transportable data storage units, a library storage control reduces the chances of contention for file mounting. The magnetic tape library system 3 includes first read/write apparatus 20 with automatic mounting and second read/write apparatus 30 not requiring automatic mounting. Depending on the utilization of the first read/write apparatus 20, write data is recorded temporarily in a common storage installed in the second read/write apparatus 30. When the utilization of the first read/write apparatus 20 is low, the temporarily stored data is automatically transferred to a data storage unit in the first read/write apparatus 20 in which the data should normally be stored. The handlers and the first read/write apparatus 20 can be used with priority for handling data storage units for read data that require transport from the storage shelf or holder. The apparent number of the read/write apparatus increases by an amount equal to the number of data writes, improving the system throughput.

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Fujisawa, Japan

Tatsuo Namba