The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 13, 2008
Filed:
Oct. 26, 2005
Yutaka Watanabe, Odawara, JP;
Masanobu Yamamoto, Odawara, JP;
Takashi Kaga, Odawara, JP;
Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
Method and apparatus for using the storage resources of a storage system effectively, thereby reducing the cost of the storage system and improving its usability. The storage system includes a first storage apparatus and a second storage apparatus. When a host writes data to a virtual volume, the data are written into a pool area. A management table associates an address in the virtual volume with a pointer indicating the data stored in the pool area. The usage amount of the pool area is monitored. When the usage amount of the pool area reaches a predetermined value, a search for available capacity is performed. An unused external volume is detected and associated with an externally connected volume. The data stored in the pool area are then copied to the externally connected volume.