Storage system which is capable of processing file access requests and block access requests, and which can manage failures in a and storage system failure management method having a cluster configuration

Abstract

Failures in a storage system are managed at low cost and with high reliability. A storage system is coupled to a file command issuing apparatus and a block command issuing apparatus, and processes commands from both. The storage system is provided with: a first control portion which is provided extending across a plurality of clusters and which is configured to control block access requests to a disk device; a plurality of second control portions which are configured to process file access requests and provided respectively in the clusters, and operate on virtual machines managed by a virtualization control portion; failure detecting portions which are configured to detect failures within each of the clusters; and a failure information management portion which is provided in the first control portion and which is configured to consolidate and manage failure information relating to failures detected by the failure detecting portions.