Storage system including storage adaptors having cache memories and grasping usage situation of each cache memory and equalizing usage of cache memories

1. A storage system having a cluster configuration, comprising:

plural storage adaptors each of which is provided with a cache memory that stores read/written data according to an I/O (input/output) request from a host and a device that holds the data stored in the cache memory;

means for connecting an external storage having a logical device that handles read/written data and an external cache memory to one of the plural storage adaptors;

means for monitoring and for grasping a usage situation of the cache memories of the plural storage adaptors; and

selection means for referring to information of the usage situation of the cache memories acquired by the grasping means and for selecting any of the storage adaptors so that usage of the cache memories is equalized, wherein:

the logical device of the external storage is controlled by the storage adaptor selected by the selection means via the connection means.

2. The storage system according to claim 1 , wherein:

the grasping means acquire an amount of dirty data (a first amount of dirty data) for each of the cache memories of the plural storage adaptors; and

the selection means select the storage adaptor having a smaller amount of dirty data based upon the acquired amount of dirty data and controls the logical device of the external storage.

3. The storage system according to claim 2 , wherein:

the grasping means further grasp an amount of dirty data (a second amount) which is data stored in the logical device of the external storage and which is stored in the cache memory with which any of the storage adaptors is provided; and

the selection means select the storage adaptor for controlling the logical device of the external storage based upon the first amount of dirty data and the second amount of dirty data.

4. The storage system according to claim 2 , further comprising:

means for making an asynchronous remote copy of the data stored in the logical device of the external storage in another storage; and

means for grasping an amount of data (side file data) held in the cache memory of the storage adaptor and not transmitted to the other storage yet, wherein:

the selection means refer to the amount of side file data acquired by the grasping means and select the storage adaptor for controlling the logical device of the external storage.

5. The storage system according to claim 1 , comprising:

means for transferring the usage situation of the cache memory, the amount of dirty data or the amount of side file data acquired by the grasping means to a service terminal or a management server to provide it to a manager, wherein:

the selection means select the storage adaptor designated by the service terminal or the management server.

6. A storage system having a cluster configuration, comprising:

plural storage nodes each of which is provided with a cache memory that temporarily stores read/written data according to an I/O (input/output) request from a host and a device that holds the data of the cache memory;

an interface for connecting an external storage provided with an external cache memory that stores read/written data according to an I/O request from the host and an external device with one of the plural storage nodes;

means for monitoring and for grasping a usage situation of each of the cache memories of the plural storage nodes; and

selection means for referring to information of the usage situation of the cache memories acquired by the grasping means and for selecting a certain storage node so that usage of the cache memories is equalized, wherein:

the external device of the external storage is controlled by the storage node selected by the selection means via the interface.

7. A storage system according to claim 6 , wherein:

the grasping means acquire an amount of dirty data (a first amount of dirty data) for each of the cache memories; and

the selection means select the storage node having a smaller amount of dirty data based upon the acquired amount of dirty data and controls the external device of the external storage.

8. The storage system according to claim 7 , further comprising:

means for making an asynchronous remote copy from a second storage including the plural storage nodes to a third storage; and

means for grasping an amount of data (side file data) held in the cache memory of the storage node and not transmitted to the third storage yet, wherein:

the selection means refer to the amount of side file data acquired by the grasping means and select the storage node.

9. The storage system according to claim 6 , comprising:

means for transferring the usage situation of the cache memory, the amount of dirty data or the amount of side file data acquired by the grasping means to a service terminal or a management server to provide it to a manager, wherein:

the selection means select the storage node designated by the service terminal or the management server.

10. An I/O (input/output) processing method of processing an I/O request from a host in a cluster storage system, comprising:

processing an I/O request from the host in plural storage components each of which is provided with a device for storing data and a cache memory for temporarily storing the data stored in the device;

controlling an external device of an external storage provided with the external device for storing data and an external cache memory by a certain storage component;

grasping a usage situation of cache memories in the plural storage components;

referring to information of the grasped usage situation of the cache memories and selecting a certain storage component so that usage of the cache memories is equalized; and

processing an I/O request to the external storage from the host using the selected storage component.