Granted Patent B2

US 7,831,781 · App. 12/007,332 · Granted Nov 9, 2010

Abstract

Claims (53)

1. A storage system comprising:

a host apparatus;

a virtualization apparatus including a storage apparatus and a first controller apparatus connected to the host apparatus and having a connection to the storage apparatus, the storage apparatus including a logical volume that stores data sent from the host apparatus and a virtual volume associated with the logical volume that is used for maintaining a copy of the data stored in the logical volume; and

a virtual disk library apparatus including a tape library apparatus and a second controller apparatus connected to the virtualization apparatus, the second controller apparatus including an actual volume associated with the virtual volume used for storing the copy of the data maintained using the virtual volume, the tape library apparatus having a tape that stores the copy of the data stored in the actual volume,

wherein the second controller apparatus has a path switching unit for conducting switching between a first plurality of paths that connect the second controller apparatus to the tape library apparatus and a second plurality of paths that connect the second controller apparatus to the first controller apparatus according to data transfer requests sent from the host apparatus,

wherein the path switching unit sets the first plurality of paths to connect the second controller apparatus to the tape library apparatus in an initial state,

wherein, upon the second controller apparatus receiving a first request sent from the host apparatus to transfer the copy of the data stored in the logical volume to the virtual volume using a specified path of the second plurality of paths, the path switching unit conducts switching to the specified path from a first path of the first plurality of paths that corresponds to the specified path to connect the second controller apparatus to the first controller apparatus, and the first controller apparatus transfers the copy of the data stored in the logical volume of the storage apparatus from the logical volume using the connection to the storage apparatus to the second controller apparatus for storage on the actual volume using the specified path,

wherein, upon transfer of the copy of the data stored in the logical volume to the second controller apparatus, the path switching unit conducts switching from the specified path to the first path to connect the second controller apparatus to the tape library apparatus, and

wherein, upon the second controller apparatus receiving a second request sent from the host apparatus to transfer the copy of the data stored in the actual volume to the tape, the path switching unit selects a free path from the first plurality of paths, and the second controller apparatus transfers the copy of the data stored on the actual volume to the tape library apparatus for storage on the tape using the free path.

2. The storage system according to claim 1 , wherein when the first path is executing data transfer between the second controller apparatus and the tape library apparatus upon the second controller apparatus receiving the first request, the path switching unit conducts switching to have a free path of the first plurality of paths conduct the data transfer between the controller apparatus and the tape library apparatus and then conducts switching from the first path to the specified path.

3. The storage system according to claim 2 , wherein, when the second controller apparatus is transferring the copy of the data stored on the actual volume to the tape library apparatus, the second controller apparatus performs load balancing on the first and second pluralities of paths.

4. The storage system according to claim 2 , wherein the second controller apparatus is interrupted from transferring the copy of the data stored on the actual volume to the tape library apparatus when all of the second plurality of paths are in use for data transfer between the first controller apparatus and the second controller apparatus.

5. The storage system according to claim 1 , wherein the selected path selected by the path switching unit has a lowest load of all paths of the first plurality of paths.

6. A path switching method for a storage system that includes a host apparatus; a virtualization apparatus including a storage apparatus and a first controller apparatus connected to the host apparatus and having a connection to the storage apparatus, the storage apparatus including a logical volume that stores data sent from the host apparatus and a virtual volume associated with the logical volume that is used for maintaining a copy of the data stored in the logical volume; and a virtual disk library apparatus including a tape library apparatus and a second controller apparatus connected to the virtualization apparatus, the second controller apparatus including an actual volume associated with the virtual volume used for storing the copy of the data maintained using the virtual volume, the tape library apparatus having a tape that stores the copy of the data stored in the actual volume, the path switching method comprising:

switching between a first plurality of paths that connect the second controller apparatus to the tape library apparatus and a second plurality of paths that connect the second controller apparatus to the first controller apparatus to the first plurality of paths in an initial state,

upon the second controller apparatus receiving a first request sent from the host apparatus to transfer the copy of the data stored in the logical volume to the virtual volume using a specified path of the second plurality of paths, switching to the specified path from a first path of the first plurality of paths that corresponds to the specified path to allow the first controller apparatus to transfer the copy of the data stored in the logical volume of the storage apparatus from the logical volume using the connection to the storage apparatus to the second controller apparatus for storage on the actual volume using the specified path,

upon transfer of the copy of the data stored in the logical volume to the second controller apparatus, switching from the specified path to the first path to connect the second controller apparatus to the tape library apparatus, and

upon the second controller apparatus receiving a second request sent from the host apparatus to transfer the copy of the data stored in the actual volume to the tape, selecting a free path from the first plurality of paths for the second controller apparatus to use to transfer the copy of the data stored on the actual volume to the tape library apparatus for storage on the tape.

7. The path switching method according to claim 6 , further comprising, when the first path is executing data transfer between the second controller apparatus and the tape library apparatus upon the second controller apparatus receiving the first request, switching to have a free path of the first plurality of paths conduct the data transfer between the controller apparatus and the tape library apparatus and then switching from the first path to the specified path.

8. The path switching method according to claim 7 , further comprising, when the second controller apparatus is transferring the copy of the data stored on the actual volume to the tape library apparatus, performing load balancing on the first and second pluralities of paths.

9. The path switching method according to claim 7 , further comprising interrupting the second controller apparatus from transferring the copy of the data stored on the actual volume to the tape library apparatus when all of the second plurality of paths are in use for data transfer between the first controller apparatus and the second controller apparatus.

10. The path switching method according to claim 6 , wherein the selected path has a lowest load of all paths of the first plurality of paths.

11. A storage system comprising:

a host apparatus;

a virtualization apparatus including a storage apparatus and a first controller apparatus connected to the host apparatus and having a connection to the storage apparatus, the storage apparatus including a logical volume that stores data sent from the host apparatus and a virtual volume associated with the logical volume that is used for maintaining a copy of the data stored in the logical volume; and

a virtual disk library apparatus including a tape library apparatus and a second controller apparatus connected to the virtualization apparatus, the second controller apparatus including an actual volume associated with the virtual volume used for storing the copy of the data maintained using the virtual volume, the tape library apparatus having a tape that stores the copy of the data stored in the actual volume,

wherein the second controller apparatus has a path switching unit for conducting switching between a first plurality of paths that connect the second controller apparatus to the tape library apparatus and a second plurality of paths that connect the second controller apparatus to the first controller apparatus according to data transfer requests sent from the host apparatus,

wherein the path switching unit sets the first plurality of paths to connect the second controller apparatus to the tape library apparatus in an initial state,

wherein, upon the second controller apparatus receiving a first request sent from the host apparatus to transfer the copy of the data stored in the tape to the virtual volume, the path switching unit selects a free path from the first plurality of paths and the second controller apparatus transfers the copy of the data stored on the tape from the tape library apparatus to the secondary controller apparatus for storage on the actual volume using the free path,

wherein, upon the second controller apparatus receiving a second request sent from the host apparatus to transfer the copy of the data from the virtual volume to the logical volume using a specified path of the second plurality of paths, the path switching unit switches from a first path of the first plurality of paths to the specified path to connect the second controller apparatus to the first controller apparatus, and the second controller apparatus transfers the copy of the data stored in the actual volume to the first controller apparatus using the specified path and the first controller apparatus transfers the copy of the data received from the second controller apparatus to the storage apparatus for storage on the logical volume using the connection to the storage apparatus, and

wherein, upon transfer of the copy of the data stored in the actual volume to the first controller apparatus, the path switching unit switches from the specified path to the first path to connect the second controller apparatus to the tape library apparatus.

12. A storage system comprising:

a host apparatus;

a virtualization apparatus including a storage apparatus and a first controller apparatus connected to the host apparatus and having a connection to the storage apparatus, the storage apparatus including a logical volume that stores data sent from the host apparatus and a virtual volume associated with the logical volume that is used for maintaining a copy of the data stored in the logical volume; and

a virtual disk library apparatus including a tape library apparatus and a second controller apparatus connected to the virtualization apparatus, the second controller apparatus including an actual volume associated with the virtual volume used for storing the copy of the data maintained using the virtual volume, the tape library apparatus having a tape that stores the copy of the data stored in the actual volume,

wherein the second controller apparatus has a path switching unit for conducting switching between a first plurality of paths that connect the second controller apparatus to the tape library apparatus and a second plurality of paths that correspond in number to the first plurality of paths and connect the second controller apparatus to the first controller apparatus according to data transfer requests sent from the host apparatus,

wherein the path switching unit sets the first plurality of paths to connect the second controller apparatus to the tape library apparatus in an initial state,

wherein, upon receiving a request sent from the host apparatus, the second controller apparatus determines whether the request is to transfer the copy of the data between the logical volume and the virtual volume using a specified path of the second plurality of paths,

wherein, upon determining that the request is to transfer the copy of the data between the logical volume and the virtual volume, the second controller determines whether a first path of the first plurality of paths that corresponds to the specified path is transferring data between the second controller apparatus and the tape library apparatus,

wherein, upon the second controller determining that the first path is transferring data, the path switching unit selects a free path from the first plurality of paths and conducts switching from the first path to the free path for transferring data between the second controller apparatus and the tape library apparatus,

wherein, upon the second controller determining that the first path is not transferring data or upon termination of the first path transferring data, the path switching unit conducts switching from the first path to the specified path to connect the second controller apparatus to the first controller apparatus,

wherein the connection between the first controller apparatus and the storage apparatus is used to transfer the copy of the data between the first controller apparatus and the logical volume of the storage apparatus and the specified path is used to transfer the copy of the data between the first controller apparatus and the actual volume of the second controller apparatus according to the request, and

wherein, upon transfer of the copy of the data according to the request, the path switching unit conducts switching from the specified path to the first path to connect the second controller apparatus to the tape library apparatus.

13. A storage system comprising:

a host apparatus;

a virtualization apparatus including a storage apparatus and a first controller apparatus connected to the host apparatus and the storage apparatus, the storage apparatus including a logical volume that stores data sent from the host apparatus and a virtual volume associated with the logical volume that is used for maintaining a copy of the data stored in the logical volume; and

a virtual disk library apparatus including a tape library apparatus and a second controller apparatus connected to the virtualization apparatus, the second controller apparatus including an actual volume associated with the virtual volume used for storing the copy of the data maintained using the virtual volume, the tape library apparatus having a tape that stores the copy of the data stored in the actual volume,

wherein the second controller apparatus has a path switching unit for conducting switching between individual paths of a first plurality of paths that connect the second controller apparatus to the tape library apparatus and individual paths of a second plurality of paths that correspond in number to the individual paths of the first plurality of paths and connect the second controller apparatus to the first controller apparatus according to data transfer requests sent from the host apparatus,

wherein the path switching unit sets the first plurality of paths to connect the second controller apparatus to the tape library apparatus in an initial state,

wherein, upon the second controller apparatus receiving a request sent from the host apparatus to transfer the copy of the data between the virtual volume and the tape, the path switching unit selects a first individual path from the first plurality of paths as a potential transfer path, and the second controller apparatus determines whether the first individual path is transferring data between second controller and the tape library apparatus or a second individual path of the second plurality of paths that corresponds to the first individual path is transferring data between the second controller apparatus and the first controller apparatus,

wherein, upon determining that the first individual path and the second individual path are both not transferring data, the second controller determines whether the first individual path is being reviewed,

wherein, upon determining that the first individual path is being reviewed, the path switching unit selects a third individual path from the first plurality of paths as the potential transfer path, and the second controller apparatus determines whether the third individual path is transferring data between second controller and the tape library apparatus or a fourth individual path of the second plurality of paths that corresponds to the third individual path is transferring data between the second controller apparatus and the first controller apparatus, and

wherein, upon the second controller apparatus determining that the first individual path is not being reviewed or that the third individual path and the fourth individual path are both not transferring data, the selected potential transfer path is used to transfer the copy of the data between the second controller apparatus and the tape library apparatus according to the request, and the second controller apparatus performs load balancing on the first and second pluralities of paths.

Assignments (8)