Storage apparatus and method for arranging storage areas and managing error correcting code (ECC) groups

1. A storage apparatus providing a first virtual volume and a second virtual volume, each having a plurality of virtual storage areas, to a host system comprising:

a plurality of disk drives; and

a controller that is configured to:

configure a plurality of error correcting code (ECC) groups with the plurality of disk drives, each of the plurality of ECC groups being allocated a plurality of storage areas as a capacity from the plurality of disk drives;

allocate the capacity respectively from the plurality of ECC groups to at least one of the plurality of virtual storage areas of the first virtual volume and the second virtual volume dynamically in accordance with a received request from the host system;

manage configuration information that represents a first capacity, a second capacity, a third capacity, and a fourth capacity,

the first capacity being a capacity allocated to the first virtual volume and belonging to a first ECC group,

the second capacity being a capacity allocated to the first virtual volume and belonging to a second ECC group,

the third capacity being a capacity allocated to the second virtual volume and belonging to the first ECC group, and

the fourth capacity being a capacity allocated to the second virtual volume and belonging to the second ECC group; and

execute a rearranging process in which:

comparing the first capacity to the second capacity, and if the first capacity is larger than the second capacity and a difference between the first capacity and the second capacity is larger than a threshold partially based on the configuration information, at least one storage area of a plurality of first storage areas is migrated to at least one storage area of a plurality of second storage areas in order to make the difference between the first capacity and the second capacity smaller, and

comparing the third capacity to the fourth capacity, and if the third capacity is larger than the fourth capacity and a difference between the third capacity and the fourth capacity is larger than a threshold partially based on the configuration information, at least one storage area of a plurality of third storage areas is migrated to at least one storage area of a plurality of fourth storage areas in order to make the difference between the third capacity and the fourth capacity smaller.

2. The storage apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to rearrange the plurality of storage areas in the ECC groups used by the first virtual volume to become equal among the plurality of ECC groups based on the configuration information.

3. The storage apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to rearrange the plurality of storage areas in the ECC groups accessed within a prescribed time to become equal among the plurality of ECC groups based on the configuration information.

4. The storage apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to rearrange the plurality of storage areas in the ECC groups not used by the first virtual volume to become equal among the plurality of ECC groups based on the configuration information.

5. The storage apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, when a new ECC group configured from low-performance disk drives that have a lower performance in comparison to the plurality of disk drives is added for allocating the plurality of storage areas to the first virtual volume, the controller rearranges the plurality of storage areas with an old access time in the plurality of storage areas in the ECC group of low-performance disk drives based on the configuration information.

6. The storage apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of management units for managing the plurality of storage areas of the plurality of ECC groups configured from a plurality of external disk drives, wherein the controller rearranges the plurality of storage areas being used by the first virtual volume and being managed by each of the management units to become optimal among each of the management units based on the configuration information.

7. The storage apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the rearranging process is executed when a new ECC group is added to the storage apparatus.

8. The storage apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the rearranging process is executed in response to a request from the host system.

9. The storage apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller manages at least one of the plurality of storage areas allocated to at least one of the plurality of virtual storage areas of the first virtual volume as a first storage area and at least one of the plurality of storage areas allocated to at least one of the plurality of virtual storage areas of the second virtual volume as a second storage area.

10. A storage area arrangement method of a storage apparatus that provides a first virtual volume and a second virtual volume, each having a plurality of virtual storage areas to a host system comprising:

configuring a plurality of error correcting code (ECC) groups with a plurality of disk drives, each of the plurality of ECC groups being allocated a plurality of storage areas as a capacity from the plurality of disk drives;

allocating the capacity respectively from the plurality of ECC groups to at least one of the plurality of virtual storage areas of the first virtual volume and the second virtual volume dynamically in accordance with a received request from the host system;

managing configuration information that represents a first capacity, a second capacity, a third capacity, and a fourth capacity,

the first capacity being a capacity allocated to the first virtual volume and belonging to a first ECC group,

the second capacity being a capacity allocated to the first virtual volume and belonging to a second ECC group,

the third capacity being a capacity allocated to the second virtual volume and belonging to the first ECC group, and

the fourth capacity being a capacity allocated to the second virtual volume and belonging to the second ECC group; and

executing a rearranging process in which:

comparing the first capacity to the second capacity, and if the first capacity is larger than the second capacity and a difference between the first capacity and the second capacity is larger than a threshold partially based on the configuration information, at least one storage area of a plurality of first storage areas is migrated to at least one storage area of a plurality of second storage areas in order to make the difference between the first capacity and the second capacity smaller, and

comparing the third capacity to the fourth capacity, and if the third capacity is larger than the fourth capacity and a difference between the third capacity and the fourth capacity is larger than a threshold partially based on the configuration information, at least one storage area of a plurality of third storage areas is migrated to at least one storage area of a plurality of fourth storage areas in order to make the difference between the third capacity and the fourth capacity smaller.

11. The storage area arrangement method according to claim 10 , wherein the plurality of storage areas in the ECC groups used by the first virtual volume is rearranged to become equal among the plurality of ECC groups based on the configuration information.

12. The storage area arrangement method according to claim 10 , wherein the plurality of storage areas in the ECC groups accessed within a prescribed time is rearranged to become equal among the plurality of ECC groups based on the configuration information.

13. The storage area arrangement method according to claim 10 , wherein the plurality of storage areas in the ECC groups not used by the first virtual volume is rearranged to become equal among the plurality of ECC groups based on the configuration information.

14. The storage area arrangement method according to claim 10 , wherein when a new ECC group configured from low-performance disk drives that have a lower performance in comparison to the plurality of disk drives is added for allocating the plurality of storage areas to the first virtual volume, the plurality of storage areas with an old access time is rearranged in the storage areas in the ECC group of low-performance disk drives based on the configuration information.

15. The storage area arrangement method according to claim 10 , wherein the plurality of storage areas being used by the first virtual volume and being managed by a plurality of management units for managing the plurality of storage areas of the plurality of ECC groups configured from a plurality of external disk drives is rearranged to become optimal among each of the management units based on the configuration information.

16. The storage area arrangement method according to claim 10 , wherein the rearranging process is executed when a new ECC group is added to the storage apparatus.

17. The storage area arrangement method according to claim 10 , wherein the rearranging process is executed in response to a request from the host system.

18. The storage area arrangement method according to claim 10 , wherein the controller manages at least one of the plurality of storage areas allocated to at least one of the plurality of virtual storage areas of the first virtual volume as a first storage area and at least one of the plurality of storage areas allocated to at least one of the plurality of virtual storage areas of the second virtual volume as a second storage area.