IP Library Granted Patent US 8,402,236
Granted Patent B2
US 8,402,236 · App. 12/625,006 · Granted Mar 19, 2013

Computer system managing volume allocation and volume allocation management method

Inventors: Wataru Okada (Machida, JP); Nobuhiro Maki (Yokohama, JP)
Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,402,236
App. No.
12/625,006
Granted
Mar 19, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a management computer which manages a storage system including a main logical volume and subsidiary logical volumes, when the access volume to the main logical volume exceeds a threshold value, a subsidiary logical volume associated with a physical volume having higher input/output performance than the physical volume associated with the main logical volume is selected. When the migration time of the data stored in the physical volume corresponding to the selected subsidiary logical volume is within a prescribed time period, then data stored in the physical volume corresponding to the main logical volume is migrated to the physical volume corresponding to the selected subsidiary logical volume, and the physical volume corresponding to the selected subsidiary logical volume is associated with the main logical volume.

Claims (43)

1. A computer system, comprising:

a storage system which is coupled to another storage system; and

a management computer which manages the storage system, wherein

the storage system comprises:

a plurality of physical volumes corresponding to a plurality of logical volumes including a first main logical volume, a plurality of first subsidiary logical volumes and a buffer volume; and

a first controller which executes data input/output processing to and from the plurality of physical volumes,

the management computer comprises:

a memory which stores physical volume information indicating performance of the plurality of physical volumes; and

a second controller,

the plurality of first subsidiary logical volumes form copy pairs with a plurality of second main logical volumes provided by the other storage system, and the first main logical volume forms a copy pair with a second subsidiary logical volume provided by the other storage system,

when an access volume to the first main logical volume exceeds a threshold value, the second controller selects a subsidiary logical volume which is included in the plurality of first subsidiary logical volumes, and which is associated with a second physical volume having higher input/output performance than a first physical volume associated with the first main logical volume, by referring to the physical volume information read out from the memory, and

the second controller confirms whether data migration time is within a prescribed time period, and when the migration time is within the prescribed time period, instructs the storage system to migrate data stored in the second physical volume corresponding to the selected subsidiary logical volume to a third physical volume which corresponds to the buffer volume, and to migrate data stored in the first physical volume corresponding to the first main logical volume to the second physical volume corresponding to the selected subsidiary logical volume, and to associate the second physical volume corresponding to the selected subsidiary logical volume with the first main logical volume.

2. The computer system according to claim 1 , wherein the data migration time is time required, in a case where the data stored in the second physical volume corresponding to the selected subsidiary logical volume is migrated to the third physical volume corresponding to the buffer volume, in order to migrate the data stored in the third physical volume corresponding to the buffer volume to a fourth physical volume having higher input/output performance than the third physical volume corresponding to the buffer volume.

3. The computer system according to claim 2 , wherein

the memory further stores data migration performance information which indicates a data migration speed for migrating the data stored in one physical volume included in the plurality of physical volumes in the storage system, to another physical volume, and

the second controller calculates the data migration time further on the basis of the volume of data stored in the second physical volume and the data migration speed, by referring to the data migration information.

4. The computer system according to claim 3 , wherein the second controller calculates the data migration time on the basis of the volume of data stored in the fourth physical volume, as well as the volume of data stored in the second physical volume and the data migration speed.

5. The computer system according to claim 4 , wherein the migration time is a sum of a first migration time calculated on the basis of the volume of data stored in the second physical volume and the data migration speed, and a second migration time calculated on the basis of the volume of data stored in the fourth physical volume and the data migration speed.

6. The computer system according to claim 5 , further comprising:

a host computer which is coupled to the storage system, and which runs a plurality of applications, wherein

the plurality of logical volumes are allocated to the plurality of applications, respectively.

7. The computer system according to claim 6 , wherein

the memory further stores performance information indicating required performance for disaster which is required, in an event of disaster in the other storage system, by the applications to which the plurality of first subsidiary logical volumes are allocated, and

the input/output performance of the fourth physical volume is higher than the required performance for disaster of the application allocated to the selected subsidiary logical volume.

8. The computer system according to claim 7 , wherein the prescribed time is time at which permission is granted to allocate, to the selected subsidiary logical volume, a physical volume having lower input/output performance than the required performance for disaster of the application allocated to the selected subsidiary logical volume, in the event of a disaster in the other storage system.

9. The computer system according to claim 5 , further comprising:

a physical server, which is coupled to the storage system, and on which a plurality of virtual servers are run, wherein

respective virtual volume files of the plurality of virtual computers are stored in the plurality of logical volumes.

10. The computer system according to claim 9 , wherein

the physical server comprises an interface,

the memory stores virtual computer information indicating the input/output performance of the interface allocated to the plurality of virtual computers, and

the second controller refers to the virtual computer information, compares the input/output performance of the second physical volume with the input/output performance of the interface allocated to a first virtual computer which stores a virtual volume file in a main logical volume, and when the input/output performance of the interface allocated to the first virtual computer is lower than the input/output performance of the second physical volume, changes the input/output performance of the interface allocated to the first virtual computer when the second physical volume is associated with the main logical volume.

11. The computer system according to claim 10 , wherein, when the input/output performance of the interface allocated to the first virtual computer cannot be made higher than the input/output performance of the second physical volume by changing the input/output performance of the interface allocated to the first virtual computer, then the first virtual computer is migrated to a physical server other than the physical server.

12. The computer system according to claim 11 , wherein

the memory further stores performance information indicating the required performance for disaster which is required, in an event of disaster in the other storage system, by a virtual computer which stores a virtual volume file in the selected subsidiary logical volume, and

the input/output performance of the fourth physical volume is higher than the required performance for disaster of the second virtual computer.

13. The computer system according to claim 12 , wherein the prescribed time is time at which permission is granted to allocate, to the selected subsidiary logical volume, a physical volume having lower input/output performance than the required performance for disaster that is required by the virtual computer.

14. A physical volume allocation method for a computer system having: a storage system which configured of a plurality of physical volumes corresponding to a plurality of logical volumes including a first main logical volume, a plurality of first subsidiary logical volumes and a buffer volume, and a first controller which executes data input/output processing to and from the plurality of physical volumes, and which is coupled to another storage system; and a management computer which is configured of a memory which stores physical volume information indicating the performance of the plurality of physical volumes and a second controller, and which manages the storage system, wherein

the plurality of first subsidiary logical volumes form copy pairs with a plurality of second main logical volumes provided by the other storage system,

the first main logical volume forms a copy pair with a second subsidiary logical volume provided by the other storage system,

when an access volume to the first main logical volume exceeds a threshold value, the second controller selects a subsidiary logical volume which is included in the plurality of first subsidiary logical volumes, and which is associated with a second physical volume having higher input/output performance than a first physical volume associated with the first main logical volume, by referring to the physical volume information read out from the memory, and

the second controller confirms whether data migration time is within a prescribed time period, and when the migration time is within the prescribed time period, instructs the storage system to migrate data stored in the second physical volume corresponding to the selected subsidiary logical volume to a third physical volume which corresponds to the buffer volume, and to migrate data stored in the first physical volume corresponding to the first main logical volume to the second physical volume corresponding to the selected subsidiary logical volume, and to associate the second physical volume corresponding to the selected subsidiary logical volume with the first main logical volume.

15. The physical volume allocation method according to claim 14 , wherein the data migration time is time required, in a case where the data stored in the second physical volume corresponding to the selected subsidiary logical volume is migrated to the third physical volume corresponding to the buffer volume, in order to migrate the data stored in the third physical volume corresponding to the buffer volume to a fourth physical volume having higher input/output performance than the third physical volume corresponding to the buffer volume.

Assignments (7)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 9, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 050937/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 23, 2018
From: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 047243/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 13, 2018
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.; MICRON SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047540/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REPLACE ERRONEOUSLY FILED PATENT #7358718 WITH THE CORRECT PATENT #7358178 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 038669 FRAME 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Jun 8, 2017
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 043079/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 2, 2016
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038954/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 12, 2016
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038669/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 24, 2009
From: OKADA, WATARU; MAKI, NOBUHIRO
To: HITACHI, LTD.
Reel/Frame 023566/0173 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2009-225849 · Sep 30, 2009 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20110078395A1 · Mar 31, 2011