Storage control apparatus and operating mode control method of storage control apparatus

1. A storage control apparatus that inputs/outputs data in accordance with a request from a higher level device, comprising a redundant configuration that is made of a plurality of clusters, wherein:

each of the clusters is provided with a first communication control unit that is configured to communicate with the higher level device;

a second communication control unit that is configured to communicate with a storage apparatus that stores data;

a memory unit that is used by the first communication control unit and the second communication control unit; and

a mode control unit that is configured to control the first communication control unit and the second communication control unit,

wherein the memory unit in each of the clusters is provided with a first memory having a volatile property, a second memory having a nonvolatile property, and a battery that is configured to supply an electrical power to the first memory, and the first memory is provided with a data memory that is configured to store data and a management data memory that is configured to store management data; and

each of the mode control units is configured to control an operating mode for protecting data based on a remaining power level of each battery, wherein an operating mode that is configured to protect data includes:

a normal mode for notifying the higher level device of a write processing completion at a point of time when the write data the higher level device is stored into each of the data memories:

a write through mode for notifying the higher level device of a write processing completion after a point of time when the write data from the higher level device is stored into the data memory and the storage apparatus; and

an access disable mode for inhibiting an access from the higher level device, wherein

in the case in which at least one of remaining power levels of the battery capacities is equal to or larger than a first threshold value that enables to save the data and the management data that have been stored into the first memory to the second memory, the normal mode is selected;

in the case in which the both of remaining power levels of each of the batteries is less than the first threshold value and at least one of remaining power levels of the battery capacities is equal to or larger than a second threshold value that enables to save the management data that has been stored into the first memory to the second memory, the write through mode is selected; and

in the ease in which the both of remaining power levels of each of the batteries is less than the second threshold value, the access disable mode is selected for a predetermined period of time.

2. The storage control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

each of the clusters is provided with a management terminal that is configured to manage a status in each of the clusters; and

each of the mode control units

is provided with

a setting of a first threshold value that indicates a remaining power level of a battery that is required to save the data that has been stored into the data memory and the management data that has been stored into the management data memory to the second memory and

a second threshold value that indicates another remaining power level of a battery that is required to save the management data that has been stored into the management data memory to the second memory in such a manner that the threshold values can be changed; and is configured to:

detect the remaining power level of a battery in each of the clusters;

execute a first judgment for judging whether the remaining power level of a battery is equal to or larger than the first threshold value, in the case in which the result of the first judgment is positive;

execute a normal mode for notifying the higher level device of a write processing completion at a point of time when the write data from the higher level device is stored into each of the data memories, in the case in which the result of the first judgment is negative;

execute a second judgment for judging whether the remaining power level of one of the batteries is equal to or larger than the first threshold value and the remaining power level of the other of the batteries is less than the first threshold value, in the case in which the result of the second judgment is positive;

output an alarm via the management terminal and execute the normal mode, in the case in which the result of the second judgment is negative;

execute a third judgment for judging whether the remaining power level of the battery is equal to or larger than the second threshold value and is less than the first threshold value, in the case in which the result of the third judgment is positive;

output an alarm via the management terminal and execute a write through mode for notifying the higher level device of a write processing completion after a point of time when the write data from the higher level device is stored into the data memory that belongs to the cluster same as the control unit and the storage apparatus, in the case in which the result of the third judgment is negative;

execute a fourth judgment for judging whether the remaining power level of one of the batteries is equal to or larger than the second threshold value and the remaining power level of the other of the batteries is less than the second threshold value, in the case in which the result of the fourth judgment is positive;

output an alarm via the management terminal and execute a write through mode for the cluster same as the control unit, in the case in which the result of the fourth judgment is negative;

set an access disable state for inhibiting an access from the higher level device and output an alarm via the management terminal, in the case in which the result of the fourth judgment remains negative even after a predetermined period of time passes;

set an access able state for permitting an access from the higher level device and execute a write through mode, in the case in Which an input voltage to the battery is stopped;

start a save processing for transferring the data and the management data that have been stored into the first memory to the second memory for the cluster same as the mode control unit, in the case in which an input voltage to the battery is recovered, wherein

the save processing is stopped in the case in which the remaining power level of the battery is equal to or larger than the first threshold value; and

the save processing is continued in the case in which the remaining power level of the battery is less than the first threshold value; and

set the first threshold value in accordance with the number of the data memories that are included in the first memory and set the second threshold value in accordance with the number of the management data memories that are included in the first memory.

3. The storage control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

in the case in which the both of remaining power levels of each of the batteries is less than the second threshold value for a predetermined period of time, the access disable mode is switched to the write through mode.

4. The storage control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

in the case in which an input voltage to the battery is stopped,

each of the mode control units is configured to start a save processing for transferring the data and the management data that have been stored into the first memory to the second memory;

in the case in which an input voltage to the battery is recovered and the remaining power level of the battery is equal to or larger than the first threshold value that enables to save the data and the management data that have been stored into the first memory to the second memory,

the save processing is stopped; and

in the case in which an input voltage to the battery is recovered and the remaining power level of the battery is less than the first threshold value,

the save processing is continued, in the cluster to which the mode control unit belongs.

5. The storage control apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the first threshold value is set in accordance with the number of the data memories that are included in the first memory.

6. The storage control apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the second threshold value is set in accordance with the number of the management data memories that are included in the first memory.

7. The storage control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

in the case in which a battery of the cluster to which the mode control unit belongs among the clusters is exchanged, each of the mode control units is configured to increase the first threshold value that is included in the other control unit by a prescribed value.

8. A method for controlling an operating mode of a storage control apparatus, the storage control apparatus comprising a redundant configuration that is made of a plurality of clusters, wherein:

each of the clusters is provided with a first communication control unit that is configured to communicate with a higher level device;

a second communication control unit that is configured to communicate with a storage apparatus that stores data; and

a memory unit that is used by the first communication control unit and the second communication control unit, the memory unit in each of the clusters is provided with:

a first memory having a volatile property and provided with a data memory that is configured to store data and a management data memory that is configured to store management data;

a battery that is configured to supply an electrical power to the first memory; and

a second memory having a nonvolatile property, the operating mode includes:

a normal mode for notifying the higher level device of a write processing completion at a point of time when the write data from the higher level device is stored into the data memory;

a write through mode for notifying the higher level device of a write processing completion after a point of time when the write data from the higher level device is stored into the data memory and the storage apparatus; and

an access disable mode for inhibiting an access from the higher level device, wherein

in the case in which at least one of remaining power levels of the battery capacities is equal to or larger than the first threshold value that enables to save the data and the management data that have been stored into the first memory to the second memory, the normal mode is selected;

in the case in which the both of remaining power levels of each of the batteries is less than the first threshold value and at least one of remaining power levels of the battery capacities is equal to or larger than the second threshold value that enables to save the management data that has been stored into the first memory to the second memory, the write through mode is selected; and

in the case in which the both of remaining power levels of each of the batteries is less than the second threshold value, the access disable mode is selected for a predetermined period of time.

9. The operating mode control method of a storage control apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein:

in the case in which the both of remaining power levels of each of the batteries is less than the second threshold value for a predetermined period of time, the access disable mode is switched to the write through mode.

10. The operating mode control method of a storage control apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the first threshold value is set in accordance With the number of the data memories that are included in the first memory.

11. The operating mode control method of a storage control apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein:

in the case in which any one of the batteries is exchanged, the first threshold value is increased by a prescribed value for a cluster that is not provided with a battery that is an exchanged target in the clusters.