Storage system and storage method

1. A storage system comprising:

a storage, which comprises a nonvolatile storage medium; and

a storage control apparatus for inputting/outputting data to/from the storage,

wherein the storage control apparatus comprises:

a memory for storing management information, which is information used in inputting/outputting data to/from the storage; and

a control part for controlling access to the storage,

a secondary power source for supplying power to the memory and the control part when the supply of power from a primary power source, which is a power source of the storage system and the storage control apparatus, is shut off, and wherein the control part:

(A) stores the management information, which is stored in the memory, in the storage as a base image; and

(B) when the management information is updated subsequent to the base image being stored in the storage, creates a journal comprising information related to this update, and stores the journal in the storage as a journal group which is configured from multiple journals,

and wherein the management information comprising;

data logical address-physical address translation table, which is for showing the corresponding relationship between a physical address in the storage storing user data, and a logical address, which is associated with the physical address; and,

base image logical address-physical address translation information, which is for showing the corresponding relationship between a physical address in the storage storing the base image, and a logical address, which is associated with the physical address in the storage storing the base image; and,

journal list logical address-physical address translation information, which is for showing the corresponding relationship between a physical address in the storage storing the journal group, and a logical address, which is associated with the physical address in the storage storing the journal group,

the control part:

when the supply of power from a primary power source is shut off, stores base image logical address-physical address translation table and journal list logical address-physical address translation table in the storage prior to the data logical address-physical address translation table, using the secondary power source.

2. A storage system according to claim 1 , wherein

the journal comprises a logical address and a post-update physical address associated with this logical address,

the nonvolatile storage medium is a flash memory chip,

the storage is a flash memory comprising one or multiple flash memory chips,

in a case where the created journal exists in the memory when the supply of power from the primary power source is shut off, the control part stores the relevant journal in the storage as the journal group using the secondary power source in the (B), and

the control part, (C) restores the base image, which is stored in the storage, to the memory, and then restores the data logical address-physical address translation table to the memory by reflecting the journal group, which is stored in the storage, in the base image.

3. A storage system according to claim 2 , wherein the storage system is able to store multiple journal groups,

the control part stores the journal prior to the processing of the (A) as a first journal group, and stores the journal subsequent to the processing of the (A) as a second journal group,

in the (C), in a case where the base image stored in the (A) is an incomplete base image in which a portion of the data logical address-physical address translation table stored in the memory in the (A) is not reflected, the control part restores the data logical address-physical address translation table by carrying out the following (c1) through (c3):

(c1) restoring the incomplete base image, which is stored in the storage, to the memory;

(c2) reflecting the first journal group in an area, of the incomplete base image, in which the portion of the data logical address-physical address translation table is not reflected; and

(c3) reflecting the second journal group in the base image in which the first journal group has been reflected.

4. A storage system according to claim 3 , wherein the processing of the (A) is executed when the number of the journals included in the journal group has reached a maximum number, and

the maximum number can be changed for at least one of the multiple journal groups.

5. A storage system according to claim 4 , wherein the data logical address-physical address translation table is partitioned into multiple sub-tables,

the journal group and the base image are associated and stored in the storage for each of the partitioned sub-tables, and

in a case where a utilization request for any one sub-table of the multiple sub-tables has been received while the partitioned multiple sub-tables are being restored to the memory, the control part preferentially restores the one sub-table for which the utilization request has been received.

6. A storage system according to claim 5 , wherein the storage comprises a data area capable of storing data, and a management area, which is a smaller area than the data area and is capable of storing information for managing data stored in the data area, and

the control part:

stores the base image and the journal group in the data area; and

stores, in the management area, the base image logical address-physical address translation table and the journal list logical address-physical address translation table.

7. A storage system according to claim 1 , wherein the storage system further comprises a secondary power source for supplying power to the memory and the control part when the supply of power from a primary power source, which is a power source of the storage system, is shut off, and

the control part:

in a case where the created journal exists in the memory when the supply of power from the primary power source is shut off, stores the relevant journal in the storage as the journal group using the secondary power source; and

when restoring the data logical address-physical address translation table to the memory, restores the data logical address-physical address translation table to the memory by restoring the base image, which is stored in the storage, to the memory and then reflecting the journal group, which is stored in the storage, in the base image.

8. A storage system according to claim 7 , wherein the storage system is able to store multiple journal groups, and

the control part:

stores the journal prior to the processing of the (A) as a first journal group, and stores the journal subsequent to the processing of the (A) as a second journal group; and

when restoring the data logical address-physical address translation table to the memory, in a case where the base image stored in the (A) is an incomplete base image in which a portion of the data logical address-physical address translation table stored in the memory in the (A) is not reflected, restores the data logical address-physical address translation table by restoring the incomplete base image stored in the storage, to the memory, and reflecting the first journal group in an area, of the incomplete base image, in which the portion of the data logical address-physical address translation table is not reflected, and then reflecting the second journal group in the base image in which the first journal group has been reflected.

9. A storage system according to claim 7 , wherein the data logical address-physical address translation table is partitioned into multiple pieces of sub-data logical address-physical address translation table,

the journal group and the base image are associated and stored in the storage for each of the partitioned pieces of sub-data logical address-physical address translation table, and

in a case where a utilization request for any one piece of sub-data logical address-physical address translation table of the partitioned multiple pieces of sub-data logical address-physical address translation table has been received while the partitioned multiple pieces of sub-data logical address-physical address translation table are being restored to the memory, the control part preferentially restores the one piece of sub-data logical address-physical address translation table for which the utilization request has been received.

10. A storage system according to claim 1 , wherein,

the nonvolatile storage medium is a flash memory chip,

the storage is configured from one or multiple flash memory chips, and

when restoring the data logical address-physical address translation table to the memory, the control part restores the data logical address-physical address translation table to the memory by restoring the base image, which is stored in the storage, to the memory and then reflecting the journal group, which is stored in the storage, in the base image.

11. A storage system according to claim 10 , wherein the storage system is able to store multiple journal groups, and

the control part:

stores the journal prior to the processing of the (A) as a first journal group, and stores the journal subsequent to the processing of the (A) as a second journal group; and

when restoring the data logical address-physical address translation table to the memory, in a case where the base image stored in the (A) is an incomplete base image in which a portion of the data logical address-physical address translation table stored in the memory in the (A) is not reflected, restores the data logical address-physical address translation table by restoring the incomplete base image stored in the storage, to the memory, and reflecting the first journal group in an area, of the incomplete base image, in which the portion of the data logical address-physical address translation table is not reflected, and then reflecting the second journal group in the base image in which the first journal group has been reflected.

12. A storage system according to claim 10 , wherein the data logical address-physical address translation table is partitioned into multiple pieces of sub-data logical address-physical address translation table,

the journal group and the base image are associated and stored in the storage for each of the partitioned pieces of sub-data logical address-physical address translation table, and

in a case where a utilization request for any one piece of sub-data logical address-physical address translation table of the partitioned multiple pieces of sub-data logical address-physical address translation table has been received while the partitioned multiple pieces of sub-data logical address-physical address translation table are being restored to the memory, the control part preferentially restores the one piece of sub-data logical address-physical address translation table for which the utilization request has been received.

13. A storage system according to claim 1 , wherein the storage system is able to store multiple journal groups, and

the control part:

stores the journal prior to the processing of the (A) as a first journal group, and stores the journal subsequent to the processing of the (A) as a second journal group; and

when restoring the data logical address-physical address translation table to the memory, in a case where the base image stored in the (A) is an incomplete base image in which a portion of the data logical address-physical address translation table stored in the memory in the (A) is not reflected, restores the data logical address-physical address translation table by restoring the incomplete base image stored in the storage, to the memory, and reflecting the first journal group in an area, of the incomplete base image, in which the portion of the data logical address-physical address translation table is not reflected, and then reflecting the second journal group in the base image in which the first journal group has been reflected.

14. A storage system according to claim 1 , wherein the data logical address-physical address translation table is partitioned into multiple pieces of sub-data logical address-physical address translation table,

the journal group and the base image are associated and stored in the storage for each of the partitioned pieces of sub-data logical address-physical address translation table, and

in a case where a utilization request for any one piece of sub-data logical address-physical address translation table of the partitioned multiple pieces of sub-data logical address-physical address translation table has been received while the partitioned multiple pieces of sub-data logical address-physical address translation table are being restored to the memory, the control part preferentially restores the one piece of sub-data logical address-physical address translation table for which the utilization request has been received.