Remote copy system
View Patent ↗Provided is a remote copy system capable of guaranteeing the time ordering of data to be handled by a remote site even when the tasks at the remote site are operated across a plurality of storages or a plurality of volume groups. A consistency group consisting of a secondary journal volume and a replica is associated with a journal group consisting of a primary data volume, a primary journal volume, a secondary journal volume, and a secondary data volume. Upon backing up a secondary data volume and forming a replica, the host system issues a backup time reservation command to a storage apparatus, and the storage apparatus creates a replica by comparing the time stamp added to the journal data and the backup reservation time.
1. A remote copy system comprising a first storage system and a second storage system,
wherein said first storage system including:
a primary volume storing a write data sent from a computer;
a primary journal volume storing journal data at least including said write data and updated time; and
a first controller configured to transfer said journal data to said second storage system;
wherein said second storage system including:
a secondary journal volume storing said journal data transferred from said first storage system;
a secondary volume to which said journal data stored in said secondary journal volume is restored;
a replica volume; and
a second controller,
wherein the second controller is configured to compare updated time included in journal data and a backup reservation time which indicates a reserved time to back up data stored in said secondary volume to said replica volume,
wherein:
if said second controller detects a journal data including updated time after the backup reservation time, the second controller is configured to suspend restoration of journal data from said secondary journal volume to said secondary volume, and then start to back up data stored in said secondary volume to said replica volume, and
when said second controller does not detect a journal data including updated time after the backup reservation time, the second controller is configured to back up data stored in said secondary volume to said replica volume.
2. A remote copy system according to claim 1 , wherein after said second controller backs up data stored in said replica volume with data stored in said secondary volume, said second controller is configured to change copy pair status between said secondary volume and said replica volume to a split status, and resume restoration of journal data from said secondary journal volume to said secondary volume.
3. A remote copy system according to claim 1 , wherein before said second controller starts to back up data stored in said replica volume with data stored in said secondary volume, a copy pair status between said secondary volume and said replica volume is a split status.
4. A remote copy system according to claim 1 , while said second controller restores one or more journal data from said secondary journal volume to said secondary volume, a copy pair status between said secondary volume and said replica volume is a split status.
5. A remote copy system according to claim 1 , when said second controller receives a command designating said backup time, said second controller is configured to start to restore one or more journal data including updated time before said backup reservation time from said secondary journal volume to said secondary volume.
6. A remote copy system comprising a first storage system and a second storage system,
wherein said first storage system including:
a primary volume storing a write data sent from a computer;
a primary journal volume storing journal data at least including said write data and updated time; and
a first controller configured to transfer said journal data to said second storage system;
wherein said second storage system including:
a secondary journal volume storing said journal data transferred from said first storage system;
a secondary volume to which said journal data stored in said secondary journal volume is restored;
a replica volume; and
a second controller configured to compare updated time included in journal data and a backup reservation time which indicates a reserved time to back up data stored in said secondary volume to said replica volume,
wherein:
if said second controller after said second controller restores one or more journal data including updated time before the backup reservation time from said secondary journal volume to said secondary volume, the second controller is configured to suspend restoration of journal data from said secondary journal volume to said secondary volume, and then change a copy status between said secondary volume and the replica volume from a split status to a resynchronize status, and
when said second controller does not detect a journal data including updated time after the backup reservation time, the second controller is configured to back up data stored in said secondary volume to said replica volume.
7. A remote copy system according to claim 6 , wherein after said second controller synchronizes data stored in said replica volume with data stored in said secondary volume, said second controller is configured to change copy pair status between said secondary volume and said replica volume from said resynchronize status to said split status, and resume restoration of journal data from said secondary journal volume to said secondary volume.
8. A remote copy system according to claim 6 , wherein before said second controller starts to synchronize data stored in said replica volume with data stored in said secondary volume, said copy pair status between said secondary volume and said replica volume is said split status.
9. A remote copy system according to claim 6 , while said second controller restores one or more journal data from said secondary journal volume to said secondary volume, a copy pair status between said secondary volume and said replica volume is said split status.
10. A remote copy system according to claim 1 , when said second controller receives a command designating said backup time, said second controller is configured to start to restore one or more journal data including updated time before said backup reservation time from said secondary journal volume to said secondary volume.
11. A remote copy system comprising a first storage system and a second storage system,
wherein said first storage system including:
a primary volume storing a write data sent from a computer;
a primary journal volume storing journal data at least including said write data and updated time; and
a first controller configured to transfer said journal data to said second storage system;
wherein said second storage system including:
a secondary journal volume storing said journal data transferred from said first storage system;
a secondary volume to which said journal data stored in said secondary journal volume is restored;
a replica volume; and
a second controller configured to compare updated time included in journal data and a backup reservation time which indicates reserved time to back up data stored in said secondary volume to said replica volume,
wherein:
when said second controller detects a journal data including updated time after the backup reservation time, the second controller is configured to suspend restoration of journal data from said secondary journal volume to said secondary volume, and start to copy data stored in said secondary volume to said replica volume, and
when said second controller does not detect a journal data including updated time after the backup reservation time, the second controller is configured to start to copy data stored in said secondary volume to said replica volume.
12. A method for operating a remote copy system comprising a first storage system and a second storage system, said first storage system including a primary volume storing a write data sent from a computer, and a primary journal volume storing journal data at least including write data and updated time, said second storage system including a secondary journal volume, a secondary volume, and a replica volume, the method comprising:
transferring said journal data from said first storage system to said second storage system;
storing said journal data transferred from said first storage system in said secondary journal volume;
restoring said journal data stored in said secondary journal volume to said secondary volume;
comparing updated time included in journal data and a backup reservation time which indicates reserved time to back up data stored in said secondary volume to said replica volume;
wherein:
when a journal data including updated time after the backup reservation time is detected, suspending restoration of journal data from said secondary journal volume to said secondary volume, and then starting back up of data stored in said secondary volume to said replica volume, and
when a journal data including updated time after the backup reservation time is not detected, backing up data stored in said secondary volume to said replica volume.
13. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising:
after said back up data stored in said replica volume with data stored in said secondary volume. changing copy pair status between said secondary volume and said replica volume to a split status, and resuming restoration of journal data from said secondary journal volume to said secondary volume.
14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein before starting to back up data stored in said replica volume with data stored in said secondary volume, a copy pair status between said secondary volume and said replica volume is a split status.
15. The method according to claim 12 , wherein while restoring one or more journal data from said secondary journal volume to said secondary volume, a copy pair status between said secondary volume and said replica volume is a split status.
16. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising:
when a command designating said backup time is received, starting to restore one or more journal data including updated time before said backup restoration time from said secondary journal volume to said secondary volume.