Method and apparatus to change tiers

1. A system comprising:

a storage subsystem comprising:

a plurality of storage devices configured to provide a plurality of pages having a plurality of tiers; and

a central processing unit (CPU) configured to provide a virtual volume to which one or more pages of the plurality of pages are allocated, wherein the virtual volume comprises a first storage area to which at least a part of a certain page of the plurality of pages is allocated, the certain page having a first tier;

for the CPU receiving a command for changing a tier of the first storage area in the virtual volume to a second tier, the CPU is configured to determine whether the first tier of the certain page allocated to the first storage area is different from the second tier indicated in the command,

for the first tier of the first page allocated to the first storage area being different from the second tier, the CPU is configured to execute the command by:

allocating a new page having the second tier instead of the certain page; and

copying data in the certain page to the allocated new page;

for the first tier of the certain page allocated to the first storage area not being different from the second tier, the CPU is configured to not execute the command.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein for the CPU receiving a command for changing a tier of the first storage area in the virtual volume to a second tier, the CPU is configured to determine whether another part of the certain page is not allocated to the first storage area,

wherein for the first tier of the certain page allocated to the first storage area being different from the second tier and for the another part of the certain page not being allocated to the first storage area, the CPU is configured to execute the command.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an application server sending the command for changing the tier of the first storage area in the virtual volume to the storage subsystem;

wherein when the storage subsystem receives a status inquiry command for a location in the storage subsystem from the application server, the storage subsystem transmits to the application server allocated tier information corresponding to the location.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein when the application server receives the allocated tier information corresponding to the location, the application server determines an area in the storage location that aligns a file to be stored in the storage system to the page.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the storage subsystem comprises storage volumes, and wherein the first storage area is specified by a storage volume identification and storage address for one of the storage volumes.

6. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions for executing a process for a storage subsystem, the instructions comprising:

providing, from a plurality of storage devices, a plurality of pages having a plurality of tiers;

providing a virtual volume to which one or more pages of the plurality of pages are allocated, wherein the virtual volume comprises a first storage area to which at least a part of a certain page of the plurality of pages is allocated, the certain page having a first tier;

for receipt of a command for changing a tier of the first storage area in the virtual volume to a second tier, determining whether the first tier of the certain page allocated to the first storage area is different from the second tier indicated in the command,

for the first tier of the first page allocated to the first storage area being different from the second tier, executing the command by:

allocating a new page having the second tier instead of the certain page; and

copying data in the certain page to the allocated new page;

for the first tier of the certain page allocated to the first storage area not being different from the second tier, not executing the command.

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6 , the instructions further comprising, for receipt of a command for changing a tier of the first storage area in the virtual volume to a second tier, determining whether another part of the certain page is not allocated to the first storage area,

wherein for the first tier of the certain page allocated to the first storage area being different from the second tier and for the another part of the certain page not being allocated to the first storage area, not executing the command.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6 , the instructions further comprising receiving the command for changing the tier of the first storage area in the virtual volume to the storage subsystem from the application server;

wherein upon receipt of a status inquiry command for a location in the storage subsystem from the application server, the storage subsystem transmits to the application server allocated tier information corresponding to the location.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein when the application server receives the allocated tier information corresponding to the location, the application server determines an area in the storage location that aligns a file to be stored in the storage system to the page.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the storage subsystem comprises storage volumes, and wherein the first storage area is specified by a storage volume identification and storage address for one of the storage volumes.

11. A method for a storage subsystem, the method comprising:

providing, from a plurality of storage devices, a plurality of pages having a plurality of tiers;

providing a virtual volume to which one or more pages of the plurality of pages are allocated, wherein the virtual volume comprises a first storage area to which at least a part of a certain page of the plurality of pages is allocated, the certain page having a first tier;

for receipt of a command for changing a tier of the first storage area in the virtual volume to a second tier, determining whether the first tier of the certain page allocated to the first storage area is different from the second tier indicated in the command,

for the first tier of the first page allocated to the first storage area being different from the second tier, executing the command by:

allocating a new page having the second tier instead of the certain page; and

copying data in the certain page to the allocated new page;

for the first tier of the certain page allocated to the first storage area not being different from the second tier, not executing the command.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising, for receipt of a command for changing a tier of the first storage area in the virtual volume to a second tier, determining whether another part of the certain page is not allocated to the first storage area,

wherein for the first tier of the certain page allocated to the first storage area being different from the second tier and for the another part of the certain page not being allocated to the first storage area, not executing the command.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising receiving the command for changing the tier of the first storage area in the virtual volume to the storage subsystem from the application server;

wherein upon receipt of a status inquiry command for a location in the storage subsystem from the application server, the storage subsystem transmits to the application server allocated tier information corresponding to the location.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein when the application server receives the allocated tier information corresponding to the location, the application server determines an area in the storage location that aligns a file to be stored in the storage system to the page.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the storage subsystem comprises storage volumes, and wherein the first storage area is specified by a storage volume identification and storage address for one of the storage volumes.