IP Library Granted Patent US 11,836,386
Granted Patent B2
US 11,836,386 · App. 17/881,945 · Granted Dec 5, 2023

Storage system and method of controlling storage system that set ports associated with a logical unit

Inventors: Ryosuke Tatsumi (Tokyo, JP); Akira Yamamoto (Tokyo, JP); Kazuki Matsugami (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
G06F3/0659G06F3/0607G06F3/067G06F3/0619G06F3/0622G06F3/0658G06F3/0679
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,836,386
App. No.
17/881,945
Granted
Dec 5, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a multi controller storage system, hardware and software are updated without interruption. The storage system including a node has storage control units each including a processor, a memory, and a port; and a storage drive, and the storage control units each request data access and transmit and receive data with respect to a host computer via the ports. The processors process input and output data from the host computer, the memories store the control information in order to access the data stored in the storage drive, and the storage system transmits the control information stored in the memories to another node, stores the control information in the memories of the storage control units, and sets ports of the other node in consideration of a relationship between the storage control units and the ports of the nodes, if the other node can access data relating to the control information.

Claims (44)

1. A storage system comprising:

a node including a plurality of storage control units each including a processor, a memory, and a port; and

a storage drive including a storage medium that stores data,

wherein the processor of the storage control unit provides a logical unit with which a host computer inputs and outputs the data,

wherein the logical units are associated with a plurality of ports relating to the plurality of different storage control units in a same node, and

wherein the plurality of storage control units each request data access and transmit and receive data with respect to the host computer via the plurality of ports,

wherein the processors of the storage control units process data that the host computer inputs and outputs to the storage drive,

wherein the memories of the storage control units store control information referred by the processors in order to access the data stored in the storage drive, and

wherein the storage system transmits the control information stored in the memories of the storage control units to another node that includes a plurality of other storage control units, stores the control information in the memories of the storage control units of the another node, and sets ports of the another node in consideration of a relationship between the storage control units of the node and the ports of the nodes, by determining the logical unit to be taken under charge of a port from the another node so that the plurality of ports associated with a same logical unit are associated with different storage control units of the another node, if the another node can access data relating to the control information.

2. The storage system according to claim 1 ,

wherein the plurality of different storage control units can perform at least any one of a load distribution process or takeover in a case of failure with respect to the input and output of the data to the logical unit.

3. The storage system according to claim 1 ,

wherein port setting in which a plurality of ports associated with different logical units associated with different storage control units of the node are associated with the same storage control units of the another node can be performed.

4. The storage system according to claim 1 ,

wherein the node includes a first storage control unit and a second storage control unit each including a plurality of ports,

the another node includes a third storage control unit and a fourth storage control unit each including a plurality of ports,

the first storage control unit and the second storage control unit share the same control information, and

if the control information included in the first storage control unit and the second storage control unit are transmitted to the another node, the third storage control unit and the fourth storage control unit store the control information in respective memories and share the same control information, the information of the ports of the first storage control unit is taken over by the ports of the third storage control unit, and the information of the ports of the second storage control unit is taken over by the ports of the fourth storage control unit.

5. The storage system according to claim 1 ,

wherein, if the another node is added to the storage system, the control information is stored in the memory, and the ports are set, and

the host computer is notified of the change of the ports of a data access destination to ports of the other added node via the ports.

6. The storage system according to claim 1 ,

wherein the storage system is connected to a management device including a management unit that sets the ports.

7. A storage system comprising:

a node including a plurality of storage control units each including a processor, a memory, and a port; and

a storage drive including a storage medium that stores data,

wherein the plurality of storage control units each

request data access and transmit and receive data with respect to a host computer via the plurality of ports,

the processors of the storage control units process data that the host computer inputs and outputs to the storage drive,

the memories of the storage control units store control information referred by the processors in order to access the data stored in the storage drive, and

the storage system transmits the control information stored in the memories of the storage control units to another node including a plurality of storage control units, stores the control information in the memories of the storage control units of the another node, and sets ports of the other node in consideration of a relationship between the storage control units and the ports of the nodes, if the other node can access data relating to the control information,

wherein the storage control unit of the node converts the control information stored by the memory to a format appropriate for software executed by the processor of the storage control unit of the other node and transmits the control information of which the format is converted to the storage control unit of the other node,

wherein the storage control unit of the other node stores the control information of which the format is converted in the memory and access the control information of which the format is converted in the memory to access the data in the storage drive,

wherein the conversion of the control information includes address conversion of the control information to be accessed by a processor of the another node to execute the software, and

wherein the storage control unit of the node converts the address and accesses the control information of which the format is converted to acquire a storage destination of the data in the storage drive in order to access the data stored in the storage drive.

8. A method of controlling a storage system including a node including a plurality of storage control units each including a processor, a memory, and a port; and a storage drive including a storage medium that stores data, the method comprising:

requesting data access and transmitting and receiving data with respect to a host computer via the plurality of ports,

providing, by the processors of the storage control units, data that the host computer inputs and outputs to the storage drive,

storing, by the plurality of memories of the storage control units, control information referred by the processors in order to access the data stored in the storage drive,

transmitting the control information stored in the memories of the storage control units to another node including a plurality of storage control units, storing the control information in the memories of the storage control units, and setting ports of the other node in consideration of a relationship between the storage control units and the ports of the nodes, if the other node can access data relating to the control information,

converting, by the storage control unit of the node, the control information stored by the memory to a format appropriate for software executed by the processor of the storage control unit of the other node and transmitting the control information of which the format is converted to the storage control unit of the other node,

storing, by the storage control unit of the other node, the control information of which the format is converted in the memory and accessing the control information of which the format is converted in the memory to access the data in the storage drive,

wherein the conversion of the control information includes address conversion of the control information to be accessed by a processor of the another node to execute the software, and

converting, by the storage control unit of the node, the address and accessing the control information of which the format is converted to acquire a storage destination of the data in the storage drive in order to access the data stored in the storage drive.

Assignments (1)
COMPANY SPLIT Recorded Aug 20, 2024
From: HITACHI, LTD.
To: HITACHI VANTARA, LTD.
Reel/Frame 069518/0761 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2020-163134 · Sep 29, 2020 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation 17198665 · Mar 11, 2021
Related Publication 20220374165A1 · Nov 24, 2022