Network storage system, disk array device, host device, access control method, and data access method

1. A network storage system, comprising:

at least one host device; and

a plurality of disk array devices each including a controller,

wherein an address map that indicating a correspondence relation between a logical address to view said plurality of disk array devices as one storage device and a physical address of each of said plurality of disk array devices is stored in one of said plurality of disk array devices,

wherein said host device or said controller of one of said plurality of disk array devices includes a management master, and

wherein said management master includes:

an address map storing location information indicates said disk array device that stores said address map and an address on which said address map is stored in said disk array device that stores said address map; and

a command management unit that transmits said address map storing location information to said host device that requested said storing location information.

2. The network storage system according to claim 1 , wherein said address map storing location information includes a pair of an identifier of said disk array device that stores said address map and a device internal address on which said address map is stored in said disk array device that stores said address map.

3. The network storage system according to claim 2 , wherein:

said address map storing location information includes at least two pairs of said identifier of said disk array device that stores said address map and said device internal address on which said address map is stored in said disk array device that stores said address map, and

said management master transmits one of said at least two pairs to said host device that requested said storing location information.

4. The network storage system according to claim 3 , wherein said management master selects one pair from said at least two pairs and transmits the selected pair to said host device that requested said storing location information.

5. A disk array device, comprising a controller, wherein said controller includes a management master,

wherein said management master includes:

address map storing location information that indicates said disk array device or the other disk array device that stores an address map indicating a correspondence relation between a logical address to view said disk array device and at least one other disk array device as one storage device and a physical address of each of said disk array device and said at least one other disk array device and an address on which said address map is stored in said disk array device or said other disk array device that stores said address map; and

a command management unit that transmits said address map storing location information to a host device that requested said storing location information.

6. The disk array device according to claim 5 , wherein said address map storing location information includes a pair of an identifier of said disk array device or said other disk array device that stores said address map and a device internal address on which said address map is stored in said disk array device or said other disk array device that stores said address map.

7. The disk array device according to claim 6 , wherein said address map storing location information includes at least two pairs of said identifier of said disk array device or said other disk array device that stores said address map and said device internal address on which said address map is stored in said disk array device or said other disk array device that stores said address map, and

said management master transmits one of said at least two pairs to said host device that requested said storing location information.

8. The disk array device according to claim 7 , wherein said management master selects one pair from said at least two pairs and transmits the selected pair to said host device that requested said storing location information.

9. A host device, comprising a management master, said management master including:

address map storing location information that indicates a disk array device that stores an address map indicating a correspondence relation between a logical address to view a plurality of disk array devices as one storage device and a physical address of each of said plurality of disk array devices and an address on which said address map is stored in said disk array device that stores said address map; and

a command management unit that transmits said address map storing location information to another host device that requested said storing location information.

10. The host device according to claim 9 , wherein said address map storing location information includes a pair of an identifier of said disk array device that stores said address map and a device internal address on which said address map is stored in said disk array device that stores said address map.

11. The host device according to claim 10 , wherein:

said address map storing location information includes at least two pairs of said identifier of said disk array device that stores said address map and said device internal address on which said address map is stored in said disk array device that stores said address map, and

said management master transmits one of said at least two pairs to said other host device that requested said storing location information.

12. The host device according to claim 11 , wherein said management master selects one pair from said at least two pairs and transmits the selected pair to said other host device that requested said storing location information.

13. An access control method for a host device connected to at least one other host device and a plurality of disk array devices, said method comprising:

transmitting address map storing location information that indicates said disk array device that stores an address map indicating a correspondence relation between a logical address to view said plurality of disk array devices as one storage device and a physical address of each of said plurality of disk array devices and an address on which said address map is stored in said disk array device that stores said address map to said other host device that requested said storing location information.

14. An access control method for a disk array device connected to at least one host device and at least one other disk array device, said method comprising:

transmitting address map storing location information that indicates said disk array device or said other disk array device that stores an address map indicating a correspondence relation between a logical address to view said disk array device and said at least one other disk array device as one storage device and a physical address of each of said disk array device and said at least one other disk array device and an address on which said address map is stored in said disk array device or said other disk array device that stores said address map to said host device that requested said storing location information.

15. A data access method for a system in which at least one host device is connected to a plurality of disk array devices, said method comprising:

acquiring an address map indicating a correspondence relation between a logical address to view said plurality of disk array devices as one storage device and a physical address of each of said plurality of disk array devices from said disk array device that stores said address map based on address map storing location information that indicates said disk array device that stores said address map and an address on which said address map is stored in said disk array device that stores said address map in said host device; and

accessing said disk array device from said host device based on said address map.

16. A network storage system, comprising:

at least one host device;

a plurality of disk array devices, each including a controller; and

an address map for indicating a correspondence relation between a logical address to view said plurality of disk array devices as one storage device and a physical address of each of said plurality of disk array devices that is stored in one of said plurality of disk array devices,

wherein said host device or said controller of one of said plurality of disk array devices includes a management master, and;

wherein said management master includes:

means for managing address map storing location information indicating said disk array device that stores an address map and an address on which said address map is stored in said disk array device that stores said address map; and

means for transmitting said address map storing location information to said host device that requested said storing location information.

17. A disk array device, comprising a management master, said management master including:

means for managing address map storing location information indicating said disk array device or the other disk array device that stores an address map indicating a correspondence relation between a logical address to view said disk array device and at least one other disk array device as one storage device and a physical address of each of said disk array device and said at least one other disk array device and an address on which said address map is stored in said disk array device or said other disk array device that stores said address map; and

means for transmitting said address map storing location information to a host device that requested said storing location information.

18. A host device, comprising a management master, said management master including:

means for managing address map storing location information that is stored in said management master and indicates a disk array device that stores an address map indicating a correspondence relation between a logical address to view a plurality of disk array devices as one storage device and a physical address of each of said plurality of disk array devices and an address on which said address map is stored in said disk array device that stores said address map; and

means for transmitting said address map storing location information to the other host device that requested said storing location information.

19. An access control method for a host device connected to at least one other host device and a plurality of disk array devices, said method comprising:

a step for transmitting address map storing location information that indicates said disk array device that stores an address map indicating a correspondence relation between a logical address to view said plurality of disk array devices as one storage device and a physical address of each of said plurality of disk array devices and an address on which said address map is stored in said disk array device that stores said address map to said other host device that requested said storing location information.

20. An access control method for a disk array device connected to at least one host device and at least one other disk array device, said method comprising:

a step for transmitting address map storing location information that indicates said disk array device or said other disk array device that stores an address map indicating a correspondence relation between a logical address to view said disk array device and said at least one other disk array device as one storage device and a physical address of each of said disk array device and said at least one other disk array device and an address on which said address map is stored in said disk array device or said other disk array device that stores said address map to said host device that requested said storing location information.

21. A data access method for a system in which at least one host device is connected to a plurality of disk array devices, said method comprising:

a step for acquiring an address map indicating a correspondence relation between a logical address to view said plurality of disk array devices as one storage device and a physical address of each of said plurality of disk array devices from said disk array device that stores said address map based on address map storing location information that indicates said disk array device that stores said address map and an address on which said address map is stored in said disk array device that stores said address map in said host device; and

a step for accessing said disk array device from said host device based on said address map.