Method and system for backing up storage system data

A system for server free back up of information on a storage area network comprising:

• a server system for sending a command to backup said information;
• a plurality of back-up systems;
• and
• a storage system comprising said information and responsive to said command, finding an available back-up system of said plurality of back-up systems for backing up said information, wherein said storage system is coupled with said server system and said plurality of back-up systems.

A system for copying information from a storage system to a backup system port of a plurality of backup system ports, said storage system coupled with said plurality of backup system ports via a storage area network, said system comprising:

• means for said storage system receiving an E-copy command to backup said information, wherein said E-copy command is sent by said server;
• means for said storage system finding an available backup system port of said plurality of backup system ports;
• and
• under control of said storage system, means for transferring said information to said available backup system port.

A storage system for executing an Extended Copy (E-Copy) command from a server, said storage system coupled with a plurality of back-up devices over a storage area network, comprising:

• a disk for storing data from said server;
• a target port for receiving said E-Copy command, including a parameter list, wherein said parameter list lists said data for backup to a back-up device port of a backup device of said plurality of back-up devices;
• and
• an initiator port responsive to said E-Copy command for connecting to said back-up device port on said storage area network to backup said data to said backup device.

A RAID system for executing an E-Copy command from a server system, comprising:

• a plurality of disk units for non-volatile storage of data and
• at least on disk controller system coupled to said plurality of disk units for receiving and executing said E-Copy command from said server, said disk controller system comprising:
• a target port coupled to a first microprocessor, said port receiving said E-Copy command from said server;
• an initiator port coupled to a second microprocessor, said initiator port for connecting to a target port of a backup device;
• and
• a shared memory coupled to said first and second microprocessors for exchanging E-Copy command information;
• and
• wherein when said disk controller system executes said E-Copy command without intervention from said server system.

A method for a storage system of backing up said storage system's data according to an extended copy instruction received from a host computer, said method comprising;

• responsive to said extended copy instruction creating a bitmap table stored in memory;
• concurrently polling said memory by a plurality of concurrently running processors;
• when a processor of said plurality of concurrently running processors is in said bitmap table, connecting to a backup device in a storage area network;
• when said connecting is successful, backing up said storage system's data to said backup device.

A system for backing up data located on a storage system to a backup device port of a backup system, according to an E-Copy command sent from a server to said storage system, said system comprising:

• a target job on a target microprocessor receiving said E-Copy command via said target microprocessor's target port, and responsive to said E-Copy command puts a parameter list for said E-Copy command in a shared memory;
• a bitmap table created by said target job using a port group setting retrieved from said shared memory, wherein said bitmap table gives a plurality of initiator microprocessors that may start the E-Copy job.
• an initiator microprocessor of a plurality of initiator microprocessors for taking exclusive control of said shared memory, when said bitmap table is put in said shared memory;
• an initiator port associated with said initiator microprocessor for trying to connect to said backup device port, wherein when said initiator port cannot connect to said backup device port, then removing said initiator microprocessor from the bitmap table;
• and
• when said initiator port has failed to make a connection to said backup device, another initiator port associated with another initiator microprocessor of said plurality of initiator microprocessors tries to connect to said backup device port.

A user interface for setting and modifying target and initiators ports in a port group of a disk system, said port group comprising at least one target port and at least one initiator port, comprising:

• a field for selecting said port group, wherein only said target ports in said port group are initially displayed in a target screen and said initiator ports in said port group are initially displayed in an initiator screen;
• a field for adding a port to as a target port to said port group;
• and
• a field for adding a port to as an initiator port to said port group;
• and
• wherein only ports within said port group communicate with each other.

A graphical user interface (GUI) for determining a port group from a plurality of ports in a disk system, said GUI comprising:

• items on a display representing target ports and initiator ports of a disk system;
• a connection graph showing in graphical format the connections between servers, storage systems and back-up devices;
• and
• a user input device for selecting a target port and an indicator port that are part of said port group.

A computer program product stored in a computer readable medium for copying information from a storage system to a backup system of a plurality of backup systems, said storage system coupled with said plurality of backup systems via a storage area network, said computer program product comprising:

• code for said storage system receiving a command to copy said information, wherein said command to copy is sent by said server;
• code for said storage system finding an available backup system of said plurality of backup systems;
• and
• under control of said storage system, code for transferring said information to said available backup system.