Data processing system, storage system, data processing method, and computer system

A storage system in which when accessing data stored in a plurality of first volumes from a business computer, the copy of data stored in said first volumes is stored in a plurality of second volumes in a second storage system based on control from a management computer, comprising:

• access control unit for controlling the access from said business computer to said first volume to be inhibited and/or permitted based on control information from said management computer;
• and
• data transfer control unit for retaining a corresponding relation between said first volume and said second volume and for controlling a start and stop of data transfer from said first volume to said second volume and/or a cancellation of said corresponding relation based on the control information from said management computer, wherein
• the access inhibited or permitted state of said access control unit is controlled in accordance with the control information from said management computer based on a data-retention period set in advance, thereby performing on said data transfer control unit data transfer to/from the second storage system and data writing to said first volume.

A data processing method in which when accessing data stored in a plurality of first volumes of a first storage system from a business computer, the copy of data stored in said first volumes is stored in a plurality of second volumes of a second storage system based on control from a management computer, comprising the steps of:

• generating control information in said management computer;
• controlling the access from said business computer to said first volume and said second volume to be inhibited and/or permitted in said first storage system and said second storage system based on the control information from said management computer;
• and
• retaining a corresponding relation between said first volume and said second volume and controlling a start and stop of data transfer from said first volume to said second volume and/or a cancellation of said corresponding relation between said first storage system and said second storage system based on the control information from said management computer, wherein
• said management computer controls an access inhibited or permitted state in said access control step based on a data-retention period set in advance, thereby controlling in said data transfer control step the data transfer between said first storage system and said second storage system and data writing to said first volume and said second volume in said first storage system and said second storage system.

A computer system comprising:

• an application server, a primary storage system which stores data used by said application server in a plurality of first storage volumes, a secondary storage system which stores the copy of data stored in said primary storage system in a plurality of second storage volumes, and a management server which controls said primary storage system and/or said secondary storage system,
• said primary storage system and said secondary storage system are configured to include:
• a control memory and a cache memory,
• a channel controller which controls data input to/output from said application server and which is capable of data reading or data writing with respect to said control memory and said cache memory,
• an access control table provided in said control memory, in which an access inhibited and/or permitted state with respect to said first storage volume and said second storage volume is stored,
• a remote copy pair table provided in said control memory, in which a corresponding relation between said first storage volume and said second storage volume is stored, and
• a disk controller which interfaces said first storage volume and said second storage volume;
• said management server is configured to include:
• a memory,
• a central processing unit for performing control,
• a host bus adaptor which interfaces said first storage volume and said second storage volume,
• a data-retention period table provided in said memory, in which a data-retention period of data retained in said first storage volume and said second storage volume is stored,
• a remote copy pair table in which the corresponding relation between said first storage volume and said second storage volume is stored, and
• a control program in which a program for remote copy processing is stored;
• wherein
• the control program in said management server,
• when a data-retention period retained in said management server is started, controls writing to said first storage volume to be inhibited, synchronizes the remote copy pair from said first storage volume to said second storage volume in accordance with the corresponding relation retained in said management server, cancels the corresponding relation set in advance between said first storage volume and said second storage volume, then controls writing to said second storage volume to be inhibited, and
• when said data-retention period has lapsed, controls writing to said second storage volume to be permitted, forms a remote copy pair from said first storage volume to said second storage volume based on said corresponding relation retained in said management server, controls writing to said first storage volume to be permitted, and simultaneously with or after erasing data in said first storage volume, erases data in said second storage volume.