Apparatus and method for transferring data between storages having different access speeds

A system comprising:

• a first storage;
• a second storage configured to be accessed at an access speed lower than an access speed at which the first storage is accessed;
• and
• an information processing apparatus configured to be connected to the first and second storages, the information processing apparatus including:
• an access unit configured to access each of blocks stored in the second storage,
• a count unit configured to, for each of the blocks, count the number of accesses made for the block,
• a determination unit configured to, based on the number of accesses that has been counted for each of the blocks by the count unit, determine a transfer target block that is a target which is to be transferred from the second storage to the first storage, and a transfer time at which transfer of the transfer target block is to be performed, and
• a transfer unit configured to transfer the determined transfer target block to the first storage at the determined transfer time.

A method for controlling an information processing apparatus connected to a first storage and a second storage which is accessed at an access speed lower than an access speed at which the first storage is accessed, the method comprising:

• accessing, by an access unit included in the information processing apparatus, each of blocks stored in the second storage;
• counting, by a count unit included in the information processing apparatus, for each of the blocks, the number of accesses made for the each block;
• determining, by a determination unit included in the information processing apparatus, based on the number of accesses that has been counted for each of the blocks by the count unit, a transfer target block that is a target which is to be transferred from the second storage to the first storage, and a transfer time at which transfer of the transfer target block is to be performed;
• and
• transferring, by a transfer unit included in the information processing apparatus, the determined transfer target block to the first storage at the determined transfer time.

A non-transitory, computer-readable recording medium having stored therein a program for causing a computer to execute a process, the computer being included in an information processing apparatus connected to a first storage and a second storage which is accessed at an access speed lower than an access speed at which the first storage is accessed, the process comprising:

• causing an access unit included in the information processing apparatus to access each of blocks stored in the second storage;
• causing a count unit included in the information processing apparatus to count, for each of the blocks, the number of accesses made for the each block;
• causing a determination unit included in the information processing apparatus to determine, based on the number of accesses that has been counted for each of the blocks by the count unit, a transfer target block that is a target which is to be transferred from the second storage to the first storage, and a transfer time at which transfer of the transfer target block is to be performed;
• and
• causing a transfer unit included in the information processing apparatus to transfer the determined transfer target block to the first storage at the determined transfer time.

A method for detecting a sequential access to a storage, the method being performed by an information processing apparatus accessible to the storage, the method comprising:

• counting the number of accesses made to each of a plurality of sub-blocks included in a data unit that is a unit for accessing the storage;
• selecting, from among the plurality of sub-blocks, first sub-blocks whose numbers of accesses have become equal to or greater than a predetermined number;
• and
• detecting a sequential access in which an address of the storage to be accessed changes in one direction, based on positions of the first sub-blocks within the data unit, and times at which the numbers of accesses to the first sub-blocks have become equal to or greater than the predetermined number.