Data backup method and system
AssigneeHitachi, Ltd.
InventorsYasuyuki Mimatsu, Yoshiaki Eguchi
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Abstract
A disk array has storage regions provided to store the management information for each disk volume of the backup data, and an interface is provided through which the management information for each disk volume is read from and written in by an external computer so that the backup data of disk volumes can be associated with the management information. The management information includes backup creation date and time, and content identifier, and it is set from the external computer, and updated according to the operations such as restore and tape copy based on the command from the external computer.
Claims11
A method of backing up storage regions of a disk array in a computer system having a computer and said disk array that provides said storage regions used by said computer as an external storage, comprising the steps of:
- transmitting from said computer to said disk array a backup command accompanied by information about a first storage region having stored therein data to be backed up within said disk array and information about a second storage region into which said data to be backed up is to be stored as backup data within said disk array;
- backing up said data of said first storage region into said second storage region by said disk array in response to said command;
- sending from said computer to said disk array at least said information about said second storage region and information about backup of said first storage region;
- and
- storing, by said disk array, at least said information about said second storage region and said information about backup of said first storage region sent as above into a storage region different from said second storage region within said disk array so that both said information can be stored as management information for said backup data, and to be associated with said backup data.
A method of backing up storage regions of a disk array in a computer system having a computer and said disk array that provides said storage regions used by said computer as an external storage, comprising the steps of:
- sending from said computer to said disk array a command to backup data accompanied by information about a first storage region of said disk array in which said data to be backed up is stored, information about a second storage region of said disk array into which said data to be backed up is backed up as backup data, and information about said backup of said first storage region;
- and
- backing up said data of said first storage region into said second storage region in response to said command, and storing at least said information about said second storage region and said information about said backup of said first storage region as management information for said backup data in a storage region different from said second storage region within said disk array so that said management information can be recorded in association with said backup data.
A disk array system for providing storage regions used by a computer as external storage, comprising:
- means for backing up data of a first storage region into a second storage region in response to a command to backup accompanied by information about said first storage region of said disk array in which said data to be backed up is stored, and information about said second storage region of said disk array into which said data to be backed up is stored as backup data, said data and said accompanying information being sent from said computer;
- and
- means for storing at least said information about said second storage region and said information about the backup of said first storage region sent as management information for said backup data from said computer in a storage region different from said second storage region within said disk array on the basis of at least said information about said second storage region and said information about said backup of said first storage region so that said management information can be stored in association with said backup data.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.