US 7,680,953 B2Granted

Computer system, storage device, management server and communication control method

AssigneeHitachi, Ltd.

InventorsTetsuya Shirogane, Kenichi Tsukiji, Tetsuya Ohno, Naoto Matsunami

Life of this patent

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Abstract

The invention provides a communication control method for switching paths at high speed to switch storages without a special path switching means in a host computer, without stopping an application or without changing settings, and a device for realizing the same. The present computer system comprises a host computer 20, a storage devices 10 connected via a network 30 to the host computer 20, and a name server 40, wherein the host computer 20 has a function to search for an alternate path when a defect is discovered in a path used for connection with the storage 10, and the storage device 10 has a target communicating with the host computer 20 through a port, a registration change means for changing a registered address associated with the registration of a migration source target registered in the name server 40 to an address of a migration destination port, and a means for disconnecting all communication means established with the migration source target subsequent to the registration change process.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A computer system adapted to be coupled to one or more host computers and a name server, the one or more host computers having a function to search for an alternate path when a defect is discovered in a path used for reading/writing data from/to at least one of a plurality of storage devices, the computer system comprising:

a first storage device of the plurality of storage devices having a first port including a first target communicating with the one or more host computers through the first port, a first target address identifying the first target being registered to the name server,
a second storage device of the plurality of storage devices having a second port including a second target for communicating with the one or more host computers through the second port,
wherein the first storage device has a function for migrating data from a migration source target to a migration destination target and ordering the migration destination target to reject new update instructions and reflect data updated during migration, wherein the first storage device has a registration change function for changing the first target address, of the first target as the migration source target, registered in the name server to a second target address identifying the second target, as the migration destination target, of the second storage device, if data stored in the first storage device is migrated to the second storage device,
wherein the first storage device has a function for disconnecting communications including a connection between the migration source target and the host computer, denying a re-connection request of the migration source target and rejecting a new login to the migration source target, for reading/writing data from/to the first storage device, established by the one or more host computers with the first target as the migration source target subsequent to the registration change process, and
wherein the registration change function causes to change by detecting that a processing quantity of the first target as the migration source target has exceeded a value.

2 more elements

A storage system adapted to be coupled to one or more host computers, a name server and another storage system, the one or more host computers searching for an alternate path when a defect is discovered in a path used for reading/writing data from/to the storage systems, the storage system comprising:

a first port including a first target communicating with the one or more host computers through the first port, a first target address identifying the first target being registered to the name server,
wherein the storage system migrates data from a migration source target to a migration destination target and orders the migration destination target to reject new update instructions and reflect data updated during migration,
wherein the storage system changes the first target address, of the first target as the migration source target, registered in the name server to a second target address identifying a second target, as the migration destination target, of a second port of the another storage system, if data stored in the storage system is migrated to the another storage system,
wherein the storage system disconnects communication including a connection between the migration source target and the host computer, denying a re-connection request of the migration source target and rejecting a new login to the migration source target, for reading/writing data from/to the storage system, established by the one or more host computers with the first target as the migration source target after changing the first target address to the second target address, and
wherein the change from the first target as the migration source target to the second target as the migration destination target occurs when a processing quantity of the first target as the migration source target has exceeded a value.

2 more elements

A communication control method for a storage device, the storage device being adapted to be coupled to one or more host computers, a name server and another storage device, the one or more host computers searching for an alternate path when a defect is discovered in a path used for reading/writing data from/to the storage devices, the communication control method comprising:

causing to register a first target address identifying a first target to the name server, the first target communicating with the one or more host computers through a first port of the storage device;
migrating data from a migration source target to a migration destination target,
ordering the migration destination target to reject new update instructions and reflect data updated during migration,
changing the first target address, of the first target as the migration source target, registered in the name server to a second target address identifying a second target, as the migration destination target, of a second port of the another storage device, if data stored in the storage device is migrated to the another storage device, and
disconnecting communications including a connection between the migration source target and the host computer, denying a re-connection request of the migration source target and rejecting a new login to the migration source target, for reading/writing data from/to the storage device, established by the one or more host computers with the first target as the migration source target, after changing the first target address to the second target address,
wherein the change from the first target as the migration source target to the second target as the migration destination target occurs when a processing quantity of the first target as the migration source target has exceeded a value.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/359,377Filed 23 Feb 2006
Priority: JP 2005-33075315 Nov 2005
Published: US 2007/0112974 A117 May 2007
Granted: 16 Mar 2010
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

H04L 67/1097
In which an application is distributed across nodes in the network: for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for…
G06F 3/0604
Specifically adapted to achieve a particular effect: improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management
G06F 3/0635
Configuration or reconfiguration of storage systems: by changing the path, e.g. traffic rerouting, path reconfiguration
G06F 3/0647
Horizontal data movement in storage systems, i.e. moving data in between storage devices or systems: migration mechanisms