File server that allows an end user to specify storage characteristics with ease

A method for changing settings information of a shared directory in a computer system comprising at least one file server device, a client computer and a storage system,

• the settings information of the shared directory provided by the file server device,
• the file server device being accessible from the client computer,
• the storage system being accessible from the file server device,
• the client computer having a first processor, which performs computation processing, a first storage unit, which is coupled to the first processor, and a first interface, which is coupled to the first processor,
• the file server device having a second processor, which performs computation processing, a second storage unit, which is coupled to the second processor, and a second interface, which is coupled to the second processor,
• the storage system having a third processor, which performs computation processing, a third interface, which is coupled to the third processor, and a third storage unit in which at least one volume including a storage area,
• the method comprising:
• sending, by the first processor, a write request to the file server device via the first interface and the second interface in order to request to write, in the shared directory whose settings information is to be changed, a directory settings file that describes new settings information for this shared directory;
• storing, in the second storage unit storage characteristics information in which settings information of the volume is registered;
• providing, by the second processor, the client computer with a shared directory which is included in at least one volume included in the third storage unit;
• writing, by the second processor, in case of receiving the request to write the directory settings file via the first interface and the second interface, the directory settings file in the shared directory according to the received directory settings file writing request;
• referring, by the second processor, to the storage characteristics information to select, as data migration destination candidate, at least one volume whose settings information matches the new settings information described in the directory settings file;
• obtaining, by the second processor, information for identifying the selected volume;
• and
• executing, by the second processor, settings changing processing of migrating information from the shared directory in which the directory settings file is written to one of the selected volume,
• executing, by the second processor, in a case where the shared directory in which the directory settings file is written is an uppermost directory in the volume in which this shared directory is included, where the directory settings file is written, volume-basis migrating processing of migrating, on a volume basis, information from the volume in which the shared directory is included, where the directory settings file is written to one of the migration destination candidate volume that is not in use;
• and
• executing, by the second processor, in a case where the shared directory in which the directory settings file is written is not the uppermost directory in the volume in which this shared directory is included where the directory settings file is written, directory-basis migration processing of migrating, on a directory basis, information from the shared directory where the directory settings file is written to one of the migration destination candidate volume, and
• wherein the computer system further includes an address translation computer accessible from the client computer,
• wherein the address translation computer has a fourth processor, which performs computation processing, a fourth storage unit, which is coupled to the fourth processor, and a fourth interface, which is coupled to the fourth processor, and
• wherein the address translation computer can access the file server device via the second interface and the fourth interface,
• the method further comprising:
• storing, in the fourth storage unit, shared directory address translation information to register an association relation between a path name for the shared directory and a name of the file server device that provides the shared directory;
• sending, by the first processor, a request to write the directory settings file in the shared directory to the address translation computer via the first interface and the fourth interface;
• referring, by the fourth processor, in case of receiving the write request via the first interface and the fourth interface, to the shared directory address translation information to identify which file server device provides a shared directory that is identified by a path name designated in the received write request;
• and
• forwarding, by the fourth processor, the received write request to the identified file server device via the second interface and the fourth interface.