Method of improving efficiency of replication monitoring

A management computer coupled to a plurality of host computers and at least one storage subsystem coupled to the host computers and providing volumes storing data requested by the host computers to be written, comprising:

• a memory storing a plurality of copy pair definition information from each of the host computers, the plurality of copy pair definition information indicating associations between primary volumes and secondary volumes forming copy pairs;
• and
• a processor obtaining the plurality of copy pair definition information stored in each of the plurality of host computers,
• wherein the primary volumes are a part of volumes from which data is copied, and the secondary volumes are a part of volumes to which data is copied,
• wherein the processor is configured to:
• (A) remove at least one duplicate copy pair definition information from the copy pair definition information obtained from the plurality of host computers by executing to:
• (A1) pick up a certain copy pair definition information from the plurality of copy pair definition information obtained from the plurality of host computers, register the certain copy pair definition information in an information obtaining definition table and delete the certain copy pair definition from the plurality of copy pair definition information obtained from the plurality of host computers;
• (A2) remove a copy pair definition information which duplicates the certain copy pair definition information from the plurality of copy pair definition information obtained from the plurality of host computers;
• and
• (A3) repeat steps (A1) and (A2) until no copy pair definition information is left in the plurality of copy pair definition information obtained from the plurality of host computers;
• and
• (B) collect copy pair statuses of the copy pairs from the at least one storage subsystem via each of the host computers, based on the copy pair definition information registered in the information obtaining definition table, to avoid obtaining copy pair status of the same copy pair more than once.

A method of monitoring copy pairs in a storage system including a plurality of host computers, at least one storage subsystem, and a management computer, the at least one storage subsystem providing volumes storing data requested by the host computers to be written, the management computer being accessible to the host computers and the at least one storage subsystem, the volumes including primary volumes from which data is copied and secondary volumes to which data is copied, the primary volumes and the secondary volumes forming copy pairs, the method comprising:

• (A) obtaining a plurality of copy pair definition information from each of the plurality of host computers, the plurality of copy pair definition information indicating associations between the primary volumes and the secondary volumes;
• (B) removing at least one duplicate copy pair definition information from the copy pair definition information obtained from the plurality of host computers by executing:
• (B1) picking up a certain copy pair definition from the plurality of copy pair definition information obtained from the plurality of host computers, registering the certain copy pair definition information in an information obtaining definition table and deleting the certain copy pair definition information from the plurality copy pair definition information obtained from the plurality of host computers;
• (B2) removing a copy pair definition information which duplicates the certain copy pair definition information from the plurality of copy pair definition information obtained from the plurality of host computers;
• and
• (B3) repeating steps (B1) and (B2) until no copy pair definition information is left in the plurality of copy pair definition information obtained from the plurality of host computers;
• and
• (C) collecting copy pair statuses of the copy pairs from the at least one storage subsystem via each of the host computers, based on the copy pair definition information registered in the information obtaining definition table, to avoid obtaining copy pair status of the same copy pair more than once.

A storage system, comprising:

• a plurality of host computers;
• at least one storage subsystem;
• and
• a management computer,
• wherein each storage subsystem includes volumes storing data requested by the host computers to be written, the volumes including primary volumes from which data is copied, and secondary volumes to which data is copied,
• wherein the primary volumes and the secondary volumes form copy pairs,
• wherein the management computer is configured to:
• (A) obtain a plurality of copy pair definition information from each of the plurality of host computers, the plurality of copy pair definition information indicating associations between the primary volumes and the secondary volumes;
• (B) remove at least one duplicate copy pair definition information from the copy pair definition information obtained from the plurality of host computers by executing to:
• (B1) pick up a certain copy pair definition information from the plurality of copy pair definition information obtained from the plurality of host computers, register the certain copy pair definition information in an information obtaining definition table and delete the certain copy pair definition information from the plurality copy pair definition information;
• (B2) remove a copy pair definition information which duplicates the certain copy pair definition information from the plurality of copy pair definition information obtained from the plurality of host computers;
• and
• (B) repeat steps (B1) and (B2) until no copy pair definition information is left in the plurality of copy pair definition information obtained from the plurality of host computers;
• (C) for each of the copy pairs, acquire a host computer requested by the management computer from the plurality of host computers, wherein the requested host computer collects copy pair status of a corresponding copy pair based on the copy pair definition information obtained from the plurality of host computers registered in the information obtaining definition table, to avoid obtaining copy pair status of the same copy pair more than once, and
• (D) request to collect copy pair statuses of the copy pairs from the at least one storage subsystem to the requested host computer based on obtaining copy pair definition information from which the duplicate copy pair definition information has been removed.

A management computer coupled to a plurality of host computers and at least one storage subsystem coupled to the host computers and providing volumes storing data requested by the host computers to be written, comprising:

• a memory storing a plurality of copy pair definition information from each of the host computers, the copy pair definition information indicating associations between primary volumes and secondary volumes forming copy pairs;
• and
• a processor configured to obtain the plurality of copy pair definition information stored in each of the plurality of host computers,
• wherein the primary volumes are a part of volumes from which data is copied, and the secondary volumes are a part of volumes to which data is copied,
• wherein the processor is further configured to:
• (A) obtain the plurality of copy pair definition information stored in each of the plurality of host computers, indicating associations between the primary volumes and the secondary volumes;
• (B) remove at least one duplicate copy pair definition information from the copy pair definition information obtained from the plurality of host by executing to:
• (B1) pick up a certain copy pair definition information from the plurality of copy pair definition information obtained from the plurality of host computers, register the certain copy pair definition information in an information obtaining definition table and delete the certain copy pair definition information from the plurality of copy pair definition information obtained from the plurality of host computers;
• (B2) remove a copy pair definition information which duplicates the certain copy definition information from the plurality of copy pair definition information obtained from the plurality of host computers;
• and
• (B3) repeat steps (B1) and (B2) until no copy pair definition information is left in the plurality of copy pair definition information obtained from the plurality of host computers;
• and
• (C) for each of the copy pairs, acquire a host computer requested by the management computer from the plurality of host computers, wherein the requested host computer collects copy pair status of a corresponding copy pair based on the copy pair definition information obtained from the plurality of host computers registered in the information obtaining definition table, to avoid obtaining copy pair status of the same copy pair more than once, and
• (D) request to collect copy pair statuses of the copy pairs from the at least one storage subsystem to the requested host computer based on obtaining copy pair definition information from which the duplicate copy pair definition information has been removed.