US 8,527,700 B2Granted

Computer and method for managing storage apparatus

AssigneeHitachi, Ltd.

InventorsMasayasu Asano, Nobuhiro Maki

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Abstract

A management computer manages the pool application information that indicates a pool application for a pool and the application condition information that indicates the condition for the pool application. The management computer calculates an excess storage capacity based on a pool usage status for the pool. The management computer specifies a pool application for the pool and the condition for the pool application based on the pool application information and the application condition information. The management computer judges whether the specified condition is satisfied even in the case in which a storage area having a storage capacity equivalent to or less than the calculated excess storage capacity is deleted from the pool. In the case in which the result of the judgment is positive, the management computer defines a capacity equivalent to or less than the excess storage capacity as an unused capacity.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A management computer coupled to a storage apparatus that is accessed from an external device, the storage apparatus managing a pool that is provided with at least one real volume based on a RAID (Redundant Array of Independent (or Inexpensive) Disks) group, the management computer comprising:

a storage resource;
and
a processor that is coupled to the storage resource,
wherein the storage resource stores the pool management information, which includes a pool application information that indicates a pool application for the pool and an application condition information that indicates the condition for the pool application, and
wherein the processor carries out the following processes (A) to (D):
(A) calculating an excess storage capacity based on a pool usage status for the pool;
(B) specifying a pool application for the pool and the condition for the pool application based on the pool management information;
(C) judging whether the specified condition would be satisfied even if a storage area having a storage capacity equivalent to or less than the calculated excess storage capacity were to be deleted from the pool;
and
(D) defining a capacity equivalent to or less than the excess storage capacity as an unused capacity in the case in which the result of the judgment in the process (C) is positive.

7 more elements

A computer system, comprising:

a storage apparatus that is accessed from an external device, the storage apparatus managing a pool that is provided with at least one real volume based on a RAID (Redundant Array of Independent (or Inexpensive) Disks) group;
and
a management computer coupled to the storage apparatus, the management computer comprising a storage resource, and a processor that is coupled to the storage resource, and
wherein the storage resource stores the pool management information, which includes a pool application information that indicates a pool application for the pool and an application condition information that indicates the condition for the pool application, and
wherein the processor carries out the following processes (A) to (D):
(A) calculating an excess storage capacity based on a pool usage status for the pool;
(B) specifying a pool application for the pool and the condition for the pool application based on the pool management information;
(C) judging whether the specified condition would be satisfied even if a storage area having a storage capacity equivalent to or less than the calculated excess storage capacity were to be deleted from the pool;
and
(D) defining a capacity equivalent to or less than the excess storage capacity as an unused capacity in the case in which the result of the judgment in the process (C) is positive.

7 more elements

A method for managing a storage apparatus that is accessed from an external device, the storage apparatus managing a pool that is provided with at least one real volume based on a RAID (Redundant Array of Independent (or Inexpensive) Disks) group, the method comprising:

calculating an excess storage capacity based on a pool usage status for the pool;
specifying a pool application for the pool and the condition for the pool application based on pool management information that is stored by a storage resource and includes a pool application information that indicates a pool application for the pool and an application condition information that indicates the condition for the pool application;
judging whether the specified condition would be satisfied even if a storage area having a storage capacity equivalent to or less than the calculated excess storage capacity were to be deleted from the pool;
and
defining a capacity equivalent to or less than the excess storage capacity as an unused capacity upon judging that the specified condition is satisfied.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/473,546Filed 16 May 2012 · continuation
Priority: JP 2009-05988612 Mar 2009
Published: US 2012/0226857 A16 Sep 2012
Granted: 3 Sep 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

G06F 3/0644
Organizing or formatting or addressing of data: management of space entities, e.g. partitions, extents, pools
G06F 3/0608
Specifically adapted to achieve a particular effect: saving storage space on storage systems
G06F 3/0683
In-line storage system: plurality of storage devices
G06F
Computing and data processing

Family

Application12/453,807Parent of this continuation · filed 22 May 2009
US 8,209,484 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 26 Jun 2012
US 2012/0226857 A1Pre-grant publication · published 6 Sep 2012
US 2010/0235573 A1Published application
US 8,527,700 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.