US 8,806,119 B2Granted

Storage subsystem that connects fibre channel and supports online backup

AssigneeHitachi, Ltd.

InventorsYoshiko Matsumoto, Kenichi Takamoto

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Abstract

The storage system includes first and second disk arrays. The first disk array has a first port coupled to a second port of the second disk array, a port controller controlling the first port, a plurality of disk devices to store data, and a controller managing a plurality of logical units on the plurality of disk drives. The first port controller controls the first port so as to execute, in a time-sharing manner, data transfer corresponding to a initiator task and data transfer corresponding to a target task. The initiator task is generated to execute the data transfer from a first logical unit on the plurality of disk drives of the first disk array to a second logical unit on a plurality of disk drives of the second disk array. The target task is generated to execute the data transfer to receive data from the second disk array.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A method of a storage apparatus coupled to a plurality of apparatuses, the storage apparatus including:

a plurality of storage devices;
a controller for controlling the plurality of storage devices;
a port coupled to the plurality of apparatuses;
and a port controller, the method comprising the steps of:
generating, by the port controller, an initiator task when the controller sends a first access request, which is a read request or write request, to one of the plurality of apparatuses to execute the first access request;
generating, by the port controller, a target task when the port receives a second access request, which is a read request or write request, from one of the plurality of apparatuses and notifying the controller of the second access request for the controller to execute the second access request;
and
controlling, by the port controller, the port so as to execute, in a time-sharing manner, data transfer between the storage apparatus and the plurality of apparatuses corresponding to a plurality of tasks including the initiator task and the target task generated by the port controller,
when the storage apparatus executes the initiator task generated by the port controller:
issuing a Login command to connect with the one of the plurality of apparatuses,
sending and receiving data with the one of the plurality of apparatuses if the Login is authenticated, and
issuing a Logout command,
when the storage apparatus executes the target task generated by the port controller:
authenticating a Login sent from the one of the plurality of apparatuses,
sending and receiving data with the one of the plurality of apparatuses if the Login is valid, and
authenticating a Logout command.

13 more elements

A storage apparatus coupled to a plurality of apparatuses,

the storage apparatus comprising:
a plurality of storage devices;
a controller for controlling the plurality of storage devices;
a port coupled to the plurality of apparatuses;
and
a port controller, the port controller configured to:
generate an initiator task when the controller sends a first access request, which is a read request or write request, to one of the plurality of apparatuses to execute the first access request;
generate a target task when the port receives a second access request, which is a read request or write request, from one of the plurality of apparatuses and notify the controller of the second access request for the controller to execute the second access request;
and
control the port so as to execute, in a time-sharing manner, data transfer between the storage apparatus and the plurality of apparatuses corresponding to a plurality of tasks including the initiator task and the target task generated by the port controller,
wherein when the storage apparatus executes the initiator task generated by the port controller, the controller is configured to:
issue a Login command to connect with the one of the plurality of apparatuses;
send and receive data with the one of the plurality of apparatuses if the Login is authenticated;
and
issue a Logout command,
wherein when the storage apparatus executes the target task generated by the port controller, the controller is configured to:
authenticate a Login sent from the one of the plurality of apparatuses;
send and receive data with the one of the plurality of apparatuses if the Login is valid;
and
authenticate a Logout command.

17 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/532,988Filed 26 Jun 2012 · continuation
Priority: JP 2001-0576312 Mar 2001
Published: US 2012/0271999 A125 Oct 2012
Granted: 12 Aug 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

G06F 3/0601
Digital input from, or digital output to, record carriers , e.g. RAID, emulated record carriers or networked record carriers: interfaces specially…
G06F 3/0617
Improving the reliability of storage systems: in relation to availability
G06F 3/065
Horizontal data movement in storage systems, i.e. moving data in between storage devices or systems: replication mechanisms
G06F 3/067
Adopting a particular infrastructure: distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]

Family

Application09/820,947Parent of this continuation · filed 30 Mar 2001
Application11/014,887Parent of this continuation · filed 20 Dec 2004
Application12/155,411Parent of this continuation · filed 4 Jun 2008
Application13/004,392Parent of this continuation · filed 11 Jan 2011
US 2012/0271999 A1Pre-grant publication · published 25 Oct 2012
US 8,234,449 B2Parent of this continuation
US 7,904,646 B2Parent of this continuation
US 7,398,367 B2Parent of this continuation
US 6,851,020 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2002/0124124 A1Published application
US 2005/0102555 A1Published application
US 2008/0263273 A1Published application
US 2011/0107029 A1Published application
US 8,806,119 B2This patent

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