Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080243947 | Method and apparatus for controlling storage provisioning - Providing a volume to a host computer by a storage system is automated for ensuring that an appropriate version of a storage control software is installed on a storage control module of the storage system that manages access of the host computer to the volume. When the volume on the storage system is allocated for use by the computer, a control module on the storage system is designated for managing the access to the volume. An operating system to be used on the computer when accessing the volume is determined, and a compatible version of the storage control software is uploaded and installed on the storage control module. Multiple storage control modules may be provided on the storage system and virtual machines may be used on the storage control modules for enabling simultaneous operation of more than one version of the storage control software on each storage control module. | 10-02-2008 |
20080244196 | Method and apparatus for a unified storage system - A unified storage system for executing a variety of types of storage control software using a single standardized hardware platform includes multiple storage control modules connected to storage devices for storing data related to input/output (I/O) operations. A first type of storage control software is initially installed and executed on a first storage control module for processing a first type of I/O operations. A management module replaces the first type of storage control software by installing a second type of storage control software onto the first storage control module. When the second type of storage control software is installed and executed, the first storage control module processes a second type of I/O operation, different from the first type of I/O operation. Control of volumes originally accessed by the first storage control module may be transferred to a second storage control module having the first type of storage control software installed. | 10-02-2008 |
20080263304 | LATENCY ALIGNED VOLUME PROVISIONING METHODS FOR INTERCONNECTED MULTIPLE STORAGE CONTROLLER CONFIGURATION - A system is composed of multiple storage control modules, which are connected to each other via interconnects. The aforesaid interconnects connecting the storage control modules may cause certain extra latency. Each storage control module may have data preservation module, which can preserve data stored by host computers. The system incorporates a latency table and provides a volume according to the latency table in accordance with a request from a host computer or an administrator. The latency table is dynamically created or statically stored in the inventive system. | 10-23-2008 |
20080282047 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO BACKUP AND RESTORE DATA FOR VIRTUALIZED STORAGE AREA - Information about management of virtualization (i.e. mapping between physical area/data/objects and logical area/data/objects) is provided by a storage system to a backup appliance (or common computer) that performs backup and restore of data. The backup appliance uses the information to recognize the mapping and to perform backup and restore process based on the mapping. Therefore the backup appliance handles only physical (really existing) area/data/objects to perform backup and restore rather than virtual ones. This realizes reducing the amount of data to be transferred and backed up, thus the problems mentioned above are solved. | 11-13-2008 |
20090043958 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CAPACITY ON DEMAND DYNAMIC CHUNK ALLOCATION - The system is composed of the storage apparatuses with dynamic chunk allocation capabilities, the centralized management computer. Some storage apparatuses have the extra HDDs or volumes for providing extra capacity (extra chunks), which are concealed by a secret key. The storage apparatus with the closed segment has the key management program and key management table. The centralized management computer has the storage on demand management program, the pending request table, the priority table and the master key table. The storage apparatus may connect to the other storage apparatuses for sharing the extra capacities in the closed segment. The storage apparatus issues the chunk addition request to the centralized management computer. The centralized management computer provides a key according to the priority table and the master key table. The centralized management computer may provide the key according to the chunk consumption rate reported by the storage apparatus and/or remaining capacity in the other storage apparatuses. | 02-12-2009 |
20090177666 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR ASSIGNING PERFORMANCE TO DATA VOLUMES ON DATA STORAGE SYSTEMS - A computerized data storage system and a method for portioning performance among data areas on a hard disk drive. The system includes a management computer coupled to one or more host computers and a storage apparatus. The storage apparatus includes hard disk drives and a storage controller for partitioning the hard disk drives among data volumes in the storage apparatus and for assigning the data volumes to the host computer. A performance partitioning module on the hard disk drives utilizes a queue management table for forming a number of queues on memory of the hard disk drive. The queues receive READ and WRITE requests from the host computers and convey these requests to data areas assigned on recording media of the hard disk drive. After a request from a queue is executed, depending on a duration required for execution of a next request from the same queue, a gate between the queue and the data areas may be closed to allow requests from other queues an opportunity to access the data areas. In an alternative embodiment, requests of one queue are transferred to a new queue on another hard disk if a sufficient number of queues is not available on a current hard disk to satisfy the performance requirements. | 07-09-2009 |
20090177837 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING HDD'S SPIN-DOWN AND SPIN-UP IN TIERED STORAGE SYSTEMS - A storage system is configured as tiered storage (composed of top tier storage apparatuses and second tier storage apparatus at least). The top tire storage apparatus gathers the volume-to-volume map information and power boundary information from second tier storage apparatuses, which are connected to the top tier storage apparatus. The top tier storage apparatus manages the second tier storage system by appropriate method directed by the second tier storage apparatus. In another method for managing HDDs' spin-down and spin-up, “spin-down/up” status are kept in the top tier storage apparatus and the second tier storage apparatus. The top tier storage apparatus forwards the “spin-down/up” request to the second tier storage apparatus when the top tier storage apparatus receives a “spin-down/up” request. The second tier storage apparatus checks if all volumes in a parity group have “spin-down” status. In the case of all volumes in a parity group have “spin-down” status, HDD in the parity group are spin-downed. | 07-09-2009 |
20100011368 | Methods, systems and programs for partitioned storage resources and services in dynamically reorganized storage platforms - Exemplary embodiments establish durable partitions that are unified across storage systems and storage server computers. The partitions provide independent name spaces and are able to maintain specified services and conditions regardless of operations taking place in other partitions, and regardless of configuration changes in the information system. A management computer manages and assigns resources and functions provided by storage server computers and storage systems to each partition. By using the assigned resources, a partition is able to provide storage and other services to users and applications on host computers. When a configuration change occurs, such as addition or deletion of equipment, the management computer performs reassignment of resources, manages migration of services and/or data, and otherwise maintains the functionality of the partition for the user or application. Additionally, a partition can be migrated within the information system for various purposes, such as improved performance, load balancing, and the like. | 01-14-2010 |
20100057985 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ALLOCATING PERFORMANCE TO DATA VOLUMES ON DATA STORAGE SYSTEMS AND CONTROLLING PERFORMANCE OF DATA VOLUMES - System and method for dynamic chunk allocation to data volumes in storage systems. The system includes host computer, management computer and storage system. A dynamic chunk allocation program in the storage system allocates chunks from chunk pool to a volume using a chunk pool management table and a chunk table. A chunk allocation rule table holds rules for allocating chunks from the HDDs. The dynamic chunk allocation program refers to the chunk allocation rule table, to allocate a chunk to a volume. The storage system may have a chunk move program for moving a chunk from one HDD to another HDD or from parity group to parity group for load balancing. A host ID identifying program in the storage system is also used for load balancing. The chunk allocation rule table may be updated by the management computer or rule creation program for changing the rules. | 03-04-2010 |
20100058319 | AGILE DEPLOYMENT OF SERVER - System and method for agile deployment of servers. The system includes one or more storage subsystems, a host computer and a storage management server or general severs together with a system management server. A system administrator or a storage supplier preliminarily installs an application package on a server. The application package may include an operating system, programs, libraries, configuration data and initial data. When the system requires a new physical or virtual server, the system administrator replicates the installed application package and conducts the new server runs with the replicated application package. Operation sequences are provided for order of copying of the application package between the management servers and the storage subsystems. Change in the data from an initial state may be stored instead of the complete data. | 03-04-2010 |
20100070722 | Method and apparatus for storage migration - Embodiments of the invention provide a method and apparatus for storage subsystem migration without re-configuration of the I/O path. In one embodiment, a computer system comprises a first storage subsystem, a second storage subsystem, and a computer device connected via a network. The first storage subsystem has a first port name for a first port through which a first volume in the first storage subsystem has I/O connection with the computer device. The second storage subsystem defines a first virtual volume which is associated with the first volume, and a first virtual port having a first virtual port name that is identical to the first port name. After activation of the first virtual port, the computer device switches I/O connection for the first volume from the first storage subsystem to the second storage subsystem via the network using the first virtual port name on the second storage subsystem. | 03-18-2010 |
20100115305 | Methods and Apparatus to Provision Power-Saving Storage System - A power-saving computer system comprises a plurality of storage areas provided by one or more storage systems, including at least one first storage area which is always powered on and at least one second storage area which is periodically powered on and off according to a power control schedule. The at least one first storage area provides primary and secondary volumes of a first backup set that is scheduled as always paired. For a second backup set that is scheduled as normally suspended and resynchronized according to a backup schedule, a primary volume of the second backup set is included in the at least one first storage area and a secondary volume of the second backup set is included in the at least one second storage area. The at least one second storage area is powered on during every backup time for resynchronizing the second backup set according to the backup schedule. | 05-06-2010 |
20100125712 | DATA BACKUP SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VIRTUAL INFRASTRUCTURE - Systems for backing up the data of an IT system by utilizing server or storage virtualization technology to create and move logical IT infrastructures dynamically. A virtualized IT system provides a server resource pool and a storage resource pool composed from multiple physical devices either within a datacenter or a globally located plurality of datacenters. The virtual server and the storage volume provisioned from those pools will be paired to form the virtual infrastructure. In other words, the virtual infrastructure becomes a logical IT environment build with the required computing and storage resources needed in order to execute specific applications. The virtual infrastructure can also be migrated within/among datacenter sites. | 05-20-2010 |
20100199053 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LOGICAL VOLUME MANAGEMENT - Systems and methods for consistent logical volume management of the storage subsystem. The present invention guarantees permanent identification data consistency while migrating, mirroring, creating, deleting LU and so on. It prevents the administrator from the change of management. | 08-05-2010 |
20100199065 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING EFFICIENT DATA DEDUPLICATION BY METADATA GROUPING - The system is composed of: identifier generation program or logic, identifier confirm program or logic, plural identifier table and metadata mapping table. Data streams or data blocks, files are stored in the data storage system with metadata. The metadata includes additional information of the data and files. For example application, creator, timestamp, OS type, and the like. Data storage system or backup appliance with this invention can have plural groups which are related to the metadata. Each group has an identifier table so that eliminating duplicated data is executed within the group. | 08-05-2010 |
20100235592 | DATE VOLUME MIGRATION WITH MIGRATION LOG CONFIRMATION - Exemplary embodiments provide data volume migration with migration log confirmation in which the same data volume identifier is used beyond migration for a data volume. In one embodiment, data is migrated to or from a data volume in a data storage area of a storage apparatus. The data being migrated is identified by a data volume identifier which remains unchanged after migration. The same data volume identifier is used in both the source data volume and the destination data volume. The storage apparatus stores migration log information of the data volume. The migration log information includes the data volume identifier, a source name of the source data volume of the data being migrated, a destination name of the destination data volume of the data being migrated, and log information on any prior migration of the data being migrated. | 09-16-2010 |
20100250878 | Storage System of Storing Golden Image of a Server or Any Physical/Virtual Machine Execution Environment - A storage system stores golden image of a server or any physical/virtual machine execution environment and associate the golden image and the storage port. The storage system also creates the copy of the golden image to the logical volume, and allocates the internal path between the storage port and the logical volume. Upon receiving an access request from the host computer via the storage port, the storage system transfers the access request between the storage port and the logical volume which stores the copy of golden image associated with the host computer. | 09-30-2010 |
20100312976 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING DATA VOLUME CREATION IN DATA STORAGE SYSTEM WITH DYNAMIC CHUNK ALLOCATION CAPABILITY - Embodiments of the invention provide methods and apparatus for controlling data volume creation at the storage system. In one embodiment, a storage system comprises a processor; a memory; and a plurality of chunks that are to be allocated to data volumes, each chunk having one or more data blocks. The plurality of chunks include zero or more used chunks which are allocated to one or more data volumes, and zero or more remaining chunks which are not used chunks. A new data volume creation operation to create a new data volume is prohibited or warned against before the new data volume is created, in accordance with a total number of the remaining chunks in the storage system. The remaining chunks may further include reserved chunks which are reserved for use in one or more data volumes but have not been allocated. | 12-09-2010 |
20110082977 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR A UNIFIED STORAGE SYSTEM - A unified storage system for executing a variety of types of storage control software using a single standardized hardware platform includes multiple storage control modules connected to storage devices for storing data related to input/output (I/O) operations. A first type of storage control software is initially installed and executed on a first storage control module for processing a first type of I/O operations. A management module replaces the first type of storage control software by installing a second type of storage control software onto the first storage control module. When the second type of storage control software is installed and executed, the first storage control module processes a second type of I/O operation, different from the first type of I/O operation. Control of volumes originally accessed by the first storage control module may be transferred to a second storage control module having the first type of storage control software installed. | 04-07-2011 |
20110179250 | I/O CONVERSION METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STORAGE SYSTEM - A storage system comprises a storage apparatus which includes a processor, storage disks, and a memory storing a page mapping table, a page mapping program, and a page-filename mapping program. A file system manages a file tree of files with filenames. The page mapping table specifies a relationship between data volumes in the storage apparatus and the storage disks and the file system, the data volumes each including pages, each page including segments, each segment including sectors. The file tree has for each storage apparatus a hierarchy of directories and files based on relationships among the data volumes, the pages, and the segments. The page mapping program and the page-filename mapping program are executable by the processor to specify, by page, a location of data contained in the I/O request by referring to the page mapping table and the file tree. | 07-21-2011 |
20110202743 | METHOD AND INTERFACE FOR ALLOCATING STORAGE CAPACITIES TO PLURAL POOLS - Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide protocols and interfaces for avoiding waste capacity allocation from the storage apparatus to plural pools. In one embodiment, a storage system comprises a processor; a memory; and a storage controller. The storage controller is configured to: receive a declare chunk size command with a pool identifier for a pool among a plurality of pools, the declare chunk size command specifying a desired chunk size at the pool; receive an allocate chunk command with a pool identifier for allocating a chunk to a logical volume; and provide chunks of different chunk sizes to different pools with different pool identifiers, according to the desired chunk sizes of different declare chunk size commands and in response to different allocate chunk commands. | 08-18-2011 |
20110231631 | I/O CONVERSION METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STORAGE SYSTEM - An aspect of the invention relates to a method of managing data location of plural files in a storage system having a mixed volume which includes plural pages having a fixed page size, the pages belonging to different tiers. The method comprises mapping pages of different tiers to storage devices of different speeds in the storage system, the storage devices including at least a high speed storage device corresponding to a high tier page and a low speed storage device corresponding to a low tier page; and for each file that is a large file which is larger in size than the page size, performing sub-file tiered management on the large file to assign the large file among pages of different tiers according to access characteristics of different portions of the large file by matching the access characteristics of each portion of the large file with a corresponding tier of the assigned page of the mixed volume. | 09-22-2011 |
20110258404 | METHOD AND APPARATUS TO MANAGE GROUPS FOR DEDUPLICATION - A storage system comprises one or more pool volumes having chunks for storing data; one or more primary volumes; writable snapshots as virtual volumes for each primary volume which is a common ancestor of the writable snapshots, each primary volume and corresponding writable snapshots being members forming a snapshot group; and a storage controller which includes a processor, a memory storing, for each snapshot group, group information of the members within the snapshot group, and a deduplication module. The deduplication module may identify a snapshot group for deduplication based on the group information and perform deduplication of data for the identified snapshot group in a deduplication area, or perform deduplication of data in a deduplication area which is specified based on the group information of a snapshot group being generated in the storage system. | 10-20-2011 |
20110320642 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR A UNIFIED STORAGE SYSTEM - A unified storage system for executing a variety of types of storage control software using a single standardized hardware platform includes multiple storage control modules connected to storage devices for storing data related to input/output (I/O) operations. A first type of storage control software is initially installed and executed on a first storage control module for processing a first type of I/O operations. A management module replaces the first type of storage control software by installing a second type of storage control software onto the first storage control module. When the second type of storage control software is installed and executed, the first storage control module processes a second type of I/O operation, different from the first type of I/O operation. Control of volumes originally accessed by the first storage control module may be transferred to a second storage control module having the first type of storage control software installed. | 12-29-2011 |
20120110289 | DATA BACKUP SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VIRTUAL INFRASTRUCTURE - Systems for backing up the data of an IT system by utilizing server or storage virtualization technology to create and move logical IT infrastructures dynamically. A virtualized IT system provides a server resource pool and a storage resource pool composed from multiple physical devices either within a datacenter or a globally located plurality of datacenters. The virtual server and the storage volume provisioned from those pools will be paired to form the virtual infrastructure. In other words, the virtual infrastructure becomes a logical IT environment build with the required computing and storage resources needed in order to execute specific applications. The virtual infrastructure can also be migrated within/among datacenter sites. | 05-03-2012 |
20120117345 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BACKUP AND RESTORE IN A DYNAMIC CHUNK ALLOCATION STORAGE SYSTEM - Backup and restore operations are made possible in a storage system that has dynamic chunk allocation (DCA) capability. In a DCA storage system, a chunk of physical storage area is not allocated to a segment of a volume until a write command is received targeting the segment of the volume. During a restore operation of the volume in the DCA storage system, the wasting of storage capacity when a backup image of the volume is restored is mitigated by preventing allocation of physical storage areas to segments of restore data that are only void data. | 05-10-2012 |
20120331203 | I/O CONVERSION METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STORAGE SYSTEM - A storage system comprises a storage apparatus which includes a processor, storage disks, and a memory storing a page mapping table, a page mapping program, and a page-filename mapping program. A file system manages a file tree of files with filenames. The page mapping table specifies a relationship between data volumes in the storage apparatus and the storage disks and the file system, the data volumes each including pages, each page including segments, each segment including sectors. The file tree has for each storage apparatus a hierarchy of directories and files based on relationships among the data volumes, the pages, and the segments. The page mapping program and the page-filename mapping program are executable by the processor to specify, by page, a location of data contained in the I/O request by referring to the page mapping table and the file tree. | 12-27-2012 |