Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090132775 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR ARCHIVING DIGITAL DATA - Method and apparatus are disclosed to enable secure archiving and backup of data with reduced risk of data lost. Additionally, embodiments are provided which enable reduction of costs for CAS backup of archived files by use of low-cost tape storage devices rather than expensive hard drive devices. | 05-21-2009 |
20090254640 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HBA MIGRATION - In one implementation, a system includes multiple SCSI nodes configured to perform a SCSI target function. Each of the multiple SCSI nodes includes a host bus adaptor configured to connect the SCSI node with a Fibre Channel fabric. The host bus adaptor being assigned a world wide name and a network address. The system further includes a host configured to perform a SCSI initiator function. The world wide name assigned to a source host bus adaptor associated with one SCSI node is relocated to a target host bus adaptor associated with another SCSI node. After that, the network address associated with the source host bus adaptor is relocated to the target host bus adaptor. In one implementation, the system determines whether or not a network address assigned to a source host bus adaptor associated with one of the multiple SCSI nodes is shared with at least one other service. If so, the system determined whether the shared network address can be relocated to a target host bus adaptor associated with another one of the multiple of SCSI nodes. If the latter determination is in affirmative, the world wide name and network address are relocated. | 10-08-2009 |
20090319736 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INTEGRATED NAS AND CAS DATA BACKUP - An integrated NAS and CAS storage system and method. System includes NAS and CAS devices and NAS and CAS clients. NAS device includes a NAS head for file sharing, and a storage system providing disk volume to store files. CAS device includes CAS head for archiving files, and a storage system providing disk volume to store archived files. CAS client includes archive AP for migrating files from NAS device to CAS device for archiving, and generating stub data indicating destination file path of archived data. When NAS client accesses stub data, NAS device receives data from CAS device and sends the data to NAS client. When NAS client accesses stub data as backup server, NAS device merely sends stub data to NAS client. NAS device employs methods of classifying the access type from NAS client, as normal NAS access or special NAS access for backup operation. | 12-24-2009 |
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 |
20100100878 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RESOURCE PROVISIONING - Embodiments of the invention provide a method and apparatus for resource provisioning for a new virtual machine to be provided in a computer device. In one embodiment, at least one storage subsystem, the computer device, and a storage management server are connected via a network. A unique virtual port name for the new virtual machine is created by one of a first storage subsystem of the at least one storage subsystem or the storage management server. A volume for the new virtual machine is provided in the first storage subsystem. The first storage subsystem includes a unique port name for a port through which the volume for the new virtual machine has I/O connection via the network. The unique virtual port name is assigned to the new virtual machine in the computer device under NPIV (N_Port ID Virtualization). | 04-22-2010 |
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 |
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 |
20100306174 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BLOCK BASED VOLUME BACKUP - Embodiments of the invention provide methods and apparatuses for block based storage subsystem to have backup ability to a file based storage service such as HTTP or cloud storage service. In one embodiment, a storage system is coupled via a network to a storage service which has one or more file servers. The storage system comprises a processor; a memory; a volume-based snapshot control module configured to create a snapshot volume of data at a certain time, the snapshot volume being a block-based volume which is divided into a plurality of portions; and a copy control module configured to read each portion of the snapshot volume and send said each portion as file data to the storage service via the network, and to generate mapping information between an address of said each portion in the storage system and a file identifier of the file data of said each portion in the storage service. | 12-02-2010 |
20110060883 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EXTERNAL LOGICAL STORAGE VOLUME MANAGEMENT - Exemplary embodiments provide logical volume management between multiple storage subsystems or between one or more storage subsystems and a storage service. In one embodiment, a system has a host computer, a storage subsystem, an external system connected with the storage subsystem, and a management computer. The storage subsystem comprises a volume I/O control to expose one or more volumes in the storage subsystem to the host computer to provide storage I/O capability; and a volume management control to allow the management server to operate a second volume in the external system by operating a first volume in the storage subsystem. The volume management control is configured, in response to a command from the management server to create/delete the first volume, to create/delete the first volume and to create/delete the second volume. | 03-10-2011 |
20110072225 | APPLICATION AND TIER CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT IN DYNAMIC PAGE REALLOCATION STORAGE SYSTEM - For storage management in a tiered storage environment in a system having one or more applications running on a host computer which is connected to a storage system, the storage system comprises storage volumes in a pool which are divided into a plurality of tiers having different tier levels, the tiers being organized according to a tier configuration rule; and a controller. The controller allocates the pool to a plurality of virtual volumes based on a change of the tier levels against the physical storage devices. The controller stores a relation between data in the storage system being accessed by each application running on the host computer and an application ID of the application accessing the data. The tier level of a portion of a storage volume of the plurality of storage volumes is changed based at least in part on the application accessing data in the storage volume. | 03-24-2011 |
20110078334 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING VIRTUAL PORTS AND LOGICAL UNITS ON STORAGE SYSTEMS - A storage system configured to associate a virtual port | 03-31-2011 |
20110153905 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR I/O PATH SWITCHING - A system for input/output path switching comprises a host; a network switch coupled to the host; and a plurality of storage systems which include a first storage system and a second storage system. For switching an I/O path, from a path between the host and the first storage system via the network switch to another path between the host and the second storage system via the network switch, one of the host or the network switch changes FCID (Fibre Channel Node port identifier) information therein, to migrate a WWPN (World Wide Port Name) from association with the first storage system network interface to association with the second storage system network interface. The FCID information includes address information of storage system network interfaces of the storage systems for connecting to the network switch. | 06-23-2011 |
20110202705 | METHOD AND APPARATUS TO MANAGE OBJECT BASED TIER - Exemplary embodiments provide a technique to manage object based tier to improve allocation of media to unallocated area. In one embodiment, a method of allocating an area of a logical volume to an unallocated area of a virtual volume for a write command comprises: calculating an object location of an object based on the write command and an object allocation information, the write command containing a virtual volume name and a virtual volume address of a virtual volume; selecting a tier from a plurality of tiers based on the calculated object location and an object and tier definition information; selecting a media type from a plurality of media types based on the selected tier and a tier and media definition information; and selecting a logical volume from a plurality of logical volumes based on the virtual volume specified by the write command, the object allocation information, a pool information, and the selected media type. | 08-18-2011 |
20110276728 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STORAGE I/O PATH CONFIGURATION - An aspect of the invention is directed to a method for storage I/O (input/output) path configuration in a system that includes a storage system connected via a network to a plurality of nodes. The method comprises receiving an I/O access to one or more storage volumes in the storage system from one of the nodes; if the I/O access is an initial I/O access to any of the storage volumes in the storage system from any of the nodes in the system, allowing the initial I/O access from the one node and prohibiting I/O access to the storage volumes in the storage system by other nodes in the system; and if the I/O access is not an initial I/O access to any of the storage volumes in the storage system from any of the nodes in the system, allowing the I/O access only if the I/O access is from the one node which made the initial I/O access and rejecting the I/O access for other nodes in the system. | 11-10-2011 |
20110283026 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HBA MIGRATION - In one implementation, a system includes multiple SCSI nodes configured to perform a SCSI target function. Each of the multiple SCSI nodes includes a host bus adaptor configured to connect the SCSI node with a Fibre Channel fabric. The host bus adaptor being assigned a world wide name and a network address. The system further includes a host configured to perform a SCSI initiator function. The world wide name assigned to a source host bus adaptor associated with one SCSI node is relocated to a target host bus adaptor associated with another SCSI node. After that, the network address associated with the source host bus adaptor is relocated to the target host bus adaptor. In one implementation, the system determines whether or not a network address assigned to a source host bus adaptor associated with one of the multiple SCSI nodes is shared with at least one other service. If so, the system determined whether the shared network address can be relocated to a target host bus adaptor associated with another one of the multiple of SCSI nodes. If the latter determination is in affirmative, the world wide name and network address are relocated. | 11-17-2011 |
20120047293 | METHOD AND APPARATUS OF STORAGE ARRAY WITH FRAME FORWARDING CAPABILITY - Embodiments of the invention provide a method of storage array with frame forwarding capability to reduce the complexity of an IT platform system having a large number of hardware devices. In one embodiment, a storage system comprises one or more storage devices; a storage controller having a storage controller processor and a storage controller memory and being coupled with the one or more storage devices; an interface controller receiving an input/output command directly from a host computer; and an internal bus. The interface controller and the storage controller are coupled by the internal bus. In another embodiment, a storage system comprises one or more storage devices; a storage controller having a processor and a memory and being coupled with the one or more storage devices; and a network interface controller which provides virtual Ethernet bridging. | 02-23-2012 |
20120072685 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BACKUP OF VIRTUAL MACHINE DATA - Embodiments of the invention provide backup of virtual machine data and preferably simplify the backup system, especially in the virtual machine environment that uses an external storage subsystem. A system includes a storage system coupled via a network to a server and a management server. The storage system includes a plurality of storage volumes. The server includes virtual machines running thereon and has virtual machine data stored on the storage volumes. The management server comprises a processor, a memory, and a backup control module, which is configured to detect a virtual machine on the server which is suspended or terminated; identify one or more storage volumes which are used by the detected virtual machine; and direct the storage system to create a backup volume of the determined one or more storage volumes to back up data of the identified one or more storage volumes. | 03-22-2012 |
20120131289 | MULTIPATH SWITCHING OVER MULTIPLE STORAGE SYSTEMS - A system comprises a first storage system, a second storage system, a plurality of switches, and a server connected with the first storage system via a first group of switches and connected with the second storage system via a second group of switches. The first group and the second group have at least one switch which is not included in both the first and second groups. The first storage system receives I/O commands targeted to first logical units from the server via the first group of switches. The first storage system maintains first information regarding the ports of both the first and second storage systems. The first information is used to generate multipath communication between the server and the first storage system, including at least one path which passes through the second storage system and at least one other path which does not pass through the second storage system. | 05-24-2012 |
20120317311 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING VIRTUAL PORTS AND LOGICAL UNITS ON STORAGE SYSTEMS - A storage system configured to associate a virtual port | 12-13-2012 |
20130262774 | METHOD AND APPARATUS TO MANAGE OBJECT BASED TIER - Exemplary embodiments provide a technique to manage object based tier to improve allocation of media to unallocated area. In one embodiment, a method of allocating an area of a logical volume to an unallocated area of a virtual volume for a write command comprises: calculating an object location of an object based on the write command and an object allocation information, the write command containing a virtual volume name and a virtual volume address of a virtual volume; selecting a tier from a plurality of tiers based on the calculated object location and an object and tier definition information; selecting a media type from a plurality of media types based on the selected tier and a tier and media definition information; and selecting a logical volume from a plurality of logical volumes based on the virtual volume specified by the write command, the object allocation information, a pool information, and the selected media type. | 10-03-2013 |