US6950871B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Computer system having a storage area network and method of handling data in the computer system
Assignee: Hitachi Ltd
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Filing: 2000-06-29
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Granted: 2005-09-27
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Expires: 2020-06-29
Abstract
Abstract In order to construct an integrated storage system by reinforcing collaboration of components or functions of a storage system in which a storage area network (SAN) is used, in a computer system having multiple client computers, multiple various servers, multiple various storages which keep data, and a local area network (LAN) which connects the computers and the servers, a storage area network (SAN) which lies between the servers and storages forms a switched circuit network which is capable of connecting any server and any storage through fiber channel FC switches. The computer system further includes a terminal which is equipped with operation and management software which performs storage management including management of logical volumes in the various storages, data arrangement, error monitoring, management of setting up the FC switches, and backup for data in the storages.
Inventors
- 👤 Shigeo Honma
- 👤 Hiroshi Morishima
- 👤 Tokuhiro Tsukiyama
- 👤 Hiroyuki Matsushima
- 👤 Takashi Oeda
- 👤 Yoji Tomono
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 07:44
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/06; G06F3/0601; G06F3/0668; G06F3/067; G06F3/0602; G06F3/0604; G06F3/0628; G06F3/0629; H; H04; H04L; H04L67/00; H04L67/01; H04L67/10; H04L67/1097; H04L9/00; H04L9/40; H04L69/00; H04L69/30; H04L69/32; H04L69/322; H04L69/329
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
288 words
A computer system, comprising: a plurality of client computers; a plurality of servers; a plurality of storages which have multiple disk drives and keep data in said plurality of disk drives; a local area network (LAN) which connects said computers with said servers; and a storage area network (SAN) which lies between said servers and said storages, wherein said SAN forms a switched circuit network having fiber channel switches and arranged to connect any of said servers and any of said storages through said fiber channel switches, and said computer system comprising: a terminal, which is connected to said LAN and equipped with operation and management software which performs storage management, including management of logical volumes in said storages, management of data arrangement including moving data in one of said logical volumes to another of said logical volumes, management of error monitoring for said storages, management of setting up said fiber channel switches, and management of a server-less backup operation for backing-up data directly from one of said storages to a backup storage of said storages via said SAN without relaying said data via any of said servers or said terminal; wherein the operation and management software of said terminal realizes acquisition of statistical information of resources of said logical volumes; and wherein the operation and management software of said terminal manages said logical volumes in said storages in accordance with said statistical information including usage of logical devices composing said logical volumes, said operation and management software predicting future usage of said logical devices given a proposed allocation of said logical devices based on said usage, and said operation and management software allocating said logical devices in response to a command based on said future usage prediction.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
288 words
A computer system, comprising: a plurality of client computers; a plurality of servers; a plurality of storages which have multiple disk drives and keep data in said plurality of disk drives; a local area network (LAN) which connects said computers with said servers; and a storage area network (SAN) which lies between said servers and said storages, wherein said SAN forms a switched circuit network having fiber channel switches and arranged to connect any of said servers and any of said storages through said fiber channel switches, and said computer system comprising: a terminal, which is connected to said LAN and equipped with operation and management software which performs storage management, including management of logical volumes in said storages, management of data arrangement including moving data in one of said logical volumes to another of said logical volumes, management of error monitoring for said storages, management of setting up said fiber channel switches, and management of a server-less backup operation for backing-up data directly from one of said storages to a backup storage of said storages via said SAN without relaying said data via any of said servers or said terminal; wherein the operation and management software of said terminal realizes acquisition of statistical information of resources of said logical volumes; and wherein the operation and management software of said terminal manages said logical volumes in said storages in accordance with said statistical information including usage of logical devices composing said logical volumes, said operation and management software predicting future usage of said logical devices given a proposed allocation of said logical devices based on said usage, and said operation and management software allocating said logical devices in response to a command based on said future usage prediction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
87 words
The computer system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, when a backup copy of data in a primary volume in said one storage is made to said backup storage in a non-disruptive manner, a secondary volume corresponding to the primary volume is created by internal functions in said one storage, copies are made from said primary volume to said secondary volume, the made copies are transferred from said secondary volume to said backup storage via said SAN without passing said LAN, and thereby backup is achieved.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
A computer system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein in performing said management of error monitoring for said storages, said operation and management software of said terminal collects failure reports from said storages.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
61 words
A computer system as claimed in claim 3 , wherein in performing said management of setting up said fiber channel switches, said operation and management software of said terminal sets a plurality of respective zones of said fiber channel switches and assigns said zones to said servers so as to restrict access to said storages in accordance with the zone assignments.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
77 words
A computer system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein in performing said management of a server-less backup operation, said operation and management software of said terminal causes a replica of data, present in a logical volume assigned to one of said servers, to be created in a second logical volume; and causes a copy of said replica to be created in a backup storage without involvement of said server to which said logical volume is assigned.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The computer system as claimed in claim 5 , wherein said SAN is connected to a SAN in another computer system via a wide area network (WAN).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
273 words
A computer system, comprising: a plurality of client computers; a plurality of servers; a plurality of storages which have multiple disk drives and keep data in said plurality of disk drives; a local area network (LAN) which connects said computers with said servers; and a storage area network (SAN) which lies between said servers and said storages, wherein said SAN forms a switched circuit network having fiber channel switches and arranged to connect any of said servers and any of said storages through said fiber channel switches, and said computer system comprising: a terminal, which is connected to said LAN and equipped with operation and management software which performs storage management, including management of logical volumes in said storages, management of data arrangement including moving data in one of said logical volumes to another of said logical volumes, management of error monitoring for said storages, management of setting up said fiber channel switches, and management of a server-less backup operation for backing-up data directly from one of said storages to a backup storage of said storages via said SAN without relaying said data via any of said servers or said terminal; wherein the operation and management software of said terminal manages said logical volumes in said storages in accordance with usage of logical devices composing said logical volumes, information of said usage being obtained from said disk drives, said operation and management software predicting future usage of said logical devices given a proposed allocation of said logical devices based on said usage, and said operation and management software allocating said logical devices in response to a command based on said future usage prediction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
273 words
A computer system, comprising: a plurality of client computers; a plurality of servers; a plurality of storages which have multiple disk drives and keep data in said plurality of disk drives; a local area network (LAN) which connects said computers with said servers; and a storage area network (SAN) which lies between said servers and said storages, wherein said SAN forms a switched circuit network having fiber channel switches and arranged to connect any of said servers and any of said storages through said fiber channel switches, and said computer system comprising: a terminal, which is connected to said LAN and equipped with operation and management software which performs storage management, including management of logical volumes in said storages, management of data arrangement including moving data in one of said logical volumes to another of said logical volumes, management of error monitoring for said storages, management of setting up said fiber channel switches, and management of a server-less backup operation for backing-up data directly from one of said storages to a backup storage of said storages via said SAN without relaying said data via any of said servers or said terminal; wherein the operation and management software of said terminal manages said logical volumes in said storages in accordance with usage of logical devices composing said logical volumes, information of said usage being obtained from said disk drives, said operation and management software predicting future usage of said logical devices given a proposed allocation of said logical devices based on said usage, and said operation and management software allocating said logical devices in response to a command based on said future usage prediction.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
A computer system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein in performing said management of error monitoring for said storages, said operation and management software of said terminal collects failure reports from said storages.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
61 words
A computer system as claimed in claim 8 , wherein in performing said management of setting up said fiber channel switches, said operation and management software of said terminal sets a plurality of respective zones of said fiber channel switches and assigns said zones to said servers so as to restrict access to said storages in accordance with the zone assignments.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
77 words
A computer system as claimed in claim 9 , wherein in performing said management of a server-less backup operation, said operation and management software of said terminal causes a replica of data, present in a logical volume assigned to one of said servers, to be created in a second logical volume; and causes a copy of said replica to be created in a backup storage without involvement of said server to which said logical volume is assigned.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The computer system as claimed in claim 10 , wherein said SAN is connected to a SAN in another computer system via a wide area network (WAN).
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2008-09-26 | 2009-03-28 | 2009-09-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2012-09-26 | 2013-03-28 | 2013-09-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2016-09-26 | 2017-03-28 | 2017-09-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |