Data back up method and its programs

Abstract

User data backup functions are realized through a computer, which is located on the management service provider corporation side and interfaces between a user side computer environment and a storage service side computer environment to support storage service. This computer selects storage devices which meet the user side conditions from a plurality of entirely or partially empty storage devices owned by the storage service side computer environment. The computer receives user data from the user side computer environment, divides the user data into records of a predetermined size and transmits the records to the storage service side computer environment so that the records are distributed and stored to the selected storage devices.

1 . An information processing system comprising: 
 a plurality of storage systems having a plurality of storage means;    a computer, coupled to the storage systems, which responds to a data storing request from a user, and which is configured to obtain information relating to storage areas from each of the storage systems, select one or more storage areas which satisfy a user condition based on the information relating to storage areas of each of the storage systems, and transfer data to one or more storage systems having the selected one or more storage areas in response to the data storing request.    
   
   
       2 . The information processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the user condition includes at least one of a division number of the data, a cost to store the data, and a data storing term of the data.  
   
   
       3 . The information processing system according to  claim 2 , wherein the obtained information includes at least one of an available storage area, a cost to use the available storage area, and an available term of each storage system.  
   
   
       4 . The information processing system according to  claim 3 , wherein the computer is further configured to select storage areas corresponding to the division number included in the user condition, divide the data based on the division number, and transfer the divided data to storage systems having the selected storage areas in response to the data storing request.  
   
   
       5 . The information processing system according to  claim 4 , wherein the computer responds to a data read request, and the computer is further configured to send a read request to each storage system which the divided data is transferred, and to generate data from the divided data in response to the data read request.  
   
   
       6 . The information processing system according to  claim 4 , wherein each of the data size to be divided is determined by available storage area.  
   
   
       7 . The information processing system according to  claim 3 , wherein the computer is further configured to re-select storage areas when a total cost of the selected storage areas is more than the cost included in the user condition.  
   
   
       8 . The information processing system according to  claim 4 , wherein the computer is further configured to monitor available terms included in the obtained information, select a storage area if the available term is exceeded, and migrate the divided data stored in the storage area that has exceeded the available term to the selected area.  
   
   
       9 . An information processing system comprising: 
 a plurality of storage systems having a plurality of storage areas;    a computer, coupled to the storage systems, which responds to a data storing request from a user, and which obtains information relating to storage areas from each of the storage systems, selects one or more storage areas which satisfy a user condition based on the information relating to storage areas of each of the storage systems, and transfers data to one or more storage systems having the selected one or more storage areas in response to the data storing request.    
   
   
       10 . The information processing system according to  claim 9 , wherein the user condition includes at least one of a division number of the data, a cost to store the data, and a data storing term of the data.  
   
   
       11 . The information processing system according to  claim 10 , wherein the obtained information includes at least one of an available storage area, a cost to use the available storage area, and an available term of each storage system.  
   
   
       12 . The information processing system according to  claim 11 , wherein the computer selects storage areas corresponding to the division number included in the user condition, divides the data based on the division number, and transfers the divided data to storage systems having the selected storage areas.  
   
   
       13 . The information processing system according to  claim 12 , wherein the computer responds to a data read request, and 
 wherein the computer sends a read request to each storage system to which the divided data is transferred, and generates data from the divided data in response to the data read request.    
   
   
       14 . The information processing system according to  claim 12 , wherein each of the data size is determined by available storage area.  
   
   
       15 . The information processing system according to  claim 11 , wherein the computer re-selects storage areas when a total cost of the selected storage areas is more than the cost included in the user condition.  
   
   
       16 . The information processing system according to  claim 12 , wherein the computer monitors available terms included in the obtained information, selects a storage area if the available term is exceeded, and migrates the divided data stored in the storage area that has exceeded the available term to the selected storage area.  
   
   
       17 . A data storing method comprising: 
 obtaining information relating to storage areas from a plurality of storage systems;    selecting one or more storage areas which satisfy a user condition based on information relating to storage areas of each storage system; and    transferring data to one or more storage systems having the selected one or more storage areas.    
   
   
       18 . A data storing method comprising: 
 obtaining information relating to storage areas from a plurality of storage systems;    selecting two or more storage areas which satisfy a user condition based on information relating to storage areas of each storage system,    dividing the data; and    transferring the divided data to two or more storage systems having the selected two or more storage areas.    
   
   
       19 . The data storing method according to  claim 17 , wherein the user condition includes at least one of a division number of the data, a cost to store the data, and a data storing term of the data.  
   
   
       20 . The data storing method according to  claim 18 , wherein the obtained information includes at least one of an available storage area, a cost to use the available storage area, and an available term of each storage system.  
   
   
       21 . The data storing method according to  claim 19 , wherein the storage area is selected by the division number, and the data is divided by the division number.  
   
   
       22 . The data storing method according to  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 sending a read request to each storage system to which the divided data is transferred; and    generating data from the divided data.    
   
   
       23 . The data storing method according to  claim 17 , wherein each of the data size to be divided is determined by the available storage area.  
   
   
       24 . The data storing method according to  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 re-selecting storage areas when a total cost of the selected storage areas is more than the cost included in the user condition.    
   
   
       25 . The data storing method according to  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 monitoring available terms included in the obtained information;    selecting a storage area if the available term is exceeded; and    migrating the divided data stored in the storage area that has exceeded the available term to the selected storage area.