Computer system

Abstract

In investigating the cause of a fault in a computer storage system, it is considered useful to previously prepare maintenance logical units (LUs) of a simple structure, the operation of which has been confirmed. If the same number of LUs as servers are prepared for each server as in the prior art, the efficiency is low. Furthermore, securing these LUs complicates assignment of the LUs for construction of a system and a work for addressing the fault. The present invention provides a computer system free of these problems. The computer system has a first computer for executing a first OS (operating system), a second computer for executing a second OS, and a storage array system. The storage array system uses a disk device having a logical unit (LU) for storing a boot loader, as well as the first and second OSes. The boot loader is executed on any one of the two computers, reads in any of the OSes corresponding to the currently operating computer into this operating computer, and executes the read OS.

1 . A computer system comprising: 
 a first computer for executing a first OS (operating system);    a second computer for executing a second OS; and    a storage array system connected with said first and second computers and having a disk device and a storage controller that controls the disk device;    wherein said disk device has a logical unit (LU) in which said first OS, said second OS, and a boot loader are stored; and    wherein said boot loader is executed on any one of said first and second computers, reads any one of the first and second OSes corresponding to the currently operating computer into this operating computer, and executes the read OS.    
   
   
       2 . The computer system according to  claim 1 , wherein said logical unit (LU) includes a section for storing said first OS and a section for storing said second OS.  
   
   
       3 . The computer system according to  claim 2 , wherein said storage controller has information for discriminating between said computers and reads in said first OS based on said information in response to a request from said first computer.  
   
   
       4 . The computer system according to  claim 1 , wherein said logical unit includes a subsection for storing said second OS, the subsection being included within a section for storing said first OS.  
   
   
       5 . A computer system comprising: 
 a first computer;    a second computer; and    a storage array system connected with said first and second computers and having a disk device and a storage controller that controls the disk device;    wherein said disk device has first, second, and third logical units (LUs);    wherein said first logical unit (LU) stores an OS executed by said first computer;    wherein said second logical unit (LU) stores an OS executed by said second computer;    wherein said third logical unit (LU) stores the OSes executed by said first and second computers, respectively;    wherein said first computer selectively boots the OS stored in said first LU and the OSes stored in said third LU, only one OS at a time; and    wherein said second computer selectively boots the OS stored in said second LU and the OSes stored in said third LU, only one OS at a time.    
   
   
       6 . The computer system according to  claim 5 , wherein said third LU has a section for storing the OS executed by said first computer and a section for storing the OS executed by said second computer.  
   
   
       7 . The computer system according to  claim 6 , wherein said storage controller has information for discriminating between said computers and reads in the OS executed by said first computer, based on said information in response to a request from said first computer.  
   
   
       8 . The computer system according to  claim 5 , wherein said third LU has a subsection for storing the OS executed by said second computer, the subsection being included within a section for storing the OS executed by said first computer.  
   
   
       9 . The computer system according to  claim 5 , wherein said third LU is a logical unit for a work done to check as to whether there is any fault in configuring a system.  
   
   
       10 . A method of booting OSes (operating systems) from a computer system having a first computer for executing a first OS, a second computer for executing a second OS, and a disk device connected with said first and second computers and having a logical unit (LU) in which said first OS, said second OS, and a boot loader are stored, said method comprising the steps of: 
 executing said boot loader on any one of said first and second computers;    reading any one of said first and second OSes corresponding to the currently operating computer into this operating computer; and    booting the read OS.    
   
   
       11 . A method of booting OSes (operating systems) from a computer system having a first computer, a second computer, and a disk device connected with said first and second computers and having first, second, and third logical units (LUs), said method comprising the steps of: 
 storing an OS executed by said first computer in said first LU;    storing an OS executed by said second computer in said second LU;    storing the OSes executed by said first and second computers, respectively, in said third LU;    causing said first computer to selectively boot the OSes stored in said first and third LUs, respectively, only one OS at a time; and    causing said second computer to selectively boot the OSes stored in said second and third LUs, respectively, only one OS at a time.