Data storage system

Abstract

When replacing a disk device that has passed over a warranty expiration date with a new disk device, data necessary to be stored thereafter among the data that is recorded in the device must be transferred to another disk device, to thereby require a time for processing. A storage system includes: a storage device having a plurality of disk drives that stores data; and a data storage managing device which is connected to the storage device and has a data storage managing module that manages the storage of the data in the storage device, in which the data storage managing module compares a retention date of the data to be stored with a warranty expiration date of the disk drive, selects a disk drive that stores the data as the result of the comparison, and stores the data in the selected disk drive.

1 .- 20 . (canceled)  
   
   
       21 . A method for managing storage system including plurality of disk apparatus in which data is stored; comprising steps of: 
 receiving a request for storing data from a host computer via a network;    comparing retention date of data and expiration date of physical storage device; and    storing the data to a physical storage device of which expiration date is later than the retention date.    
   
   
       22 . A method according to  claim 21 , further comprising the steps of: 
 comparing retention date and expiration date of physical storage device if there is no storage system of which expiration date is later than the retention date; and    storing the data to a storage system of which expiration date is earlier than the retention date.    
   
   
       23 . A method according to  claim 21 , further comprising the steps of: 
 comparing size of data with free capacity of physical storage device of which expiration date is later than the retention date of the data;    retrieving retention date of data stored in plurality of the physical storage device if the size of data is larger than the free capacity of the physical storage device; and    deleting retrieved data of which retention date is earlier than current time.    
   
   
       24 . A management computer for managing storage systems storing data in a physical storage device for a host computer, comprising: 
 a network interface to be coupled to a network; and    a processor coupled to a network interface;    wherein the processor receives a request for storing data to a physical storage device via the network interface from the host computer, compares retention date of the data related to the received request and expiration date of physical storage devices, sends an instruction for storing the data to the physical storage device of which expiration date is later than the retention date of the data to be stored.    
   
   
       25 . A management computer according to  claim 24 , further comprising: 
 a memory coupled to the processor;    wherein the memory holds information related to expiration date of physical storage device.    
   
   
       26 . A management computer according to  claim 25 , wherein the storage system including plurality of the disk apparatus configured to the physical storage device.  
   
   
       27 . A management computer according to  claim 24 , wherein the processor compares size of data with free capacity of disk apparatus of which expiration date is later than the retention date of the data, retrieves retention date of data stored in plurality of the disk apparatus if the size of data is larger than the free capacity of the disk apparatus, sends an instruction for deleting the retrieved data of which retention date is earlier than current time.  
   
   
       28 . In a computer system including a host computer and plurality of storage system with physical storage devices for storing data received from the host computer via a network, a method for storing data, comprising: 
 specifying attribute of data to be stored in a physical storage device;    assigning a physical storage device to be satisfied with the attribute; and    storing data to the assigned physical storage device.    
   
   
       29 . A method according to  claim 28 , further comprising the steps of: 
 referring to free capacity of the physical storage device to be satisfied with the attribute;    retrieving attribute of data has been stored in the physical storage device if size of data to be stored is larger than the free capacity;    determining whether or not the physical storage device is satisfied with the attribute of data has been stored in the physical storage device; and    deleting the data in the physical storage device before the step of assigning.    
   
   
       30 . A method according to  claim 28 , wherein the attribute is retention date of data, 
 wherein the step of assigning includes assigning a physical storage device of which an expiration date is later than the retention date of data.    
   
   
       31 . A method according to  claim 28 , wherein the step of assigning includes comparing the attribute with a device information related to the physical storage device.  
   
   
       32 . A method according to  claim 31 , 
 wherein the physical storage device is a parity group composed of a plurality of disk apparatus; and    wherein the device information is the earliest expiration date among the expiration date of the disk apparatuses that compose the physical storage device.