Storage system and method for a storage control apparatus using information on management of storage resources

Abstract

A storage control apparatus comprises a data I/O control unit which has communication ports adapted to connect with any of information processing apparatuses, is communicatively connected to physical disk drives for storing data, and performs data read/write from/to the drives according to a data I/O request received from the processing apparatus; a first memory storing a data read/written among the data stored in the disk drives; and a second memory storing information on management of storage resources including the communication ports, the physical disk drives, and a storage capacity of the first memory allocated for each user using the processing apparatuses. Upon reception of a request of the information on management from a user, an identifier of the communication port, an identifier of the disk drive, and a storage capacity of the first memory allocated for the user are transmitted to a user interface.

1 . A storage control apparatus comprising: 
 a plurality of communication ports each of which is connectable with any of a plurality of information processing apparatuses, are communicatively connected to a plurality of physical disk drives for storing data, receives a data I/O request for data stored in the physical disk drives from the information processing apparatuses, and performs data read/write from/to the physical disk drives in accordance with the received data I/O request;    a cache memory; and    storage resources which are partitioned into a plurality of storage resource groups each having one or more communication ports, storage capacity in said cache memory and one or more physical disk drives,    wherein each storage resource group is assigned to an user,    wherein said user is permitted to set a configuration of said one or more communication ports, said storage capacity in said cache memory and said one or more physical disk drives of said storage resource group assigned to said user; and    wherein in response to reception of a transmission request of information on management of a first storage resource group from a first user via a user interface, the storage control apparatus transmits an identifier of the one or more communication ports, an identifier of the one or more physical disk drives, and a storage capacity of the cache memory in the first storage resource group assigned to said first user.    
   
   
       2 . A storage control apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said information on management of said first storage resource group includes: 
 information representing a first relationship between the one or more physical disk drives of said first storage resource group and a data amount which can be stored in the cache memory among the data stored in the one or more physical disk drives, and    information representing a second relationship between the first relationship and the one or more communication ports of said first storage resource group.    
   
   
       3 . A storage control apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said one or more physical disk drives of each storage resource group include of a plurality of hard disk drives constituting a Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disk (RAID).  
   
   
       4 . A storage control apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of communication ports comprise: 
 at least some of said communication ports each of which is connectable with one of the information processing apparatuses and receives a data I/O request for data stored in the physical disk drives including a plurality of hard disk drives constituting a Redundant Array Inexpensive Disk (RAID); and    a disk control section which is communicatively connected to the physical disk drives and performs data read/write from/to the physical disk drives according to the data I/O request.    
   
   
       5 . A storage control apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said plurality of communication ports comprise: 
 at least some of said communication ports each of which is connectable with one of the information processing apparatuses and receives a data I/O request for data stored in the physical disk drives including a plurality of hard disk drives constituting a Redundant Array Inexpensive Disk (RAID); and    a disk control section which is communicatively connected to the physical disk drives and performs data read/write from/to the physical disk drives according to the data I/O request.    
   
   
       6 . A storage control apparatus as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said plurality of communication ports comprise: 
 at least some of said communication ports each of which is connectable with one of the information processing apparatuses and receives a data I/O request for data stored in the physical disk drives including a plurality of hard disk drives constituting a Redundant Array Inexpensive Disk (RAID); and    a disk control section which is communicatively connected to the physical disk drives and performs data read/write from/to the physical disk drives according to the data I/O request.    
   
   
       7 . A storage control apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a number of data blocks allocated to the storage capacity in said cache memory of each storage resource group is increased or decreased as needed to provide a set storage capacity of the cache memory to each user so as not to be affected by use of the cache memory by the other users.  
   
   
       8 . A method for controlling a storage control apparatus comprising a plurality of communication ports each of which is connectable with any of a plurality of information processing apparatuses, are communicatively connected to a plurality of physical disk drives for storing data, receives a data I/O request for data stored in the physical disk drives from the information processing apparatuses, and performs data read/write from/to the physical disk drives in accordance with the received data I/O request, a cache memory, and storage resources, said method comprising: 
 wherein said storage resources are partitioned into a plurality of storage resource groups each having one or more communication ports, storage capacity in said cache memory and one or more physical disk drives,    wherein each storage resource group is assigned to an user,    wherein said user is permitted to set a configuration of said one or more communication ports, said storage capacity in said cache memory and said one or more physical disk drives of said storage resource group assigned to said user;    receiving a transmission request of information on management of a first storage resource group of storage resources from a first user via a user interface; and    in response to reception of the transmission request of information on management of said first storage resource group from said first user via , said user interface, transmitting an identifier of the one or more communication ports, an identifier of the one or more physical disk drives, and a storage capacity of the cache memory in the first storage resource group assigned to said first user.    
   
   
       9 . A method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein said information on management of said first storage resource group includes: 
 information representing a first relationship between the one or more physical disk drives of said first storage resource group and a data amount which can be stored in the cache memory among the data stored in the one or more physical disk drives, and    information representing a second relationship between the first relationship and the one or more communication ports of said first storage resource group.    
   
   
       10 . A method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein said one or more physical disk drives of each storage resource group include of a plurality of hard disk drives constituting a Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disk (RAID).  
   
   
       11 . A method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein said plurality of communication ports comprise: 
 at least some of said communication ports each of which is connectable with one of the information processing apparatuses and receives a data I/O request for data stored in the physical disk drives including a plurality of hard disk drives constituting a Redundant Array Inexpensive Disk (RAID); and    a disk control section which is communicatively connected to the physical disk drives and performs data read/write from/to the physical disk drives according to the data I/O request.    
   
   
       12 . A method as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein said plurality of communication ports comprise: 
 at least some of said communication ports each of which is connectable with one of the information processing apparatuses and receives a data I/O request for data stored in the physical disk drives including a plurality of hard disk drives constituting a Redundant Array Inexpensive Disk (RAID); and    a disk control section which is communicatively connected to the physical disk drives and performs data read/write from/to the physical disk drives according to the data I/O request.    
   
   
       13 . A method as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said plurality of communication ports comprise: 
 at least some of said communication ports each of which is connectable with one of the information processing apparatuses and receives a data I/O request for data stored in the physical disk drives including a plurality of hard disk drives constituting a Redundant Array Inexpensive Disk (RAID); and    a disk control section which is communicatively connected to the physical disk drives and performs data read/write from/to the physical disk drives according to the data I/O request.    
   
   
       14 . A method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein a number of data blocks allocated to the storage capacity in said cache memory of each storage resource group is increased or decreased as needed to provide a set storage capacity of the cache memory to each user so as not to be affected by use of the cache memory by the other users.  
   
   
       15 . A computer program stored on a storage medium for controlling a storage control apparatus comprising a plurality of communication ports each of which is connectable with any of a plurality of information processing apparatuses, are communicatively connected to a plurality of physical disk drives for storing data, receives a data I/O request for data stored in the physical disk drives from the information processing apparatuses, and performs data read/write from/to the physical disk drives in accordance with the received data I/O request, a cache memory, and storage resources, said computer program when executed by said storage control apparatus comprising: 
 wherein said storage resources are partitioned into a plurality of storage resource groups each having one or more communication ports, storage capacity in said cache memory and one or more physical disk drives,    wherein each storage resource group is assigned to an user,    wherein said user is permitted to set a configuration of said one or more communication ports, said storage capacity in said cache memory and said one or more physical disk drives of said storage resource group assigned to said user;    code for receiving a transmission request of information on management of a first storage resource group of storage resources from a first user via a user interface; and    code for, in response to reception of the transmission request of information on management of said first storage resource group from said first user via said user interface, transmitting an identifier of the one or more communication ports, an identifier of the one or more physical disk drives, and a storage capacity of the cache memory in the first storage resource group assigned to said first user.    
   
   
       16 . A computer program as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein said information on management of said first storage resource group includes: 
 information representing a first relationship between the one or more physical disk drives of said first storage resource group and a data amount which can be stored in the cache memory among the data stored in the one or more physical disk drives, and    information representing a second relationship between the first relationship and the one or more communication ports of said first storage resource group.    
   
   
       17 . A computer program as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein said one or more physical disk drives of each storage resource group include of a plurality of hard disk drives constituting a Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disk (RAID).  
   
   
       18 . A computer program as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein said plurality of communication ports comprise: 
 at least some of said communication ports each of which is connectable with one of the information processing apparatuses and receives a data I/O request for data stored in the physical disk drives including a plurality of hard disk drives constituting a Redundant Array Inexpensive Disk (RAID); and    a disk control section which is communicatively connected to the physical disk drives and performs data read/write from/to the physical disk drives according to the data I/O request.    
   
   
       19 . A computer program as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein said plurality of communication ports comprise: 
 at least some of said communication ports each of which is connectable with one of the information processing apparatuses and receives a data I/O request for data stored in the physical disk drives including a plurality of hard disk drives constituting a Redundant Array Inexpensive Disk (RAID); and    a disk control section which is communicatively connected to the physical disk drives and performs data read/write from/to the physical disk drives according to the data I/O request.    
   
   
       20 . A computer program as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein a number of data blocks allocated to the storage capacity in said cache memory of each storage resource group is increased or decreased as needed to provide a set storage capacity of the cache memory to each user so as not to be affected by use of the cache memory by the other users.