Data back up method and its programs for permitting a user to obtain information relating to storage areas of the storage systems and select one or more storage areas which satisfy a user condition based on the information

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 . A computer system comprising:
 a plurality of storage systems; and   a first server coupled to the plurality of storage systems through a network,   wherein the storage system comprises:   a plurality of storage devices, and   
     a second server which manages the plurality of storage devices,
 wherein the first server comprises: 
 a matching unit for searching for one or more storage devices to be selected whose storage condition satisfies a data condition indicated by a user server, the storage condition including an available term during which the storage device is available, 
 a data dividing unit for dividing data received from the user server to preserve the data in a distributed manner over the selected storage devices, and 
 a data transfer unit for transmitting the divided data to the storage system having the selected storage devices, 
 wherein when the first server finds the available term of any of the selected devices has expired, the matching unit re-selects other storage devices whose storage condition satisfies the data condition, and 
 wherein the data transfer unit receives the divided data from the storage devices whose available term has expired and transmits the divided data to the re-selected storage devices. 
 
   
   
       2 . The computer system according to  claim 1 , wherein the storage condition further includes:
 information of at least one of available storage areas and a cost to use the available storage area.   
   
   
       3 . The computer system according to  claim 1 , wherein the data dividing unit divides the data based on a number of distributions included in the data condition. 
   
   
       4 . The computer system according to  claim 1 , wherein the second server examines whether the available term of any of the selected storage devices has expired, and
 wherein, when the second server finds the selected storage device has expired in the available term, the second server transmits the divided data stored in the selected storage device whose available term has expired to the first server.   
   
   
       5 . The computer system according to  claim 1 , wherein the data dividing unit determines a number of distributions based on available storage areas to store the divided data. 
   
   
       6 . The computer system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first server further comprises:
 a data restore unit,   wherein when the first server receives a read request from the user server, the first server issues a read request to the storage system where the divided data exists,   wherein the data transfer unit receives the divided data from the second server, and   wherein the data restore unit restores the data on the user server based on the divided data received from the second server.   
   
   
       7 . A data storing method related to a computer system having a service server and a plurality of storage systems each of which houses a plurality of storage devices, said method realized by the service server comprising:
 searching for one or more storage devices to be selected whose storage condition satisfies a data condition indicated by a client server, the storage condition including an available term during which the storage device is available;   dividing data received from the client server to preserve the data in a distributed manner over the selected storage devices; and   transmitting the divided data to the storage system having the selected storage devices,   wherein, found that the available term of any of the selected devices has expired, the searching step further re-selects other storage devices whose storage condition satisfies the data condition, and   wherein the transmitting step further receives the divided data from the storage devices whose available term has expired and transmits the divided data to the re-selected storage devices.   
   
   
       8 . The data storing method according to  claim 7 , wherein the storage condition further includes information of at least one of available storage areas and a cost to use the available storage area. 
   
   
       9 . The data storing method according to  claim 7 , wherein the dividing step divides the data based on a number of distributions included in the data condition. 
   
   
       10 . The data storing method according to  claim 7 , wherein the storage system that stores the divided data examines whether the available term of any of the selected storage devices has expired, and
 wherein when the storage system finds the selected storage device has expired in the available term, the storage system transmits the divided data stored in the selected storage device whose available term has expired to the first server.   
   
   
       11 . The data storing method according to  claim 7 , wherein the dividing step determines a number of distributions based on available storage areas to store the divided data. 
   
   
       12 . The data storing method according to  claim 7 , wherein the method further comprising:
 a data restoring step,   wherein, when receiving a read request from the client server, the service server issues a read request to the storage system where the divided data exists,   wherein the transmitting step further receives the divided data from the storage system, and   wherein, in the data restoring step, restoring the data on the client server based on the divided data received from the storage system.