Storage system, management server, system reconfiguration support method for a storage system, and system reconfiguration support method for a management server

Abstract

In order to provide support for a system to operate in a manner appropriate for system requests desired by a user, a management server acquires functions corresponding to system requests acquired using a user interface using a second table for storing a correspondence relationship of functions provided by one or more managed storage devices and system requests occurring at the storage system, simulates whether or not implementation of the system requests is possible from the acquired functions and functions corresponding to the system requests occurring at the current storage system acquired using a third table for storing information for functions provided by the one or more storage devices, and notifies the one or more storage devices of instructions to set functions corresponding to the system requests to valid based on the simulation results of this simulation.

1 . A storage system having one or more storage devices and a management server managing the one or more storage devices,
 the one or more storage devices comprising:   a first table for storing supplied functions and setting conditions for the functions;   and the management server comprising:   a second table for storing a correspondence relationship between functions supplied by the one or more storage devices and system requests for the storage system;   a third table for storing information for functions supplied by the one or more storage devices;   a user interface for receiving input of predetermined system requests;   an acquiring section for acquiring functions corresponding to system requests received by the user interface using the second table;   a simulation section for simulating whether or not it is possible to implement the system requests from functions acquired by the acquiring section and functions corresponding to the system requests for the current storage system acquired using the third table; and   a notifying section for notifying the one or more storage devices of instructions to set functions occurring at the first table corresponding to the system requests to valid based on simulation results at the simulation section.   
   
   
       2 . The storage system according to  claim 1 , wherein the management server further comprises:
 a display processing section for displaying simulation results of the simulation section and an execute button for performing execution when the system requests can be implemented at the user interface,   wherein the notifying section performs the notification using input at the execute button.   
   
   
       3 . The storage system according to  claim 1 , wherein the management server further comprises:
 a collecting section for collecting functions supplied for storage in the first table and setting conditions for the functions; and   an updating section for updating information stored in the third table based on the supplied functions collected at the collecting section and setting conditions for the functions.   
   
   
       4 . The storage system according to  claim 1 , wherein the management server:
 receives input of the system requests and a simulation type of whether to execute a simulation using the current system configuration or whether to execute a simulation including reconfiguration of the storage system from the user interface; and   the simulation section executes the simulation based on the simulation type received for the input.   
   
   
       5 . The storage system according to  claim 4 , wherein the management server
 executes a simulation including reconfiguration of the storage system, and in the event that the reconfiguration is carried out and simulation results that it is possible to implement functions corresponding to the system requests are obtained, displays information necessary for reconfiguration of the storage system at the user interface.   
   
   
       6 . A management server for managing one or more storage devices having a first table for storing supplied functions and setting conditions for the functions, comprising:
 a second table for storing a correspondence relationship between functions supplied by the one or more storage devices and system requests for the storage system;   a third table for storing information for functions supplied by the one or more storage devices;   a user interface for receiving input of predetermined system requests;   an acquiring section for acquiring functions corresponding to system requests received by the user interface using the second table;   a simulation section for simulating whether or not it is possible to implement the system requests from functions acquired by the acquiring section and functions corresponding to the system requests of the current storage system acquired using the third table; and   a notifying section for notifying the one or more storage devices of instructions to set functions occurring at the first table corresponding to the system requests to valid based on simulation results at the simulation section.   
   
   
       7 . The management server of  claim 6 , further comprising a display processing section for displaying simulation results of the simulation section and an execute button for performing execution when the system requests can be implemented at the user interface,
 wherein the notifying section performs the notification using input at the execute button.   
   
   
       8 . The management server of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a collecting section for collecting functions supplied for storage in the first table and setting conditions for the functions; and   an updating section for updating information stored in the third table based on the supplied functions collected at the collecting section and setting conditions for the functions.   
   
   
       9 . The management server of  claim 6 , wherein input of the system requests and a simulation type of whether to execute a simulation using the current system configuration or whether to execute a simulation including reconfiguration of the storage system is received from the user interface; and
 the simulation section executes the simulation based on the simulation type received for the input.   
   
   
       10 . The management server of  claim 9 , executing a simulation including reconfiguration of the storage system, and in the event that the reconfiguration is carried out and simulation results that it is possible to implement functions corresponding to the system requests are obtained, displaying information necessary for reconfiguration of the storage system at the user interface. 
   
   
       11 . A storage system reconfiguration support method having one or more storage devices with a first table for storing supplied functions and setting conditions for the functions, and a management server for managing the one or more storage devices,
 comprising the steps of the management server:   acquiring functions corresponding to system requests received by the interface using a second table for storing a correspondence relationship between functions supplied by the one or more storage devices and system requests for the storage system;   simulating whether or not it is possible to implement the system requests from the acquired functions and functions corresponding to the system requests occurring at the current storage system acquired using a third table for storing information for functions supplied by the one or more storage devices; and   notifying the one or more storage devices of instructions to set functions occurring at the first table corresponding to the system requests to valid based on simulation results of the simulation section.   
   
   
       12 . The storage system reconfiguration support method according to  claim 1 , comprising a further step of the management server:
 displaying simulation results of the simulation section and an execute button for performing execution when the system requests can be implemented at the user interface,   wherein the notification step performs the notification using input at the execute button.   
   
   
       13 . The storage system reconfiguration support method according to  claim 11 , further comprising the steps of the management server:
 collecting functions supplied for storage in the first table and setting conditions for the functions; and   updating information stored in the third table based on the supplied functions collected in the collecting step and setting conditions for the functions.   
   
   
       14 . The storage system reconfiguration support method of  claim 11 , wherein input of the system requests and a simulation type of whether to execute a simulation using the current system configuration or whether to execute a simulation including reconfiguration of the storage system is received in the acquiring step from the user interface; and
 the simulation step executes the simulation based on the simulation type received for the input.   
   
   
       15 . The storage system reconfiguration support method of  claim 14 , wherein the simulation step:
 executes a simulation including reconfiguration of the storage system, and in the event that the reconfiguration is carried out and simulation results that it is possible to implement functions corresponding to the system requests are obtained, displays information necessary for reconfiguration of the storage system at the user interface.   
   
   
       16 . A system reconfiguration support method for a management server for managing one or more storage devices having a first table for storing supplied functions and setting conditions for the functions, comprising the steps of:
 acquiring functions corresponding to the system requests received by the user interface using a second table for storing a correspondence relationship between functions supplied by the one or more storage devices and system requests of the storage system;   simulating whether or not it is possible to implement the system requests from the acquired functions and functions corresponding to the system requests for the current storage system acquired using a third table for storing information for functions supplied by the one or more storage devices; and   notifying the one or more storage devices of instructions to set functions occurring at the first table corresponding to the system requests to valid based on simulation results of the simulation section.   
   
   
       17 . The system reconfiguration support method for a management server of  claim 16 , further comprising a step of displaying simulation results and an execute button for performing execution when the system requests can be implemented at the user interface,
 wherein the notification step performs the notification using input at the execute button.   
   
   
       18 . The system reconfiguration support method according to  claim 16 , further comprising the steps of: collecting functions supplied for storage in the first table and setting conditions for the functions; and
 updating information stored in the third table based on the supplied functions collected in the collecting step and setting conditions for the functions.   
   
   
       19 . The system reconfiguration support method for a management server of  claim 16 ,
 wherein input of the system requests and a simulation type of whether to execute a simulation using the current system configuration or whether to execute a simulation including reconfiguration of the storage system is received in the acquiring step from the user interface; and   the simulation step executes the simulation based on the simulation type received for the input.   
   
   
       20 . The system reconfiguration support method for a management server of  claim 19 , wherein the simulation step:
 executes a simulation including reconfiguration of the storage system, and in the event that the reconfiguration is carried out and simulation results that it is possible to implement functions corresponding to the system requests are obtained, displays information necessary for reconfiguration of the storage system at the user interface.