Data Processing System and Storage Subsystem Provided in Data Processing System

Abstract

A first storage subsystem includes a first storage device and a second storage device(s). A second storage subsystem includes a third storage device and a fourth storage device. A third storage subsystem comprises a fifth storage device and a sixth storage device. The first storage subsystem generates a dataset comprising an update number expressing the update order of the first storage device and write data stored in the first storage device, stores the generated dataset in the one or more second storage devices, and transmits the data set to the second and third storage subsystems. Each of the second and third storage subsystems stores the received dataset in the third storage device or fifth storage device, reads a dataset from the third or fifth storage device according to the update number, and stores the write data within the dataset in the fourth storage device or sixth storage device.

1 . A storage system comprising:
 a first storage apparatus coupled to a host computer including a plurality of first disk drives for storing data and a first controller for controlling the storing of the data;   a second storage apparatus coupled to the first storage apparatus including a plurality of second disk drives for storing data and a second controller for controlling the storing of the data; and   a third storage apparatus coupled to the first storage apparatus including a plurality of third disk drives for storing data a third controller for controlling the storing of the data,   wherein the first controller is configured to:
 store data transmitted from the host computer in a first volume which is created from a portion of the first disk drives; 
 generate a data set which comprises the data and an update number expressing an up data order of the data stored in the first volume; 
 store the data set in a first journal volume which is created from another portion of the first disk drives; and 
 transmit one or more data sets to the second storage apparatus and the third storage apparatus, 
   the second controller is configured to:
 store the one or more data sets transmitted from the first storage apparatus in a second journal volume which is created from a portion of the second disk drives; and 
 store data related to the one or more data sets stored in the second journal volume in a second volume which is created from another portion of the second disk drives according to the update number included in the data set, and 
   the third controller is configured to:
 store the one or more data sets transmitted from the first storage apparatus in a third journal volume which is created from a portion of the third disk drives; and 
 store data related to the one or more data sets stored in the third journal volume in a third volume which is created from another portion of the third disk drives according to the update number included in the data set, 
   wherein when a failure occurs in the first storage apparatus,   the second controller is operable to transmit the one or more data sets stored in the second journal volume such that the third controller stores one or more of the data, which is the data not stored in the third volume, related to the one or more data sets transmitted from the second storage apparatus in the third volume according to the update number included in the data set.   
     
     
         2 . The storage system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the third controller is configured to store a data set, which is the data set not stored in the third journal volume, of the one or more data sets transmitted from the second storage apparatus in the third journal volume according to the update number.   
     
     
         3 . The storage system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the third controller is configured not to:   store the one or more data sets transmitted from the second storage apparatus in the third journal volume if the update number of the latest data set in the third journal volume and the update number of one of the one or more data sets transmitted from the second storage apparatus are not continuous.   
     
     
         4 . The storage system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first controller configured to transmit the one or more data sets to the second storage apparatus in response to the read request from the second storage apparatus.   
     
     
         5 . The storage system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the second controller is configured to read the one or more data sets from the second journal volume and store the data in the second volume at the different timing from a timing at which the one or more data sets are stored in the second journal volume.   
     
     
         6 . The storage system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the third controller is configured to:   manage the first volume as a source volume of the third volume which is a destination volume of a replication pair; and   change the source volume of the third volume to the second volume from the first volume when the failure occurs in the first storage apparatus.   
     
     
         7 . A method for storage system including:
 a first storage apparatus coupled to a host computer including a plurality of first disk drives for storing data and a first controller for controlling the storing of the data;   a second storage apparatus coupled to the first storage apparatus including a plurality of second disk drives for storing data and a second controller for controlling the storing of the data; and   a third storage apparatus coupled to the first storage apparatus including a plurality of third disk drives for storing data a third controller for controlling the storing of the data, the method comprising:
 storing data transmitted from the host computer in a first volume which is created from a portion of the first disk drives; 
 generating a data set which comprises the data and an update number expressing an up data order of the data stored in the first volume; 
 store the data set in a first journal volume which is created from another portion of the first disk drives; 
 transmitting one or more data sets to the second storage apparatus and the third storage apparatus; 
 storing the one or more data sets transmitted from the first storage apparatus in a second journal volume which is created from a portion of the second disk drives; 
 storing data related to the one or more data sets stored in the second journal volume in a second volume which is created from another portion of the second disk drives according to the update number included in the data set; 
 storing the one or more data sets transmitted from the first storage apparatus in a third journal volume which is created from a portion of the third disk drives; 
 storing data related to the one or more data sets stored in the third journal volume in a third volume which is created from another portion of the third disk drives according to the update number included in the data set; and 
 in response to a failure occurring in the first storage apparatus, transmitting the one or more data sets stored in the second journal volume from the second storage apparatus to the third storage apparatus so that the third controller can store one or more data, which is the data not stored in the third volume, related to the one or more data sets transmitted from the second storage apparatus in the third volume according to the update number included in the data set. 
   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , the method further comprising:
 storing a data set, which is the data set not stored in the third journal volume, of the one or more data sets transmitted from the second storage apparatus in the third journal volume according to the update number.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 7 , the method further comprising:
 not storing the one or more data sets transmitted from the second storage apparatus in the third journal volume if the update number of the latest data set in the third journal volume and the update number of one of the one or more data sets transmitted from the second storage apparatus are not continuous.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 7 , the method further comprising:
 transmitting the one or more data sets from the first storage apparatus to the second storage apparatus in response to the read request from the second storage apparatus.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 7 , the method further comprising:
 reading the one or more data sets from the second journal volume and storing the data in the second volume at the different timing from a timing at which the one or more data sets are stored in the second journal volume.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 7 , the method further comprising:
 managing the first volume as a source volume of the third volume which is a destination volume of a replication pair; and   changing the source volume of the third volume to the second volume from the first volume when the failure occurs in the first storage apparatus.