Storage apparatus, memory area managing method thereof, and flash memory package

Abstract

A storage apparatus for storing data transmitted from one or more host computers, including: one or more flash memory packages having a plurality of flash memory chips, a storage area provided by the one or more flash memory packages including a first area that is an area for storing actual data formed by one or more logical devices and a second area that is an area for storing a write log data based on a write instruction, the first and second areas being provided in each of the one or more flash memory packages; a monitoring section monitoring write performance of the write instruction from the host computer; and a changing section for changing the size of the second area according to the write performance.

1 . A storage apparatus for storing data transmitted from one or more host computers, comprising:
 one or more flash memory packages having a plurality of flash memory chips, a storage area provided by the one or more flash memory packages including a first area that is an area for storing actual data formed by one or more logical devices, and a second area that is an area for storing a write log data based on a write instruction, the first and second areas being provided in each of the one or more flash memory packages;   a monitoring section monitoring write performance of the write instruction from the host computer; and   a changing section for changing the size of the second area according to the write performance.   
     
     
         2 . A storage apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the monitoring section monitors write performance for each of the logical devices; and   the changing section changes the size of the second area according to the write performance for the each of the logical devices.   
     
     
         3 . A storage apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 comprising a reclamation process section executing a reclamation process for overwriting a predetermined memory with data stored in the second area, to make portions of the second area available for storing a subsequent data.   
     
     
         4 . A storage apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising a processing section overwriting the first area with the write log data when the second area has no vacancy. 
     
     
         5 . A storage apparatus according to  claim 4 , comprising an addition request output section outputting a request for an addition to the second area to a managing apparatus when the write performance exceeds an upper limit value of a certain range of write performance. 
     
     
         6 . A storage apparatus according to  claim 5 , comprising an acquisition section acquiring an instruction for a change in the setting of the upper limit value from the managing apparatus. 
     
     
         7 . A storage apparatus according to  claim 5 , comprising an acquisition section acquiring an instruction for a change in the setting of the upper limit value from any of the host computers. 
     
     
         8 . A storage apparatus according to  claim 4 , comprising a reduction request output section outputting a request for a reduction of the second area to a managing apparatus, when the write performance exceeds a lower limit value of a certain range of write performance. 
     
     
         9 . A storage apparatus according to  claim 8 , comprising an acquisition section acquiring an instruction for a change in the setting of the lower limit value from the managing apparatus. 
     
     
         10 . A storage apparatus according to  claim 8 , comprising an acquisition section acquiring an instruction for a change in the setting of the lower limit value from any of the host computers. 
     
     
         11 . A storage apparatus according to  claim 8 , comprising a display section displaying a slot position indicating whether flash memory packages can be inserted and removed, in and from a slot of the storage apparatus. 
     
     
         12 . A storage apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more flash memory packages form a RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks) group. 
     
     
         13 . A storage area managing method of a storage apparatus for storing data transmitted from one or more host computers, wherein
 a storage area provided by one or more flash memory packages having a plurality of flash memory chips includes a first area that is an area for storing actual data formed by one or more logical devices, and a second area that is an area for storing a write log data based on a write instruction, the first and second areas being provided in each of the one or more flash memory packages, the method comprising:   monitoring the write performance from the host computer; and   changing the size of the second area according to the write performance.   
     
     
         14 . A storage area managing method of a storage apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the changing the size of the second area is capable of changing the size of the second area for each of the logical devices. 
     
     
         15 . A storage area managing method of a storage apparatus according to  claim 13 , comprising overwriting the first area with the write log data when the second area has no vacancy. 
     
     
         16 . A storage area managing method of a storage apparatus according to  claim 15 , comprising:
 outputting a request for an addition to the second area to a managing apparatus, when the write performance exceeds an upper limit value of a certain range of write performance.   
     
     
         17 . A storage area managing method of a storage apparatus according to  claim 15 , comprising:
 outputting a request for a reduction of the second area to a managing apparatus, when the write performance exceeds a lower limit value of a certain range of write performance.   
     
     
         18 . A storage area managing method of a storage apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the one or more flash memory packages form a RAID group. 
     
     
         19 . A flash memory package having a plurality of flash memory chips used in a storage apparatus for storing data transmitted from one or more host computers, comprising:
 a first area that is an area for storing actual data formed by one or more logical devices; and   a second area that is an area for storing a write instruction from the host computer to the logical device, wherein   the size of the second area is changed in relation to the write performance that is monitored by the storage apparatus.   
     
     
         20 . A storage apparatus for storing data transmitted from one or more host computers, comprising:
 one or more flash memory packages having a plurality of flash memory chips,   a storage area provided by the one or more flash memory packages including a first area that is an area for storing actual data formed by one or more logical devices, and a second area that is an area for storing a write log data, the first and second areas being provided in each of the one or more flash memory packages;   a reclamation process section executing a reclamation process for overwriting a predetermined memory with data stored in the second area, and thereafter writing the data into the first area;   a monitoring section monitoring write performance; and   a changing section for changing a size of the second area in relation to the write performance.