Storage system and controlling methods for the same

Abstract

For the purpose of optimizing the performance separation according to the usage status of the protocol and the storage system performance, in a storage system 1 including multiple storage devices 2400 which includes a storage controlling unit 2410 performing data write to or data read from a storage drive 2200 according to data input/output requests from an external device 1000 and a protocol processing unit 2514 that responds to a processing result for the input/output requests to the external device 1000 and is capable of responding to data input/output requests transmitted from the external device 1000 following at least two or more protocols, in which each of the storage devices 2400 includes a cluster processing unit 2516 configuring clusters 2811 with the other storage devices 2400 for the external device 1000 and a cluster processing unit 2516 , the cluster processing unit 2516 is set to configure cluster groups 2812 for each protocol.

1 . A storage system coupled to a client device, comprising a plurality of storage devices and being configured to:
 partition the plurality of storage devices into a plurality of logical partitions;   activate the plurality of logical partitions so that the logical partitions are available for specific protocols, respectively;   receive a data input/output request from the client device; and   transfer the data input/output request to the logical partition available for the protocol which corresponds to the data input/output request.   
     
     
         2 . The storage system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein, when a new storage device is added to the storage system, the storage system relocates the data of the plurality of storage devices in the storage system including the new storage device.   
     
     
         3 . The storage system according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the storage system partitions the plurality of storage devices including the new storage device into the plurality of logical partitions before relocating the data and activates the plurality of logical partitions after relocating the data.   
     
     
         4 . The storage system according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the relocation of the data is judged on the basis of a load information.   
     
     
         5 . The storage system according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein the load information is related to a load status of a logical unit which is provided to the client device.   
     
     
         6 . The storage system according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the load status includes a usage status of the logical unit and a port performance information connected with the logical unit.   
     
     
         7 . The storage system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein, when a storage device is removed from the storage system, the storage system relocates the data of the plurality of storage devices to the storage system not including the removed storage device.   
     
     
         8 . The storage system according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the data of the removed storage device is relocated to the logical partition corresponding to the protocol of the removed storage device.   
     
     
         9 . The storage system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein, when the storage device re-partitions the plurality of the storage devices, the storage system relocates the data of the plurality of storage devices to the storage system.   
     
     
         10 . The storage system according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein the re-partitioning is in a manner that the storage device of the logical partition moves to another logical partition.   
     
     
         11 . The storage system according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein the relocation the data is judged on the basis of a load information.   
     
     
         12 . The storage system according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein the load information is related to a load status of a logical unit which is provided to the client device.   
     
     
         13 . The storage system according to  claim 12 ,
 wherein the load status includes a usage status of the logical unit and a port performance information connected with the logical unit.   
     
     
         14 . The storage system according to  claim 1 , furthermore being configured to inactivate the plurality of logical partitions so that the logical partitions are not available for all protocols except for the available protocol. 
     
     
         15 . The storage system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the transferring the data input/output request is in a manner of forwarding or redirecting.   
     
     
         16 . A method for controlling a unified storage system, which is coupled to a client device and comprises a plurality of storage devices,
 the method comprising the steps of:   partitioning the plurality of storage devices into a plurality of logical partitions;   activating the plurality of logical partitions so that the logical partitions are available for specific protocols, respectively;   receiving a data input/output request from the client device; and   transferring the data input/output request to the logical partition available for the protocol which corresponds to the data input/output request.