Patent ID: 8032731
Filing Date: 2011-10-04
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A storage system, comprising: a controller controlling to read/write first type data from/to a plurality of storage devices; and the plurality of storage devices; wherein the controller is configured to manage a plurality of virtual volumes and a storage pool, the storage pool corresponding to a plurality of logical volumes provided with a plurality of storage space of the plurality of storage devices, wherein the controller is configured to allocate, if a plurality of received data are a plurality of first type data targeted to a plurality of virtual storage areas of a first virtual volume of the plurality of virtual volumes, a plurality of storage areas in the storage pool to the plurality of virtual storage areas of the first virtual volume, if allocation is necessary, and to write the plurality of first type data to the allocated plurality of storage area for writing the plurality of first type data to the plurality of virtual storage areas of the first virtual volume, the plurality of first type data being data to be written to the plurality of virtual storage areas after formatting the first virtual volume, wherein the controller is configured to allocate, if the plurality of received data are a plurality of second type data targeted to the plurality of virtual storage areas of the first virtual volume of the plurality of virtual volumes, one storage area in the storage pool to the plurality of virtual storage areas of the first virtual volume, if allocation is necessary, and to write the plurality of second type data to the allocated one storage area for writing the plurality of second type data to the plurality of virtual storage areas of the first virtual volume, the one storage area having not been allocated to the plurality of virtual storage areas of the first virtual volume for the plurality of first type data targeted to the plurality of virtual storage areas when the one storage area is being allocated for the plurality of second type data targeted to the plurality of virtual storage areas, the plurality of second type data being management information for formatting the first virtual volume, wherein each of the plurality of virtual storage areas comprises a plurality of sub-virtual storage areas and each of the plurality of storage areas comprises a plurality of sub-actual storage areas, wherein a first one of the plurality of second type data corresponds to a first one of the plurality of sub-virtual storage areas of a first one of the plurality of virtual storage areas and a first one of plurality of sub-actual storage areas of a first one of the plurality of storage areas, and wherein a second one of the plurality of second type data corresponds to a first one of the plurality of sub-virtual storage areas of a second one of the plurality of virtual storage areas and a second one of plurality of sub-actual storage areas of the first one of the plurality of storage areas.