Patent ID: 7596637
Filing Date: 2009-09-29
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A storage apparatus for performing data input/output in response to data input/output requests from a host system, with respect to a logical unit assigned to the host system, comprising: a storage controller; a plurality of media to provide actual storage capacity to at least one logical unit, wherein the storage controller comprises: wherein, when the storage controller receives an inquiry command from the new host system, the host detection unit determines whether at least one logical unit is assigned to the new host system, identified in the inquiry command, based on information in the mapping table, wherein, when a relation between the new host system and any one logical unit is not stored in the mapping table, the logical unit assigning unit assigns the new logical unit to the new host system, and a relation between the new host system and the new logical unit is store in the mapping table; wherein for the new logical unit assigned to the new host system, a virtual capacity and an actual capacity are determined, wherein the virtual capacity is a range of an address space accessible by the new host system, wherein the actual capacity is an amount of actual storage area provided by the plurality of media comprising the new logical unit, wherein the actual storage area is assigned to the new logical unit when a data write request is received from the new host system; wherein the logical unit assigning unit associates the new host system with the new logical unit assigned thereto so that the new logical unit accepts the data input/output requests only from that new host system; wherein the logical unit assigning unit holds security management information specifying whether the new host system detected by the host detection unit is allowed to be registered or not allowed to be registered, judges, based on the security management information, whether the new host system detected by the host detection unit is allowed to be registered or not, and if allowed, assigns the new logical unit to that new host system.