Patent ID: 8281157
Filing Date: 2012-10-02
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A storage system comprising: a storage device which includes multiple storage areas for storing data, an encryption/decryption processing section which encrypts data stored in the storage areas and decrypts the encrypted data, and a management computer which manages the operation of the storage device and the encryption/decryption processing section; wherein the management computer manages management information which includes state information indicating whether stored data is encrypted or not, information about an encryption key used for encryption of data to be stored and encryption execution part information, for each of the multiple storage areas, wherein the encryption execution part information indicates where data is encrypted, among a storage area of the device itself, a storage area upper than the device itself, a storage area lower than the device itself, and a storage area which does not have an upper or lower relationship with the device itself; the storage device also has a copy processing section which copies the data in a first storage area to a second storage area; before the copy function by the copy processing section is set, the encryption/decryption processing section encrypts and decrypts the data stored in the first storage area with a first encryption key, and encrypts and decrypts the data stored in the second storage area with a second encryption key; and if the copy function by the copy processing section is set, the management computer updates the encryption key information in the management information about the second storage area from the second encryption key to the first encryption key, determines based on the management information whether or not the copy function is performed by the encryption/decryption processing section which encrypts and decrypts the first storage area, and if the copy function is performed by a different device from the encryption/decryption processing section which encrypts and decrypts the first storage area, instructs the encryption/decryption processing section to decrypt the data copied to the second storage area with the first encryption key.