Patent ID: 8341347
Filing Date: 2012-12-25
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A storage system comprising: a rack having a controller and a plurality of storage units controlled by the controller mounted therein, wherein the controller comprises a plurality of communication parts for communicating with the storage units respectively, and at least one or more of the storage units is configured as a first type storage unit, which comprises a casing and a plurality of sub-storage units disposed in the casing and operating independently of one another, the sub-storage units each respectively comprise a plurality of storage devices, a unit control part that is in charge of communicating with the storage devices and the respective communication part for the first type storage unit for the sub-storage unit, and a power supply device for supplying power to the storage devices and the unit control part of the sub-storage unit, each of the sub-storage units store casing management data that is configured in casing units for managing the casing of the first type storage unit for the sub-storage unit, address data that is configured in sub-storage unit units for the controller to cart the controller is configured to determine that sub-storage units of the plurality of sub-storage units that respond to the same casing management data are sub-storage units that belong to the same casing and manage the sub-storage units determined to belong to the same casing as a group, the plurality of storage units comprise at least one second type storage unit that differs from the first type storage unit, each second type storage unit comprises a casing, a plurality of storage devices disposed in the casing, a unit control part, which is disposed in the casing and is in charge of communications between the storage devices of the second type storage unit and the respective communication part for the second type storage unit, and a power supply device for supplying power to the storage devices and the unit control part of the second type storage unit, and each second type storage unit stores casing management data that is configured in casing units for managing the casing of the second type storage unit and address data that is configured in second type storage unit units for the controller to carry out communications with the unit control part of the second type storage unit; wherein the controller manages the first type storage units by uniquely specifying the sub-storage units based on a set of data comprising the casing management data, the address data and the differentiation data acquired from the sub-storage units, and, in addition, by making a corresponding management number correspond to each sub-storage unit specified by the set of data; wherein the casing management data, the address data and the differentiation data are redundantly stored in each sub-storage unit in a plurality of different storage areas, and when the plurality of the casing management data respectively read out from the plurality of storage areas do not match, the unit control part of the sub-storage unit determines the casing management data according to majority rule.