Patent ID: 8209484
Filing Date: 2012-06-26
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A management computer coupled to a plurality of storage apparatus that are accessed from an external device, each of the storage apparatuses managing at least one RAID (Redundant Array of Independent (or Inexpensive) Disks) group and at least one pool that is provided with at least one real volume based on a RAID group, the management computer comprising: a storage resource; and a processor that is coupled to the storage resource, wherein the storage resource stores pool management information, which includes pool application information that indicates a pool application for each pool and application condition information that indicates a condition for each pool application indicated by the pool application information, and wherein the processor executes processes (A) to (D) for each pool: (A) calculating an excess storage capacity based on a pool usage status for the pool; (B) specifying the pool application for the pool and the condition for the pool application based on the pool management information; (C) performing a judgment of whether the specified condition for the pool is satisfied even if a storage area having a storage capacity equivalent to or less than the calculated excess storage capacity is deleted from the pool; and (D) defining a capacity that is equivalent to or less than the excess storage capacity as an unused capacity for the pool if a result of the judgment in the process (C) is positive, wherein each of the real volumes of each pool is a logical volume based on the RAID group that is configured by a plurality of storage mediums, wherein each of the plurality of storage apparatuses manages storage configuration information, wherein the storage configuration information managed by each storage apparatus includes RAID information related to the RAID groups managed by the storage apparatus and pool information related to the pools managed by the storage apparatus, wherein the RAID information for each storage apparatus includes RAID configuration information that indicates each RAID group managed by the storage apparatus and a kind of storage medium that configures the RAID group, wherein the pool information for each storage apparatus includes pool configuration information that indicates each pool managed by the storage apparatus, each real volume included in the pool, and the RAID group upon which the at least one real volume of the pool is based, and includes pool usage status information that indicates the usage status of the pool, wherein each storage apparatus updates the pool usage status information for the storage apparatus as needed, wherein the pool application information includes information that indicates each pool that is managed by a storage apparatus of the plurality of storage apparatuses and the storage apparatus, and a date when the pool that is managed by the storage apparatus was created, wherein the processor executes processes (F) and (G) upon receiving a request of a storage capacity report from a user: (F) performing judgment of whether or not there is a pool in which a certain period of time has elapsed from a creation of the pool based on the pool application information; and (G) if a result of the judgment of the process (F) is positive, performing a judgment of whether or not there is a surplus for the pool for which the certain period of time has elapsed from the creation of the pool based on the pool application information, wherein, if a used capacity for a pool increases at a pace slower than a prescribed pace after the pool is created, a result of the judgment of the process (G) is positive for the pool, wherein, if a result of the judgment of the process (G) is positive, the processes (A) to (D) are executed, and the excess storage capacity is calculated for each pool based on the unused capacity for the pool in the process (A), wherein process (H) is executed after the process (D) is completed: (H) outputting a storage capacity report including information that indicates an unused capacity for each storage apparatus, and wherein the unused capacity for each storage apparatus, which is indicated in the storage capacity report, is a capacity based on a sum total of an unused capacity for each RAID group managed by the storage apparatus and a real volume capacity that is defined as the unused capacity for the pool that is provided with the at least one real volume that is based on the RAID group in the process (D) and that is equivalent to or less than the excess storage capacity calculated for the pool.