Patent ID: 7877556
Filing Date: 2011-01-25
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A storage system comprising: a plurality of storage control processors which include at least a first storage control processor and a second storage control processor, each said storage control processor connected for communication with one or more storage devices, said one or more storage devices storing data related to input/output (I/O) operations processed by said plurality of storage control processors; a management processor in communication with said storage control processors; a first type of storage control software executed on the first storage control processor for processing a first type of said I/O operations; and one or more volumes for storing the data, said volumes logically representing storage capacity on said storage devices, wherein the storage control software on each of said first and second storage control processors is dynamically changeable for implementing different storage control technologies for processing the data in said one or more storage devices; wherein said management processor is configured to replace said first type of storage control software with a second type of storage control software that is different from the first type of storage control software, so as to change the storage control software to be executed by said first storage control processor, wherein when said second type of storage control software is executed by said first storage control processor, said first storage control processor processes a second type of I/O operation different from said first type of I/O operation, wherein a first path is initially defined between a first said volume and said first storage control processor so that said first volume is initially accessed via said first storage control processor when said first type of storage control software is executed by said first storage control processor; wherein when said second type of storage control software replacing said first type of storage control software is installed and executed on said first storage control processor, a second path is defined between said first volume and the second storage control processor, and said second storage control processor is configured to execute said first type of storage control software, whereby said first volume becomes accessible via said second storage control processor which executes said first type of storage control software.