Patent ID: 7577812
Filing Date: 2009-08-18
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A storage controller for controlling data access made from a host computer to a disk device, comprising: a plurality of storage controlling units which control data access to at least one of a plurality of disk devices; a non-volatile storage unit which is accessible by each of the storage controlling units; and a mutual network system that connects the storage controlling units to one another, wherein each of said storage controlling unit comprises: a processor unit that controls a configuration of the storage controller and data access to at least one of said disk devices, interface units that are connected to the host computer and the disk devices, a memory unit that stores a data cache and configuration information of the storage controlling unit, and a mutual connection unit that connects the interface units, the processor unit, and the memory unit to one another, wherein the processor unit recognizes a form of connection of the storage controlling unit to another storage controlling unit over the mutual network system, wherein the configuration information of the storage controlling unit before changing is stored in the non-volatile storage unit, wherein when a configuration of the storage controller is to be changed by replacing the storage controlling unit with a new storage controlling unit, changes to the configuration information are inhibited, wherein the storage controlling unit stores the configuration information, which is stored in the non-volatile storage unit, in a dedicated area allocated in the disk devices, wherein configuration information is obtained from said dedicated area allocated in the disk devices and stored in the non-volatile storage unit, wherein, according to an instruction from a management terminal, an access path from the host computer to the storage controlling unit is switched from the storage controlling unit to said new storage controlling unit, thereby causing the access path to be from the host computer to said new storage controlling unit, wherein the configuration of said new storage controlling unit, which has been changed, is established based on the configuration information obtained from said dedicated area allocated in the disk devices and stored in the non-volatile storage unit, and wherein the configuration information includes information on a storage controller configuration, control information, data input/output control information, a RAID structure of a disk device group, a logical volume structure, and a function set for the logical volume structure.