Patent ID: 7831551
Filing Date: 2010-11-09
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A computer system comprising: a host computer; a first storage system coupled to the host computer via a network; a second storage system coupled to the first storage system; and a management computer having access to the host computer, the first storage system and the second storage system, wherein: the first storage system comprises a first interface coupled to the network, a first processor coupled to the first interface, and a first memory coupled to the first processor, and provides a first volume for reading and writing data to the host computer; the second storage system comprises a second interface coupled to the first storage system, a second processor coupled to the second interface, and a second memory coupled to the second processor, and provides a second volume for storing a copy of data stored in the first volume; the management computer comprises a third interface coupled to the first storage system and the second storage system, a third processor coupled to the third interface, and a third memory coupled to the third processor; the computer system stores copy configuration information including correspondence between the first volume and the second volume; the management computer transmits a data erasure request to the first storage system and a stop request to stop reading requests and writing requests to the first volume to the host computer, upon reception of an erasure request of the data stored in the first volume, the first storage system is configured to: judge whether the second volume corresponding to the first volume exists based on the copy configuration information; stop, if it is judged that the second volume corresponds to the first volume based on the copy configuration information, a copying process of the data stored in the first volume to the second volume before erasing the data stored in the first volume by overwriting the first volume with predetermined dummy data a plurality of times; transmit an erasure request of data stored in the second volume to the second storage system; and erase the data stored in the first volume by overwriting the first volume with predetermined dummy data a plurality of times; the second storage system is configured to: erase the data stored in the second volume by overwriting the second volume with predetermined dummy data a plurality of times, upon reception of an erasure request of the data stored in the second volume; and transmit a notification of the erasure of the data stored in the second volume to the first storage system; the first storage system is configured to: resume the copying process of the data stored in the first volume to the second volume; and output a notification of the erasure of the data stored in the first volume to the management computer, upon reception of the notification of the erasure of the data stored in the second volume.