Abstract:
An accounting system includes a plurality of host computers, an accounting server connected to the plurality of host computers, a storage control device connected to the plurality of host computers and the accounting server and having a plurality of channel ports for performing data input/output operation, storage devices connected to the storage control device for storing data inputted/outputted to/from the plurality of host computers, an accounting data generating unit for generating accounting data containing at least one of number of times of access and a data transfer quantity for every accounting subject control unit, and a transfer unit for informing the accounting server of the accounting data generated by the accounting data generating unit, executing the accounting process for the plurality of accounting subject control units.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to an accounting system in which accounting can be made on the basis of number of times of access and a data transfer quantity with respect to a storage control device, and relates to an accounting method. 
   As an accounting method to be used in the case of provision of a storage, there is a fixed accounting method in which a fixed accounting amount is determined for each user in accordance with storage capacity assigned to the user. 
   As this fixed accounting method, there is provided a method in which fixed accounting with respect to assigned storage capacity is made so that the same account rate is charged to each user assigned to have an equal capacity storage, even though number of times of access or data transfer quantities among the users are different. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   An object of the present invention is to provide an accounting system and an accounting method in which an access number-of-time upper limit value and a data transfer-quantity upper limit value for every connected channel port, every connected server, every connected World Wide Name (WWN), or every storage device are set so that the number of times of access and the data transfer quantity can be limited to be not larger than the respective upper limit values, or so that accounting of number of times of access and a data transfer quantity larger than the respective upper limit values can be made. 
   That is, the storage-related accounting method according to the present invention has an aspect that not only can fixed accounting with respect to assigned storage capacity be made, but also accounting in accordance with number of times of access and a data transfer quantity of every connected server, number of times of access and a data transfer quantity of every connected World Wide Name (WWN), number of times of access and a data transfer quantity of every connected channel port, number of times of access and a data transfer quantity of every connected storage device, or number of times of access and a data transfer quantity of every connected in-storage-device area can be made. 
   According to the present invention, meter accounting can be realized by having accounting data required for calculation of an account amount for every server, every World Wide Name (WWN), every channel port, every storage device, and every storage area in every storage device; by making a storage control device provided with means of measuring the number of times of access and data transfer quantities; by recording the measured data as accounting data in the storage control device; and by making accounting in accordance with the recorded accounting data. 
   Further, meter accounting can be realized by setting an access number-of-time upper limit value and a data transfer-quantity upper limit value for every server, every World Wide Name (WWN), every channel port, every storage device, and every storage area in every storage device; by making a storage control device provided with means of limiting the number of times of access and data transfer quantities to be not larger than the upper limit values; and by making accounting in accordance with the number of times of access and data transfer quantities larger than the upper limit values. 
   Further, accounting service can be performed by making the storage control device have means of informing the accounting server or the service processor connected to the storage control device of the accounting data stored in the storage control device. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a diagram of the configuration of an accounting system according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a table for managing number of times of access and a data transfer quantity of every host computer in the embodiment; 
       FIG. 3  is a table for managing number of times of access and a data transfer quantity of every World Wide Name in the embodiment; 
       FIG. 4  is a table for managing number of times of access and a data transfer quantity of every channel port in the embodiment; 
       FIG. 5  is a table for managing number of times of access and a data transfer quantity of every storage device in the embodiment; 
       FIG. 6  is a table for managing number of times of access and a data transfer quantity of each storage area in each storage device in the embodiment; 
       FIG. 7  is a diagram of the configuration of an I/O process control portion; 
       FIG. 8  is a flow chart of process distribution in response to a request issued to the I/O process control portion; 
       FIG. 9  is a flow chart of a host-command responding process of the I/O process control portion in response to a request issued by the host computers; 
       FIG. 10  is a flow chart of a special command responding process of the I/O process control portion in response to a request issued by an accounting server; 
       FIG. 11  is a flow chart of a service processor responding process of the I/O process control portion in response to a request issued by a service processor; 
       FIG. 12  is a table of an upper limit value setting parameter in upper limit value setting requested from the accounting server and the service processor; 
       FIG. 13  is a flow chart in which the server accounting requests setting of upper limit values of a WWN as an accounting subject control unit; 
       FIG. 14  is a flow chart in which the accounting server fetches accounting data from the storage control device; and 
       FIG. 15  is a flow chart showing the whole of the accounting system. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
   The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 
     FIG. 1  is a diagram showing an embodiment of a storage-related accounting system according to the present invention. In the storage-related accounting system of  FIG. 1 , a WWN  105  of a host computer  101 , a WWN  106  of the same host computer  101 , a WWN  107  of a host computer  102 , a WWN  108  of a host computer  103 , a WWN  109  of a host computer  104 , and an accounting server  801  are connected to channel ports  501  to  504  of a storage control device  401  through a channel path  201 , through a channel path  202 , a HUB  301  and a channel path  204 , through a channel path  203 , the HUB  301  and the channel path  204 , through a channel path  205 , a SWITCH  302  and a channel path  207 , through a channel path  206 , the SWITCH  302  and the channel path  207 , and through a channel path  208 , respectively. Incidentally, the storage control device  401  and the host computers  101  to  104  are connected through serial channels, for example, of optical fibers so as to constitute a LAN. 
   The storage control device  401  is constituted by the channel ports  501  to  504 , I/O process control portions  601  to  604  and a shared memory  605 . The I/O process control portions  601  to  604  control the I/O process which is requested to areas  704 ,  705 ,  706  . . . of a plurality of storage devices  701 ,  702 ,  703  . . . from the host computers  101  to  104 . The I/O process control portions  601  to  604  can make access to the shared memory  605 . 
   The I/O process control portions  601  to  604  perform data I/O operation to/from the plurality of storage devices  701  to  703 . 
   A service processor  901  is connected to each of the I/O process control portions  601  to  604 . 
     FIGS. 2 to 6  are accounting information tables provided in the shared memory  605 . 
   Each of the accounting information tables holds, as accounting data, the number of times of access and the data transfer quantity for every control unit which will be the accounting subject. Specifically, the control unit may include the connection-end host computer, the World Wide Name (WWN), the storage-end storage device, the storage area in the storage device, and so on. 
   When the number of times of access and a data transfer quantity are accounted for every host computer, the host computer accounting information table  606  shown in  FIG. 2  is updated by the I/O process control portions  601  to  604  so that the accounting data is generated for every host computer. An access number-of-time integrated value  607  is a value obtained by integrating the number of times of access from the host computer  101 . A data transfer-quantity integrated value  608  is a value obtained by integrating the data transfer quantity given from the host computer  101 . An access number-of-time upper limit value  609  is number of times of access given from the host computer  101  and allowed to be processed in one second. A data transfer-quantity upper limit value  610  is a data transfer quantity given from the host computer  101  and allowed to be processed in one second. An access number-of-time upper limit value  611  for supervising the upper limit value is an integrated value obtained by integrating the number of times of access given from the host computer  101  in one second. A data transfer-quantity upper limit value  612  for supervising the upper limit value is an integrated value obtained by integrating the data transfer quantity given from the host computer  101  in one second. An upper limit value supervising start time  613  is a time when the number of times of access or the data transfer quantity given from the host computer  101  in one second starts to be measured. The host computer  102  also has the same table as the host computer  101 , and each of the host computers  103  and  104  has the same table, too. 
   When the number of times of access and the data transfer quantity are accounted for every WWN, a WWN accounting information table  614  shown in  FIG. 3  is updated by the I/O process control portions  601  to  604  so that the accounting data for every WWN is generated. An access number-of-time integrated value  615  is a value obtained by integrating the number of times of access given from the WWN  105 . A data transfer-quantity integrated value  616  is a value obtained by integrating the data transfer quantity given from the WWN  105 . An access number-of-time upper limit value  617  is the number of times of access given from the WWN  105  and allowed to be processed in one second. A data transfer-quantity upper limit value  618  is a data transfer quantity given from the WWN  105  and allowed to be processed in one second. An access number-of-time upper limit value  619  for supervising the upper limit value is an integrated value obtained by integrating the number of times of access given from the WWN  105  in one second. A data transfer-quantity upper limit value  620  for supervising the upper limit value is an integrated value obtained by integrating the data transfer quantity given from the WWN  105  in one second. An upper limit value supervising start time  621  is a time when the number of times of access or data transfer quantity given from the WWN  105  in one second starts to be measured. The WWN  106  also has the same table as the WWN  105 , and each of the WWNs  107  to  109  has the same table, too. 
   When the number of times of access and the data transfer quantity are accounted for every channel port, a channel port accounting information table  622  shown in  FIG. 4  is updated by the I/O process control portions  601  to  604  so that the accounting data for every channel port is generated. 
   An access number-of-time integrated value  623  is a value obtained by integrating the number of times of access given through the channel port  501 . A data transfer-quantity integrated value  624  is a value obtained by integrating the data transfer quantity given through the channel port  501 . An access number-of-time upper limit value  625  is the number of times of access given through the channel port  501  and allowed to be processed in one second. A data transfer-quantity upper limit value  626  is a data transfer quantity given through the channel port  501  and allowed to be processed in one second. An access number-of-time upper limit value  627  for supervising the upper limit value is an integrated value obtained by integrating the number of times of access given through the channel port  501  in one second. A data transfer-quantity upper limit value  628  for supervising the upper limit value is an integrated value obtained by integrating the data transfer quantity given through the channel port  501  in one second. An upper limit value supervising start time  629  is a time when the number of times of access or data transfer quantity given through the channel port  501  in one second starts to be measured. The channel port  502  also has the same table as the channel port  501 , and each of the channel ports  503  and  504  has the same table, too. 
   When the number of times of access and the data transfer quantity are accounted for every storage device, a storage device accounting information table  630  shown in  FIG. 5  is updated by the I/O process control portions  601  to  604  so that accounting data for every storage device is generated. 
   An access number-of-time integrated value  631  is a value obtained by integrating the number of times of access to the storage device  701 . A data transfer-quantity integrated value  632  is a value obtained by integrating the data transfer quantity given to the storage device  701 . An access number-of-time upper limit value  633  is the number of times of access given to the storage device  701  and allowed to be processed in one second. A data transfer-quantity upper limit value  634  is a data transfer quantity given to the storage device  701  and allowed to be processed in one second. An access number-of-time upper limit value  635  for supervising the upper limit value is an integrated value obtained by integrating the number of times of access given to the storage device  701  in one second. A data transfer-quantity upper limit value  636  for supervising the upper limit value is an integrated value obtained by integrating the data transfer quantity given to the storage device  701  in one second. An upper limit value supervising start time  637  is a time when the number of times of access or data transfer quantity given to the storage device  701  in one second starts to be measured. The storage device  702  also has the same table as the storage device  701 , and the storage device  703  et seq. has the same table, too. 
   When the number of times of access and the data transfer quantity are accounted for every area in every storage device, an in-storage-device area accounting information table  638  shown in  FIG. 6  is updated by the I/O process control portions  601  to  604  so that accounting data is generated for every in-storage-device area. 
   An access number-of-time integrated value  639  is a value obtained by integrating the number of times of access to the in-storage-device area  704 . A data transfer-quantity integrated value  640  is a value obtained by integrating the data transfer quantity given to the in-storage-device area  704 . An access number-of-time upper limit value  641  is the number of times of access given to the in-storage-device area  704  and allowed to be processed in one second. A data transfer-quantity upper limit value  642  is a data transfer quantity given to the in-storage-device area  704  and allowed to be processed in one second. An access number-of-time upper limit value  643  for supervising the upper limit value is an integrated value obtained by integrating the number of times of access given to the in-storage-device area  704  in one second. A data transfer-quantity upper limit value  644  for supervising the upper limit value is an integrated value obtained by integrating the data transfer quantity given to the in-storage-device area  704  in one second. An upper limit value supervising start time  645  is a time when the number of times of access or the data transfer quantity given to the in-storage-device area  704  in one second starts to be measured. The in-storage-device area  706  also has the same table as the in-storage-device area  704   
     FIG. 7  is a diagram showing a process configuration of each of the I/O process control portions  601  to  604  by a computer program. In process distribution (Step  1001 ), a host-command responding process (Step  1002 ), a special command responding process (Step  1003 ) or a service processor responding process (Step  1004 ) in response to the request contents to the I/O process control portions  601  to  604  are executed. 
   The host-command responding process (Step  1002 ) is constituted by a command process (Step  1005 ), an accounting data generating process (Step  1006 ), and an upper limit value supervising process (Step  1007 ). In the command process (Step  1005 ), a process from the host computers  101  to  104  is executed. In the accounting data generating process (Step  1006 ), accounting data is generated in accordance with access or data transfer made in the command process (Step  1005 ). In the upper limit value supervising process (Step  1007 ), access and data transfer are supervised and limited so as to be not larger than a predetermined access number-of-time upper limit value and a predetermined data transfer-quantity upper limit value, respectively. 
   The special command responding process (Step  1003 ) is constituted by an upper limit value setting process (Step  1008 ) and an accounting data transmitting process (Step  1009 ). In the upper limit value setting process (Step  1008 ), in response to the request from the accounting server  801  for setting of the access number-of-time upper limit values and the data transfer-quantity upper limit values, the access number-of-time upper limit values and the data transfer-quantity upper limit values are set respectively for the host computer accounting information table  606 , the WWN accounting information table  614 , the channel port accounting information table  622 , the storage device accounting information table  630  and the in-storage-device area accounting information table  638 , which are all stored in the shared memory  605 . On the other hand, in the accounting data transmitting process (Step  1009 ), in response to the request from the accounting server  801  for sending accounting data, the access number-of-time integrated values and the data transfer-quantity integrated values respectively for the accounting information tables  606 ,  614 ,  622 ,  630  and  638 , which are all stored in the shared memory  605  are sent to the accounting server  801 . 
     FIG. 8  is a chart showing a flow of the process distribution (Step  1001 ) in the I/O process control portion  604 . In the flow of  FIG. 8 , in the process distribution (Step  1001 ), a request is accepted (Step  1101 ), and then a host-command responding process (Step  1002 ) shown in  FIG. 7  is executed when the accepted request is a host command from one of the host computers  101  to  104  (Step  1102 ), or a special command responding process (Step  1003 ) is executed when the accepted request is a special command (Step  1103 ) from the accounting server  801 , or a service processor responding process (Step  1004 ) shown in  FIG. 7  is executed when the accepted request is a request from the service processor (Step  1004 ). 
     FIG. 9  is a flow chart of the host responding process (Step  1002 ) executed in the process distribution (Step  1001 ) when there is a request from any one of the host computers  101  to  104 . 
   When the request from the host computer  101 ,  102 ,  103  or  104  is neither a READ process nor a WRITE process (Step  1201 ), a command process in response to the request is executed (Step  1005 ) and completed. 
   When the request from the host computer  101 ,  102 ,  103  or  104  is a READ process or a WRITE process, and neither the respective access number-of-time upper limit values nor the data transfer-quantity upper limit values are set in every host computer, in every WWN, in every channel port, in every storage device, and in every in-storage-device area (Step  1202 ), a command process in response to the request (Step  1005 ) is executed. Then, 1 (one) is added to the access number-of-time integrated value in corresponding one of the accounting information tables  606 ,  614 ,  622 ,  630  and  638  of the host computer, the WWN, the channel port, the storage device, and the in-storage-device area which has responded to the request respectively, all the table being stored in the shared memory  605 , while a requested data transfer quantity is added to the data transfer-quantity integrated value in the corresponding one of the accounting information tables  606 ,  614 ,  622 ,  630  and  638 . Thus, the process is completed (Step  1006 ). 
   In the case where the access number-of-time upper limit value  618  in the WWN accounting information table  614  stored in the shared memory  605  is set to any value other than zero, and the access number-of-time upper limit value to WWN  105  is set, if a READ or WRITE process is executed through the WWN  105  of the host computer  101  (Step  1201 ), the upper limit value supervising start time in the WWN accounting information table  614  is read and the elapsed time from the start time to the present time is calculated (Step  1203 ), because the access number-of-time upper limit value is set in the WWN  105 . If the elapsed time is longer than one second (Step  1204 ), the access number-of-time upper limit value  619  for supervising the upper limit value in the WWN accounting information table  614  is cleared (Step  1205 ). Then, the present time is set as the upper limit value supervising start time  621  (Step  1206 ), the command process (Step  1005 ) in response to the request is executed, and 1 (one) is added to the access number-of-time upper limit value  619  for supervising the upper limit value. 
   If the measured time is shorter than one second and the access number-of-time upper limit value  619  for supervising the upper limit value is smaller than the access number-of-time upper limit value  618 , the command in response to the request is executed (Step  1005 ) and 1 (one) is added to the access number-of-time upper limit value  619  for supervising the upper limit value. 
   If the measured time is shorter than one second (Step  1204 ) and the access number-of-time upper limit value  619  for supervising the upper limit value is not smaller than the access number-of-time upper limit value  618 , the command process (Step  1005 ) is suppressed until one second or more elapsed. Accordingly, the request (the number-of-times of access per second) from the WWN  105  cannot exceed the access number-of-time upper limit value  618  (Step  1207 ). 
     FIG. 10  is a flow chart of the special command responding process (Step  1003 ) for executing a process in response to the request from the accounting server  801 .  FIG. 11  is a flow chart of the service processor responding process (Step  1004 ) for executing a process in response to the request from the service processor  901 . 
   In the flow chart of  FIG. 10  or  11 , if the request from the accounting server  801  or service processor  901  is not for setting of the upper limit value (Step  1301  or  1401 ), the access number-of-time integrated values and the data transfer-quantity integrated values in the accounting information tables  606 ,  614 ,  622 ,  630  and  638  respectively stored in the shared memory  605  are sent to the accounting server  801  or service processor  901 . 
   Detailed description about the Step  1008  in  FIG. 10  or  11  will be made later. 
     FIG. 12  is a view showing an upper limit value setting parameter  1501  when there is an upper limit value setting request from the accounting server  801  or service processor  901 . The upper limit value setting parameter  1501  is constituted by: a unit information  1502  for showing a unit such as a host computer, a WWN, a channel port, or the like; a unit detailed information  1503  for setting the details of the unit; a period information  1504  for setting one month, one hour, or one week; number of times of access  1505  which are allowed to be made in the period; and a data transfer quantity  1506  which is allowed to be made in the period. 
   The flow in  FIG. 10  or  11  will be described in the case where there is an access number-of-time upper limit value setting request to the WWN  105  from the accounting server  801  or service processor  901 . 
   When there is a request to set the upper limit value from the accounting server  801  or service processor  901  (Step  1301  or  1401 ), the WWN  105  is identified on the basis of the unit information  1502  and the unit detailed information  1503  in the upper limit value setting parameter  1501  (Step  1302  or  1402 ). An access number-of-time upper limit value in one second is obtained on the basis of the period information  1504  and the number of times of access  1505  in the upper limit value setting parameter  1501  (Step  1303  or  1403 ). Then, the obtained access number-of-time upper limit value is set as the access number-of-time upper limit value  617  in the WWN accounting information table  614  stored in the shared memory  605 . 
   Next, (1) under the condition that no access number-of-time upper limit value is set for WWN  105 , (2) under the condition that an access number-of-time upper limit value is set for the WWN  105  but there is no limit in the access to the WWN  105 , and (3) under the condition that an access number-of-time upper limit value is set for the WWN  105  and there is a limit in the access to the WWN  105 , description will be made respectively about the examples of the method how the accounting server  801  calculates the rate on the basis of the accounting data. 
   (1) Under the condition that no access number-of-time upper limit value is set for the WWN  105 , the rate for the access number-of-time integrated value  615  which is the accounting data sent from the storage control device  401  will be calculated in a manner as follows.
 
rate=(access number-of-time integrated value [number of times]×one access rate [¥/number of times])+(storage capacity [MByte]×capacity unit price [¥/MByte])
 
Thus, this rate is calculated on the basis of meter accounting of the number of times of the access. Further, if one access rate is set to 0 [¥/number of times], the rate will be a fixed amount because only the storage capacity is accounted.
 
   (2) Under the condition that there is an access number-of-time upper limit value for the WWN  105  but there is no limit in the access to the WWN  105 , the rate for the access number-of-time integrated value  615  which is the accounting data sent from the storage control device  401  will be calculated in a manner as follows. 
   In the case where the access number-of-time upper limit value is equal to or than the access number-of-time integrated value:
 
rate=(access number-of-time upper limit value [number of times]×one access rate [¥/number of times])+(storage capacity [MByte]×capacity unit price [¥/MByte])
 
In the case where the access number-of-time upper limit value is smaller than the access number-of-time integrated value:
 
rate=(access number-of-time upper limit value [number of times]×one access rate [¥/number of times])+((access number-of-time integrated value [number of times]−access number-of-time upper limit value [number of times])×one access rate [¥/number of times] when the integrated value is larger than the upper limit value)+(storage capacity [MByte]×capacity unit price [¥/MByte])
 
This rate because a meters accounting in accordance with the number of times of access based on one access rate indicating over the upper limit value which is equal to or larger than one access rate.
 
   (3) Under the condition that an access number-of-time upper limit value is set for the WWN  105  and there is a limit in the access to the WWN  105 , because the number of times of access is limited to be not larger than the upper limit value, the rate will be calculated in a manner as follows.
 
rate=(access number-of-time upper limit value [number of times]×one access rate [¥/number of times])+(storage capacity [MByte]¥capacity unit price [¥/MByte])
 
Thus, this rate will be a fixed amount.
 
   In such a manner, according to the embodiment, the number of times of access and the data transfer quantity for every host computer, every World Wide Name (WWN), every channel port, every storage device and every in-storage-device area are generated as accounting data in the storage control device. An accounting server can realize a meter accounting rate system in accordance with the accounting data generated in the storage control device. 
   Next, a specific example for setting the access number-of-time upper limit value for the WWN  105  from the accounting server  801  will be described with reference to the flow chart of  FIG. 13  and  FIG. 12 . First, a user chooses setting or not-setting of an upper limit value request (Step  1601 ). If there is an upper limit value request (Step  1602 ), the user enters information of the unit as the subject for setting the upper limit value. Here, assume that the user chooses “WWN” as the unit information (Step  1603 ). Next, “WWN” is set as unit information  1502  of the upper limit value setting parameter  1501  (Step  1604 ). The user enters the number of the WWN “105” in unit detailed information for setting the upper limit value (Step  1605 ). Then, the number of the WWN “105” is set as the unit detailed information  1503  (Step  1606 ). Next, the user enters one day in period information (Step  1607 ) and “one day” is set as the period information  1504  (Step  1608 ). Next, the user enters “86400” in the access number-of-time upper limit value (Step  1609 ). Here, “86400” is set as the number of access times  1505  (Step  1610 ). The user then sends the thus set upper limit value setting parameter  1501  to the storage control device  401  (Step  1611 ). In such a manner, as a control unit, that is, as an accounting subject, the upper limit value for accounting is determined for a specified WWN. Although the above example has described about the process of setting an upper limit value requested from the accounting server  801 , the same process will be executed if setting of an upper limit value is requested from the service processor  901 . 
   Further, a specific example in which the accounting server  801  fetches the accounting data every predetermined period from the shared memory  605  of the storage control device  401  will be described in accordance with the flow chart of  FIG. 14 . First, a judgement is made as to whether a predetermined time after the fetching of the last accounting data elapsed or not (Step  1701 ). If the predetermined time elapsed, a request of sending accounting data is issued to the storage control device  401  (Step  1702 ). Waiting is made until the accounting data is received (Step  1703 ). The accounting server  801  records the received accounting data in a database of the accounting server  801  (Step  1704 ). Although the above example has described about the case where the accounting server  801  has requested the accounting data, the same process will be executed if the service processor  901  requests the accounting data from the storage control device  401 . 
     FIG. 15  is a flow chart from the step of the above-mentioned upper limit value setting request issued from the accounting server  801  to the storage control device  401  to the step of fetching the accounting data stored in the shared memory  605  of the storage control device  401  into the accounting server  801 . The accounting server  801  makes an upper-limit value setting request to the storage control device  401  (Step  1801 ). After that, waiting is made for lapse of a predetermined time (Step  1802 ). 
   On the other hand, if the storage control device  401  receives the upper limit value setting request from the accounting server  801 , the upper limit value setting is performed in associated one of the I/O process control portions  601  to  604  (Step  1901 ). Next, the associated one of the I/O process control portion  601  to  604  fetches accounting data from the associated one of the host computers  101  to  104  into the storage control device  401  (Step  1902 ). The I/O process is determined whether it is executed or restrained for the upper limit value set in Step  1901  (Step  1903 ), and accounting data is generated (Step  1904 ). 
   After a predetermined time elapsed, the accounting server  801  issues an accounting data sending request to the storage control device  401  (Step  1803 ). In response to the request, the storage control device  401  sends the accounting data to the accounting server  801  (Step  1905 ). After then, the accounting server  801  records the received accounting data in the database (Step  1804 ). Incidentally, the accounting data mentioned here means the contents of the accounting information tables shown in  FIGS. 2 through 6 . Further, as described in  FIGS. 13 and 14 , the same process shown in  FIG. 15  will be executed if an upper limit value setting request is issued from the service processor  901  to the storage control device  401 . 
   According to the present invention, it is therefore possible to make accounting in accordance with the number of times of access and the data transfer quantity of each user of a plurality of users to whom equal storage capacity is assigned, even though the number of times of access or data transfer quantity made by each user may be different.