Patent Abstract:
A host computer and primary and secondary storage devices are connected as capable of communicating with each other via a network, the primary and secondary storage devices functioning as data storage means of the host computer. The host computer transmits data to be written and a write request Wa to the primary storage device in writing of data into the primary storage device and transmits the data to be written and a write request Wb to the secondary storage device at any point in time after the foregoing transmission. The primary storage device receives the write request Wa and stores the data to be written. The secondary storage device receives the write request Wb and stores the data to be written.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a multiple data management method carried out in a system in which a host computer and primary and secondary storage devices are connected as capable of communicating with each other via a network, the primary and secondary storage devices functioning as a data storage device of the host computer. Particularly, the present invention relates to a multiple data management method utilizing the Internet as the network. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. Heil0-333838, a multiple data storage system is disclosed, in which data of a first storage subsystem is managed in parallel also in a second storage subsystem connected thereto via a dedicated line or the like for the purpose of securing data integrity and the like in the event such as a disaster. Moreover, in the publication, a synchronous method and an a synchronous method are disclosed as operational methods for the multiplexing storage system. Specifically, the synchronous method is one for maintaining synchronism of primary and secondary storage devices. The a synchronous method is for reducing a waiting time of a host computer in such a manner that, regardless of whether or not writing of data at the secondary storage device is completed, a completion report is immediately transmitted to the host computer when writing of data at the primary storage device is completed. 
   Moreover, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. Hei9-325917, disclosed is a technology utilized in an operation by the asynchronous method among the operational methods disclosed in the above-described publication. Specifically, by use of the technology, in the case where a primary storage device is down because of a disaster and the like during the time when update states of the primary storage device and an secondary storage device are inconsistent with each other, the secondary storage device grasps the presence/absence of erased data at the secondary storage device side and the data is restored. 
   Incidentally, as to a technology of multiple data management of a primary storage device by a remote secondary storage device, various technologies have hitherto existed such as the one described above. Recently, with the spread of the Internet, an environment in which the Internet can be utilized easily and inexpensively at various locations has been completed. Thus, it is anticipated that, in the years ahead, there will be increasing cases of utilizing the Internet as a network connecting the primary and secondary storage devices, a computer using those devices and the like. Moreover, it is also anticipated that, from now on, there will be more cases of multiple data management in a personal computer and the like by use of remote storage devices connected via the Internet. 
   However, the Internet has characteristics different from those of a dedicated line and the like in view of its nature of having its midway routes operated by the general public (for more detail as to such characteristics of the Internet, refer to RFC 791 “INTERNET PROTOCOL,” for example). In order to construct a multiple data management system utilizing the Internet as communication means, a mechanism that takes into account such characteristics of the Internet is necessary. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention was made from the viewpoint as described above. One object of the present invention is to provide a new multiple data management method utilizing the Internet as a network connecting primary and secondary storage devices, a computer using those devices and the like, and to provide the computer and storage devices, which are used therefor. 
   A major aspect of the present invention for achieving the above and other objects is a multiple data management method in a system in which a host computer and primary and secondary storage devices are connected as capable of communicating with each other via a network, the primary and secondary storage devices functioning as a data storage device of the host computer. The method comprises transmitting, by the host computer, data to be written and a write request Wa to the primary storage device in writing of data into the primary storage device and transmitting, by the host computer, the data to be written and a write request Wb to the secondary storage device at any point in time after the foregoing transmission, receiving the write request Wa and storing the data to be written by the primary storage device, and receiving the write request Wb and storing the data to be written by the secondary storage device. 
   Features and objects of the present invention other than the above will become clear by reading the description of the present specification with reference to the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a more complete understanding of the present invention and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a system configuration explaining a multiple data management method of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic view showing a hardware configuration of a host computer according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic view showing a hardware configuration of a primary storage device according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic view showing a hardware configuration of a secondary storage device according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating data write processing according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 6  is a view showing a data structure of a write request according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 7  is a flowchart illustrating data read processing according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 8  is a view showing a data structure of a read request according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 9  is a flowchart illustrating processing of compensating for missing data according to one embodiment of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 10  is a flowchart illustrating processing of compensating for missing data according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   At least the following matters will be made clear by the explanation in the present specification and the description of the accompanying drawings. 
     FIG. 1  shows a schematic system configuration explaining a multiple data management method of the present invention. A host computer  10 , a primary storage device  20  and a secondary storage device  30  are connected to the Internet  50 , the primary and secondary storage devices functioning as a data storage device of the host computer  10 . 
     FIG. 2  shows a schematic hardware configuration of the host computer  10 . The host computer  10  is a computer such as a personal computer and a mainframe, and includes a CPU  11 , a memory  12 ; an auxiliary storage unit  13 , a communication interface  14  for connecting the host computer  10  to the Internet  50 , and the like. In the host computer  10 , an OS (Operating System) is running on the host computer  10  and application programs are operated on this OS. 
     FIG. 3  shows a schematic hardware configuration of the primary storage device  20 . The primary storage device  20  includes a CPU  21 , a memory  22 , a cache memory  23 , a disk control unit  24 , a disk unit  25 , a communication interface  26  for connecting the primary storage device  20  to the Internet  50 , and the like. In the primary storage device  20 , microprograms that provide various functions of the primary storage device  20  are operated. 
     FIG. 4  shows a schematic hardware configuration of the secondary storage device  30 . The secondary storage device  30  includes a CPU  31 , a memory  32 , a cache memory  33 , a disk control unit  34 , a disk unit  35 , a communication interface  36  for connecting the secondary storage device  30  to the Internet  50 , and the like. In the secondary storage device  30 , microprograms that provide various functions of the secondary storage device  30  are operated. 
   &lt;Write and Read Processes&gt; 
   A function related to writing of data from the host computer  10  into the primary and secondary storage devices  20  and  30  is provided primarily by the OS operated in the host computer  10 . 
     FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating processing of writing data from the host computer  10  into the primary and secondary storage devices  20  and  30 . When a data write request to the primary storage device  20  is notified from an application program ( 501 ), the OS transmits a data write request Wa to the primary storage device  20  and, at an arbitrary time after this transmission, transmits a data write request Wb to the secondary storage device  30  ( 502 ). 
     FIG. 6  shows a data structure of the write requests Wa and Wb. In each of the write requests Wa and Wb, included are: a command code  61  corresponding to a write command, a device address  62  specifying a disk unit to be a write object, a start address  63  specifying a write position, a data length  64  of data to be written, a transmission time  65  that indicates the time of transmitting this request from the host computer  10 , a serial number  66  given in the order of transmissions of the respective write requests Wa and Wb, and the like. Note that the transmission time  65  may be also used as the serial number  66 . 
   Upon receipt of the write request Wa, the primary storage device  20  writes the data to be written received with the request in a position specified by the device address and the start address ( 503 ) and then transmits a write completion report to the host computer  10  ( 504 ). When the host computer  10  receives the completion report ( 505 ), the OS notifies the application program to that effect ( 506 ). Accordingly, the application program recognizes that the writing of the data to be written is finished. Thereafter, the application program continues its processing regardless of whether or not writing of the data to be written in the secondary storage device  30  is completed. 
   Meanwhile, upon receipt of the write request Wb, the secondary storage device  30  writes the data to be written received with the request in a position specified by the device address and the start address ( 507 ) and then transmits a write completion report to the host computer  10  ( 508 ). When the host computer  10  receives the completion report, the OS completes the write processing. 
   Note that, in the above description, the data to be written is transmitted, while being attached to the data write request Wb, to the secondary storage device  30  at the same time as the data write request Wb. However, it is also satisfactory that only the data write request Wb is transmitted to the secondary storage device  30  in advance and the data to be written is transmitted to the secondary storage device  30  at any point in time after the transmission of the request. Thus, influences of the transmission processing of the data to be written on a processing speed of the application program are suppressed. 
     FIG. 7  is a flowchart illustrating processing of the host computer  10  reading data from the primary storage device  20 . First, when a data read request to the primary storage device  20  is notified from an application program ( 701 ), the OS transmits a read request R to the primary storage device  20  ( 702 ). 
     FIG. 8  shows a data structure of the read request R. As shown in  FIG. 8 , in the read request R, included are a command code  81  corresponding to a read command, a device address  82  specifying the disk unit  25  storing data to be a read object, a start address  83  indicating a read position, a data length  84  of read object data, a transmission time  85  of this read request R, and the like. 
   Upon receipt of the read request R ( 703 ), the primary storage device  20  reads data specified by the device address  82 , the start address  83  and the data length  84 , all of which are attached to the request, and transmits the data to the host computer  10  ( 704 ). Upon receipt of the read object data ( 705 ), the OS of the host computer  10  hands the read object data over to the application program ( 706 ). In the above-described manner, the data read processing is completed. 
   &lt;Compensation for Missing Data&gt; 
   Incidentally, because of its nature of having its midway routes operated by the general public, the Internet has a higher possibility that data transmitted therethrough does not reach its destination than the dedicated line and the like. Therefore, in the case of utilizing the Internet  50  as a communication medium between the host computer  10  and the primary and secondary storage devices  20  and  30  as in the above-described multiple data management system, there is a possibility that the data write requests Wa and Wb transmitted from the host computer  10  do not reach the primary storage device  20  or the secondary storage device  30 . 
   Here, when the data write request Wa does not reach the primary storage device  20 , this data write request Wa is reported as a time-out error by the OS and the application program usually instructs the OS and the like to process resending a write command about that data. Thus, it is less likely that the application program continues the processing without recognizing that the data is not written in the primary storage device  20 . Therefore, it is considered that missing data is less likely to occur in the data stored and controlled in the primary storage device  20 . 
   Meanwhile, in consideration of influences on the processing speed of the application program, the processing for the write request Wb to the secondary storage device  30  is usually considered to be often operated by a mechanism in which the processing is executed only by the OS without the application program involved therein. When the write request Wb does not reach the secondary storage device  30 , there is a possibility that missing data occurs in the secondary storage device  30 . Thus, the multiple data management system in this embodiment includes a mechanism of compensating for missing data in the secondary storage device  30 . This mechanism will be described in detail below along with a flowchart shown in  FIG. 9 . 
   The host computer  10  stores the write requests Wb and the data to be written corresponding thereto. Meanwhile, the secondary storage device  30  stores the write requests Wb transmitted from the host computer  10  in the memory  32  thereof and monitors whether or not there is any missing serial number  66  for the respective stored write requests Wb, i.e., whether or not there is any missing write request Wb ( 901 ). Upon detection of a missing serial number  66 , the secondary storage device  30  transmits a retransmission request for the data to be written to which the missing serial number  66  is attached ( 902 ). 
   Upon receipt of the retransmission request ( 903 ), the host computer  10  searches through the data to be written stored therein for the data to be written corresponding to the missing serial number  66  ( 904 ) and transmits the searched data and the write request Wb for the data to the secondary storage device  30  ( 905 ). Note that the serial number  66  is used herein to identify the data to be written. However, without being limited thereto, it is also satisfactory that the host computer  10  and the secondary storage device  30  can identify the data to be written by use of an identification ID given to the write request Wb. 
   Upon receipt of the write request Wb ( 906 ), the secondary storage device  30  writes the data to be written attached thereto in a position specified by the device address and the start address included in the write request Wb ( 907 ). As described above, the missing data is written in the secondary storage device  30  and thus compensated therein. 
   Note that the above description was made for the mechanism of transmitting the retransmission request to the host computer  10  every time the secondary storage device  30  detects the missing serial number. However, unlike transmitting the retransmission request immediately when the missing is detected, it is also satisfactory that missing serial numbers are listed and accumulated as a table  90  in the memory  32  and a retransmission request for data corresponding to those missing serial numbers is transmitted all at one time when a fixed number of missing serial numbers or more are accumulated in the table  90  or at an appropriate timing such as at fixed time periods or the like. 
   Incidentally, for reasons such as securing of a sufficient storage area in the host computer  10  and the like, the host computer  10  is operated so as to appropriately delete the data to be written stored therein in some cases. In order to enable the missing data to be compensated in the secondary storage device  30  even in such a case, the multiple data management system of this embodiment includes a mechanism of obtaining data to be written from the primary storage device  20  in the case where the data to be written does not exist in the host computer  10 . This mechanism will be described below along with a flowchart shown in  FIG. 10 . 
   Steps  1001  and  1002  in  FIG. 10  are similar to steps  901  and  902  in  FIG. 9 . The host computer  10  receive the retransmission request ( 1003 ) and searches for the data to be written corresponding thereto ( 1004 ). As a result, when the data to be written does not exist in the host computer  10  ( 1005 ), the host computer  10  transmits to the primary storage device  20  a read request R for the data to be written corresponding to the serial number ( 1006 ). Note that, in generating this read request R, it is necessary to determine a device address, a start address and a data length on the primary storage device  20  storing the data to be written. Information necessary for this determination, including an identification ID of the data to be written, a position of the data stored in the primary storage device  20  and the like, is managed by the OS. 
   Upon receipt of the data read request R ( 1007 ), the primary storage device  20  reads data stored in a position specified by the device address  82 , the start address  83  and the data length  84 , all of which are attached to the request, and transmits the data to the host computer  10  ( 1008 ). 
   Upon receipt of the data transmitted from the primary storage device  20  ( 1009 ), the host computer  10  transmits a write request Wb having the received data attached thereto as data to be written to the secondary storage device  30  ( 1010 ). Upon receipt of the write request Wb ( 1011 ), the secondary storage device  30  writes the data attached to the request in a position specified by the device address  62  and the start address  63 , which are included in the write request Wb ( 1012 ). As described above, missing data is written in the secondary storage device  30 . 
   In the above description, after confirming whether or not the data to be written is left in the host computer  10 , the transmission request for the data is transmitted to the primary storage device  20 . However, it is also conceivable that the data to be written is obtained directly from the primary storage device  20  without confirming whether or not the data is left in the host computer  10 . 
   &lt;OTHER MODIFICATIONS&gt; 
   As described above, the multiple data management method of the present invention includes the mechanism of checking whether or not missing data exists by the secondary storage device  30 . Thus, processing loads in the host computer  10  and the primary storage device  20  can be reduced and the application programs operated in the host computer  10  are hardly influenced by the processing related to the compensation for the missing data in the secondary storage device  30 . 
   Moreover, in the compensation for the missing data, data to be written is obtained from the primary storage device  20  when the data to be obtained is not left in the host computer  10 . Thus, the missing data can be surely compensated in the secondary storage device  30 . 
   Note that the case of “write” in the above description also includes a case of “update”, in which existing data is rewritten. 
   As described above, according to the present embodiment, a new multiple data management method utilizing the Internet as communication media and a computer and storage devices, which are used therefor, can be provided. 
   Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention has been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made therein without departing from spirit and scope of the inventions as defined by the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7