Patent ID: 8312211

Claim:
A disk array apparatus comprising a plurality of storage units that store data transmitted from a host unit, and a controlling unit controlling said plurality of storage units, said controlling unit comprising: a storing section storing first control firmware that is to be applied to one or more first storage units of said plurality of storage units, each said first storage units being connected to the said controlling unit via a number of access paths; a monitoring section for monitoring a state of access to each of said first storage units; and an application instructing section instructing, if the result of the monitoring by said monitoring section proves that each said first storage unit is not continuously accessed for a predetermined time period or that the number of accesses to each said first storage unit for a predetermined time period is a threshold or less, each said first storage unit to apply the first control firmware, said application instructing section instructing, through a first access path of the access paths which is different from a second access path of the access paths that connects each said first storage unit to the host unit, each said first storage unit via said controlling unit to apply the first control firmware, in response to the instructing by said application instructing section, the first control firmware being applied to each said first storage unit.