Patent ID: 8041917

Claim:
A managing server for managing a storage apparatus comprising a plurality of storage devices and a controller connected via a communication path to a host computer for controlling input and output operations of data for each of the storage devices in response to a request from the host computer, wherein: the storage apparatus comprises: at least one virtual volume to be accessed by the host computer, and at least one pool assigned to the virtual volume, the pool being a set of logical volumes as virtual storage areas corresponding to the plural storage devices; and the managing server compares a reference value beforehand stored therein with an evaluation value of availability which represents a degree of resistivity against destruction, the degree being derived by use of physical configuration information which is obtained from the controller and which is associated with the pool; and determines necessity of addition of an element to the pool if the availability evaluation value exceeds the reference value and indicates the addition of the element to the pool to the storage apparatus, wherein the availability evaluation value includes a parameter on the basis of the number of physical constituent components of the pool, wherein the parameter includes at least either one of the number of disk adapters of the controller of the storage apparatus for controlling data communication with the plural disk devices, the number of ports for communication of each of the disk adapters, and the number of the logical volumes, wherein the availability evaluation value includes a plurality of the parameters, and wherein the managing server determines necessity of addition of an element to the pool if at least one of the parameters exceeds the reference value associated therewith.