Patent ID: 7797567

Claim:
A storage apparatus, comprising: a plurality of storage devices storing information; a plurality of first control units each controlling the storage devices; a first network; a switching unit connecting between the plurality of storage devices and the plurality of first control units through the first network; a second network connecting between the plurality of storage devices and the plurality of first control units, and connecting between the plurality of first control units and the switching unit; and a second control unit connected to the plurality of first control units, the plurality of storage devices and the switching unit through the second network, wherein the plurality of first control units reads and writes information from the plurality of storage devices and into the plurality of storage devices through the switching unit, and, when a fault occurs for which communication between a storage device and the plurality of first control units is impossible, the plurality of first control units determines whether the first network is disconnected or not, and sends a plurality of fault recovery commands to the storage device or the switching unit through the second network when the first network is disconnected, and the plurality of fault recovery commands are commands recovering the fault.