Patent ID: 7216209

Claim:
A data processing system comprising: a first storage system communicably connected to a host unit; and a second storage system and a third storage system each communicably connected to said first storage system, wherein: (1) said first storage system comprises: a first data storage area for storing data transmitted from the host unit; a first journal storage area for storing a journal used for producing a copy of data stored in said first storage area; and a first control unit which writes the data transmitted from said host unit into said first data storage area, writes the journal of the data written into said first data storage area into said first journal storage area, and transmits said journal present in said first journal storage area to each of said second and third storage systems in response to a read request from each of said second and third storage systems; (2) said second storage system comprises: a second data storage area for storing a copy of the data present in said first data storage area; a second journal storage area for storing said journal; and a second control unit which schedules a first journal read timing independently from said third storage system, transmits said read request to said first storage system to read said journal from said first storage system at said independently scheduled first journal read timing, writes the read-out journal into said second journal storage area, produces a copy of the data present in said first data storage area based on said journal present in said second journal storage area at an independently scheduled restore timing, and writes the copy into said second data storage area; and (3) said third storage system comprises: a third data storage area for storing a copy of the data present in said first data storage area; a third journal storage area for storing said journal; and a third control unit which schedules a second journal read timing independently from said second storage system, transmits said read request to said first storage system to read said journal from said first storage system at said independently scheduled second journal read timing, writes the read-out journal into said third journal storage area, produces a copy of the data present in said first data storage area based on said journal present in said third journal storage area at an independently scheduled restore timing, and writes the copy into said third data storage area, and said first control unit of said first storage system detects as to whether or not said journal present in said first journal storage area has been read by said second and third storage systems, holds said journal present in said first journal storage area till the journal is read by both said second and third storage systems, and can delete said journal present in said first journal storage area after the journal has been read by both said second and third storage systems.