Patent ID: 8131892

Claim:
A storage apparatus for storing data, comprising: a plurality of controller units each being coupled to a host computer and configured to carry out processing according to an access request from said host computer; a plurality of disk devices each having at least one disk port; a plurality of intermediary devices each having a plurality of intermediary ports and configured to transfer said access request received from a relevant controller unit to one of said plurality of disk devices via a relevant intermediary port and said at least one disk port, wherein a first intermediary device sends a power saving command to a first disk device included in said plurality of disk devices according to a policy set by at least one of said plurality of controller units, said power saving command being configured to change an operation mode of said first disk device to a power saving mode and said first disk device being coupled to said first intermediary device via a first disk port and a first intermediary port; and changes an operation mode of said first intermediary port to a power saving mode after receiving a response from said first disk device.