JP4798207B2 - Virtual tape device, operation control method thereof, and operation control program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a virtual tape device in which a virtual tape is set for a physical disk array, an operation control method thereof, and an operation control program.

  With the increase in processing data in computer systems, the storage capacity of storage is increasing, and the importance of data backup is increasing. As a backup destination storage device, a virtual tape device using a magnetic disk device instead of a magnetic tape has been developed (see Patent Document 1). This virtual tape device can back up data to a magnetic disk by emulating the tape device, using a normal operation mode of the tape device.

  On the other hand, an increase in power consumption of the system has become a problem while a reduction in operating cost (TCO: Total Cost of Ownership) of a computer system is required. In general, in a storage device such as a magnetic disk array device, since it is always used in a power-on state, it is a problem to suppress power consumption. For this reason, as in the MAID (Massive Array of Idle Disks) technology described in Non-Patent Document 1, a technique for stopping the disk without access by focusing on the locality of access to the disk is adopted to reduce the consumption. A disk array device that realizes electric power is known.

  In the above-described virtual tape device, the MAID technology is effective because it is easy to control the localization of access to the physical disk, and the MAID technology is often used in the virtual tape device. In the MAID technology, as a trigger to stop the disk, it is a common case that “there is no access for a certain period of time” based on the locality of data access and the on / off resistance of the disk.

  Techniques related to this are disclosed in Patent Documents 2 and 3. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-228688 keeps a power-on state for a predetermined period after the access is completed for a disk that has reached a certain number of times of power-on / off among a plurality of physical disks. A disk array device is disclosed in which power is turned off immediately after completion of access to a disk that has not reached a certain number of times.

  In Patent Document 3, one of two physical disk groups to be paired is turned off, and after synchronization processing is performed between physical disk groups at an arbitrary time, the other physical disk group is turned off. Thus, there is disclosed a storage apparatus that always turns off one physical disk group.

JP 2006-260392 A JP 2008-198141 A JP 2008-102578 A Dennis Colarelli, Dirk Grunwald, and Michael Neufeld, “The Case for Massive Arrays of IDle Disks (MAID)”, [online], January 7, 2002, USENIX (USA), [August 5, 2005 search ] Internet <URL: http://www.usenix.org/publications/library/proceedings/fast02/wips/colarelli.pdf>

  However, the technique disclosed in Patent Document 2 controls to turn off the power of a disk that has not been accessed for a certain period of time. However, when the technique disclosed in Patent Document 2 is diverted to a virtual tape device. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, if three volumes of virtual tapes are stored in three disk groups 301 to 303, virtual tapes # 0, # 3, and # 6 are processed sequentially. The corresponding disk group becomes active sequentially according to the processing to the tape, and after the processing to the virtual tape is finished, even if the virtual tape is not accessed, the active disk group remains active for a certain period of time. . In such a case, the power consumption of the virtual tape device is the same as that of a device that does not use MAID, and there is a problem that the power consumption reduction effect of MAID cannot be exhibited.

  Further, the technique disclosed in Patent Document 3 alternately switches the power on / off of two disk groups, but always powers one of the disk groups in a pair. As a result, even in a disk group without access, the power is on, so the power consumption has not been sufficiently reduced.

  Therefore, the present invention improves the above-described problems of the prior art, and controls the operation of the virtual tape device capable of effectively reducing power consumption by switching the power on / off of each disk in the disk array at an appropriate timing. The object is to provide a method and a program for operation control.

To achieve the above object, a virtual tape device of the present invention is provided with a disk array having a plurality of physical disks for storing information, and a plurality of virtual tapes are stored in advance in the disk array, and the plurality of virtual tapes are stored. Is a virtual tape device having a virtual resource control unit that executes read / write processing of information on each physical disk by driving according to a command sent from the host device, and a power source for switching on / off the power of each physical disk Check the operating status of each virtual tape driven by the switching unit and the virtual resource control unit, and target unused disks that are physical disks other than the physical disk corresponding to the virtual tape that can be accessed from the host device, together and a virtual resource status monitoring unit to instruct the power supply switching unit to turn off the power supply, virtual resource state When the virtual tape is mounted on all of the plurality of virtual tape drives set in advance, the visual unit determines that a physical disk other than the physical disk corresponding to the mounted virtual tape is an unused disk. It is characterized by judging .

The virtual tape device operation control method according to the present invention includes a disk array having a plurality of physical disks for storing information, and the virtual tape device has a plurality of virtual tapes stored in advance in the disk array. The virtual resource control unit equipped in the virtual tape device drives multiple virtual tapes according to the command from the host device, and the virtual resource status monitoring unit equipped in the virtual tape device confirms the operating status of the virtual tape. When the virtual tapes are mounted on all of the plurality of preset virtual tape drives that are physical disks other than the physical disks corresponding to the virtual tapes that can be accessed from the host device unused determine the disk, equipped of a virtual tape system which is a physical disk other than the corresponding physical disks in the virtual tapes Power switching portions, characterized in that to turn off the unused disk.

Furthermore, the virtual tape device operation control program of the present invention includes a disk array composed of a plurality of physical disks in which a plurality of virtual tapes are stored in advance, and a power switching unit that switches power on / off of each physical disk. Virtual resource control function that reads and writes information to each physical disk by driving multiple virtual tapes according to commands from the host device, and checks the operating status of each virtual tape. When the virtual tapes are mounted on all of the plurality of preset virtual tape drives that are physical disks other than the physical disks corresponding to the virtual tapes that can be accessed from the host device target unused disk with a physical disk other than the corresponding physical disk to a virtual tapes And, characterized in that to execute the virtual resource monitoring function of instructing the power supply switching unit to turn off the power to the computer.

  Since the virtual tape device, the operation control method thereof, and the operation control program of the present invention are configured and function as described above, the virtual tape device monitors the status of each virtual tape and is accessible from the host device. Since the power to the physical disks other than the physical disk on which the tape is placed is turned off, the time in which each physical disk is in the power-off state is shorter than in the conventional technology that stops only the physical disk that has not been accessed for a certain period of time. The power consumption can be reduced more effectively.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the virtual tape device 1 of the present embodiment. The virtual tape device 1 according to the present embodiment is a device that is connected to a host computer (higher level device) 2 and reads / writes data from / to the disk array 3 in accordance with a command from the host computer 2.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the virtual tape device 1 according to the present embodiment includes a disk array 3 having a plurality of physical disks for storing data, a command control unit 4 for transmitting / receiving data to / from the host computer 2, and a disk array. A virtual resource control unit 5 that drives a plurality of virtual tapes built in 3 or a virtual resource including a plurality of virtual tape drives according to a command from the host device, and a virtual resource state monitor that monitors the driving state of each virtual resource Unit 6 and a power source switching unit 7 for switching on / off the power of each physical disk in the disk array 3 according to the monitoring result of the virtual resource state monitoring unit 5. The power switching unit 7 of this embodiment is configured to divide a plurality of physical disks in the disk array 3 into two or more disk groups and switch the power on / off for each disk group. Then, the disk group unit for turning on / off the power is MA (Massive-Array) 31-34.

  The disk array 3 is a RAID having a plurality of physical disks, and is set to share the parity by dividing the plurality of physical disks into two or more sets. A set sharing this parity is called RANK, and a plurality of RANKs can be set in the RAID. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, RANKs # 1 to # 4 are set.

  The disk array 3 of the present embodiment stores a plurality of virtual tapes in advance, and virtual resources such as virtual tapes are constructed in the virtual tape device 1. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a logical resource that is logically constructed. As shown in FIG. 2, the virtual resources constructed in the virtual tape device 1 are, for example, a virtual tape storage 610 for storing a plurality of virtual tapes # 0 to # 8, a virtual tape inserted and mounted, and data Virtual tape drives 601 to 604 for reading and writing, and a virtual accessor 620 for carrying the virtual tape from the virtual tape storage 610 to one of the virtual tape drives 601 to 604.

  In the present embodiment, it is assumed that management information, which is setting information for various virtual resources, is stored in RANK # 1 in the disk array 3, and the volume data of virtual tapes # 0- # 8 are the remaining RANK # 2-. Assume that it is stored in # 4.

  The command control unit 4 distributes commands (commands) sent from the host computer 2 and transmits / receives data to / from the host computer 2.

  The virtual resource control unit 5 has a function of executing read / write processing of information on each physical disk by driving virtual resources such as a plurality of virtual tapes and a plurality of virtual tape drives in accordance with commands sent from the host computer 2. ing. When receiving a virtual tape mount / demount command from the host computer 2, the virtual resource control unit 5 inserts / removes the designated virtual tape into / from one of the virtual tape drives 601 to 604 and puts it into the mount / demount state. When a data read / write command for a mounted virtual tape is sent from 2, a function for reading / writing data from / to the physical disk storing the mounted virtual tape is provided.

  As described above, the virtual tape device 1 of the present embodiment uses a disk storage device as a storage device, emulates a tape drive by the function of the virtual resource control unit 5, and provides a storage area as a tape device to the host computer 2. It is a device to provide.

  Further, the virtual resource control unit 5 drives each virtual tape according to a command from the host computer 2 to update the status information of each virtual tape in the management information stored in the RANK # 1.

  For example, the virtual resource control unit 5 rewrites the virtual tape status information in the management information after executing the virtual tape mount / demount processing. As a result, the management information becomes information that accurately indicates the mount / demount status of each virtual tape.

  Further, the virtual resource control unit 5 performs new registration and deletion of the virtual tape in accordance with a command from the host computer 2. When receiving the registration command, the virtual resource control unit 5 registers a new virtual tape in the management information. The virtual tape volume is deleted from the physical disk, and information related to the virtual tape is deleted from the management information.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining new registration and deletion of a virtual tape. MA 701 indicates an MA in which no virtual tape is stored. When the virtual resource control unit 5 registers virtual tape # 0 in association with MA 701 in the management information in accordance with a command sent from the host computer 2, Virtual tape # 0 is stored in MA 701 and a state like MA 702 is obtained. When virtual tape # 0 is deleted from the management information, virtual tape # 0 stored in MA 702 is deleted and the state of MA 701 is entered.

  Next, the virtual resource state monitoring unit 6 refers to the management information stored in the RANK # 1 to check the operating states of the virtual tapes # 0 to # 8 and the virtual tape drives 601 to 604. A function of controlling the power switching operation of the power switching unit 7 according to the state of the virtual resource is provided. The virtual resource state monitoring unit 6 according to the present embodiment checks the state of the virtual tape stored in each physical disk, and physical disks other than the physical disk (MA) corresponding to the virtual tape that can be accessed from the host computer 2. And a function for issuing an instruction to the power supply switching unit 7 to turn off the power of the unused disk (MA).

  When receiving a virtual tape mount command from the host computer 2, the virtual resource state monitoring unit 6 searches the management information for the MA that stores the virtual tape to be mounted, and if the searched MA is not powered on. The power switch unit 7 is instructed to turn on the power of the MA.

  Further, the virtual resource state monitoring unit 6 mounts the virtual tape on all of the virtual tape drives 601 to 604 when the virtual resource control unit 5 places the designated virtual tape in the mounted state in accordance with a command from the host computer 2. When the virtual tape is mounted on all of the plurality of virtual tape drives 601 to 604, the MA corresponding to the mounted virtual tape is determined as an unused disk. A function for instructing the power supply switching unit 7 to turn off the power supply of the MA is provided.

  As described above, when the virtual tapes are mounted in all the virtual tape drives 601 to 604, other virtual tapes are not newly mounted, and thus these mounted virtual tapes are not stored. By turning off the MA power supply immediately, an efficient reduction in power consumption can be realized.

  Further, upon receiving a virtual tape deletion command from the host computer 2, the virtual resource state monitoring unit 6 determines whether or not another virtual tape is stored in the MA that stores the virtual tape to be deleted. When it is determined that the disk is not stored, the MA is determined to be an unused disk, and the power switching unit 7 is instructed to turn off the power.

  With such a function, the power supply is turned off without waiting for a certain period of time for access to the MA that does not store any virtual tape, so that power consumption can be more efficiently reduced.

  Furthermore, when the virtual resource state monitoring unit 6 receives a virtual tape demounting instruction from the host computer 2, thereafter, all virtual tapes in the MA storing the demounted virtual tape remain in the demounted state. A function is provided for instructing the power supply switching unit 7 to turn off the power supply of the MA after a predetermined time has elapsed. In this case, a virtual tape related to another MA is inserted into all of the virtual tape drives 601 to 604 before a predetermined time elapses, or all of the MAs in the MA storing the demounted virtual tape are stored. When the virtual tape is deleted, the power supply switching unit 7 is instructed to immediately turn off the power supply of the MA.

  The power supply switching unit 7 has a function of individually switching on / off the power of the MA (# 1) 31 to (# 4) 34 in accordance with an instruction from the virtual resource state monitoring unit 6. In the power supply switching unit 7 of the present embodiment, RANKs # 1 to # 4 are designated as MA (# 1) 31 to (# 4) 34. As described above, since management information is stored in RANK # 1, MA # 1 is always powered on, and virtual tape volumes are stored in the remaining MA # 2- # 4. # 2 to # 4 are power on / off switching targets.

  Here, the command control unit 4, the virtual resource control unit 5, and the virtual resource state monitoring unit 6 in the present embodiment may be configured such that the function content is programmed and executed by a computer.

  As described above, according to the virtual tape device 1 of the present embodiment, the virtual resource status monitoring unit 6 monitors the status of each virtual tape and is not a physical disk storing a virtual tape that is accessible from the host computer 2. Since the unused disk which is a physical disk is detected and the power switch unit 7 is instructed to turn off the unused disk, the physical disk is turned off only when there is no access for a certain period of time. Compared to the conventional technology, there is a case where the timing of powering off each physical disk is earlier, and as a result, the power-off time of each physical disk is increased, and the power consumption can be more effectively reduced. .

  Next, the operation of the virtual tape device 1 of this embodiment will be described. Here, the following description of the operation is an embodiment of the operation control method of the virtual tape device of the present invention.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the virtual tape mount processing operation among the operations of the virtual tape device 1 of the present embodiment.

  First, the virtual resource state monitoring unit 6 searches the management information for a virtual tape to be mounted in response to a virtual tape mount command sent from the host computer 2, and the MA in which the designated virtual tape is stored. Is specified and the power supply switching unit 7 is instructed to turn on the power (step S41 in FIG. 4).

  The power supply switching unit 7 turns on the power supply of the specified MA in accordance with a command from the virtual resource state monitoring unit 6, and waits until this MA becomes accessible (step S42 in FIG. 4). Thereafter, the virtual resource control unit 5 inserts the virtual tape to be mounted into one of the virtual tape drives to make it mounted, rewrites the virtual tape status information in the management information, and completes mounting via the command control unit 4 Is reported to the host computer 2 (step S43 in FIG. 4).

  Subsequently, the virtual resource state monitoring unit 6 refers to the management information and determines whether or not a virtual tape is inserted in all the virtual tape drives 601 to 604 (step S44 in FIG. 4). As a result of the determination, if there is a virtual tape drive in which no virtual tape is inserted (NO in step S44 in FIG. 4), the mounting process is terminated.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that virtual tapes are inserted in all the virtual tape drives 601 to 604 (YES in step S44 in FIG. 4), the virtual resource state monitoring unit 6 stores the mounted virtual tape. An MA other than the current MA is detected, and the power supply switching unit 7 is instructed to turn off the power of the detected MA (step S45 in FIG. 4). Receiving this instruction, the power supply switching unit 7 turns off the power supply of the MA according to the instruction (step S46 in FIG. 4), and ends the process.

  Here, in the above description, the MA power on / off switching is performed in response to the mounting process of the virtual tape. However, the step is triggered when the placement setting for the physical disk of the virtual tape is changed in addition to the mounting process. The process from S44 to step S46 may be performed to switch the power source.

  Since the virtual tape device 1 according to the present embodiment operates in this way, it is possible to turn off the power of physical disks that are not likely to be accessed for the time being regardless of whether or not there is access for a certain period of time. As a result, the physical disk power-off timing is advanced, and as a result, the power-off time of each physical disk is increased, and power consumption can be efficiently reduced.

  Next, FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a processing operation for deleting a virtual tape among the operations of the virtual tape device 1 of the present embodiment.

  First, the virtual resource control unit 5 deletes the target virtual tape from the management information in response to the virtual tape deletion command sent from the host computer 2 (step S51 in the figure). Subsequently, the virtual resource state monitoring unit 6 determines whether another virtual tape is stored in the MA that has stored the deleted virtual tape. Is instructed to turn off the power (YES in step S52 of FIG. 5).

  When the power switching unit 7 receives an instruction to turn off the designated MA from the virtual resource state monitoring unit 6, the designated MA is turned off (step S53 in FIG. 5). Thus, since the MA that does not store the virtual tape is never accessed, turning off the power of the MA that does not store the virtual tape increases the power-off time of each MA, and the disk array. 3 is obtained.

  Next, FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the virtual tape demount processing operation among the operations of the virtual tape device 1 of the present embodiment.

  First, in response to a virtual tape demount command sent from the host computer 2, the virtual resource control unit 5 takes out the virtual tape to be demounted from the virtual tape drive and puts it in a demounted state, and the command control unit 4 completes the demount. Is reported to the host computer 2 (step S61 in FIG. 6).

  Thereafter, the virtual resource state monitoring unit 6 determines whether any of the other virtual tapes in the MA storing the demounted virtual tape (hereinafter referred to as a processing target MA) is mounted (FIG. 6). Step S62) and a process of determining whether or not virtual tapes related to other MAs are inserted in all the virtual tape drives 601 to 604 (step S63 in FIG. 6) are periodically performed until a predetermined time elapses. (Step S64 in FIG. 6).

  If any of the other virtual tapes in the processing target MA is mounted, the demount process is terminated (NO in step S62 in FIG. 6). When virtual tapes related to other MAs are inserted into all the virtual tape drives 601 to 604, the power switching unit 7 is instructed to immediately turn off the processing target MA, and the power switching unit that has received the instruction 7 switches off the power of the processing target MA (step S65 in FIG. 6).

  In addition, even when a certain time has elapsed, the virtual resource state monitoring unit 6 instructs the power switching unit 7 to immediately turn off the processing target MA, and the power switching unit 7 that has received the instruction The MA power is switched off (step S65 in FIG. 6).

  As described above, the virtual tape device 1 according to the present embodiment not only controls the power on / off switching of each physical disk based on the presence / absence of access to the physical disk, but also determines the physical disk from the operating state of the virtual tape. Since the timing for switching on / off the power is determined, the timing at which each physical disk is powered off may be earlier than in the conventional technique in which only the physical disk that has not been accessed for a certain period of time is powered off. As a result, the power-off time of each physical disk is increased, and the power consumption can be more effectively reduced.

It is a functional block diagram which shows the structure of the virtual tape apparatus of one Embodiment which concerns on this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the logical structure of the virtual tape apparatus of embodiment disclosed in FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the correspondence of the virtual tape in a virtual tape apparatus, and a physical disk group. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the virtual tape device according to the embodiment disclosed in FIG. 1. 6 is a flowchart illustrating another example of the operation of the virtual tape device according to the embodiment disclosed in FIG. 1. 6 is a flowchart illustrating another example of the operation of the virtual tape device according to the embodiment disclosed in FIG. 1. It is explanatory drawing showing the virtual tape registration / deletion process of the virtual resource drive control part in the virtual tape apparatus of embodiment disclosed in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1 Virtual tape device 2 Host computer (host device)
3 disk array 4 command control unit 5 virtual resource control unit 6 virtual resource state monitoring unit 7 power supply switching unit 31 to 34 MA

Claims (10)

By providing a disk array having a plurality of physical disks for storing information, storing a plurality of virtual tapes in this disk array in advance, and driving the plurality of virtual tapes according to a command sent from a host device In a virtual tape device provided with a virtual resource control unit that executes read / write processing of information on each physical disk,
A power switching unit for switching power on / off of each physical disk;
Check the operating status of each virtual tape driven by the virtual resource control unit, and turn on the power to unused disks that are physical disks other than the physical disks corresponding to the virtual tape that can be accessed from the host device. A virtual resource state monitoring unit that instructs the power supply switching unit to turn off ,
The virtual resource state monitoring unit, when the virtual tape is mounted on all of a plurality of preset virtual tape drives, a physical disk other than the physical disk corresponding to the mounted virtual tape, A virtual tape device characterized by determining that the disk is an unused disk . The virtual tape device according to claim 1 ,
The virtual resource state monitoring unit determines that a physical disk on which no virtual tape is arranged is the unused disk. The virtual tape device according to any one of claims 1 to 2 ,
The virtual resource state monitoring unit has a function of instructing the power switching unit to turn off the power of a physical disk in which all corresponding virtual tapes are in a demounted state for a certain period of time. Virtual tape device. In the virtual tape device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 ,
The virtual tape device, wherein the power switching unit has a function of dividing a plurality of physical disks in the disk array into two or more disk groups and switching power on / off for each disk group. A virtual tape device comprising a disk array having a plurality of physical disks for storing information, wherein a plurality of virtual tapes are stored in advance in the disk array,
A virtual resource control unit equipped in the virtual tape device drives the plurality of virtual tapes according to a command from a host device,
The virtual resource state monitoring unit that is provided on the virtual tape device, wherein to check the operating status of the virtual tape, and a physical disk other than the physical disk corresponding to a virtual tape ready for access from said host device Determining an unused disk that is a physical disk other than the physical disk corresponding to the mounted virtual tape when the virtual tape is mounted in all of a plurality of virtual tape drives set in advance ;
An operation control method for a virtual tape device, wherein a power switching unit provided in the virtual tape device turns off the power of the unused disk. In the virtual tape device operation control method according to claim 5 ,
The virtual tape device operation control method, wherein the unused disk is a physical disk that does not store any of the virtual tapes. In the operation control method of the virtual tape device according to any one of claims 5 to 6 ,
After the virtual resource state monitoring unit determines the unused disk, it determines a physical disk in which all corresponding virtual tapes are in a demounted state for a certain period of time,
A power supply switching unit equipped in the virtual tape device turns off the power of the unused disk and a physical disk in which all corresponding virtual tapes are in a demounted state for a certain time. Operation control method. In a virtual tape device comprising a disk array composed of a plurality of physical disks storing a plurality of virtual tapes in advance, and a power switching unit for switching on / off the power of each physical disk,
A virtual resource control function for performing read / write processing of information on each physical disk by driving the plurality of virtual tapes according to a command from a host device;
The operating status of each virtual tape is confirmed, and the virtual tape is a physical disk other than the physical disk corresponding to the virtual tape that can be accessed from the host device, and the virtual tape is set in all of a plurality of preset virtual tape drives. A virtual resource that instructs the power switching unit to turn off the power of unused disks that are physical disks other than the physical disks corresponding to the mounted virtual tapes when the disk is mounted. An operation control program for a virtual tape device, which causes a computer to execute a monitoring function. In the virtual tape device operation control program according to claim 8 ,
An operation control program for a virtual tape device, wherein the virtual resource monitoring function is a function for determining that a physical disk in which no virtual tape is stored is the unused disk. In the virtual tape device operation control program according to any one of claims 8 to 9 ,
The virtual resource monitoring function identifies the unused disk and a physical disk in which all corresponding virtual tapes have been demounted for a certain period of time, and switches the power supply so that the power of the identified physical disk is turned off. A program for controlling the operation of a virtual tape device, which is a function for instructing a unit.

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