JP2000089917A - Information processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To directly back up or restore data from a magnetic storage device in a storage device sub-system without imposing a burden to a master device. SOLUTION: Relating to the information processor including the storage device sub-system consisting of a main side RAID magnetic storage device 3 connected to the master device 1 and a sub-side RAID magnetic storage device 4 arranged on a remote place and a backup device 7 connected to the device 4 and consisting of a backup controller 8 and an automatic library device 21 following the controller 8, the controller 8 is provided with an automatic library device control part 20 for controlling the device 21 and a backup control part 15 having a control function for backing up/restoring the data of a main volume 31 stored in the device 3 to a portable recording medium 2b stored in the device 21 through a sub-volume 32 in the device 4.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to information processing technology, and more particularly to backup (save) and restore (restore) of data stored in an external storage device. It relates to technology that is effective when applied to backup technology and the like to minimize it.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art It is used for an external storage device such as a general-purpose computer (upper device) and stores a large amount of a portable recording medium represented by a magnetic tape. An automatic library device having a function of attaching to or detaching from a recording medium driving device has been put to practical use.

When the entire information processing system including the host device stops operating due to, for example, a disaster such as an earthquake in the entire building, the damage not only affects the entire system over a wide area, but also causes data loss. The degree of damage associated with is large.

In response to such a concern, a host device for backup in the event of a disaster, a magnetic storage device (such as a disk), and an automatic library device are placed in a remote location, the entire system is duplicated, and the legitimate system is temporarily damaged in the event of a disaster. In the event that there is a problem, a system construction that can be operated with a backup system has also been generally performed.

[0005] With the increase in the amount of information to be handled, the conventional data backup method uses data processing, arithmetic,
Since data transfer and the like are performed by the host device, the load on the host device side is increasing.

There is also a situation in which data backup must be performed during online business due to the 24-hour online business represented by banks and the like. As a result, there is a possibility that a conflict between the data to be backed up and the data to be processed online will cause a decrease in the performance of the online business and a failure such as information destruction due to a failure in the backup process.

[0007] As described above, reducing the load on the host device and safely performing data backup are technical subjects of the data backup device.

[0008] As a prior art for performing data duplication between storage devices without imposing a load on a host device, US Pat.
No. 155845.

According to this method, a storage controller is provided in each of the remote information processing systems, and these storage controllers are provided with a function of communicating and transferring data with other storage controllers. When data duplication is performed between remote information processing systems by connecting storage control devices with a communication / data transfer path, the load of data duplication is given to the storage device side, reducing the load on the host device. What you want to do.

As a reference technology, a backup operation method for information of a host device using an automatic library device will be described below.

In the backup operation of the present reference technology, a backup job is executed at a time determined on the host device side, or a backup job is executed from a magnetic storage device (disk or the like) to the backup device after a specific process is completed. Alternatively, an operation mode is adopted in which an operator sets a program so as to execute a restore job from a backup device to a magnetic storage device.

In this case, the higher-level device controls all of the automatic library device and the recording medium driving device, and performs data writing or reading processing on the portable storage medium.

When an automatic library device is placed at a remote location, a process of transferring information to a remote location is performed by a host device.

Further, the host device directly reads data from the disk to be backed up and writes the data to a portable recording medium.

[0015]

In the case of the backup operation according to the above-mentioned reference technology, the upper-level device controls all of the automatic library device and the recording medium drive device, and performs data read processing from the magnetic storage device such as backup processing. The host device also writes data to be recorded on the portable recording medium. In addition, the host device also performs a process of reading data from the portable recording medium and a process of writing data to the magnetic storage device during the restoration process. Therefore, in the case of the reference technology, there is a technical problem that the load on the host device for the backup / restore processing increases.

Further, since the same data is used in the magnetic storage device as the read data at the time of performing the backup processing and the data used in the work of the host device, performance degradation due to competition between the work processing and the backup processing, There is also a technical problem that there is a concern that a failure in the data to be processed due to a processing failure may occur.

An object of the present invention is to provide an information processing technique capable of backing up and restoring data stored in a storage device under a host device without imposing a load on the host device.

Another object of the present invention is to prevent the performance of a normal business using a subordinate storage device by a host device from deteriorating due to competition between backup and restoration of data stored in the storage device. Another object of the present invention is to provide an information processing technology capable of backing up and restoring data stored in a storage device under a host device.

Another object of the present invention is to prevent a data failure in a normal business due to a conflict between a normal business using a subordinate storage device by a higher-level device and a backup or restoration of data stored in the storage device. Another object of the present invention is to provide an information processing technology capable of backing up and restoring data stored in a storage device under a host device.

Another object of the present invention is to perform a normal operation of using a storage device under the control of a higher-level device and a backup or restoration of data based on an instruction of the higher-level device in parallel, without being conscious of the higher-level device. It is an object of the present invention to provide an information processing technology capable of performing such processing.

Another object of the present invention is to perform a normal operation of using a subordinate storage device by a higher-level device and a backup or restoration of data based on a desired schedule in parallel, without being conscious of the higher-level device. It is an object of the present invention to provide an information processing technology that can perform the information processing.

Another object of the present invention is to perform a normal operation of using a subordinate storage device by a higher-level device and a backup and restoration of data as needed based on an operator's instruction, without making the higher-level device conscious. It is an object of the present invention to provide an information processing technology that can be performed by using

[0023]

An information processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a first storage device for exchanging data with a higher-level device, and a first storage device connected to the first storage device. A second storage device installed at a remote location with respect to the device, a third storage device connected to the second storage device, and a third storage device provided in the first storage device; Data saving operation for saving the stored data to the third storage device via the second storage device, and the data saving operation for saving the data saved to the third storage device to the first storage device via the second storage device. Backup control means for executing a data save / restore process comprising at least one of data restore operations for restoring data to a storage device.

More specifically, as an example, the third storage device includes an automatic library device and a backup control device as backup control means. The automatic library device includes a plurality of portable recording media and at least one A recording medium driving device, and an automatic transport device for attaching or detaching the designated portable recording medium to or from the designated recording medium driving device.

Further, the backup control device includes a control memory for storing portable recording medium management information and status management information for each device of the automatic library device, and for designating data in the first storage device from the host device. In response to an instruction for backing up the specified data to the automatic library device, an instruction to generate duplicate data of the specified data and store it in the second storage device is issued to the first storage device. A portable recording medium and a recording medium driving device are selected based on each information, and the copy data stored in the second storage device is backed up on the portable recording medium selected by the selected recording medium driving device. The portable recording medium and the recording medium drive based on the information in the control memory according to the designation of the data in the automatic library device and the instruction to restore the designated data. A control logic for selecting an apparatus, reading specified data from a portable recording medium selected by the selected recording medium drive, and storing the read data in the first storage via the second storage. Is provided.

The backup control device includes a schedule management control unit, a schedule information storage unit, and an operator instruction input control unit. The schedule management control unit includes a first storage device stored in the schedule information storage unit. The control logic notifies the designation of data in the first storage device and the instruction to back up the designated data to the automatic library device, and the operator instruction input control unit designates the data in the first storage device input by the operator and the designated data. The control logic is notified of a backup instruction to the automatic library device, or a designation of data in the automatic library device and a process of restoring the designated data to the first storage device.

[0027]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a control block diagram showing an example of a configuration of an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5 show information processing apparatuses according to the present embodiment. Conceptual diagrams showing an example of control information used in the device, and FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are flowcharts showing an example of the operation of the information processing device of the present embodiment.

In the embodiment of the present invention, an automatic library device such as a cartridge type magnetic tape, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk or the like is used as an automatic library device, a storage device is a RAID magnetic storage device such as a so-called disk array, and a backup control device. The following describes a case where a workstation is used.

The information processing apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a storage subsystem 2 operating under the host apparatus 1 and a backup device 7 connected to the storage subsystem 2.
And

In the storage subsystem 2, 3 is the primary RAID magnetic storage, 4 is the secondary RAID magnetic storage, 27 is the communication controller in the primary RAID magnetic storage 3, and 28 is the secondary RAID magnetic storage. A communication control unit in the device 4, 29 is a secondary volume creation control unit in the primary RAID magnetic storage device 3, 30 is a secondary volume creation control unit in the secondary RAID magnetic storage device 4, 31 is a primary RAID magnetic storage device One data (primary volume) stored in 3 is data (secondary volume) 32 copied from the primary volume in the secondary RAID magnetic storage device 4.

In this embodiment, the primary RAID magnetic storage device 3 is connected to the host device 1 via an interface line 2a such as a channel I / F. The secondary RAID magnetic storage device 4 is located at a remote location from the primary RAID magnetic storage device 3 and is connected to the primary RAID magnetic storage device 3 via the interface line 2b.

On the other hand, the backup device 7 includes a backup control device 8 composed of a work station or the like and an automatic library device 21. The backup device 7 is connected to the storage subsystem 2 via the interface line 7a.
Is connected to the secondary RAID magnetic storage device 4.

In the backup control device 8 comprising a workstation or the like, 9 is a channel control unit, 11 is a command control unit, 10 is a schedule management control unit, 15 is a backup control unit, 16 is a restore control unit, 17 is schedule information, Reference numeral 18 denotes an operator instruction input control unit, 19 denotes backup volume information, 20 denotes an automatic library device control unit, 12 denotes a control memory, 13 denotes portable recording medium management information, and 14 denotes a state of each device of an automatic library device 21 described later. Management information.

In the automatic library device 21, reference numeral 22 denotes an automatic transport device control unit, reference numeral 23 denotes a recording medium driving device, reference numeral 24 denotes an automatic transport device, reference numeral 25 denotes a portable recording medium outlet, and reference numeral 26
Is a portable recording medium insertion port, 21a is a storage shelf, and 21b is a portable recording medium.

As exemplified in FIG. 2, the portable recording medium management information 13 according to the present embodiment includes, as an example, a label 13 for identifying each portable recording medium 21b.
a, a cell address 13b indicating a storage position on the storage shelf 21a, detailed information 13c, and the like. Further, the detailed information 13c stores, for example, information such as a tape type 13d, a remaining capacity 13e, and a storage volume name 13f.

As shown in FIG. 3, for example, the status management information 14 of the automatic library device 21 includes a drive device ID 14a for identifying each recording medium drive device 23.
And the operation state of the recording medium driving device 23 specified by the driving device ID 14a (recording operation / reproducing operation / failure, label 13 of the loaded portable recording medium 21b).
a), a transport device ID 14c for identifying the automatic transport device 24, and the transport device I
State information 14d indicating the operation state (position information on the transfer path, etc.) of the automatic transfer device 24 specified by D14c
And the identification ID 14e of the port 25 for taking out the portable recording medium
State information 14f indicating the operation state of the portable recording medium take-out port 25, and the identification ID of the portable recording medium insertion port 26
14g and state information 14h indicating the operation state of the portable recording medium insertion port 26 are stored.

As exemplified in FIG. 4, the schedule information 17 includes, for example, a backup start time 17a,
Pre-processing start time 17b, backup target VOL name 17
c, a management flag 17d, and the like.

The pre-processing start time 17b is the time required to make a copy of the volume data to be backed up from the primary RAID magnetic storage device 3 to the secondary RAID magnetic storage device 4 via the interface line 2a. In anticipation of this, it means a time for instructing a backup process earlier than a target backup start time.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, in the backup volume information 19, a pair of a management flag 19a and a volume name 19b is set for all volumes in the primary volume 31 that need to be backed up.

As the backup or restore processing realized by the backup device 7 in the information processing apparatus of the present embodiment, there are the following three processes as examples.

(1) Backup or restore processing at the request of the upper apparatus 1 (backup or restore processing associated with the job of the upper apparatus 1).

(2) Backup processing based on a plan (schedule) preset by an operator on the backup control device 8.

(3) Immediate backup by an operator's instruction via the operation console of the backup control device 8, or
This is a restore process.

The backup or restore processing will be described in detail below.

First, (1) backup or restore processing requested by the higher-level device 1 will be described.

First, the backup process will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

The host device 1 is a primary RAID magnetic storage device 3
Request a backup process of the specified data (primary volume 31) in the server.

The secondary volume generation control unit 29 in the primary RAID magnetic storage device 3 controls the secondary volume generation control via the communication control unit 27, the interface line 2b, and the communication control unit 28 in the secondary RAID magnetic storage device 4. The information of the primary volume 31 is transmitted to and from the unit 30, and the secondary volume 32 is generated.

At this time, the host device 1
You can continue the business using.

After the creation of the secondary volume 32 is completed, the secondary volume creation control unit 30
Request the backup processing of the secondary volume 32 to the channel control unit 9.

The backup processing request is sent to the command control unit 11 via the channel control unit 9, the command control unit 11 interprets the processing contents, and sends the request to the backup control unit 15.

The backup controller 15 determines the portable recording medium 21b to be used from the portable recording media 21b stored in the automatic library device 21 based on the portable recording medium management information 13, and stores the storage shelf 21a. Then, the storage position (cell address) is acquired, and the state of the recording medium drive 23 used is referred to based on the state management information 14 of the automatic library apparatus 21. Further, the backup control unit 15 is connected via the automatic library device control unit 20 to
The portable recording medium 2 for the automatic library device 21
Attach 1b to the recording medium drive 23 (mount)
Send instructions.

The automatic library device 21 receives the command by the automatic transport device control section 22, controls the automatic transport device 24, and mounts (mounts) it on the recording medium drive device 23.

The backup control device 8 transfers the data in the sub-volume 32 to the recording medium driving device 23 and writes (backs up) the data in the sub-volume 32 to the portable recording medium 21b.

After the completion of the backup process, the backup control device 8 reports it to the secondary volume generation control unit 30, and removes (demounts) the portable recording medium 21b from the recording medium drive device 23, and The automatic transport device 24 transfers the recording medium 21b to the original storage shelf 21a.
Use to return.

In the secondary volume generation control unit 30,
After receiving the backup processing completion report, the secondary volume 32
Is destroyed. Further, the communication control unit 28, the communication control unit 2
7. The higher-level device 1 via the secondary volume generation controller 29
Report that backup processing has been completed.

Next, the restore processing will be described.

The upper-level device 1 requests the primary RAID magnetic storage device 3 to perform a process for restoring specific data (primary volume 31). The secondary volume generation control unit 29 in the primary RAID magnetic storage device 3 includes a communication control unit 27, a secondary RAID
Via the communication control unit 28 and the secondary volume generation control unit 30 in the magnetic storage device 4, a request is made to the channel control unit 9 of the backup control device 8 for a restore process.

The restore processing request is sent to the command control unit 11 via the channel control unit 9 and the command control unit 1
In step 1, the processing content is interpreted and sent to the restore control unit 16 according to the type of processing. The restore control unit 16 acquires, from the portable recording medium management information 13, the storage position of the portable recording medium 21b storing the designated data with reference to the backup volume information 19 on the storage shelf 21a,
Further, the status of the recording medium driving device 23 to be used is referred to from the status management information 14 of the automatic library device 21. Further, the restore control unit 16 includes an automatic library device control unit 20.
To the automatic library device 21 via the (mounting) command to attach the portable recording medium 21b to the recording medium driving device 23. The automatic library device 21 receives the command by the automatic transport device control unit 22, controls the automatic transport device 24, and attaches (mounts) it to the recording medium drive device 23. The backup control device 8 uses the recording medium driving device 23 to write (restore) data from the portable recording medium 21b to the secondary volume 32.

Further, the secondary volume generation control unit 30 transmits the primary RAID through the communication control unit 28 and the communication control unit 27.
The data is transferred and stored in the primary volume 31 in synchronization with the secondary volume generation control unit 29 of the magnetic storage device 3.
After the restoration process is completed, the backup control device 8 reports the report to the secondary volume creation control unit 30, and removes (demounts) the portable recording medium 21b from the recording medium drive device 23, and 21b
Is returned to the original storage shelf 21a using the automatic transport device 24.

In the secondary volume generation control unit 30,
After receiving the backup processing completion report, the secondary volume 32
Is destroyed. Further, the communication control unit 28, the communication control unit 2
7. The higher-level device 1 via the secondary volume generation controller 29
Report that the restore process has been completed.

Next, (2) a backup process based on a plan (schedule) set by an operator on the backup control device 8 will be described.

This backup processing is performed as an example in FIG.
The flowchart is as exemplified in FIG.

The backup processing schedule determined by the operator is stored in the backup control device 8 as schedule information 17. As exemplified in FIG. 4, the schedule information 17 includes the backup start time 17
a, data to be backed up at that time (a backup target VOL name 17c, a plurality of data can be specified),
Also, a pre-processing start time 17b and a management flag 17d are stored.

The schedule management control unit 10 reads the schedule information 17 and, when the pre-processing start time 17b is reached, firstly, through the backup control unit 15, the command control unit 11, and the channel control unit 9, creates the secondary volume. It requests the control unit 30 to create the secondary volume 32. The secondary volume generation control unit 30 includes a communication control unit 28,
Via the communication control unit 27, the primary RAID magnetic storage device 3
The secondary volume 32 is synchronized with the secondary volume generation control unit 29 and a secondary volume 32 which is a copy of the primary volume 31 is generated.

Next, when the scheduled backup start time 17a has been reached, the backup control unit 15 is called up, and information backup processing is executed from the secondary volume 32. The backup controller 15 determines the portable recording medium 21b to be used from the portable recording media 21b stored in the automatic library device 21 based on the portable recording medium management information 13, and stores the portable recording medium 21b in the storage shelf 21a. The position is acquired, and the state of the recording medium drive 23 to be used is referred to from the state management information 14 of the automatic library apparatus 21.

Further, the backup control unit 15 sends a command (mount) for attaching the portable recording medium 21b to the recording medium drive unit 23 to the automatic library unit 21 via the automatic library unit control unit 20. The automatic library device 21 receives the command by the automatic transport device control unit 22, controls the automatic transport device 24, and attaches the portable recording medium 21b to the recording medium drive device 23 (mount). The backup control device 8 writes (backs up) data in the secondary volume 32 to the portable recording medium 21b by using the recording medium driving device 23. After the backup processing is completed, the backup control device 8 reports the backup processing to the secondary volume generation control unit 30 and
Further, the portable recording medium 21b is removed (demounted) from the recording medium driving device 23, and the portable recording medium 21b is returned to the original storage shelf 21a using the automatic transport device 24.

In the secondary volume generation control unit 30,
After receiving the backup processing completion report, the secondary volume 32
Is destroyed. The schedule management control unit 10 writes that the backup processing has been completed in the management flag 17d or the like of the schedule information 17. This series of backup processing is performed asynchronously with the operation of the host device 1. Further, the host device 1 can perform a task without being aware that the backup process is being executed.

Next, (3) immediate backup or restore processing instructed by an operator on the backup control device 8 will be described.

First, the backup process will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The operator designates and inputs one or more data (primary volume 31) to be backed up from the operator instruction input control unit 18. The designated backup volume information is passed to the backup control unit 15.

Further, it is held as backup volume information 19. The backup control unit 15 requests the secondary volume creation control unit 30 to create a secondary volume based on the designated backup volume information 19. The secondary volume generation control unit 30 includes the communication control unit 2
8. Synchronize with the secondary volume creation control unit 29 in the primary RAID magnetic storage device 3 via the communication control unit 27, and create a secondary volume 32 that is a copy of the primary volume 31. After the secondary volume generation is completed, the backup control unit 15 uses the portable recording medium management information 13 to store the portable recording medium 21 stored in the automatic library device 21.
b, the portable storage medium 21b to be used is determined, the storage position on the storage shelf 21a is acquired, and the state of the used recording medium drive 23 is referred to from the state management information 14 of the automatic library apparatus 21.

Further, the backup control unit 15 sends a command (mount) for attaching the portable recording medium 21b to the recording medium drive unit 23 to the automatic library unit 21 via the automatic library unit control unit 20. The automatic library device 21 receives the command by the automatic transport device control unit 22, controls the automatic transport device 24, and attaches the portable recording medium 21b to the recording medium drive device 23 (mount). The backup control device 8 uses the recording medium drive device 23 to write (back up) data in the secondary volume 32 to the portable recording medium 21b. After the backup process is completed, the backup control unit 1
5 reports the report to the secondary volume generation control unit 30, and transfers the portable recording medium 21b to the recording medium driving device 2.
3, the portable recording medium 2
1b is returned to the original storage shelf 21a using the automatic transport device 24.

In the secondary volume generation control unit 30,
After receiving the backup processing completion report, the secondary volume 32
Is destroyed. This series of backup processing is performed asynchronously with the operation of the host device 1.

Further, the host device 1 can perform business without being aware that the backup process is being executed.

Next, the restore processing will be described.

The operator refers to the backup volume information 19 in the operator instruction input control unit 18 to designate data to be restored and to designate a secondary R for storing the data.
A (secondary) volume in the AID magnetic storage device 4 is designated. The input data to be restored and the restore destination (secondary) volume information are passed to the restore control unit 16. The restore control unit 16 refers to the backup volume information 19, acquires the storage position of the portable storage medium storing the specified data on the storage shelf 21a from the portable storage medium management information 13, and The status of the recording medium drive 23 used is referred to from the status management information 14 of the automatic library device 21.

Further, the restore control unit 16 controls the automatic library device 21 via the automatic library device control unit 20.
Is sent to the recording medium driving device 23 for the portable recording medium 21b.

The automatic library device 21 receives the mount command by the automatic transport device control section 22, controls the automatic transport device 24, and mounts (mounts) it on the recording medium drive device 23. The backup control device 8 uses the recording medium driving device 23 to write (restore) data from the portable recording medium 21b to the (secondary) volume. After the restoration process is completed, the restore control unit 16 removes the portable recording medium 21b from the recording medium driving device 23 (demounts) and returns the portable recording medium 21b to the original storage shelf using the automatic transport device 24. .

Further, the secondary volume generation control unit 30
Via the communication control unit 28 and the communication control unit 27, the primary RAI
The data is transferred and stored in the primary volume 31 in synchronization with the secondary volume generation control unit 29 of the D magnetic storage device 3. This series of backup processing is performed asynchronously with the operation of the host device 1.

Further, the host device 1 can perform business without being aware of the execution of the restore process.

However, if the higher-level device 1 accesses the primary volume 31 during the execution of the above-described restore processing, an error is returned from the higher-level RAID magnetic storage device 3 to the higher-level device 1.

As described above, according to the information processing apparatus of the present embodiment, the backup control device 8 provided in the backup device 7 operates in the storage device subsystem 2 from the primary RAID magnetic storage device 3 to the secondary RAID magnetic storage device 3. The backup target data copied to the side RAID magnetic storage device 4 is directly backed up, or the primary RAID is transferred from the automatic library device 21 via the secondary RAID magnetic storage device 4 in the storage subsystem 2. Since the restore operation is directly performed on the magnetic storage device 3, the host device 1 does not need to perform the backup operation, so that the load on the upper device 1 can be reduced.

Further, the primary RAID magnetic storage device 3 and the secondary RAID magnetic storage device 4 in the storage subsystem 2
The data loss caused by a disaster or the like can be prevented by duplicating data between remote locations.

Further, the data backup processing business can be performed in accordance with the backup plan independently scheduled from the business of the higher-level device 1, and the degree of freedom such as the execution timing of the backup is improved.

Further, since an immediate backup or a restore operation can be performed according to an instruction from the operator to the backup control device 8, a flexible system operation management becomes possible.

Further, when the storage subsystem 2 and the automatic library device 21 are located at remote locations,
Can perform backup or restore processing.

Further, in the storage subsystem 2, the data to be backed up is copied from the primary RAID magnetic storage device 3 to the secondary RAID magnetic storage device 4 located at a remote location, and the backup operation is performed using this backup target data. , It is possible to reliably perform data security in the event of a disaster such as an earthquake.

Although the invention made by the present inventor has been specifically described based on the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be variously modified without departing from the gist thereof. Needless to say, there is.

For example, the first and second storage devices are not limited to RAID magnetic storage devices and the like, and general storage devices can be widely used. Further, the third storage device is not limited to an automatic library device, and a general storage device can be widely used.

[0091]

According to the information processing apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to back up and restore data stored in a storage device under the host device without imposing a load on the host device. Can be

Further, the performance of the normal business using the storage device under the control of the higher-level device and the performance of the normal business due to the conflict between the backup and the restoration of the data stored in the storage device do not occur. The effect that the data stored in the storage device can be backed up or restored can be obtained.

Further, the normal operation of the higher-level device using the subordinate storage device and the backup and restoration of the data stored in the higher-level device do not cause a data failure of the normal operation due to contention with the lower-level device. The effect that the data stored in the storage device can be backed up or restored can be obtained.

Further, the normal operation of using the subordinate storage device by the host device and the backup and restoration of data based on the instruction of the host device can be performed in parallel without making the host device aware. Is obtained.

Also, the normal operation of using the subordinate storage device by the higher-level device and the backup and restoration of data based on a desired schedule can be performed in parallel without being conscious of the higher-level device. can get.

Further, the normal operation of using the subordinate storage device by the higher-level device and the occasional backup and restoration of data based on the instruction of the operator can be performed in parallel without being conscious of the higher-level device. The effect is obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a control block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of control information used in the information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of control information used in the information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of control information used in the information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of control information used in the information processing device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation of the information processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation of the information processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation of the information processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Upper apparatus, 2 ... Storage subsystem, 2a ... Interface line, 2b ... Interface line, 3 ... Primary RA
ID magnetic storage device (first storage device), 4 ... secondary RAI
D magnetic storage device (second storage device), 7 backup device (third storage device), 7a interface line, 8
... backup controller, 9 ... channel controller, 10 ...
Schedule management control unit, 11 ... command control unit, 12
... Control memory, 13 ... Portable recording medium management information, 13a
... label, 13b ... cell address, 13c ... detailed information,
13d: tape type, 13e: remaining capacity, 13f: storage volume name, 14: status management information, 14a: drive device ID, 14b: status information, 14c: transport device ID, 14
d: status information, 14e: identification ID, 14f: status information,
14g identification ID, 14h status information, 15 backup control unit, 16 restore control unit, 17 schedule information, 17a backup start time, 17b preprocessing start time, 17c backup target VOL name, 17
d: management flag, 18: operator instruction input control unit, 19:
Backup volume information, 19a... Management flag, 1
9b: Volume name, 20: Automatic library device control unit, 21: Automatic library device, 21a: Storage shelf, 21
b: portable recording medium, 22: automatic transport device controller, 23
... Recording medium driving device, 24 ... Automatic conveyance device, 25 ... Portable recording medium take-out port, 26 ... Portable recording medium input port,
27: Communication control unit, 28: Communication control unit, 29: Secondary volume generation control unit, 30: Secondary volume generation control unit, 31
... primary volume, 32 ... secondary volume.

Claims (3)

[Claims] A first storage device for exchanging data with a higher-level device; and a first storage device connected to the first storage device and installed at a remote location with respect to the first storage device. A second storage device; a third storage device connected to the second storage device; and a second storage device provided in the third storage device and storing the data stored in the first storage device in the second storage device. A data evacuation operation for evacuation to the third storage device via the second storage device, and a data evacuation operation for saving the data evacuation to the third storage device via the second storage device for the first storage device An information processing apparatus, comprising: backup control means for executing a data save / restore process including at least one of data restore operations for restoring the apparatus. 2. The data save / restore process according to claim 1, wherein said backup control means is triggered by a command given from said higher-level device via said first and second storage devices. A second control function for executing the data evacuation / restoration processing based on preset schedule information; and executing the data evacuation / restoration processing at any time in response to a command given by an operator. An information processing apparatus comprising at least one of the following: a third control function. 3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the third storage device comprises an automatic library device having a portable recording medium, and wherein the backup control means
An information processing apparatus comprising a fourth control function for controlling the automatic library device.