JP2008204372A - Inter-storage communication system and inter-storage communication program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an inter-storage communication system and an inter-storage communication program which can be used even when a public communication network is not available for performing data communication which is high in security by using data transmission and reception between the storages of an existing replication system. <P>SOLUTION: This inter-storage communication system is provided with a means for converting communication data into a data column to be written in a storage; a means for writing the converted data column in a storage; a means for reading the data column from the storage; and a means for restoring the read data column. Thus, it is possible to transmit and receive the data by using the existing replication system. Also, it is possible to improve security, and to reduce any risk that data may be stolen or infected by virus or spyware not by using a public communication network. Furthermore, it is possible to perform data communication even when the public communication network is not available, for example, when any disaster occurs. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a system for performing data communication between servers, and more particularly to an inter-storage communication system and an inter-storage communication program using data transfer between storages in a replication system that keeps data contents of a plurality of storages the same.

  With the globalization of information communication networks, the amount of information communicated has become enormous. For this reason, the capacity of public communication networks such as the Internet has been increasing. Also, data communication between servers is increasingly performed via a public communication network such as the Internet.

  Along with this, theft of data via public communication networks, theft of data due to spyware and viruses, theft of data due to crackers entering the server, and tampering have become problems.

Also, when the public communication network becomes unusable, such as when the public communication network is destroyed due to a disaster or terrorism, an alternative communication path is necessary.
Furthermore, as the size of data to be communicated increases, it is desired to secure a communication path other than the public communication network, but enormous costs are required to draw a dedicated line.

  On the other hand, conventionally, in the operation of a database, a master database and a replica database are prepared and updated so that operations can be maintained even if a disaster occurs, or in order to prevent concentration of access to one database. A replication system is adopted in which the contents of the database are the same by processing.

  A replication system connects multiple storage systems via a communication network, performs data update processing synchronously or asynchronously, and sends and receives data between storage systems, so that the data contents of multiple storages are identical. Keep trying.

  A replication program and a data system (see Patent Document 1) that can suppress a time lag in updating between a plurality of databases have been proposed.

In the database system described in Patent Document 1, when the update frequency of the master database is high, the differential data is stored and then collectively sent to the replica database. When the update frequency is low, the differential data is generated. Each time, the difference data is transmitted to the replica database. For this reason, it is said that the time lag of the update between the master database and the replica database can be suppressed.
JP 2006-318020 A

  As described above, data communication using the public communication network has a security problem such as data theft and a problem of securing an alternative communication network when the public communication network cannot be used due to a disaster or the like. Have.

  In other words, as a security problem, in data communication using a conventional public communication network, theft of data flowing through the public network, theft of data by spyware and viruses, and the access of data by the cracker entering the server It can be stolen or tampered with.

  In addition, as a problem of securing an alternative communication network, an alternative communication path is required when the public communication network becomes unusable, such as when the public communication network is destroyed due to a disaster or terrorism. Is a huge cost.

  However, in the past, replication systems have databases installed at multiple locations so that business operations are not interrupted even if a disaster occurs, etc., and each database is connected via a communication line to communicate data between databases. Has been done.

  Therefore, if communication between databases in an already installed replication system can be used for data communication, the public communication network is not used, so security problems can be solved and alternative communication networks can be secured for disasters. .

  However, an invention that uses data transmission / reception during data update processing in a replication system for data communication has not yet been disclosed.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the security problem in the conventional data communication, and to use the data transmission / reception between the storages of the existing replication system, which can be used as an alternative communication network at the time of disaster, etc. It is to provide a communication program between a system and a storage.

The problems of the present invention can be solved by the following inventions.
That is, the inter-storage communication system of the present invention is a communication system between servers using data transfer between storages in a replication system that keeps the data contents of a plurality of storages the same, and stores data to be transmitted to other servers. Data conversion means for converting into a data string that can be written to, storage writing means for storing the data string in the storage, and reading from the storage that reads the data string copied from the other storage by the replication system from the storage Any one of: means, data restoring means for restoring the data string read by the reading means to original data, the data converting means, the writing means to the storage, the reading means from the storage, and the data restoring means Means When an error occurs in the definitive treatment, it is mainly characterized by comprising a communication monitoring means for transmitting the error information to the server.

For this reason, since the data line can be used other than at the time of data update processing in the replication system, the line use efficiency is improved.
In addition, since no public communication network is used, there is little risk of data being stolen, and there is an effect that the security is high because data is not disclosed to the public network even if it is infected with a virus.
Furthermore, even when the public communication network cannot be used due to a disaster or the like, it can be used, so it can be used as an emergency communication line in the event of a disaster.
Furthermore, since an existing replication system is used, it can be introduced at a lower cost compared to laying a dedicated line.

  The inter-storage communication program of the present invention is a program for performing communication between servers using data transfer between storages in a replication system that keeps the data contents of a plurality of storages the same. A data conversion step for converting data to be transmitted into a data string that can be written to the storage, a write step to the storage for storing the data string in the storage, and a data string copied from the other storage by the replication system from the storage A reading step from the storage to be read; a data restoring step for restoring the data string read by the reading step to the original data; the data conversion step; a writing step to the storage; and a reading from the storage. Inclusive step, when an error occurs in any of the steps of the data recovery step, and mainly characterized by comprising a communication monitoring step of transmitting the error information to the server.

As described above, according to the inter-storage communication system of the present invention, data communication can be performed even when a public communication network cannot be used, such as during a disaster.
Also, highly secure data communication can be performed.
Furthermore, existing facilities can be used effectively and the introduction cost can be kept low.

  Hereinafter, one embodiment for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(Constitution)
FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an inter-storage communication system according to the present invention. This communication system includes a first server 2 incorporating an inter-storage communication system 1, a second server 3 incorporating an inter-storage communication system 1, a first storage 4, and a second storage 5. Here, the inter-storage communication system 1 can be installed not as a server but as a device separate from the server outside the server.

  The inter-storage communication system 1 includes a communication monitoring unit 6, a data conversion unit 7, a storage writing unit 8, a storage reading unit 9, and a data restoration unit 10.

  The first server 2 and the first storage 4 are connected via a communication line, and the first server 2 can write data into the first storage or read data from the first storage.

  Similarly, the second server 3 and the second storage 5 are connected via a communication line, and the second server 3 can write data to the second storage or read data from the second storage.

  The first storage 4 and the second storage 5 constitute a replication system, and are updated so that the data stored in the respective storages are the same. Therefore, data written to one storage is also written to the other storage by the update process.

(Operation)
Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. When data is transmitted from the first server to the second server, for example, when an e-mail is transmitted, the e-mail data is converted into a data string that can be written to the storage by the data conversion means 7.

The converted data string is written into a storage area for communication provided in the first storage by the storage writing means 8. The data string written in the communication storage area is written into the communication storage area provided in the second storage by the update process of the replication system.
Here, the communication area for writing the data string can be secured in the cache memory.

  When reading means 9 from the storage of the second server 3 detects that data has been written to the communication storage area of the second storage 5, it reads the written data. The read data is restored as e-mail data by the data restoring means 6. The same applies when data is transmitted from the second server to the first server.

When an error occurs in the processing in the data conversion means 7, the storage writing means 8, the storage reading means 9, or the data restoration means 10, the error information is transmitted to the server by the communication monitoring means 6.
The communication means 6 periodically performs idle communication or control communication and monitors whether communication is normally performed between the storages. The monitoring result is transmitted to the server.

  In this way, data communication can be performed using data transfer between storages in the replication system. At this time, the replication system may be a system employing asynchronous transfer. In this case, since data communication can be performed using the idle transfer idle time, the communication line can be used effectively. The replication system may be a system that employs synchronous transfer. In this case, rapid data transfer can be performed.

Further, communication can be performed without establishing a connection between servers.
When the data conversion means 7 converts the data, a correction code can be added to the data. As the correction code, CRC, checksum, parity, Hamming code, etc. can be used.

  In this case, the data restoration means 10 on the data receiving side can correct the error of the data using the correction code. In addition, when error correction cannot be performed, it is possible to request the transmission source server to retransmit data. For this reason, the reliability of transmission data can be improved.

  As a connection between the storage and the server, any method can be adopted as long as it is a method usually used for connection between the computer and the storage. For example, IEEE1394, USB2, SCSI, fiber channel, etc. can be used.

  In addition, by providing a dedicated adapter in the storage and connecting to the server, it is possible to support various connection means. For example, if the dedicated adapter is made compatible with Fiber Channel, the server and the storage can be connected with Fiber Channel. If the dedicated adapter is compatible with Ethernet (registered trademark), the server and the storage can be connected with Ethernet (registered trademark).

  As described above, generally, a line that is not used for data communication is used, and the communication protocol is not a protocol that is widely spread as data communication such as the Internet protocol. Therefore, the security of data communication can be improved.

Further, when data is converted by the data conversion means 7, the security can be further enhanced by making the data conversion method unique.
Further, when data is converted by the data conversion means 7, security can be further improved by encrypting the converted data.

  Since the present invention can be constructed separately from the public communication line, communication can be performed by using the communication system of the present invention even when the public line cannot be communicated during a disaster or the like.

  The present invention can be modified in various ways within the scope of its technical idea. For example, the operation performed by the inter-storage communication system of the present invention can also be performed by the CPU of the computer system reading and executing the program on the storage device, and the invention will be solved by obtaining exactly the same effects. The problem to be solved can be solved.

  The inter-storage communication system of the present invention is realized by an OS, an application, a database, a program, etc. constructed on hardware resources including a computer CPU, memory, storage, display, input / output device, etc. Since information processing called communication is specifically realized by using the above hardware resources, it corresponds to the technical idea using the laws of nature, and is an electronic mail, WWW (World) that performs data communication. It can be used in various fields such as Wide Web) and data transfer.

1 is an overall configuration diagram of an inter-storage communication system according to the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Inter-storage communication system 2 1st server 3 2nd server 4 1st storage 5 2nd storage 6 Communication monitoring means 7 Data conversion means 8 Storage writing means 9 Storage reading means 10 Data restoration means

Claims (2)

A communication system between servers using data transfer between storages in a replication system that keeps the data contents of multiple storages the same,
Data conversion means for converting data to be transmitted to another server into a data string that can be written to the storage;
Means for writing to the storage for storing the data string in the storage;
Reading means from the storage for reading the data string copied from the other storage by the replication system, and
Data restoring means for restoring the data string read by the reading means to the original data;
A communication monitoring means for transmitting error information to a server when an error occurs in the processing in any of the data conversion means, the writing means to the storage, the reading means from the storage, and the data restoring means;
An inter-storage communication system comprising: A program for communicating between servers using data transfer between storages in a replication system that keeps the data contents of multiple storages the same,
A data conversion step for converting data to be transmitted to another server into a data string that can be written to the storage;
A step of writing to the storage to store the data string in the storage;
A step of reading from the storage to read the data string copied from the other storage by the replication system;
A data restoration step for restoring the data string read by the reading step to the original data;
A communication monitoring step of sending error information to a server when an error occurs in any of the data conversion step, the write step to the storage, the read step from the storage, and the data restoration step;
An inter-storage communication program comprising:

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