Virtual Storage System Automation for Remote Copy Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional virtualized storage systems require manual configuration and resource management, leading to high operational costs and performance degradation when applied across multiple data centers, as they lack automated methods for determining optimal physical storage systems and managing remote copy functionalities.
Innovation Solution
The system automates the management of virtual storage systems by automatically assigning physical storage capacity from the same data center, configuring remote copy environments, and managing volume IDs, allowing for seamless I/O path changes and failure recovery without disrupting applications, and extends this automation to multi-data center configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If manual configuration and resource management is used in virtualized storage systems, then operators can control storage allocation, but operational costs increase and automation is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The storage system automatically determines and allocates physical storage resources without operator intervention. The controller autonomously identifies available capacity in physical storage systems, assigns volumes to virtual storage systems, and configures remote copy relationships based on predefined policies, eliminating the need for manual configuration while reducing operational costs
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-configures remote copy relationships and storage allocation policies in advance. When a volume needs to be created or migrated, the controller has already established the necessary physical storage resources and copy relationships, enabling automated and immediate allocation without requiring operators to perform preparatory configuration steps
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional virtualized storage systems are applied across multiple data centers, then storage resource sharing is enabled, but performance degradation occurs due to processing beyond data centers
Solution Approach 1:
The controller prioritizes allocating storage resources from physical storage systems located in the same data center as the requesting server. By making storage allocation location-aware, the system ensures that I/O operations are handled locally whenever possible, maintaining high performance while still enabling cross-data-center resource sharing when necessary
Solution Approach 2:
The centralized controller acts as an intelligent intermediary that manages storage allocation across multiple data centers. It receives I/O requests, determines the optimal local physical storage system based on server location and available capacity, and routes operations accordingly, thereby eliminating the need for servers to directly process requests across data center boundaries
3Reliability
If remote copy is configured using two sets of storage systems, then data redundancy is achieved, but configuration complexity increases with multiple settings required
Solution Approach 1:
The controller automatically establishes remote copy relationships between primary and secondary volumes without requiring operator configuration. When a volume is allocated to a virtual storage system, the controller autonomously identifies suitable physical storage systems for primary and secondary copies, configures the remote copy relationship, and manages data synchronization, thereby achieving data redundancy while eliminating configuration complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges the volume creation process with remote copy configuration. Instead of requiring separate steps for creating volumes and configuring remote copy relationships, the controller performs both operations simultaneously, integrating multiple configuration tasks into a single automated process that reduces complexity while maintaining full data redundancy
4Productivity
If physical storage systems are manually assigned to virtual storage systems, then storage allocation is controlled, but operational costs and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The controller autonomously performs storage allocation by identifying available capacity in physical storage systems and automatically assigning volumes to virtual storage systems based on requested capacity and performance requirements. This eliminates the time-consuming manual process of checking availability and configuring allocations, significantly improving storage allocation efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains up-to-date information about physical storage system capacity and status in advance. When allocation requests are received, the controller can immediately determine suitable targets from pre-analyzed availability data, eliminating the need for operators to perform time-consuming discovery and configuration steps
Data Source
AI summary
Exemplary embodiments provide techniques of managing storage systems including remote copy systems and improving the manageability by automating complicated operations. In one embodiment, a computer comprises a memory and a controller. The controller is operable to: manage a virtual volume to be provided for a server; manage a plurality of logical volumes provided from a plurality of storage systems; manage a condition to be required of the virtual volume, the condition relating to a location in which data to be sent to the virtual volume is stored; manage location information of each of the plurality of logical volumes, the location information of a logical volume being defined based on a location of the logical volume; and control to map the virtual volume to a logical volume of the plurality of logical volumes, based on the condition of the virtual volume and the location information of the logical volumes.