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Storage control method for managing access environment enabling host to access dataRelated Patent Categories: Electrical Computers And Digital Processing Systems: Multicomputer Data Transferring, Distributed Data Processing, Client/serverStorage control method for managing access environment enabling host to access data description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070124366, Storage control method for managing access environment enabling host to access data. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATION [0001] This application relates to and claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-321346, filed on Nov. 4, 2005, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to data storage technology. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] The following is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application 2005-115438, for example. [0004] A load monitoring unit 21 of a distributed filesystem management server 2 monitors the load status of respective disks 4a to 4m. When the load on a specific disk exceeds a predetermined level, a data control unit 23 moves data stored in the disk to another disk, and updates directory information in a directory information database 221 by reflecting this data migration. When a client makes an inquiry regarding the directory information, a directory notification unit 22 transmits the updated directory information to the client, whereby a cache 321 of a client side directory information database is updated. [0005] A case in which data that can be accessed by a certain application program are copied from a certain logical volume to another logical volume, and a request is placed for access to the data copied into the other logical volume by another application program, for example, is conceivable. For the application program to access the data, an environment for accessing the data is required. When no access environment exists, the access environment must be set. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006] An object of the present invention is to enable fast access to data even when an environment for accessing the data does not exist. [0007] Other objects of the present invention will be clarified in the following description. [0008] A storage control method according to the present invention is realized in a system in which an application program in a host accesses data in a certain logical volume from among a plurality of logical volumes provided in one or a plurality of storage systems. In this method, a computer stores volume information, which is information relating to the certain logical volume, in a storage resource. The computer also stores access environment information, which indicates an access environment enabling the application program to access the data using a path between the host and the storage system comprising the certain logical volume, in the storage resource in association with the volume information. The "computer" may be one computer machine or a plurality of computer machines. The "storage resource" may be a resource other than a logical volume. [0009] In a first aspect of the present invention, the access environment information may include access component information relating to a plurality of access components included in the access environment. The access component information may comprise information relating to a configuration sequence of the plurality of access components from the application program side to the data side, and information denoting relationships between each access component and the other access components. [0010] In a second aspect of the present invention, the computer is capable of copying or moving the data from the certain logical volume to another logical volume from among the plurality of logical volumes, and at the same time relating the access environment information associated with the data to the data at a copy destination or movement destination. [0011] In a third aspect of the present invention, according to the second aspect described above, the computer is capable of constructing an access environment enabling another application program in the host or another host to access the data at the copy destination or movement destination, on the basis of the access environment information related to the data at the copy destination or movement destination. [0012] In a fourth aspect of the present invention, according to the third aspect described above, the computer is capable of storing in the storage resource host environment information indicating an access environment that can be constructed in the host or the other host. The host environment information may comprise information relating to the access components that exist in the host or the other host. The computer is capable of determining whether or not an access environment for accessing the data at the copy destination or movement destination can be constructed in the host or the other host on the basis of the host environment information and access environment information, and having obtained an affirmative determination result, the computer is capable of constructing the access environment on the basis of the access environment information related to the data at the copy destination or movement destination. [0013] In a fifth aspect of the present invention, according to the fourth aspect described above, when the computer determines, from the above determination, a lack of access components for constructing the access environment in the host or the other host, the computer is capable of downloading the lacking access component to the host or the other host. [0014] In a sixth aspect of the present invention, according to the third aspect described above, a server is provided in the system. The host or the other host may comprise a host agent program which serves as an agent between the server and the plurality of access components provided in the host or the other host, and command management information indicating procedures to be executed upon reception of various commands. The server is capable of transmitting to the host agent program a command group indicating a sequence in which a plurality of commands are to be executed in order to construct the access environment in accordance with the access environment information. The host agent program is capable of receiving the command group from the server, and in accordance with the execution sequence of the plurality of commands, specified in the command group, causing each command of the command group to be executed by an access component for executing processing corresponding to the command, on the basis of the command management information. [0015] In a seventh aspect of the present invention, the computer is capable of storing the access environment information in the storage resource in association with information relating to the application program. [0016] In an eighth aspect of the present invention, according to the seventh aspect described above, the computer is capable of copying or moving the data from the certain logical volume to another logical volume from among the plurality of logical volumes, and at the same time relating the access environment information associated with the data to the data at the copy destination or movement destination. On the basis of the access environment information related to the data at the copy destination or movement destination, the computer is capable of constructing an access environment for accessing the data at the copy destination or movement destination, in relation to an application program indicated by the application information that is associated with the access environment information related to the data at the copy destination or movement destination, from among a plurality of application programs in the host or another host. [0017] The method described above may be realized using hardware, a computer program, or a combination thereof. The computer program is read and executed by a predetermined processor. During information processing performed by having the processor read the computer program, a physical storage region existing on a hardware resource such as memory may be used appropriately. Further, the computer program may be installed in a computer from a recording medium such as a CD-ROM, or downloaded onto the computer via a communication network. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0018] FIG. 1 shows an outline of an example of the physical configuration of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [0019] FIG. 2 shows an outline of an example of the logical configuration of the system according to an embodiment of the present invention; Continue reading about Storage control method for managing access environment enabling host to access data... 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