Patent · US Active

Storage controller and storage control method

US8180989B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by
15References
22Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 11, 2011
Grant dateMay 15, 2012
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 11, 2031

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F3/0689
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A storage controller having a plurality of storage devices and a control circuit providing a plurality of virtual volumes, to each of which a storage area in a plurality of pool volumes provided with the plurality of storage devices can be mapped for writing data in response to a write access sent from an information processing apparatus to a logical area in one of the plurality of virtual volumes, respectively. The control circuit, according to a search of the plurality of pool volumes for a certain storage area in which a certain data pattern is written, releases the certain storage area from mapping to a logical area in the plurality of virtual volumes, so that the control circuit can use the released certain storage area for mapping to a virtual volume of the plurality of virtual volumes as a destination of another write access from the information processing apparatus.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.