JP2004151825A - Network system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a network system suitable for backing up large amounts of data through a network between information terminal equipment and a storage device, or between the plurality of storage devices by applying this network system to a small and middle-sized distributed processing type server system. <P>SOLUTION: In backing up data through a network between information terminal equipment and a storage device or between the plurality of storage devices, the information terminal equipment and/or storage device is provided with a backup processing execution control function for monitoring the traffic volume of the network, and for executing data transfer only when the traffic volume is small. Especially, when the traffic volume of the network is smaller than a first set value, the data transfer is executed, and when the traffic volume of the network during the data transfer execution is larger than the second set value, the data transfer is interrupted. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a network system connecting storage devices shared by a plurality of information terminal devices via a predetermined network.
[0002]
[Related background art]
Recently, a network system in which a plurality of information terminal devices such as a personal computer (PC) and a workstation (WS) are connected to a predetermined network has become widespread. Also, a storage device as an external storage device is connected to a network, and the storage device is shared by a plurality of information terminal devices via the network and used as a directly accessible file device.
[0003]
Incidentally, the storage device includes, for example, a DAS (Direct Access Storage) device used by connecting to a distributed processing type server system, and a NAS (Network Attached Storage) device directly connected to a network and used as a file server.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
When a large amount of data stored in an information terminal device is backed up using a storage device, or a large amount of data stored in a storage device is backed up by another storage device (backup device) connected to the network. In such a case, there is a problem that the traffic on the network increases at the time of the backup and data communication between the information terminal devices is hindered, or access to the storage device is hindered.
[0005]
In order to cope with such a problem, it has been proposed to construct a storage network (SAN; Storage Area Network) independent of a network for information transmission in a large-scale system. However, building a SAN system requires software development or the like in accordance with the system specifications, and there are many problems in terms of cost when applied (introduced) to a small- to medium-sized distributed processing server system.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and its purpose is to prevent a large amount of data stored in an information terminal device without hindering data communication between the information terminal devices and access to a storage device via a network. It is an object of the present invention to provide a network system suitable for backing up data to a storage device or backing up a large amount of data stored in a storage device used as a file server to another storage device.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a network system according to the present invention is a small- to medium-sized distributed system in which a plurality of information terminal devices and one or a plurality of storage devices shared by these information terminal devices are connected via a network. It is suitable for application to a processing type server system,
In particular, when backing up data to the information terminal device and / or the storage device between the information terminal device and the storage device or between the plurality of storage devices via the network, the traffic amount of the network is monitored. In addition, a backup processing execution control function of executing data transfer only when the traffic volume is small is provided.
[0008]
That is, in the form of backup performed in a small- to medium-sized distributed processing server system, the information terminal device (client) transfers data to another device connected to the network, and the storage device transfers data to another device connected to the network. There are three types of data transfer to the device, and the storage device taking in data from the information terminal device. In any of these backup modes, if the amount of data transferred via the network is large, it is unavoidable that the traffic on the network will increase. However, data backup itself does not require immediacy as in the case of file access.
[0009]
Therefore, in the present invention, when backing up data between the information terminal device and the storage device or between the plurality of storage devices via the network, the traffic amount of the network is monitored and only when the traffic amount is small. By executing data transfer, data communication between information terminal devices is not hindered, or access to the storage device is not hindered.
[0010]
Incidentally, the execution control function of the backup processing provided in the storage device is incorporated as a special program started by inputting a special command, and a special command generating function of generating the special command and starting the special program via the network Is preferably provided as a dedicated control program incorporated in the information terminal device, for example.
[0011]
In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the backup processing execution control function executes data transfer when the traffic volume of the network is smaller than a first set value indicating a vacant state of the network. When the traffic volume of the network in the above is larger than the second set value indicating the congestion state of the network, the above data transfer may be interrupted.
[0012]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, a network system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown schematically in FIG. 1, the network system includes a plurality of information terminal devices 2 including PCs and WSs connected to a predetermined network 1 such as a LAN (local area network), for example. And one or more NAS devices 3 connected to the server. The NAS device 3 includes a DAS device 4 (for example, RAID: Redundant array of indexive disks) as a data storage function, and functions as a file server. Further, a backup device 5 for storing, for example, a large amount of data stored in the NAS device 3 is connected to the network 1. Incidentally, it is of course possible to connect the backup device 6 to the NAS device 3 via a local bus such as SCASI.
[0013]
Incidentally, each information terminal device 2 executes predetermined information processing using various software running on an OS (operating system) such as Windows (registered trademark) and Linux (registered trademark). These information terminal devices 2 are constructed such that the NAS device 3 (DAS device 4) can be directly accessed on a Web basis. In other words, the DAS device 4 is used as a file device of the information terminal device 2 under the management of the NAS device 3.
[0014]
Basically, the present invention is characterized in a network system configured as described above, in that the information terminal device 2 and / or the NAS device 3 as a storage device perform the network 1 This is characterized in that it has backup execution control functions 2a and 3a for monitoring the traffic of the above and executing data transfer only when the traffic volume is small. In particular, the backup execution control function 3a provided in the NAS device 3 is installed in the NAS device 3 as a dedicated program 3b started by inputting a special command. Incidentally, a special command for activating the dedicated program 3b is given to the NAS device 3 via the network 1 from a special command generating function 2b incorporated in the information terminal device 1, for example. The special command generation function 2b is realized as a type of control program for the NAS device 3.
[0015]
The backup execution control function 2a and the special command generation function 2b provided in the information terminal device 1 designate the execution form and execution of the above-described backup process by a keyboard operation of the information terminal device 2 or a click operation on a predetermined icon. Is activated by The backup execution control function 3a of the NAS device 3 is activated when a special command is given from the special command generation function 2b of the information terminal device 2 via the network 1.
[0016]
Here, execution control of backup processing by the backup execution control functions 2a and 3a will be described with reference to FIG.
The information terminal device 2 determines whether or not a backup process has been instructed via an icon or the like (step S1). Further, the NSA device 3 monitors information (control commands, data, etc.) given via the network 1 and detects an instruction for backup processing by determining whether or not the above-mentioned special command has been input (step S1). 〉. When it is confirmed that the information given from the information terminal device 2 is not the special command described above, the NAS device 3 executes a normal processing operation (step S2). Similarly, in the information terminal device 1, when the instruction of the backup process is not given, the normal process including the access of the NAS device 3 as the file device is executed.
[0017]
On the other hand, when the execution of the backup process is instructed, first, the instructed backup mode is confirmed, and to which device the data is to be transferred is specified. For example, a case in which data is transferred from the NAS device 3 to the backup device 5 via the network 1 will be described. The execution control function 3a determines that the traffic amount T of the network 1 monitored by the traffic monitoring function is set in advance. It is determined whether or not the value is lower than a first set value Th1 indicating the idle state of the network 1 (T <Th1) (step S3). Then, only when the traffic volume T is less than the first set value Th1, execution of backup processing to the backup device 5 is started according to a predetermined procedure (step S4). If the traffic amount T exceeds the first set value Th1, the process waits until the traffic amount T falls below the first set value Th1.
[0018]
Then, when the transfer (backup) of the data accumulated in the NAS device 3 to the backup device 5 is started, the traffic amount T of the network 1 monitored by the traffic monitoring function is again reduced to the predetermined network 1 It is determined whether or not the second set value Th2 indicating the congestion state is exceeded (step S5). Then, when the traffic amount T exceeds the second set value Th2, the above-described backup processing is interrupted at that time <Step S6> until the traffic amount T falls below the first set value Th1. stand by. Then, when the traffic volume T falls below the first set value Th1, the backup process is restarted (step S4).
[0019]
If the traffic volume T at that time does not exceed the second set value Th2 even when the data accumulated in the NAS device 3 is transferred to the backup device 5, <Step S5>, the NAS device While monitoring whether or not all of the data accumulated in No. 3 has been backed up (step S7), the backup process is continued until the backup is completed.
[0020]
That is, the execution control function 3a monitors the traffic volume T on the network 1 as shown in the above-described processing procedure, and only when the traffic volume T is small, that is, only when the network 1 is relatively free. Backup processing of large-capacity data stored in the NAS device 3 via the network 1 is performed. If the traffic volume T of the network 1 is increasing due to the large-capacity data transfer (backup), the traffic volume T is compared with a second set value Th2 so that the backup process is performed by the information terminal. It is determined whether access to the NAS device 3 by the device 2 is not hindered. When the network 1 is congested, the backup process is temporarily interrupted, thereby opening the network 1 to the information terminal equipment 2. Then, when the traffic volume T of the network 1 falls below the first set value Th1 and the congestion is alleviated, the above-described backup processing is restarted.
[0021]
It should be noted that such execution control for the backup process is also executed when the data stored in the information terminal device 1 is backed up to the NAS device 3 or the backup device 5. Further, under the control of the NAS device 3, the data stored in a specific information terminal device 1 is fetched and the data is backed up.
[0022]
However, when backing up the data stored in the NAS device 3 to the backup device 6 connected to the NAS device 3 via a local bus, the backup process is performed locally regardless of the traffic of the network 1. Can proceed. In this case, the backup process may be executed by starting another dedicated program incorporated in the NAS device 3 using a special command.
[0023]
Thus, according to the network system that controls the execution of the data backup processing executed via the network 1 according to the traffic volume of the network 1 as described above, when the traffic of the network 1 becomes congested, The data transfer is interrupted, and the backup via the network 1 is executed only when the traffic volume is small. Therefore, the network 1 is occupied by a large-capacity data transfer accompanying the backup processing between the information device terminal 2 and the NAS device 3 or between the NAS devices 3 or the like, or the transmission load becomes heavy and a plurality of information terminal devices Inconvenience such as hindrance to the access of the NAS device 3 by the device 2 is not caused. In other words, an environment where a plurality of information terminal devices 2 can quickly access the NAS device 3 regardless of whether or not the state terminal device 2 and the NAS device 3 are executing backup processing via the network 1 is always established. It is possible to stably secure the data communication environment between the plurality of information terminal devices 2 via the network 1.
[0024]
In particular, while effectively utilizing the existing network 1 without building a SAN, and hindering data transmission between the plurality of information terminal devices 2 and between the information terminal device 1 and the NAS device 3 via the network 1. In addition, since a large amount of data accumulated in the NAS device 3 or the like can be backed up, a great deal of practical effects can be obtained as a storage system having an inexpensive and simple configuration.
[0025]
Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, the first set value Th1 for the traffic amount for starting / restarting the backup process and the second set value Th2 for temporarily suspending the data transfer are determined based on the transmission capacity of the network 1 and the network 1 What is necessary is just to determine according to the number of the connected information terminal devices 2, etc. Further, in the embodiment, the traffic monitoring function is incorporated as a part of the dedicated program 3b. However, the traffic monitoring function can be realized as a function that the information terminal device 2 and the NAS device 3 themselves have as standard.
[0026]
The special command generation function (control program) 2b can be incorporated only in the information terminal device 2 specified in advance, but may be incorporated in the information terminal device 2 respectively. In this case, it is sufficient to use, as the special command, a command that can be clearly distinguished from a control command usually used in the plurality of information terminal devices 2. In addition, the present invention can be variously modified and implemented without departing from the gist thereof.
[0027]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, when backing up a large amount of data between a plurality of information device terminals connected via a network and a storage device used as a file device of these information device terminals, Since the execution of the backup process is controlled according to the traffic volume of the network, data can be transferred to a predetermined backup device without interrupting information communication via the network. Therefore, for example, it is very suitable for realizing an inexpensive and simple storage system by applying it to a small-to-medium-sized server system.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a network system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a view showing a control procedure of a backup process in a NAS device in the network system shown in FIG. 1;
[Explanation of symbols]
1 network 2 information terminal equipment 2a backup execution control function 2b special command generation function (control program)
3 Network-attached storage (NAS) device 3a Backup execution control function 3b Dedicated program for backup processing 5 Backup device 6 Backup device

Claims (3)

A network system in which a plurality of information terminal devices and one or more storage devices shared by these information terminal devices are connected via a network,
The information terminal device and / or the storage device monitors a traffic amount of the network when backing up data between the information terminal device and the storage device or between the plurality of storage devices via the network, A network system comprising a backup processing execution control function for executing data transfer only when the traffic volume is small. The execution control function of the backup processing provided in the storage device is incorporated as a dedicated program started by input of a special command,
2. The network system according to claim 1, wherein a control program for generating the special command and starting the dedicated program via the network is incorporated in the information terminal device. The backup processing execution control function executes the data transfer when the traffic amount of the network is smaller than a first set value indicating the idle state of the network, and the traffic amount of the network during the data transfer is reduced. 2. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the data transfer is interrupted when the number is larger than a second set value indicating a network congestion state.

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