US Patent 7181607 Storage control apparatus

In response to requests for I/O processing sent from a computer, I/O which should be processed at a priority is enabled to be processed without being affected by other processing, by classifying I/O into those to be processed at a priority and those not to be processed at a priority. The storage control apparatus comprises an I/O processing controller with a memory that is common for the whole controller. The storage control apparatus manages information for dividing and controlling a plurality of I/O processes as priority and non-priority in that memory and operates while suppressing non-priority I/O processing on the basis of information in the memory.