An object of the present invention is to provide a storage controller
capable of facilitating extension of storage capacity while suppressing
investment related to storage capacity.The present invention has achieved
the storing of system configuration information including content of a
definition, set externally, of a virtual volume with storage capacity
that is larger than a real storage capacity composed of the storage
capacity of a storage device unit, and content of a definition, set
externally, of at least one of a real volume formed as a result of
dividing the real storage capacity, and a pool area; and communicating
the storage capacity of the virtual volume based on the stored system
configuration information in response to a storage capacity confirmation
request from the host system, and, based on the system configuration
information, writing or reading relevant data to or from a relevant
address position in the storage device unit in response to a data
input/output request from the host system designating an address in the
real volume, and writing or reading relevant data to or from the pool
area in response to a data input/output request from the host system
designating an address in the virtual volume other than the real volume.