According to one embodiment, a storage server includes first tiered storage devices, a network interface and a processor. The network interface communicates with each of a client and another storage server through a network. The other storage server includes second tiered storage devices. The processor reads, when a read request is received from the client, data designated by the read request from the first tiered storage devices, and transmits the read data to the client. The processor relocates data among the first tiered storage devices and transmits information indicative of data placement in the first tiered storage devices after the relocation of the data as a hint for data relocation among the second tiered storage devices, to the other storage server.