Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080215837 | Storage System With Multiple Copy Targeting and Disk Failure Protection - An apparatus is disclosed in which a storage controller cooperable with a host and a plurality of controlled storage is provided to localize an impact of a failure to a target disk in an affected segment. The storage controller includes a host write component to write a data object to a source image storage; a first copy component responsive to a first metadata state to control copying of the data object to a first target storage; a second copy component responsive to a second metadata state to perform either: copying the data object to a second target or causing the first copy component to copy the second target to the first target; and a third copy component to control cascaded copying of the data object to a third target storage. Either the second or the third copy component controls cascaded copying of a delimited data image subsequence responsive to a metadata state indicating currency of a data grain in either the second or the third target. | 09-04-2008 |
20080307178 | DATA MIGRATION - The present invention provides for a method for managing the storage of data in a computing system that includes a data processor and local physical storage, involving the steps of: defining a virtual storage volume for access by the data processor, the data processor including a local storage pool mapped to the local physical storage and a remote storage pool mapped to physical storage at a remote site, and the virtual storage volume being overallocated with respect to the local storage pool; and migrating data between the local storage pool and the remote storage pool according to a defined migration policy. | 12-11-2008 |
20090077338 | Apparatus and Method for Managing Storage Systems - An apparatus for controlling a configuration change in a storage system having a plurality of storage appliances with an I/O handler local to each storage appliance for transmitting and receiving I/O requests. A local volume mapper local to each storage appliance maps storage local to the storage appliance; a remote volume mapper local to each storage appliance maps storage remote from the or each storage appliance; and a spanning host interface layer responsive to detection of the configuration change receives and redirects I/O requests among the plurality of storage appliances. | 03-19-2009 |
20090106332 | Storage System With Improved Multiple Copy Targeting - A storage control apparatus cooperable with a plurality of controlled storage apparatus arranged in a cascade of point-in-time copy relationship. The apparatus includes: a rate control component operable to set a desired rate for making clean a first target one of the plurality of controlled storage apparatus; a comparator component responsive to a signal from the rate control component to request and receive metadata from the plurality of controlled storage apparatus and to identify discrepant metadata; and a copy initiator, responsive to the comparator component to identify discrepant metadata and to initiate a copy operation from a first target one of the plurality of controlled storage apparatus to a second target one of the controlled storage apparatus. | 04-23-2009 |
20100036996 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CASCADED FLASHCOPY ZONING AND ALGORITHM AND/OR COMPUTER PROGRAM CODE AND METHOD IMPLEMENTING THE SAME. - A method of performing cascaded flashcopy (FC) including starting a flashcopy map when a target disk is already a source of an active FC map. A computer storage system includes a configuration that allows a flashcopy (FC) map to be started when a target disk is already the source of an active FC map. | 02-11-2010 |
20100088468 | METHOD FOR OPTIMIZING CLEANING OF MAPS IN FLASHCOPY CASCADES CONTAINING INCREMENTAL MAPS - A method implemented in a computer infrastructure having computer executable code having programming instructions tangibly embodied on a computer readable storage medium. The programming instructions are operable to determine whether a target disk of a map contains data unavailable to a downstream disk from an upstream disk in a FlashCopy cascade and detect whether the downstream disk has a copy of the data. Additionally, the programming instructions are operable to copy the data from the target disk to the downstream disk, if the target disk of the map contains data unavailable to the downstream disk from the upstream disk and the downstream disk does not have the copy of the data. Furthermore, the programming instructions are operable to refrain from copying the data from the target disk to the downstream disk, if the target disk of the map does not contain data unavailable to the downstream disk from the upstream disk or the downstream disk does have the copy of the data. Moreover, the programming instructions are operable to remove the map from the FlashCopy cascade. | 04-08-2010 |
20110055505 | DATA COPYING - A method, computer management apparatus, and computer program product are provided for copying data in a data processing system. The data processing system includes a host and a plurality of locations. A difference recording operation between a first location of the plurality of locations and a second location of the plurality of locations is started. A first operational relationship between a third location of the plurality of locations and the first location is started. A signal is sent is response to the first operational relationship starting after the difference recording operation. A first dataset is updated in response to the host writing data to at least one of the first location or the second location. The first dataset is updated with changes to the first location in response to the signal. | 03-03-2011 |
20110289291 | CASCADE ORDERING - A system and a method of handling multiple backup processes have been provided. The method comprises receiving one or more instructions initiating a plurality of backup processes from a single source storage volume to a plurality of target storage volumes, adding each target storage volume to a cascade of target storage volumes from the source storage volume, the target storage volumes added to the cascade in an order inversely proportional to the copy rate of the respective backup process, and starting each backup process in turn, the backup processes started in an order from the most recent target storage volume added to cascade to the first target storage volume added to cascade. | 11-24-2011 |
20120089777 | RAID ARRAY TRANSFORMATION IN A POOLED STORAGE SYSTEM - In one embodiment, a method includes reserving extents in a storage pool, reading data from a first portion of an in-use RAID arranged according to a first array configuration, using the reserved extents in the storage pool to store a first portion of the data for writing to the in-use RAID, using one or more free extents in the storage pool or in the in-use RAID to store a second portion of the data for writing to the in-use RAID, writing the data to a second portion of the in-use RAID arranged according to a second array configuration, performing one or more first I/O operations according to the first array configuration, wherein the one or more first I/O operations are performed on the data before the data is read by the data migrating component, and performing one or more second I/O operations according to the second array configuration. | 04-12-2012 |
20120215978 | Storage System With Improved Multiple Copy Targeting - A storage control apparatus in cooperation with a plurality of controlled storage apparatus arranged in a cascade of point-in-time copy relationship. The apparatus includes: a rate control component operable to set a desired rate for cleaning a first target one of the plurality of controlled storage apparatus; a comparator component in communication with the rate control component to identify discrepant bits associated with first and second targets; and a copy initiator, responsive to the comparator component to initiate a copy operation responsive to the identified discrepant bits. | 08-23-2012 |
20120233426 | DATA COPYING - A data processing system includes a host and a plurality of locations. A difference recording operation between a first location of the plurality of locations and a second location of the plurality of locations is started. A first operational relationship between a third location of the plurality of locations and the first location is started. A signal is sent is response to the first operational relationship starting after the difference recording operation. A first dataset is updated in response to the host writing data to at least one of the first location or the second location. The first dataset is updated with changes to the first location in response to the signal. | 09-13-2012 |
20120246426 | METHOD FOR OPTIMIZING CLEANING OF MAPS IN FLASHCOPY CASCADES CONTAINING INCREMENTAL MAPS - A method for optimizing cleaning of maps in FlashCopy cascades includes determining whether a target disk of a map contains data unavailable to a downstream disk from an upstream disk in a FlashCopy cascade and detect whether the downstream disk has a copy of the data. Additionally, the method includes copying the data from the target disk to the downstream disk, if the target disk of the map contains data unavailable to the downstream disk from the upstream disk and the downstream disk does not have the copy of the data. Furthermore, the method includes copying the data from the target disk to the downstream disk, if the target disk of the map does not contain data unavailable to the downstream disk from the upstream disk or the downstream disk does have the copy of the data. Moreover, the method includes removing the map from the FlashCopy cascade. | 09-27-2012 |
20120260053 | CASCADE ORDERING - A method comprises receiving one or more instructions initiating a plurality of backup processes from a single source storage volume to a plurality of target storage volumes, adding each target storage volume to a cascade of target storage volumes from the source storage volume, the target storage volumes added to the cascade in an order inversely proportional to the copy rate of the respective backup process, and starting each backup process in turn, the backup processes started in an order from the most recent target storage volume added to cascade to the first target storage volume added to cascade. | 10-11-2012 |
20120265958 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CASCADED FLASHCOPY ZONING AND ALGORITHM AND/OR COMPUTER PROGRAM CODE AND METHOD IMPLEMENTING THE SAME - A method of performing cascaded flashcopy (FC) including starting a flashcopy map when a target disk is already a source of an active FC map. A computer storage system includes a configuration that allows a flashcopy (FC) map to be started when a target disk is already the source of an active FC map. | 10-18-2012 |
20130346710 | SOURCE CLEANING CASCADED VOLUMES - Various systems, processes, and products may be used to source clean cascaded volumes. In particular implementations, a system, process, and product for source cleaning cascaded volumes may include the ability to store a primary volume and a plurality of cascaded backup volumes. The system, process, and product may also include the ability to determine whether a write to one of the backup volumes is due to a background copy being made of another volume in the cascade and adjust a background copy indicator in a volume map for the backup volume if the write is due to a background copy and to determine whether a write to one of the backup volumes is due to a write to another volume in the cascade and adjust a write copy indicator in a volume map for the backup volume if the write is due to a write to another cascaded volume. | 12-26-2013 |
20130346712 | SOURCE CLEANING CASCADED VOLUMES - Various systems, processes, and products may be used to source clean cascaded volumes. In particular implementations, a system, process, and product for source cleaning cascaded volumes may include the ability to store a primary volume and a plurality of cascaded backup volumes. The system, process, and product may also include the ability to determine whether a write to one of the backup volumes is due to a background copy being made of another volume in the cascade and adjust a background copy indicator in a volume map for the backup volume if the write is due to a background copy and to determine whether a write to one of the backup volumes is due to a write to another volume in the cascade and adjust a write copy indicator in a volume map for the backup volume if the write is due to a write to another cascaded volume. | 12-26-2013 |
20140129768 | RAID ARRAY TRANSFORMATION IN A POOLED STORAGE SYSTEM - Aspects of the present invention relate to an apparatus and corresponding method that includes reading data from a first portion of an in-use redundant array of independent disks. (RAID), wherein the first portion of the in-use RAID is arranged according to a first array configuration having at least a first parameter. One or more reserved extents in a storage pool is used to store at least a first portion of the data for writing to the in-use RAID. One or more free extents in the storage pool and/or in the in-use RAID is used to store at least a second portion of the data for writing to the in-use RAID. The data is written to a second portion of the in-use RAID. The second portion of the in-use RAID is arranged according to a second array configuration having at least a second parameter. | 05-08-2014 |
20140189233 | METHOD FOR OPTIMIZING CLEANING OF MAPS IN FLASHCOPY CASCADES CONTAINING INCREMENTAL MAPS - A method for optimizing cleaning of maps in storage cascades includes determining whether a target disk of a map contains data unavailable to a downstream disk from an upstream disk in a cascade and detect whether the downstream disk has a copy of the data. Additionally, the method includes copying the data from the target disk to the downstream disk, if the target disk of the map contains data unavailable to the downstream disk from the upstream disk and the downstream disk does not have the copy of the data. Furthermore, the method includes copying the data from the target disk to the downstream disk, if the target disk of the map does not contain data unavailable to the downstream disk from the upstream disk or the downstream disk does have the copy of the data. Moreover, the method includes removing the map from the cascade. | 07-03-2014 |
20140208051 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CASCADED FLASHCOPY ZONING AND ALGORITHM AND/OR COMPUTER PROGRAM CODE AND METHOD IMPLEMENTING THE SAME - A method for storage volumes in a cascade of storage volumes including starting a first data map relating a first storage volume to a second storage volume while a second data map relating the first storage volume and a third storage volume is active. Starting the first data map uses a zone map that relates the first storage volume to a zone within the cascade of storage volumes. | 07-24-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090300315 | Reserve Pool Management in Virtualized Storage Systems - An apparatus for managing pooled real storage having a usable real storage pool and a reserve real storage pool in a virtualized storage system, comprises an extent controller for allocating and freeing storage extents in said usable real storage pool; a storage use monitor for monitoring storage use in said usable real storage pool; and a reserve pool manager responsive to said storage use monitor for transferring storage extents between said usable real storage pool and said reserve real storage pool. | 12-03-2009 |
20100070734 | Resource Reclamation in Data Storage - Managing resource reclamation in data storage systems is provided. A volume deletion metadata recorder records metadata for one or more deleted volumes. A policy engine, responsive to a predetermined policy rule, applies the policy rule to the metadata. The policy engine initiates policy-controlled data storage space reclamation for the one or more deleted volumes. A volume reclaimer, responsive to the policy engine, reclaims data storage space from the one or more deleted volumes. A resource allocator allocates the data storage space to satisfy a minimum requirement for available zeroed extents that comprise a minimum requirement to satisfy needs of late allocated storage volumes. | 03-18-2010 |
20100146204 | Stored Data Protection and Recovery - A mechanism is provided in a computing system for controlling virtualized storage operable to communicate with a host and with mapped and unmapped storage resource pools. A selection component selects a target for a destructive data storage operation from the mapped storage resource pool. Responsive to the selection of the target, a virtual targeting component creates a virtual target from the unmapped storage resource pool to represent the target. Responsive to the selection of the target, a storage move component moves the target to a protected storage resource pool. Responsive to the creation of the virtual target from the unmapped storage resource pool, storage move component, moves the virtual target to the used storage resource pool. The computing system then performs the destructive data storage operation on the virtual target. | 06-10-2010 |
20110208932 | FLASHCOPY HANDLING - A technique for handling a FlashCopy® process includes receiving a FlashCopy® instruction for a source disk, performing a FlashCopy® point in time copy of the source disk on to a target disk, creating a map specifying the FlashCopy® point in time copy from the source disk to the target disk, creating a primary fdisk for the source disk, if one does not already exist, and creating a primary fdisk for the target disk, if one does not already exist, or, if one does already exist, converting the existing primary fdisk for the target disk into a secondary fdisk, and creating a new primary fdisk for the target disk. | 08-25-2011 |
20110225124 | CREATING A BUFFER POINT-IN-TIME COPY RELATIONSHIP FOR A POINT-IN-TIME COPY FUNCTION EXECUTED TO CREATE A POINT-IN-TIME COPY RELATIONSHIP - Provided are a method, system, and computer program product for creating a buffer point-in-time copy relationship for a point-in-time copy function executed to create a point-in-time copy relationship. A point-in-time copy function is initiated to create a new point-in-time copy relationship from a source volume comprising a first volume to a target volume comprising a second volume. Detection is made that the target volume of the new point-in-time copy relationship is a source volume of a first pre-existing point-in-time copy relationship having as a target volume a third volume. Detection is also made that the target volume of the first pre-existing point-in-time copy relationship is a source volume of a second pre-existing point-in-time copy relationship having as a target volume a fourth volume. A buffer point-in-time copy relationship having a source volume comprising the target volume of the first pre-existing relationship and a target volume comprising a fifth volume is created in response to detecting that the target volume of the new point-in-time copy relationship is the source volume of the first pre-existing point-in-time copy relationship and the detected that the target volume of the first pre-existing point-in-time copy relationship is the source volume of the second pre-existing point-in-time copy relationship. | 09-15-2011 |
20110225380 | MULTIPLE BACKUP PROCESSES - Handling multiple backup processes comprises detecting that a defined storage volume is present in a first cascade of storage volumes, detecting that the defined storage volume is also present in a second cascade of storage volumes, receiving a data write for either the defined storage volume or the last storage volume in the first cascade of storage volumes, and performing a cleaning data write on the defined storage volume in the second cascade of storage volumes, the cleaning data write corresponding to the received data write. | 09-15-2011 |
20110296127 | MULTIPLE CASCADED BACKUP PROCESS - Provided are a method, system, and a computer program product handling a backup process. An instruction is received initiating a new backup from a source volume to a target volume using one of a plurality of backup processes. A determination is made as to whether there is a cascade of volumes using the backup process including the source volume of the new backup. The cascade includes a cascade source volume and at least one cascade target volume, and a write to a storage location in one of the cascade volumes causes a copying of the storage location to be written in the cascade source volume to each of the cascade target volumes in the cascade according to a cascade order in which the at least one cascade target volume and the cascade source volume are linked in the cascade. The cascade, using the backup process of the new backup already including the source volume of the new backup, is modified to include the target volume of the new backup in response to determining that there is the existing cascade. A new cascade using the backup process of the new backup including the source volume and the target volume of the new backup is created in response to determining that there is not the existing cascade. | 12-01-2011 |
20120226879 | FLASHCOPY HANDLING - A technique for handling a FlashCopy® process includes receiving a FlashCopy® instruction for a source disk, performing a FlashCopy® point in time copy of the source disk on to a target disk, creating a map specifying the FlashCopy® point in time copy from the source disk to the target disk, creating a primary fdisk for the source disk, if one does not already exist, and creating a primary fdisk for the target disk, if one does not already exist, or, if one does already exist, converting the existing primary fdisk for the target disk into a secondary fdisk, and creating a new primary fdisk for the target disk. | 09-06-2012 |
20120246427 | MULTIPLE CASCADED BACKUP PROCESS - Provided are a method, system, and a computer program product handling a backup process. An instruction initiates a new backup from a source volume to a target volume using one of a plurality of backup processes. A cascade includes a cascade source volume and at least one cascade target volume, and a write to a storage location in one of the cascade volumes causes a copying of the storage location to be written in the cascade source volume to each of the cascade target volumes in the cascade according to a cascade order in which the at least one cascade target volume and the cascade source volume are linked in the cascade. The cascade is modified to include the target volume of the new backup in response to determining that there is an existing cascade, else a new cascade using the backup process of the new backup is created. | 09-27-2012 |
20120254569 | CREATING A BUFFER POINT-IN-TIME COPY RELATIONSHIP FOR A POINT-IN-TIME COPY FUNCTION EXECUTED TO CREATE A POINT-IN-TIME COPY RELATIONSHIP - Provided are a method, system, and computer program product for creating a buffer point-in-time copy relationship. A point-in-time copy function is initiated to create a new point-in-time copy relationship from a source volume comprising a first volume to a target volume comprising a second volume. A buffer point-in-time copy relationship having a source volume comprising the target volume of the first pre-existing relationship and a target volume comprising a fifth volume is created in response to detecting that the target volume of the new point-in-time copy relationship is the source volume of a first pre-existing point-in-time copy relationship and detecting that the target volume of the first pre-existing point-in-time copy relationship is the source volume of a second pre-existing point-in-time copy relationship. | 10-04-2012 |