Defragmentation-less deduplication

• US 10,049,117 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2013
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Goldberg, Itzhack, Sondhi, Neil
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Hung Q
• Application Number:
  US14/025,583
• Publication Number:
  US 20150074064A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,797 Days
• Field of Search: 707610, 707822
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1724 Details of de-fragmentation performed by the file system saving storage space on storage systems G06F3/0608; management of blocks in storage devices G06F3/064
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1748 De-duplication implemented within the file system, e.g. based on file segments de-duplication techniques in storage systems for the management of data blocks G06F3/0641

Abstract

For defragmentation-less deduplication using a processor device, holes are punched in a file in a data deduplication process for avoiding the use of defragmenting by allowing a file system to use the punched holes for reclaiming the free space for adding to a free space pool of the file system.

Claims

1. A method for defragmentation-less deduplication using a processor device, comprising:

upon performing a data deduplication process, punching holes in a fragment of an existing fragmented file to increase performance of a deduplication appliance executing the data deduplication process, the punching holes allowing a file system of the deduplication appliance to use the punched holes for reclaiming free space for adding to a free space pool of the file system;

wherein the punching holes is performed in lieu of performing a defragmenting operation on the existing fragmented file and is performed as a default operation during the data deduplication process; and

upon performance of the punching holes, creating a new file from the punched holes during the data deduplication process.

2. The method of claim 1, further including punching a hole in a fragment of an existing, large fragmented file and returning the punch hole fragment to the free space of the file system for creating a new, larger fragmented file.

3. The method of claim 1, further including deleting existing, large fragmented files after losing all data in the existing, large fragmented files for saving index node space.

4. The method of claim 3, further including pointing the punched holes to a logical block address (LBA) zero.

5. The method of claim 1, further including retaining an original size of a punched hole for converting a populated file into a sparsely populated file.

6. The method of claim 1, further including using a fallocate command for the hole punching.

7. A system for defragmentation-less deduplication in a computing environment, comprising:

a processor device, operable in the computing environment, wherein the processor device;

upon performing a data deduplication process, punches holes in a fragment of an existing fragmented file or a defragmenting operation will result in to increase performance of a deduplication appliance executing the data deduplication process, the punching holes allowing a file system of the deduplication appliance to use the punched holes for reclaiming free space for adding to a free space pool of the file system;

wherein the punching holes is performed in lieu of performing a defragmenting operation on the existing fragmented file and is performed as a default operation during the data deduplication process; and

upon performance of the punching holes, creates a new file from the punched holes during the data deduplication process.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor device punches a hole in a fragment of an existing, large fragmented file and returning the punch hole fragment to the free space of the file system for creating a new, larger fragmented file.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor device deletes existing, large fragmented files after losing all data in the existing, large fragmented files for saving index node space.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor device points the punched holes to a logical block address (LBA) zero.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor device retains an original size of a punched hole for converting a populated file into a sparsely populated file.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor device uses a fallocate command for the hole punching.

13. A computer program product for applying a content defined minimum size bound on content defined blocks using a processor device in a computing environment, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

a first executable portion that, upon performing a data deduplication process, punches holes in a fragment of an existing fragmented file to increase performance of a deduplication appliance executing the data deduplication process, the punching holes allowing a file system of the deduplication appliance to use the punched holes for reclaiming free space for adding to a free space pool of the file system;

wherein the punching holes is performed in lieu of performing a defragmenting operation on the existing fragmented file and is performed as a default operation during the data deduplication process; and

upon performance of the punching holes, creates a new file from the punched holes during the data deduplication process.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, further including a second executable portion that punches a hole in a fragment of an existing, large fragmented file and returning the punch hole fragment to the free space of the file system for creating a new, larger fragmented file.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, further including a second executable portion that deletes existing, large fragmented files after losing all data in the existing, large fragmented files for saving index node space.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, further including a second executable portion that points the punched holes to a logical block address (LBA) zero.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, further including a second executable portion that:

retains an original size of a punched hole for converting a populated file into a sparsely populated file, and

uses a fallocate command for the hole punching.