Shared library in a data storage system

• US 10,126,949 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2017
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Vijayan, Manoj Kumar, Kottomtharayil, Rajiv, Kochunni, Jaidev Oppath
• Primary Examiner(s): Bradley, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Otto, Alan
• Application Number:
  US15/682,245
• Publication Number:
  US 20180067654A1
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0608 Saving storage space on storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0631 by allocating resources to storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0644 Management of space entities, e.g. partitions, extents, pools
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0659 Command handling arrangements, e.g. command buffers, queues, command scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0686 Libraries, e.g. tape libraries, jukebox

Abstract

The library server according to certain aspects can manage the use of tape drives according to the data requirements of different storage operation cells. The library server according to certain aspects can also facilitate automatic management of tape media in a tape library by allocating the tapes and slots to different cells. For instance, the library server can manage the positioning and placement of the tapes into appropriate slots within the tape library.

Claims

1. A method of administering access to a tape data storage library that is shared amongst a plurality of data storage cells to manage copies of primary data, the method comprising:

using one or more computing devices comprising computer hardware;

assigning, for each respective data storage cell of a plurality of data storage cells, a subset of a plurality of tapes in a tape data storage library for use by the respective data storage cell the tape data storage library residing in a secondary storage subsystem and including a plurality of tape drives and a plurality of tape slots configured to hold the plurality of tapes, wherein access to the tape data storage library is shared by the data storage cells and each of the data storage cells comprises one or more client computing devices residing in a primary storage subsystem;

receiving from a first data storage cell of the plurality of data storage cells a first tape drive lease request to lease one or more tape drives for accessing the subset of tapes assigned to the first data storage cell to perform a first storage operation, the first storage operation associated with moving data between the primary storage subsystem and the tape data storage library, the first tape drive lease request including priority information associated with the first tape drive lease request;

determining a first priority level of the first tape drive lease request based on a combination of data-storage-cell-specific priority based on a first type of data that the first data storage cell is configured to generate, and lease-request-specific priority based on (i) a type of the data to be moved between the primary storage subsystem and the tape data storage library using the one or more tape drives to be leased, and (ii) a type of the first storage operation to be performed using the one or more tape drives to be leased such that tape drive lease requests to lease tape drives for retrieving data from the tape data storage library are prioritized over tape drive lease requests to lease tape drives for writing data to the tape data storage library;

receiving from a second data storage cell of the plurality of data storage cells a second tape drive lease request to lease one or more tape drives for accessing the subset of tapes assigned to the second data storage cell to perform a second storage operation, the second storage operation associated with moving data between the primary storage subsystem and the tape data storage library, the second tape drive lease request including priority information associated with the second tape drive lease request;

determining a second priority level of the second tape drive lease request based on a combination of data-storage-cell-specific priority based on a second type of data that the second data storage cell is configured to generate, and lease-request-specific priority based on (i) a type of the data to be moved between the primary storage subsystem and the tape data storage library using the one or more tape drives to be leased, and (ii) a type of the second storage operation to be performed using the one or more tape drives to be leased such that tape drive lease requests to lease tape drives for retrieving data from the tape data storage library are prioritized over tape drive lease requests to lease tape drives for writing data to the tape data storage library, wherein the second type of data that the second data storage cell is configured to generate is different from the first type of data that the first data storage cell is configured to generate;

in response to determining that the first priority level is higher than the second priority level, placing the first and second tape drive lease requests in a queue such that the first tape drive lease request is ahead of the second tape drive lease request in the queue; and

granting a first lease of one or more tape drives of the plurality of tape drives to the first data storage cell for providing temporary access to the subset of tapes assigned to the first data storage cell, the first lease associated with a lease duration for which access to the one or more tape drives is to be granted to the first data storage cell under the first lease.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, prior to expiration of the lease duration associated with the first lease, that the first data storage cell is still using the one or more tape drives; and

in response to the determination that the first data storage cell is still using the one or more tape drives, extending the first lease of the one or more tape drives assigned to the first data storage cell.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from a third data storage cell of the plurality of data storage cells a third request to access the subset of tapes assigned to the third data storage cell for performing a third storage operation, the third storage operation to move data between the primary storage subsystem and the tape data storage library, the third request including priority information associated with the third request; and

in response to determining that the third request has a higher priority than the first request, interrupting the first lease of the one or more tape drives granted to the first data storage cell such that access to the one or more tape drives is withdrawn from the first data storage cell and granted to the third data storage cell.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the subset of tapes for the respective data storage cell is dedicated for use by that data storage cell and not by others of the plurality of data storage cells.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first storage operation and the second storage operation comprises one or more of a retrieval operation, a backup operation, a migration operation, a snapshot operation, or a replication operation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first storage operation is a data retrieval operation comprising retrieving data from the tape data storage library, and the second storage operation is a data backup operation comprising writing data to the tape data storage library, wherein the lease-request-specific priority associated with the first storage operation is higher than the lease-request-specific priority associated with the second storage operation.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that the data-storage-cell-specific priority associated with the first data storage cell is higher than the data-storage-cell-specific priority associated with the second data storage cell based on the first type of data to be generated by the first data storage cell having a higher priority than the second type of data to be generated by the second data storage cell.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the first priority level based on a weighted combination of the data-storage-cell-specific priority and the lease-request-specific priority corresponding to the first request, and determining the second priority level based on a weighted combination of the data-storage-cell-specific priority and the lease-request-specific priority corresponding to the second request.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein each tape is associated with a specific tape identifier, the method further comprising:

assigning, based on first data requirement information associated with the first data storage cell, a first range of tape identifiers to the first data storage cell such that tapes corresponding to the first range of tape identifiers are dedicated to performing operations associated with the first data storage cell; and

assigning, based on second data requirement information associated with the second data storage cell, a second range of tape identifiers to the second data storage cell such that tapes corresponding to the second range of tape identifiers are dedicated to performing operations associated with the second data storage cell, wherein the first range and the second range do not overlap.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first tape drive lease request specifies a first number of tape drives to be leased and a first duration for which the first number of tape drives are to be leased, and the second tape drive lease request specifies a second number of tape drives to be leased and a second duration for which the second number of tape drives are to be leased, the method further comprising:

determining the first priority level further based on the first number and the first duration; and

determining the second priority level further based on the second number and the second duration.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, prior to expiration of the lease duration associated with the first lease, that the first data storage cell is no longer using the one or more tape drives; and

terminating the first lease prior to the expiration of the lease duration such that the one or more tape drives leased under the first lease become available for use by one or more other data storage cells in the plurality of data storage cells.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, prior to expiration of the lease duration associated with the first lease, a lease renewal request to extend a duration of the temporary access provided to the first data storage cell beyond the lease duration for which access to the one or more tape drives is granted to the first data storage cell under the first lease; and

in response to the lease renewal request, extending the duration of the temporary access provided to the first data storage cell beyond the lease duration for which access to the one or more tape drives is granted to the first data storage cell under the first lease.

13. A data storage system configured to administer access to a tape data storage library that is shared amongst a plurality of data storage cells to manage copies of primary data, comprising:

one or more computing devices comprising computer hardware and configured to;

assign, for each respective data storage cell of a plurality of data storage cells, a subset of a plurality of tapes in a tape data storage library for use by the respective data storage cell the tape data storage library residing in a secondary storage subsystem and including a plurality of tape drives and a plurality of tape slots configured to hold the plurality of tapes, wherein access to the tape data storage library is shared by the data storage cells and each of the data storage cells comprises one or more client computing devices residing in a primary storage subsystem;

receive from a first data storage cell of the plurality of data storage cells a first tape drive lease request to lease one or more tape drives for accessing the subset of tapes assigned to the first data storage cell to perform a first storage operation, the first storage operation associated with moving data between the primary storage subsystem and the tape data storage library, the first tape drive lease request including priority information associated with the first tape drive lease request;

determine a first priority level of the first tape drive lease request based on a combination of data-storage-cell-specific priority based on a first type of data that the first data storage cell is configured to generate, and lease-request-specific priority based on (i) a type of the data to be moved between the primary storage subsystem and the tape data storage library using the one or more tape drives to be leased, and (ii) a type of the first storage operation to be performed using the one or more tape drives to be leased such that tape drive lease requests to lease tape drives for retrieving data from the tape data storage library are prioritized over tape drive lease requests to lease tape drives for writing data to the tape data storage library;

receive from a second data storage cell of the plurality of data storage cells a second tape drive lease request to lease one or more tape drives for accessing the subset of tapes assigned to the second data storage cell to perform a second storage operation, the second storage operation associated with moving data between the primary storage subsystem and the tape data storage library, the second tape drive lease request including priority information associated with the second tape drive lease request;

determine a second priority level of the second tape drive lease request based on a combination of data-storage-cell-specific priority based on a second type of data that the second data storage cell is configured to generate, and lease-request-specific priority based on (i) a type of the data to be moved between the primary storage subsystem and the tape data storage library using the one or more tape drives to be leased, and (ii) a type of the second storage operation to be performed using the one or more tape drives to be leased such that tape drive lease requests to lease tape drives for retrieving data from the tape data storage library are prioritized over tape drive lease requests to lease tape drives for writing data to the tape data storage library, wherein the second type of data that the second data storage cell is configured to generate is different from the first type of data that the first data storage cell is configured to generate;

in response to determining that the first priority level is higher than the second priority level, place the first and second tape drive lease requests in a queue such that the first tape drive lease request is ahead of the second tape drive lease request in the queue; and

grant a first lease of one or more tape drives of the plurality of tape drives to the first data storage cell for providing temporary access to the subset of tapes assigned to the first data storage cell, the first lease associated with a lease duration for which access to the one or more tape drives is to be granted to the first data storage cell under the first lease.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to:

determine, prior to expiration of the lease duration associated with the first lease, that the first data storage cell is still using the one or more tape drives; and

in response to the determination that the first data storage cell is still using the one or more tape drives, extend the first lease of the one or more tape drives assigned to the first data storage cell.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to:

receive from a third data storage cell of the plurality of data storage cells a third tape drive lease request to access the subset of tapes assigned to the third data storage cell for performing a third storage operation, the third storage operation to move data between the primary storage subsystem and the tape data storage library, the third tape drive lease request including priority information associated with the third tape drive lease request; and

in response to determining that the third tape drive lease request has a higher priority than the first tape drive lease request, interrupt the first lease of the one or more tape drives granted to the first data storage cell such that access to the one or more tape drives is withdrawn from the first data storage cell and granted to the third data storage cell.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the subset of tapes for the respective data storage cell is dedicated for use by that data storage cell and not by others of the plurality of data storage cells.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein each of the first storage operation and the second storage operation comprises one or more of a retrieval operation, a backup operation, a migration operation, a snapshot operation, or a replication operation.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the first storage operation is a data retrieval operation comprising retrieving data from the tape data storage library, and the second storage operation is a data backup operation comprising writing data to the tape data storage library, wherein the lease-request-specific priority associated with the first storage operation is higher than the lease-request-specific priority associated with the second storage operation.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to determine that the data-storage-cell-specific priority associated with the first data storage cell is higher than the data-storage-cell-specific priority associated with the second data storage cell based on the first type of data to be generated by the first data storage cell having a higher priority than the second type of data to be generated by the second data storage cell.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of tapes has a barcode, and wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to assign, for each respective data storage cell, a barcode range associated with the subset of the plurality of tapes.