Flexible system and method for mirroring data

• US 20040024979A1
• Filed: 08/02/2002
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kaminsky, David L., Doyle, Ronald P., Ogle, David M., Pozefsky, Diane P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,191,298 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1461 Backup scheduling policy
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2058 using more than 2 mirrored copies
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2069 Management of state, configuration or failover
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

A flexible data mirroring system and method are adapted for use in a data processing system having first and second data storage devices. Upon receiving notification of a file update to be written to the first data storage device a mirror mode and mirror event associated with the updated file are determined from mirror information that has been provisioned on a per-file, per-directory or per-volume, etc. basis. The file update is mirrored to the second data storage device according to the provisioned mirror mode and mirror event. If the mirror mode is continuous, the mirror operation proceeds immediately. If the mirror mode is discrete, the file update is noted and the mirror operation proceeds following occurrence of the file'"'"'s mirror event.

Claims

1. A data processing apparatus adapted to access first and second storage devices, said data processing apparatus being programmed to:

receive notification of a file update to be written to said first data storage device;

determine a mirror mode associated with said updated file;

determine a mirror event associated with said updated file; and

mirror said file update to said second data storage device according to said mirror mode and said mirror event.

2. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said file update notification is received from a file system.

3. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said file update notification comprises a data block or data block information.

4. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said mirror mode determination comprises performing a lookup of provisioned mirror mode information corresponding to said updated file.

5. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said mirror event determination comprises performing a lookup of provisioned mirror event information corresponding to said updated file.

6. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said data processing apparatus is further programmed to store an indication of said file update if said mirror mode is a discrete mirror mode, and wherein said mirroring includes mirroring said file update upon occurrence of said mirror event.

7. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said update indication storage comprises storing said indication of said file update in a dirty list.

8. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said mirroring comprises consulting said stored file update indication upon occurrence of said mirror event to determine whether mirroring is required for said updated file.

9. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said mirror mode associated with said file and said mirror event associated with said file represent provisioned information and said mirror mode and mirror event determination comprise performing a lookup of said provisioned information.

10. An apparatus in accordance with claim 9 wherein said mirroring comprises routing said file update to said second data storage device according to destination and pacing information that is provisioned in association with mirror mode and said mirror event.

11. A computer program product embodied in a tangible media for use in a data processing system having access to first and second storage devices, comprising:

computer readable program codes coupled to the tangible media for facilitating flexible data mirroring, said computer readable program codes being configured to cause the program to;

receive notification of a file update to be written to said first data storage device;

determine a mirror mode associated with said updated file;

determine a mirror event associated with said updated file; and

mirror said file update to said second data storage device according to said mirror mode and said mirror event.

12. A computer program product in accordance with claim 11 wherein said file update notification is received from a file system.

13. A computer program product in accordance with claim 11 wherein said file update notification comprises a data block or data block information.

14. A computer program product in accordance with claim 11 wherein said mirror mode determination comprises performing a lookup of provisioned mirror mode information corresponding to said updated file.

15. A computer program product in accordance with claim 11 wherein said mirror event determination comprises performing a lookup of provisioned mirror event information corresponding to said updated file.

16. A computer program product in accordance with claim 11 wherein said program codes are further configured to cause said program to store an indication of said file update if said mirror mode is a discrete mirror mode, and wherein said mirroring includes mirroring said file update upon occurrence of said mirror event.

17. A computer program product in accordance with claim 11 wherein said update indication storage comprises storing said indication of said file update in a dirty list.

18. A computer program product in accordance with claim 11 wherein said mirroring comprises consulting said stored file update indication upon occurrence of said mirror event to determine whether mirroring is required for said updated file.

19. A computer program product in accordance with claim 11 wherein said mirror mode associated with said file and said mirror event associated with said file represent provisioned information and said mirror mode and mirror event determination comprise performing a lookup of said provisioned information.

20. A computer program product in accordance with claim 19 wherein said mirroring comprises routing said file update to said second data storage device according to destination and pacing information that is provisioned in association with mirror mode and said mirror event.

21. A mirroring system for flexibly mirroring data, comprising:

a mirror services unit;

a mirror services table associated with said mirror services unit for storing mirror mode information and mirror event information in respective association with one or more file identifiers; and

a mirror services control unit associated with said mirror services unit adapted to;

perform a lookup in said mirror services table in response to receiving notification of a file update to determine a mirror mode and a mirror event of a file associated with said file update;

mirror said file update to a mirror destination if said mirror mode is a continuous mirror mode;

store an indication of said file update if said mirror mode is a discrete mirror mode; and

mirror said file update to a mirror destination in response to an occurrence of said mirror event.

22. A mirroring system in accordance with claim 21 wherein said file update indication update is stored in a dirty list in association with said mirror event.

23. A mirroring system in accordance with claim 22 further comprising:

a mirror management unit;

a mirror management table associated with said mirror management unit for storing provisioned mirror mode information and mirror event information in respective association with one or more file identifiers; and

a mirror management control unit adapted to;

interface with an administrator to facilitate provisioning of said mirror mode information and said mirror event information in association with one or more files;

providing said provisioned mirror mode information and mirror event information to said mirror services unit for storage in said mirror services table; and

providing an indication of a mirror event occurrence to said mirror services unit.

24. A mirror system in accordance with claim 23 further including a transport layer interconnecting said mirror system to said mirror destination and a routing layer storing destination and pacing information for use by said transport layer in mirroring file updates to said mirror destination.

25. A mirroring system in accordance with claim 24 wherein said mirror management table stores provisioned destination and pacing information in association with said provisioned mirror mode and mirror event information, and wherein said mirror management unit comprises means for providing said provisioned destination and pacing information to said routing layer.

26. In a data processing system having access to first and second data storage devices, a flexible data mirror method comprising:

receiving notification of a file update to be written to said first data storage device;

determining a mirror mode associated with said updated file;

determining a mirror event associated with said updated file; and

mirroring said file update to said second data storage device according to said mirror mode and said mirror event.

27. A method in accordance with claim 26 wherein said mirror mode determining step comprises a lookup of provisioned mirror mode information corresponding to said updated file.

28. A method in accordance with claim 26 wherein an indication of said file update is stored if said mirror mode is a discrete mirror mode, and wherein said mirroring step is performed upon occurrence of said mirror event.

29. A method in accordance with claim 26 wherein said mirror mode associated with said file and said mirror event associated with said file represent provisioned information and said mirror mode and mirror event determining steps comprise a lookup of said provisioned information.

30. A method in accordance with claim 29 wherein said mirroring step includes routing said file update to said second data storage device according to destination and pacing information that is provisioned in association with mirror mode and said mirror event.

31. A mirroring system for providing flexible data mirroring in a data processing system, comprising:

a mirror services unit;

a mirror services table storing mirror mode information and mirror event information in respective association with one or more file identifiers;

means in said mirror services unit for performing a lookup in said mirror services table in response to receiving notification of a file update to determine a mirror mode and a mirror event of a file associated with said file update;

means in said mirror services unit for mirroring said file update to a mirror destination if said mirror mode is a continuous mirror mode;

means in said mirror services unit for storing an indication of said file update if said mirror mode is a discrete mirror mode; and

means in said mirror services unit for mirroring said file update to a mirror destination in response to an occurrence of said mirror event.

32. A mirroring system in accordance with claim 31 wherein said file update indication update is stored in a dirty list in association with said mirror event.

33. A mirroring system in accordance with claim 31 further including a mirror management unit, said mirror management unit comprising:

means for interfacing with an administrator to facilitate provisioning of said mirror mode information and said mirror event information in association with one or more files;

a mirror management table storing said provisioned mirror mode information and mirror event information in respective association with one or more file identifiers;

means for providing said provisioned mirror mode information and mirror event information to said mirror services unit for storage in said mirror services table; and

means for providing an indication of a mirror event occurrence to said mirror services unit.

34. A mirror system in accordance with claim 33 further including a transport layer interconnecting said mirror system to said mirror destination and a routing layer storing destination and pacing information for use by said transport layer in mirroring file updates to said mirror destination.

35. A mirroring system in accordance with claim 34 wherein said mirror management table stores provisioned destination and pacing information in association with said provisioned mirror mode and mirror event information, and wherein said mirror management unit comprises means for providing said provisioned destination and pacing information to said routing layer.