Simultaneous data backup in a computer system

• US 20040078534A1
• Filed: 10/18/2002
• Published: 04/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Scheid, William BJ
• Granted Patent: US 7,117,324 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0613 in relation to throughput
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/065 Replication mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

A data processing system using a client-server configuration includes a method and apparatus for simultaneously generating multiple copies of data sets in multiple storage pools. Simultaneous copies of data sets may be made for storage pools having LAN-free paths in addition to storage pools having only access from a LAN path.

Claims

1. A data processing system able to store backup copies of a data set in storage pools having multiple destinations, comprising:

a client having a storage agent;

said storage agent having a queue;

a first network queue manager residing in said client, said network queue manager having control over said queue;

a server connected by a local area network with said client;

a second network queue manager residing in said server.

2. A data processing system as in claim 1, wherein said first network queue manager passes a data set to be copied only once over said local area network connection between said client and said server.

3. A data processing system as in claim 1 wherein one or more storage pools having volumes reside within said client.

4. A data processing system as in claim 3 wherein the volumes in said storage pools comprise magnetic disk drives.

5. A data processing system as in claim 3 wherein the volumes in said storage pools comprise magnetic tape drives.

6. A data processing system as in claim 1 wherein one or more storage pools having volumes are connected with said storage agent using a storage area network.

7. A data processing system as in claim 6 wherein the volumes in said storage pools comprise magnetic disk drives.

8. A data processing system as in claim 6 wherein the volumes in said storage pools comprise magnetic tape drives.

9. A data processing system as in claim 1 wherein one or more storage pools having volumes are connected with said server.

10. A data processing system as in claim 9 wherein the volumes in said storage pools comprise magnetic disk drives.

11. A data processing system as in claim 9 wherein the volumes in said storage pools comprise magnetic tape drives.

12. In a data processing system, a method for creating multiple copies of a data set in storage pools having multiple destinations, comprising:

storing copies of the data set in locally attached storage pools;

storing copies of the data set in storage pools connected by storage area networks;

receiving a request in a server from a client storage agent to set up a storage session;

creating a session in said server to monitor the activities of a copy operation;

establishing the location of copy storage pools;

obtaining mount points for each of volumes in said copy storage pools;

reporting the results of the storage session setup to said storage agent;

transferring the data set once from said client to said server; and

,

storing copies of the data set in said copy storage pools after the setup is complete.

13. In a data processing system, a method for creating copies of data sets in a plurality of storage pools having multiple destinations, comprising:

receiving a storage request from a client;

defining a primary storage pool;

selecting a defined copy storage pool;

in response to a selected copy storage pool which is local, obtaining a mount point, opening a volume in the selected copy storage pool, adding the mount point to the list of destinations; and

,

in response to a selected copy storage pool which is remote, contacting the remote server, creating a local mount point to reference the entire remote list on the server, requesting a remote mount point, request remote server to open a volume.

14. An article of manufacture for use in a data processing system able to store backup copies of a data set in storage pools having multiple destinations, said article of manufacture comprising:

a computer usable medium tangibly embodying a program of executable computer instructions which may cause said data processing system to execute steps comprising;

receiving a storage request from a client;

defining a primary storage pool;

selecting a defined copy storage pool;

in response to a selected copy storage pool which is local, obtaining a mount point, opening a volume in the selected copy storage pool, adding the mount point to the list of destinations; and

,

in response to a selected copy storage pool which is remote, contacting the remote server, creating a local mount point to reference the entire remote list on the server, requesting a remote mount point, request remote server to open a volume.