Techniques to control recalls in storage management applications

• US 20040083202A1
• Filed: 08/30/2002
• Published: 04/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Arkivio (Rocket Software Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Arkivio (Rocket Software Incorporated)
• Inventors: Leung, Albert, Mu, Yuedong
• Application Number:
  US10/232,671
• Publication Number:
  US 20040083202A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0622 in relation to access
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0637 Permissions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0647 Migration mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0685 Hybrid storage combining heterogeneous device types, e.g. hierarchical storage, hybrid arrays

Abstract

Techniques for reducing false recalls by controlling recalls performed by data migration applications in a storage environment comprising a plurality of storage units. According to an embodiment of the present invention, false recalls are reduced by restricting certain users, groups, and programs from performing recall or demigration of data. Techniques are provided that enable a storage system administrator to specify a list of users, groups, and programs for which data file recall is disallowed.

Claims

1. In a storage system comprising a plurality of storage units, a method of controlling recall of data, the method comprising:

receiving a signal to recall a data file, the signal generated in response to a request to access the data file received from a user;

determining if the user is permitted to recall the data file; and

disallowing recall of the data file if the user is not permitted to recall the data file.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining if the user is permitted to recall the data file comprises:

accessing exclusion information identifying one or more users that are not permitted to perform a recall operation; and

determining that the user is not permitted to recall the data file if the user is included in the one or more users.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the exclusion information further comprises, for at least one user in the one or more users, information identifying a set of one or more of storage units from the plurality of storage units for which the at least one user is not permitted to perform a recall operation, wherein the plurality of storage units includes at least one storage unit that is not included in the set of storage units.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving exclusion information identifying one or more users that are not permitted to perform a recall operation; and

wherein determining if the user is permitted to recall the data file comprises determining that the user is not permitted to recall the data file if the user is included in the one or more users.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the request to access the data file is received from a program, the method further comprising:

determining if the program is permitted to recall the data file; and

disallowing recall of the data file if the program is not permitted to recall the data file.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein determining if the program is permitted to recall the data file comprises:

accessing exclusion information identifying one or more programs that are not permitted to perform a recall operation; and

determining that the program is not permitted to recall the data file if the program is included in the one or more programs.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the exclusion information further comprises, for at least one program in the one or more programs, information identifying a set of one or more of storage units from the plurality of storage units for which the at least one program is not permitted to perform a recall operation, wherein the plurality of storage units includes at least one storage unit that is not included in the set of storage units.

8. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

receiving exclusion information identifying one or more programs that are not permitted to perform a recall operation; and

wherein determining if the program is permitted to recall the data file comprises determining that the program is not permitted to recall the data file if the program is included in the one or more programs.

9. In a storage system comprising a plurality of storage units, a system for controlling recall of data, the system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory configured to store a plurality of code modules for execution by the processor, the plurality of code modules comprising;

a code module for receiving a signal to recall a data file, the signal generated in response to a request to access the data file received from a user; and

a code module for determining if the user is permitted to recall the data file, the processor module configured to disallow recall of the data file if the user is not permitted to recall the data file.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the code module for determining if the user is 4permitted to recall the data file comprises:

a code module for accessing exclusion information identifying one or more users that are not permitted to perform a recall operation; and

a code module for determining that the user is not permitted to recall the data file if the user is included in the one or more users.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the exclusion information further comprises, for at least one user in the one or more users, information identifying a set of one or more of storage units from the plurality of storage units for which the at least one user is not permitted to perform a recall operation, wherein the plurality of storage units includes at least one storage unit that is not included in the set of storage units.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the plurality of code modules further comprises:

a code module for receiving exclusion information identifying one or more users that are not permitted to perform a recall operation; and

wherein the code module for determining if the user is permitted to recall the data file comprises a code module for determining that the user is not permitted to recall the data file if the user is included in the one or more users.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the request to access the data file is received from a program and wherein the plurality of code modules further comprises:

a code module for determining if the program is permitted to recall the data file; and

a code module for disallowing recall of the data file if the program is not permitted to recall the data file.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the code module for determining if the program is permitted to recall the data file comprises:

a code module for accessing exclusion information identifying one or more programs that are not permitted to perform a recall operation; and

a code module for determining that the program is not permitted to recall the data file if the program is included in the one or more programs.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the exclusion information further comprises, for at least one program in the one or more programs, information identifying a set of one or more of storage units from the plurality of storage units for which the at least one program is not permitted to perform a recall operation, wherein the plurality of storage units includes at least one storage unit that is not included in the set of storage units.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the plurality of code modules further comprises:

a code module for receiving exclusion information identifying one or more programs that are not permitted to perform a recall operation; and

wherein the code module for determining if the program is permitted to recall the data file comprises a code module for determining that the program is not permitted to recall the data file if the program is included in the one or more programs.

17. A computer program product stored on a computer-readable storage medium for controlling recall of data in a storage system comprising a plurality of storage units, the computer program product comprising:

code for receiving a signal to recall a data file, the signal generated in response to a request to access the data file received from a user;

code for determining if the user is permitted to recall the data file; and

code for disallowing recall of the data file if the user is not permitted to recall the data file.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein the code for determining if the user is permitted to recall the data file comprises:

code for accessing exclusion information identifying one or more users that are not permitted to perform a recall operation; and

code for determining that the user is not permitted to recall the data file if the user is included in the one or more users.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 wherein the exclusion information further comprises, for at least one user in the one or more users, information identifying a set of one or more of storage units from the plurality of storage units for which the at least one user is not permitted to perform a recall operation, wherein the plurality of storage units includes at least one storage unit that is not included in the set of storage units.

20. The computer program product of claim 17 further comprising:

code for receiving exclusion information identifying one or more users that are not permitted to perform a recall operation; and

wherein the code for determining if the user is permitted to recall the data file comprises code for determining that the user is not permitted to recall the data file if the user is included in the one or more users.

21. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein the request to access the data file is received from a program, the computer program product further comprising:

code for determining if the program is permitted to recall the data file; and

code for disallowing recall of the data file if the program is not permitted to recall the data file.

22. The computer program product of claim 21 wherein the code for determining if the program is permitted to recall the data file comprises:

code for accessing exclusion information identifying one or more programs that are not permitted to perform a recall operation; and

code for determining that the program is not permitted to recall the data file if the program is included in the one or more programs.

23. The computer program product of claim 22 wherein the exclusion information further comprises, for at least one program in the one or more programs, information identifying a set of one or more of storage units from the plurality of storage units for which the at least one program is not permitted to perform a recall operation, wherein the plurality of storage units includes at least one storage unit that is not included in the set of storage units.

24. The computer program product of claim 21 further comprising:

code for receiving exclusion information identifying one or more programs that are not permitted to perform a recall operation; and

wherein the code for determining if the program is permitted to recall the data file comprises code for determining that the program is not permitted to recall the data file if the program is included in the one or more programs.

25. In a storage system comprising a plurality of storage units, a system for controlling recall of data, the system comprising:

means for receiving a signal to recall a data file, the signal generated in response to a request to access the data file received from a user;

means for determining if the user is permitted to recall the data file; and

means for disallowing recall of the data file if the user is not permitted to recall the data file.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the request to access the data file is received from a program, the system further comprising:

means for determining if the program is permitted to recall the data file; and

means for disallowing recall of the data file if the program is not permitted to recall the data file.