Snapshot management method apparatus and system

• US 20050033929A1
• Filed: 08/05/2003
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: El-Batal, Mohamad H., Burton, David Alan, Stewart, Alan Lee, Otterness, Noel Simen
• Granted Patent: US 7,467,266 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/128 Details of file system snapshots on the file-level, e.g. snapshot creation, administration, deletion use of snapshots for error detection or correction G06F11/14, G06F11/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/84 Using snapshots, i.e. a logical point-in-time copy of the data
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

Snapshot sets comprising snapshot criteria are created, maintained, and executed via a command set designed to facilitate managing and conducting snapshots on data distributed across multiple volumes. Snapshot criteria such as source volume, target volume, redundancy level, copy mode, and the like are added as desired to a snapshot set. Upon invocation of an execute command, the fast replication operations defined by the snapshot set are executed, providing a logically atomic data replication utility potentially involving multiple sources and targets. In one embodiment auto selection of a target may be specified, thus facilitating over-subscription of target resources. The present invention reduces the complexity of archiving data—particularly data distributed across multiple volumes such as data associated with database applications and the like.

Claims

1. A computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable program code containing a programming interface for managing and conducting fast replication operations, the programming interface comprising:

an add to snapshot set function configured to add snapshot criteria to a snapshot set; and

an execute snapshot set function configured to initiate a plurality of fast replications operations as specified by the snapshot set.

2. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the snapshot criteria comprises at least one data field selected from the group consisting of a source volume indicator, a target volume indicator, an auto-select target indicator, a partial volume indicator, a source extents indicator, a redundancy level indicator, and background copy indicator.

3. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the programming interface further comprises:

a create snapshot set function configured to create a snapshot set; and

a delete snapshot set function configured to delete a specified snapshot set.

4. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the programming interface further comprises:

a remove from snapshot set function configured to delete specified snapshot criteria from the snapshot set; and

a terminate snapshot set function configured to terminate the plurality of fast replications operations specified by the snapshot set.

5. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the programming interface further comprises a get snapshot set function configured to provide information regarding a specified snapshot set.

6. An apparatus for managing and conducting fast replication operations, the apparatus comprising:

a snapshot management module configured to add snapshot criteria to a snapshot set; and

a snapshot execution module configured to initiate a plurality of fast replications operations as specified by the snapshot set.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the snapshot management module is further configured to manage snapshot criteria comprising at least one data field selected from the group consisting of a source volume indicator, a target volume indicator, an auto-select target indicator, a partial volume indicator, a source extents indicator, a redundancy level indicator, and a background copy indicator.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the snapshot execution module is further configured to terminate the plurality of fast replications operations specified by the snapshot set.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the snapshot management module is further configured to manage a list of controllers associated with the snapshot set.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the snapshot management module is further configured to create a snapshot set and delete a specified snapshot set.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the snapshot management module is further configured to delete specified snapshot criteria from the snapshot set and the snapshot execution module is further configured to terminate the plurality of fast replications operations specified by the snapshot set.

12. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the snapshot management module is further configured to provide information regarding a specified snapshot set.

13. An apparatus for managing and conducting fast replication operations, the apparatus comprising:

means for adding snapshot criteria to a snapshot set; and

means for initiating a plurality of fast replications operations as specified by the snapshot set.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

means for managing a list of controllers associated with the snapshot set;

means for creating the snapshot set;

means for deleting a specified snapshot set;

means for removing specified snapshot criteria from the snapshot set;

means for terminating the plurality of fast replications operations specified by the snapshot set; and

means for providing information regarding a specified snapshot set.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising means for managing snapshot criteria comprising data fields selected from the group consisting of a source volume indicator, a target volume indicator, an auto-select target indicator, a partial volume indicator, a source extents indicator, a redundancy level indicator, and a background copy indicator.

16. A method for managing and conducting fast replication operations, the method comprising:

adding snapshot criteria to a snapshot set; and

initiating a plurality of fast replication operations as specified by the snapshot set.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the snapshot criteria comprises at least one data field selected from the group consisting of a source volume indicator, a target volume indicator, an auto-select target indicator, a partial volume indicator, a source extents indicator, a redundancy level indicator, and a background copy indicator.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising conducting an operation selected from the group consisting of:

creating the snapshot set;

deleting a specified snapshot set;

providing information regarding a specified snapshot set;

deleting specified snapshot criteria from the snapshot set; and

terminating the plurality of fast replications operations specified by the snapshot set.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein adding snapshot criteria to a snapshot set is conducted using an API.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein adding snapshot criteria to a snapshot set and

initiating a plurality of fast replication operations as specified by the snapshot set are conducted across multiple volumes and multiple controllers.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein initiating a plurality of fast replication operations may be conducted by any one of a plurality of servers in a storage system.

22. The method of claim 16, further comprising managing a list of controllers associated with the snapshot set.

23. A system for managing and conducting fast replication operations, the system comprising:

a plurality of storage volumes configured to store data;

at least one storage controller configured to manage the storage volumes; and

the at least one storage controller further configured to add snapshot criteria to a snapshot set and initiate a plurality of fast replications operations as specified by the snapshot set.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the at least one storage controller is further configured to manage snapshot criteria comprising data fields selected from the group consisting of a source volume indicator, a target volume indicator, an auto-select target indicator, a partial volume indicator, a source extents indicator, a redundancy level indicator, and a background copy indicator.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the at least one storage controller is further configured to:

manage a list of controllers associated with the snapshot set;

remove specified snapshot criteria from the snapshot set;

terminate the plurality of fast replications operations specified by the snapshot set; and

provide information regarding a specified snapshot set.

26. A computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable program code for managing and conducting fast replication operations, the program code configured to:

add snapshot criteria to a snapshot set; and

initiate a plurality of fast replications operations as specified by the snapshot set.

27. The computer readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein the computer readable program code is further configured for managing snapshot criteria comprising data fields selected from the group consisting of a source volume indicator, a target volume indicator, an auto-select target indicator, a partial volume indicator, a source extents indicator, a redundancy level indicator, and a background copy indicator.

28. The computer readable storage medium of claim 26, further comprising computer readable program code configured to:

manage a list of controllers associated with the snapshot set;

remove specified snapshot criteria from the snapshot set;

terminate the plurality of fast replications operations specified by the snapshot set; and

provide information regarding a specified snapshot set.