Data storage system

• US 20050066225A1
• Filed: 08/24/2004
• Published: 03/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veritas Technologies, LLC (Whitehouse Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Symantec Operating Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: Rowan, Michael, Rodgers, Kevin, Darcy, Jeff
• Granted Patent: US 7,725,760 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1435 using file system or storage system metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1461 Backup scheduling policy
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/835 Timestamp

Abstract

In a data storage system, a storage management device includes at least a target mode driver, a data classifier in communication with the target mode driver, a plurality of storage buffers in communication with the target mode driver, a plurality of I/O managers in communication with the data classifier, and a physical store interface in communication with the plurality of I/O managers and with the plurality of storage buffers.

Claims

1. A storage management device, comprising:

a target mode driver for receiving a first request comprising control information, and for transmitting the control information;

a data classifier, in communication with the target mode driver, for receiving the control information from the target mode driver, for classifying the received first request, in response to the control information, as a particular type of received first request, and for transmitting the control information;

a plurality of storage buffers in communication with the target mode driver;

a plurality of I/O managers, in communication with the data classifier, for receiving the control information from the data classifier, and for processing the received control information; and

a physical store interface in communication with the plurality of I/O managers and with the plurality of storage buffers.

2. The storage management device of claim 1, wherein the target mode driver is configured to time stamp the control information of the received first request.

3. The storage management device of claim 2, wherein the plurality of I/O managers are each configured to manage a data store, and wherein the control information of the received first request directs a first one of the plurality of I/O managers to operate on a first location within the data store.

4. The storage management device of claim 3, wherein the first I/O manager is further directed by control information of other requests to operate on second locations within the data store that at least partially overlap the first location within the data store.

5. The storage management device of claim 4, wherein the first I/O manager is configured to processes the control information of the received first request before processing any of the other requests whose control information has a later time stamp than the control information of the received first request.

6. The storage management device of claim 1, wherein the received first request is a write operation comprising a data payload.

7. The storage management device of claim 6, wherein the plurality of storage buffers are configured to temporarily store the data payload.

8. The storage management device of claim 6, wherein the target mode driver is configured to store the received first request in a first storage buffer.

9. The storage management device of claim 8, wherein the target mode driver is configured to separate the data payload of the received first request from the control information of the received first request.

10. The storage management device of claim 9, wherein the target mode driver is further configured to replicate the separated data payload to create at least one data payload copy.

11. The storage management device of claim 10, wherein the target mode driver is further configured to evaluate a first cost equation, and to optimally select a second storage buffer based on the results of the evaluated first cost equation.

12. The storage management device of claim 11, wherein the target mode driver is further configured to evaluate a second cost equation, and to optimally select a third storage buffer based on the results of the evaluated second cost equation.

13. The storage management device of claim 11, wherein the target mode driver is further configured to transmit a first data payload copy to the second storage buffer.

14. The storage management device of claim 13, wherein the first storage buffer is configured to temporarily store the separated data payload, and wherein the second storage buffer is configured to temporarily store the first data payload copy.

15. The storage management device of claim 1, wherein the received first request is a read operation.

16. The storage management device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of 1/O managers are each configured to manage a data store.

17. The storage management device of claim 16, wherein the received first request is a request for a modification history for a location within the data store.

18. The storage management device of claim 16, wherein each one of the plurality of I/O managers is further configured to subscribe, via a subscription protocol, to at least one set of locations within the data store for which it will process the control information of the received first request.

19. The storage management device of claim 18, wherein the control information of the received first request comprises an operation on a first location within the data store, and wherein the data classifier is configured to identify, based on the subscriptions of the plurality of I/O managers, a first one of the plurality of I/O managers capable of processing the control information.

20. The storage management device of claim 19, wherein the data classifier is further configured to transmit the control information to the first I/O manager and to instruct the first I/O manger to process the control information.

21. The storage management device of claim 19, wherein the data classifier is further configured to identify, based on the subscriptions of the plurality of I/O managers, a second one of the plurality of I/O managers capable of processing the control information.

22. The storage management device of claim 21, wherein the data classifier is further configured to replicate the control information to create a copy of the control information.

23. The storage management device of claim 22, wherein the data classifier is further configured to transmit the copy of the control information to the second I/O manager and to instruct the second I/O manager to temporarily store the copy of the control information, rather than process the copy of the control information.

24. The storage management device of claim 22, wherein the data classifier is further configured to transmit the copy of the control information to the second I/O manager, and wherein the second I/O manager is configured to process the control information upon a failure of the first I/O manager.

25. The storage management device of claim 1, wherein, upon the processing of the received control information by a first one of the plurality of I/O managers, the first I/O manager is configured to instruct the physical store interface to communicate with at least one physical store.

26. The storage management device of claim 25, wherein the first I/O manager is further configured to instruct the physical store interface to communicate with a first one of the plurality of storage buffers.

27. The storage management device of claim 26, wherein the received first request is a write operation comprising a data payload, and wherein the data payload is temporarily stored in the first storage buffer.

28. The storage management device of claim 27, wherein the physical store interface is configured to retrieve the data payload from the first storage buffer, and to write the data payload to the at least one physical store.

29. The storage management device of claim 25, wherein the physical store interface is configured to read data from the at least one physical store.

30. The storage management device of claim 29, wherein the received first request is a write operation.

31. The storage management device of claim 29, wherein the received first request is a read operation.

32. The storage management device of claim 1, wherein the target mode driver is configured to receive the first request over a Fiber Channel network.

33. The storage management device of claim 1, wherein the physical store interface is further in communication with at least one physical store over a Fiber Channel network.

34. The storage management device of claim 1 further comprising an internal InfiniBand network for enabling communication between at least one of the plurality of storage buffers and the target mode driver, between at least one of the plurality of I/O managers and the data classifier, between the physical store interface and at least one of the plurality of I/O managers, and between the physical store interface and at least one of the plurality of storage buffers.