Apparatus and method to selectively provide information to one or more computing devices

• US 20060174080A1
• Filed: 02/03/2005
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kern, Robert F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,862,852 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/165
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1827 Management specifically adapted to NAS management of storage area networks [SAN] G06F3/067
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0647 Migration mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

A method is disclosed to selectively provide information to one or more remote computing devices. The method provides an information storage and retrieval system comprising first information, a first logical partition, and a second logical partition, where the first information is disposed in the first logical partition. The method further provides a data extraction algorithm, forms second information comprising an instantaneous point-in-time copy of the first information, and forms third information from the second information using the data extraction algorithm. The method then migrates the third information from the first logical partition to the second logical partition, and provides access rights to that third information to one or more computing devices capable of communicating with the information storage and retrieval system.

Claims

1. A method to selectively provide information to one or more computing devices, comprising the steps of:

providing an information storage and retrieval system comprising first information, a first logical partition, and a second logical partition, wherein said first information is disposed in said first logical partition;

providing a data extraction algorithm;

forming second information comprising an instantaneous point-in-time copy of said first information;

forming third information from said second information using said data extraction algorithm;

migrating said third information from said first logical partition to said second logical partition;

providing access rights to said third information to one or more computing devices capable of communicating with said information storage and retrieval system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

providing a data verification algorithm; and

verifying said second information using said data verification algorithm prior to forming said third information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said verifying step further comprises performing a CRC check of said second information.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said verifying step further comprises performing an LRC check of said second information.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said verifying step further comprises performing a virus scan of said second information.

6. The step of claim 2, wherein said providing an information storage and retrieval system step further comprises providing first information comprising a DB2 database;

and

wherein said providing a data verification algorithm further comprises providing a DB2 Health Check algorithm.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said migrating third information step further comprises the steps of:

providing a storage attached network (“

SAN”

) comprising a SAN Volume Controller, wherein said SAN is capable of communicating with said information storage and retrieval system and with said one or more computing devices;

creating a virtual volume attached to said SAN;

mapping said third information from said first logical partition to said virtual volume;

migrating said third information from said virtual volume to one or more target volumes disposed in said one or more computing devices.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

virtually attaching one or more existing disks comprising customer data to said second logical partition;

performing disk consolations by said SAN Volume Controller using said one or more existing disks.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said migrating third information step further comprises:

providing a virtual local area network interconnecting said first logical partition and said second logical partition;

copying said third information from said first logical partition to said second logical partition using said virtual local area network.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said forming second information step further comprises:

establishing a FlashCopy relationship between a source volume comprising said first information and a target volume; and

mapping said source volume to said target volume.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said forming second information step further comprises forming and saving the (n)th instantaneous point-in-time copy of said first information at time T₀, further comprising the steps of:

forming and saving the previous (n-x)th point-in-time instantaneous copies of said first information, wherein n is greater than x, and wherein x is greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to about 3;

verifying said (n)th point-in-time copy;

operative if said (n)th point-in-time copy cannot be verified, using said (n-x) point-in-time copies to perform error recovery procedures.

12. A method to enhance the services provided by a storage services provider to a storage services customer, comprising the steps of:

receiving by a storage services provider information from a storage services customer;

receiving a customer-defined data extraction algorithm and a customer business policy;

forming an instantaneous point-in-time copy of said information;

forming customer-specific information from said point-in-time copy using said customer-defined data extraction algorithm;

providing access to said customer-specific information as specified in said customer business policy.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

specifying a data verification algorithm in said customer business policy;

verifying said point-in-time copy using said specified data verification algorithm.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein:

said receiving a customer-defined data extraction algorithm step further comprises receiving (m) customer-defined data extraction algorithms;

said forming customer-specific information step further comprises forming (m) customer-specific datasets from said point-in-time copy and said (m) customer-defined data extraction algorithms;

said providing access step further comprises providing access to said (m) customer-specific datasets as specified in said customer business policy.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein:

said receiving step further comprises receiving said information in a first database;

said providing access step further comprises loading said customer-specific information into one or more second databases as specified in said customer business policy.

16. An information storage and retrieval system comprising first information and a computer useable medium having computer readable program code disposed therein to selectively provide one or more subsets of that first information to one or more computing devices, the computer readable program code comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

forming second information comprising an instantaneous point-in-time copy of said first information;

retrieving a previously provided data extraction algorithm;

forming third information from said point-in-time copy using said data extraction algorithm;

migrating said third information from a first logical partition to a second logical partition;

providing access rights to said third information to one or more computing devices capable of communicating with said information storage and retrieval system.

17. The information storage and retrieval system of claim 16, wherein said information storage and retrieval system is capable of communicating with a storage attached network (“

SAN”

) comprising a SAN Volume Controller, wherein said SAN is capable of communicating with said one or more computing devices, said computer readable program code to migrate third information further comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect;

creating a virtual volume;

mapping said third information from said first logical partition to said virtual volume;

migrating said third information from said virtual volume to one or more target volumes disposed in said one or more computing devices.

18. The information storage and retrieval system of claim 17, said computer readable program code further comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

virtually attaching to said SAN one or more existing disks comprising customer data;

performing disk consolations by said SAN Volume Controller using said one or more existing disks.

19. The information storage and retrieval system of claim 16, wherein said computer readable program code to migrating third information further comprises a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

establishing a virtual local area network interconnecting said first logical partition and said second logical partition;

copying said third information from said first logical partition to said second logical partition using said virtual local area network.

20. The information storage and retrieval system of claim 16, said computer readable program code further comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

retrieving a previously-provided data verification algorithm; and

verifying said second information using said data verification algorithm prior to forming said third information.

21. The information storage and retrieval system of claim 20, said computer readable program code to verify said second information further comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect performing an LRC check of said second information.

22. The information storage and retrieval system of claim 20, said computer readable program code to verify said second information further comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect performing a CRC check of said second information.

23. The information storage and retrieval system of claim 20, said computer readable program code to verify said second information further comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect performing a virus scan of said second information.

24. The information storage and retrieval system of claim 20, said computer readable program code further comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

receiving first information comprising a DB2 database; and

retrieving a DB2 Health Check algorithm;

verifying said second information using said DB2 Health Check algorithm.

25. The information storage and retrieval system of claim 16, said computer readable program code to form second information further comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

establishing a FlashCopy relationship between a source volume comprising said first information and a target volume; and

mapping said source volume to said target volume.

26. The information storage and retrieval system of claim 16, said computer readable program code further comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

forming and saving the (n)th instantaneous point-in-time copy of said first information;

forming and saving the previous (n-x)th instantaneous point in time copies of said first information, wherein x is between 1 and about 3;

verifying said (n)th point-in-time copy;

operative if said (n)th point-in-time copy cannot be verified, using said (n-x) point-in-time copies to perform error recovery procedures.

27. A computer program product usable with a programmable computer processor to selectively provide one or more subsets of first information from an information storage and retrieval system comprising first information to one or more computing devices, comprising:

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to form second information comprising an instantaneous point-in-time copy of said first information;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to retrieve a previously provided data extraction algorithm;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to forming third information from said point-in-time copy using said data extraction algorithm;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to migrate said third information from a first logical partition to a second logical partition;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to provide access rights to said third information to one or more computing devices capable of communicating with said information storage and retrieval system.

28. The computer program product of claim 27, wherein said information storage and retrieval system is capable of communicating with a storage attached network (“

SAN”

) comprising a SAN Volume Controller, wherein said SAN is capable of communicating with said one or more computing devices, further comprising;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to create a virtual volume;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to map said third information from said first logical partition to said virtual volume;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to migrate said third information from said virtual volume to one or more target volumes disposed in said one or more computing devices.

29. The computer program product of claim 27 further comprising:

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to retrieve a previously-provided data verification algorithm; and

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to verify said second information using said data verification algorithm prior to forming said third information.

30. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein said computer readable code to verify said second information further comprises computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to perform an LRC check of said second information.

31. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein said computer readable code to verify said second information further comprises computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to perform a CRC check of said second information.

32. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein said computer readable code to verify said second information further comprises computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to perform a virus scan of said second information.

33. The computer program product of claim 29, further comprising:

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to receive first information comprising a DB2 database; and

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to retrieve a DB2 Health Check algorithm;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to verify said second information using said DB2 Health Check algorithm.

34. The computer program product of claim 27, further comprising:

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to establish a FlashCopy relationship between a source volume comprising said first information and a target volume; and

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to map said source volume to said target volume.

35. The computer program product of claim 27, further comprising:

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to form and save the (n)th instantaneous point-in-time copy of said first information;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to form and save the previous (n-x)th instantaneous point in time copies of said first information, wherein x is between 1 and about 3;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to verify said (n)th point-in-time copy;

computer readable program code which, if said (n)th point-in-time copy cannot be verified, causes said programmable computer processor to use said (n-x) point-in-time copies to perform error recovery procedures.