Methods and system of pooling storage devices

• US 20060224852A1
• Filed: 11/07/2005
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Chen, Ho-Chi, Kottomtharayil, Rajiv
• Granted Patent: US 7,809,914 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1453 using de-duplication of the data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/00 Accessing, addressing or allocating within memory systems or architectures digital input from, or digital output to record carriers, e.g. to disk storage units, G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/02 Addressing or allocation; Relocation program address sequencing G06F9/00; arrangements for selecting an address in a digital store G11C8/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/815 Virtual middleware or OS functionality using virtual machines to implement generic software techniques for error detection or fault masking G06F11/1484
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0604 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0608 Saving storage space on storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0631 by allocating resources to storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/064 Management of blocks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/065 Replication mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0665 at area level, e.g. provisioning of virtual or logical volumes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0683 Plurality of storage devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0686 Libraries, e.g. tape libraries, jukebox
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/40 using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities
• 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 system and method are provided for pooling storage devices in a virtual library for performing a storage operation. A storage management device determines a storage characteristic of a plurality of storage devices with respect to performing a storage operation. Based on a storage characteristic relating to performing the storage operation, the storage management device associates at least two storage devices in a virtual library. The storage management device may continuously monitor the virtual library and detect a change in storage characteristics of the storage devices. When changes in storage characteristics are detected, the storage management device may change associations of the storage device in the virtual library.

Claims

1. A method for performing a storage operation using at least two storage devices, the method comprising:

receiving a request to perform a storage operation;

determining a storage characteristic related to performing the requested storage operation;

detecting, among a plurality of storage devices, a first storage device and a second storage device satisfying the storage characteristic;

associating the first storage device and the second storage device with a virtual library; and

performing the storage operation using the virtual library.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein associating the first storage device and the second storage device with a virtual library comprises storing data indicating an association of the first and second storage device with the virtual library in an index.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising maintaining the virtual library.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting a third storage device among the plurality of storage devices, the third storage device satisfying the storage characteristic;

disassociating the first storage device with the virtual library; and

associating the third storage device with the virtual library.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a first value of a storage characteristic of the first storage device, the first storage device being associated in the virtual library;

detecting a change in the storage characteristic of the first storage device;

wherein the change in the storage characteristic of the first storage device causes the first storage device to not satisfy a storage characteristic threshold

identifying a third storage device having a storage characteristic satisfying the storage characteristic threshold;

disassociating the first storage device from the virtual library; and

associating the third storage device in the virtual library.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein detecting a change in the storage characteristic of the first storage device comprises examining the first storage device prior to receiving the request to perform the storage operation.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein disassociating the first storage device from the virtual library comprises updating an index with data indicating a disassociation of the first storage device with the virtual library;

and wherein associating the third storage device in the virtual library comprises updating the index with data indicating an association of the third storage device with the virtual library.

2. (canceled)

9-15. -15. (canceled)

16. A method for storing data using a virtual library, the method comprising:

receiving a request to perform a data storage operation;

selecting a virtual library of at least two associated storage devices capable of performing the data storage operation; and

performing the data storage operation using the virtual library.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the at least two associated storage devices are associated by storing data indicating an association of the at least two associated storage devices in an index.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein selecting the virtual library comprises:

receiving a storage characteristic relating to the requested data storage operation; and

detecting that the at least two storage devices have a storage characteristic that matches the received storage characteristic.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the request to perform a data storage operation includes a data identifier;

and selecting the virtual library comprises consulting an index to determine the virtual library associated with the data identifier.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the virtual library associated with the data identifier is a current virtual library configuration.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the virtual library associated with the data identifier is a previous virtual library configuration.

22. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

detecting that a given one of the at least two storage devices becomes incapable of performing the data storage operation;

disassociating the given one of the at least two storage devices with the virtual library; and

associating a third storage device capable of performing the storage operation with the virtual library.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein disassociating the given one of the at least two storage devices with the virtual library comprises storing data in an index indicating a disassociation of the given one of the at least two storage devices with the virtual library and storing data in an index indicating a previous configuration of the virtual library.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein associating a third storage device capable of performing the storage operation with the virtual library comprises storing data in an index indicating an association of the third storage device with the virtual library and storing data in an index indicating a current configuration of the virtual library.

25. The method of claim 22 further comprising consulting the index to identify the current configuration of the virtual library for performing the storage operation.

26. A virtual library for performing a storage operation, the virtual library comprising:

at least two storage devices, the at least two storage devices having a common storage characteristic for performing a storage operation;

a media management component communicatively coupled to the at least two storage devices, a storage manager and an index, wherein;

the media management component is programmed to coordinate performing the storage operation in the virtual library; and

the index comprises data indicating an association of the at least two devices with the virtual library.

27. The virtual library of claim 26 wherein the media management component is further programmed to maintain the virtual library.

28. The virtual library of claim 26 wherein the media management component is further programmed to detect a change in the common storage characteristic of a given one of the at least two storage devices;

disassociate the given one of the at least two storage devices with the virtual library; and

associate a third storage device with the virtual library.

29. A computer readable storage medium including computer executable code for a method for performing a storage operation using at least two storage devices, the method comprising:

receiving a request to perform a storage operation;

determining a storage characteristic related to performing the storage operation;

detecting, among a plurality of storage devices, a first storage device and a second storage device satisfying the storage characteristic;

associating the first storage device and the second storage device with a virtual library; and

performing the storage operation using the virtual library.

30-41. -41. (canceled)