Storage pools with write atomicity

• US 20060248290A1
• Filed: 04/28/2005
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Huras, Matthew Albert, Russell, Lance Warren, Mathews, Thomas Stanley
• Granted Patent: US 7,346,748 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/154
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and computer program product for storage pools with write atomicity. An abstraction manager enforces write atomicity and disallows options which are inconsistent with write atomicity. The abstraction manager constructs through a physical device interface a logical continuous view of a storage pool in a manner consistent with write atomicity. Applications collect information specific to write atomicity from the abstraction manager through an application interface.

Claims

1. A method in a data processing system for storage pools with write atomicity, the method comprising:

signaling an abstraction manager to enforce write atomicity;

alerting the abstraction manager to disallow options which are inconsistent with write atomicity;

forcing the abstraction manager to construct through a physical device interface a logical continuous view of a storage pool in a manner consistent with write atomicity; and

enabling an application to collect information specific to write atomicity from the abstraction manager through an application interface.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adding a state for write atomicity to the abstraction manager, wherein the state is set at the time a storage pool is configured.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

constructing the application interface for the purpose of the application querying the abstraction manager to collect certain information specific to write atomicity wherein the application interface is accessible to the application with the appropriate permission.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the abstraction manager fails a write request to the storage pool which cannot be completed atomically.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the abstraction manager returns to the application through the application interface a reason for a write request failure.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the abstraction manager conveys to an intelligent physical device through the physical device interface that a write request is not to be fragmented.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the abstraction manager detects through the physical device interface that a physical devices may not be able to support write atomicity, and the abstraction manager disallows configuration of write atomicity for this physical device.

8. A data processing system for storage pools with write atomicity, the data processing system comprising:

signaling means for signaling an abstraction manager to enforce write atomicity;

alerting means for alerting the abstraction manager to disallow options which are inconsistent with write atomicity;

forcing means for forcing the abstraction manager to construct through a physical device interface a logical continuous view of a storage pool in a manner consistent with write atomicity; and

enabling means for enabling an application to collect information specific to write atomicity from the abstraction manager through an application interface.

9. The data processing system of claim 8, further comprising:

adding means for adding a state for write atomicity to the abstraction manager, wherein the state is set at the time a storage pool is configured.

10. The data processing system of claim 8, further comprising:

constructing means for constructing the application interface for the purpose of the application querying the abstraction manager to collect certain information specific to write atomicity wherein the application interface is accessible to the application with the appropriate permission.

11. The data processing system of claim 8, wherein the abstraction manager fails a write request to the storage pool which cannot be completed atomically.

12. The data processing system of claim 8, wherein the abstraction manager returns to the application through the application interface a reason for a write request failure.

13. The data processing system of claim 8, wherein the abstraction manager conveys to an intelligent physical device through the physical device interface that a write request is not to be fragmented.

14. The data processing system of claim 8, wherein the abstraction manager detects through the physical device interface that a physical devices may not be able to support write atomicity, and the abstraction manager disallows configuration of write atomicity for this physical device.

15. A computer program product on a computer-readable medium for storage pools with write atomicity, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions for signaling an abstraction manager to enforce write atomicity;

second instructions for alerting the abstraction manager to disallow options which are inconsistent with write atomicity;

third instructions for forcing the abstraction manager to construct through a physical device interface a logical continuous view of a storage pool in a manner consistent with write atomicity; and

fourth instructions for enabling an application to collect information specific to write atomicity from the abstraction manager through an application interface.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising:

fifth instructions for adding a state for write atomicity to the abstraction manager, wherein the state is set at the time a storage pool is configured.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising:

fifth instructions for constructing the application interface for the purpose of the application querying the abstraction manager to collect certain information specific to write atomicity wherein the application interface is accessible to the application with the appropriate permission.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the abstraction manager fails a write request to the storage pool which cannot be completed atomically.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the abstraction manager returns to the application through the application interface a reason for a write request failure.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the abstraction manager conveys to an intelligent physical device through the physical device interface that a write request is not to be fragmented.