Method, apparatus and program storage device for providing web services-based data replication for Heterogeneous storage systems

• US 20070124344A1
• Filed: 11/29/2005
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Wolafka, Rainer, Rajakannimariyan, Maria
• Application Number:
  US11/289,027
• Publication Number:
  US 20070124344A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation

Abstract

A method, apparatus and program storage device for providing web services-based data replication for heterogeneous storage systems. A web services interface is provided in a storage subsystem to provide access of replication functions of the storage subsystem by a remote requesting agent. The web services interface may also authenticate a remote requesting agent and data encryption to ensure privacy. The web services interface may also break the volume being replicated into junks of a predetermined size for later merging to form the volume at the remote requesting agent.

Claims

1. A storage subsystem, comprising:

at least one storage device; and

a web services interface, the web services interface being configured to perform web initiable storage functions of the at least one storage device.

2. The storage subsystem of claim 1, wherein the web services interface is further configured to publish a description of services associated with the at least one storage device that may be accessed via the web services interface.

3. The storage subsystem of claim 2, wherein the web services interface publishes the description of services to a central registry.

4. The storage subsystem of claim 1, wherein the web services interface is configured to authenticate a requesting storage subsystem.

5. The storage subsystem of claim 1, wherein the web services interface is configured to encrypt data provided to a requesting storage subsystem.

6. The storage subsystem of claim 1, wherein the functions comprises replication of data of the at least one storage device to a requesting storage subsystem.

7. The storage subsystem of claim 6, wherein the web services interface is configured to break the volume being replicated into junks of a predetermined size for later merging to form the volume at the requesting storage subsystem.

8. The storage subsystem of claim 1 further comprising proprietary functions inaccessible via the web services interface.

9. The storage subsystem of claim 1, wherein the web services interface is configured to initiate storage functions at a remote storage subsystem.

10. The storage subsystem of claim 1, wherein the web services interface further comprises means for enabling web initiable services associated with the at least one storage device to be performed in response to communication with a remote storage subsystem.

11. A method for performing a remote storage activity, comprising:

identifying a storage subsystem having a web services interface for providing access to a web initiable storage function;

coupling to the identified storage system via a network using a network protocol; and

initiating execution of the web initiable storage function.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the identifying a storage subsystem further comprises:

sending a query to a central registry requesting information regarding storage subsystems having a web services interface for providing access to storage functions; and

receiving a response identifying a storage subsystem having a web services interface for providing access to storage functions.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising publishing by a storage subsystem at a registry a web services interface identifying web initiable storage functions.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising recording web service interfaces published by storage subsystems.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the identifying a storage subsystem further comprises:

receiving a query at the registry requesting information regarding storage subsystems having a web services interface for providing access to storage functions; and

sending a response identifying a storage subsystem having a web services interface for providing access to storage functions based upon the recorded web services interfaces published by storage subsystems.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the coupling to the identified storage system via a network using a network protocol further comprises coupling to the identified storage subsystem using TCP/IP connectivity.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the initiating execution of the web initiable storage function further comprises authenticating a requesting storage subsystem.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the initiating execution of the web initiable storage function further comprises encrypting data provided to the requesting storage subsystem.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the initiating execution of the web initiable storage function further comprises breaking a volume into junks of a predetermined size for later merging to form the volume at a requesting storage subsystem.

20. A program storage device, comprising:

program instructions executable by a processing device to perform operations for performing a remote storage activity, the operations comprising;

identifying a storage subsystem having a web services interface for providing access to a web initiable storage function; and

coupling to the identified storage system via a network using a network protocol;

initiating execution of the web initiable storage function.

21. The program storage device of claim 20, wherein the identifying a storage subsystem further comprises:

sending a query to a central registry requesting information regarding storage subsystems having a web services interface for providing access to storage functions; and

receiving a response identifying a storage subsystem having a web services interface for providing access to storage functions.

22. The program storage device of claim 20 further comprising publishing by a storage subsystem at a registry a web services interface identifying web initiable storage functions.

23. The program storage device of claim 22 further comprising recording web service interfaces published by storage subsystems.

24. The program storage device of claim 20 further comprising recording web service interfaces published by storage subsystems.

25. The program storage device of claim 24, wherein the identifying a storage subsystem further comprises:

receiving a query at the registry requesting information regarding storage subsystems having a web services interface for providing access to storage functions; and

sending a response identifying a storage subsystem having a web services interface for providing access to storage functions based upon the recorded web services interfaces published by storage subsystems.

26. The program storage device of claim 20, wherein the initiating execution of the web initiable storage function further comprises authenticating a requesting storage subsystem and encrypting data provided to the requesting storage subsystem.

27. The program storage device of claim 20, wherein the initiating execution of the web initiable storage function further comprises breaking a volume into junks of a predetermined size for later merging to form the volume at a requesting storage subsystem.