Apparatus, system and method incorporating virtualization for data storage
First Claim
1. A system for storing data that incorporates a virtualization system, comprising:
- a virtualization module for creating one or more virtual volumes mapping to one or more logical volumes storing data on an external storage system;
a metadata extraction module for extracting metadata from data in the one or more logical volumes as mapped by the one or more virtual volumes;
wherein the metadata enables searching of the data in the virtual volumes and determining a location of the data in said one or more logical volumes on the external storage system to which the virtual volumes are mapped.
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Abstract
For long-term data preservation, a storage virtualization system contains a metadata extraction module, an indexing module, a search module, and a virtualization module. The system utilizes two types of virtual volumes: unmarked volumes and marked volumes. The metadata extraction module extracts metadata that describes the data stored in logical volumes located in external storage. The indexing module scans the data and creates an index, and the index and metadata are stored in a local storage. After metadata is extracted for all data in a volume, and all data in the volume are indexed, the virtual volume corresponding to that volume is marked and the volume is ready to be made inactive. The search module allows a user to search for desired data using the metadata and the index stored in the local storage instead having to access the external storage systems where the data is actually stored.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A system for storing data that incorporates a virtualization system, comprising:
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a virtualization module for creating one or more virtual volumes mapping to one or more logical volumes storing data on an external storage system;
a metadata extraction module for extracting metadata from data in the one or more logical volumes as mapped by the one or more virtual volumes;
wherein the metadata enables searching of the data in the virtual volumes and determining a location of the data in said one or more logical volumes on the external storage system to which the virtual volumes are mapped. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 15)
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9. A virtualization system for a storage system including a virtualization module for mapping, on a one-to-one basis, a plurality of virtual volumes to a plurality of logical volumes located in external storage devices in communication with the virtualization system, said virtualization system comprising:
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a metadata extraction module for extracting metadata from data stored in the logical volumes and storing the metadata in a local storage;
an indexing module for creating an index representing data stored in the logical volumes, whereby, when extraction of metadata from a particular logical volume has been completed and the data stored on the particular logical volume has been indexed, a particular virtual volume mapping to the particular logical volume is marked whereby a communication is sent to the external storage system to indicate that the particular logical volume may be made inactive. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16)
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17. A method for storing data, comprising:
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providing a virtualization system including a virtualization module that creates virtual volumes that map to logical volumes in one or more external storage systems;
extracting metadata from data in the logical volumes mapped by corresponding virtual volumes;
adding, to an index, index information representing the data from which the metadata is extracted; and
upon completing of extracting the metadata and adding of index information from all data in a particular logical volume mapped by a particular virtual volume, sending a communication to the external storage device containing the particular logical volume indicating that the particular logical volume can be made inactive. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A system for storing data, comprising:
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a storage controller;
an information processing device separate from said controller and in communication therewith; and
one or more storages in communication with said controller and having one or more logical volumes, wherein the controller creates virtual volumes that map to logical volumes in the one or more storages;
the information processing device extracts metadata from data in the one or more logical volumes mapped by corresponding virtual volumes, and adds, to an index, index information represent the data from which the metadata is extracted; and
the metadata and/or the index enables searching of the virtual volumes to determine the location of data in the one or more logical volumes.
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Specification