Data replica selector

• US 20070234102A1
• Filed: 03/31/2006
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Liu, Zhen, Fan, Jinliang, Pendarakis, Dimitrios
• Granted Patent: US 7,480,817 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/202 where processing functionality is redundant redundant communication control functionality G06F11/2005, redundant storage control functionality G06F11/2089
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2053 where persistent mass storage functionality or persistent mass storage control functionality is redundant error detection or correction in information storage based on relative movement between record carrier and transducer G11B20/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information

Abstract

There is provided a method and system for replicating data at another location. The system includes a source node that contains data in a data storage area. The source node is coupled to a network of potential replication nodes. The processor determines at least two eligible nodes in the network of nodes and determines the communication cost associated with a each of the eligible nodes. The processor also determines a probability of a concurrent failure of the source node and each of eligible nodes, and selects at least one of the eligible nodes for replication of the data located on the source node. The selection is based on an the determined communication costs and probability of concurrent failure.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for selecting replication nodes in a network of nodes, the method comprising the steps of:

determining at least two eligible nodes in the network of nodes;

determining a communication cost for each of the eligible nodes;

determining a probability of a concurrent failure of the source node and each of the eligible nodes; and

selecting at least one of the eligible nodes for replication of data located on the source node based on determined communication costs and probabilities of concurrent failure.

2. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the communication cost is determined based on at least one of a physical distance, an electrical pathway distance, a number of switches between nodes, and an electrical pathway signal carrying capacity.

3. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the nodes in the network comprise:

geographically distributed data storage entities.

4. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

replicating data located on the source node on the at least one selected node.

5. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein, in the selecting step, the at least one eligible node is selected for a lowest value of a combination of a communication cost and probability of a concurrent failure.

6. A system for replicating data, the system comprising:

a source node having a data storage area;

at least a first and a second replication node coupled to the source node via a network interface;

a processor coupled to the source node, the processor determining a probability of a concurrent failure of the source node and each of the first and second replication nodes and a communication cost of communicating data from the source node to each of the first and second replication nodes, the processor selecting, based on the determined communication costs and probabilities at least one of the first and second replication nodes for replicating data contained in the data storage area of the source node.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the communication cost is based on at least one of a physical distance, an electrical pathway distance, a number of switches between nodes, and an electrical pathway signal carrying capacity.

8. The system according to claim 6, further comprising:

an input for receiving at the processor data pertaining to the probability of a concurrent failure of the source node and each of the first and second replication nodes.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the data is statistical records of previous events.

10. The system according to claim 6, wherein the at least a first and second replication node comprises:

geographically distributed data storage entities.

11. The system according to claim 6, wherein the data storage area comprises:

a non-volatile data storage area.

12. A computer program product for selecting replication nodes in a network of nodes, the computer program product comprising:

a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising;

determining at least two eligible nodes in the network of nodes;

determining a communication cost for each of the eligible nodes;

determining a probability of a concurrent failure of the source node and each of the eligible nodes; and

selecting at least one of the eligible nodes for replication of data located on the source node based on determined communication costs and probabilities of concurrent failure.

13. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein the communication cost is determined based on at least one of a physical distance, an electrical pathway distance, a number of switches between nodes, and an electrical pathway signal carrying capacity.

14. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein the nodes in the network comprise:

geographically distributed data storage entities.

15. The computer program product according to claim 12, further comprising the step of replicating data located on the source node on the at least one selected node.

16. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein in the selecting step, the at least one eligible node is selected for a lowest value of a combination of a communication cost and probability of a concurrent failure.