SCAN-FREE ARCHIVING

• US 20080162601A1
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Liu, Chao, Chen, Ying, Mbogo, Lesley
• Granted Patent: US 8,880,478 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/113 Details of archiving lifecycle management in storage systems G06F3/0649; backup systems G06F11/1446
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1734 Details of monitoring file system events, e.g. by the use of hooks, filter drivers, logs

Abstract

A method is disclosed for archiving data in a storage server using a runtime monitoring system. The method includes providing a plurality of data files and creating access logs according to a specified format, which may include an append only access log, from the plurality of data files. At least one of the access logs from the plurality of data files is examined and a file will be archived from the examination of the access logs. An archive procedure is initiated for a file when the file has not been accessed for a specified period of time. If the file will be archived includes ascertaining if the file has a duplicate entry in the access log, and archiving the file when the file does not have the duplicate entry in the access log.

Claims

1. A method for archiving data in a storage server using a runtime monitoring system, comprising:

providing a plurality of data files;

creating access logs according to a specified format from the plurality of data files;

examining at least one of the access logs from the plurality of data files;

determining if an accessed file will be archived from the examination of the at least one of the access logs; and

initiating an archive procedure for the accessed file when the accessed file has not been accessed for a specified period of time.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining if the accessed file will be archived includes ascertaining if the accessed file has a duplicate entry in the access log, and archiving the accessed file when the accessed file does not have the duplicate entry in the access log.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the specified format is an append only access log.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the accessed file is not archived if the accessed file'"'"'s access log has been examined within a specified time period.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of data files are tracked as the data files are created.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the tracking of the plurality of data files occurs when the data files first enter a data storage system.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the data storage system includes a plurality of computer data storage elements.

8. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of:

determining when the access log is available and not available, and when the access log is not available;

scanning the plurality of data files;

determining if the accessed file will be archived; and

initiating the archive procedure for the accessed file when the accessed file has not been accessed for the specified period of time.

9. A runtime monitoring system for archiving data in a storage server, which comprises:

a plurality of data files;

an access monitoring device for monitoring a users accessing of the data files and creating at least one access log according to a specified format from the plurality of data files;

a monitoring daemon for examining at least one of the access logs from the plurality of data files and determining if an accessed file will be archived from the examination of the at least one of the access logs, and the monitoring daemon initiating an archive procedure for the accessed file when the accessed file has not been accessed for a specified period of time.