DATA RECOVERY METHOD IN DIFFERENTIAL REMOTE BACKUP FOR A NAS SYSTEM

• US 20090077134A1
• Filed: 01/22/2008
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rakuten Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: UEOKA, Atsushi, Yamasaki, Yasuo
• Granted Patent: US 7,769,721 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1662 the resynchronized component or unit being a persistent storage device re-synchronization of failed mirror storage G06F11/2082; rebuild or reconstruction of parity RAID storage G06F11/1008
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2094 Redundant storage or storage space G06F11/2056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2097 maintaining the standby controller/processing unit updated initialisation or re-synchronisation thereof G06F11/1658 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/82 Solving problems relating to consistency ensuring consistency in mirrored systems G06F11/2064
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/84 Using snapshots, i.e. a logical point-in-time copy of the data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• 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

Abstract

To ensure the consistency of data included in blocks which have already been received and has already been remote-copied, on a file basis, in a destination NAS system, when remote copy has failed due to a failure which has occurred in a source NAS system, there is provided a method in which: a source NAS system transmits a correspondence between an updated block and a file, to a destination NAS system when remote copy is started; the destination NAS system records a remote copy state for each block; a management server refers to the information recorded by the destination NAS system and selects files from which all the update blocks have been received, when remote copy has failed due to a failure which has occurred in the source NAS system; and the destination NAS system stores data included in the update blocks of the files selected by the management server.

Claims

1. A data recovery method in differential remote backup for a NAS system, which is used in a system including:

a first NAS system for providing a first operational volume which includes files to be accessed through a network;

a second NAS system for providing a second operational volume which stores a replication of the first operational volume through the network; and

a management computer for managing the first NAS system and the second NAS system, the data recovery method being used for recovering the second operational volume in the second NAS system when a failure has occurred in the first NAS system,

the first NAS system comprising;

a processor for performing computing processing;

a first memory for storing information;

a first differential volume for storing differential data between snapshots of the first operational volume;

a first differential management processing module for managing the differential data;

a first transfer processing module for transferring data to the second NAS system; and

differential management information for managing a correspondence between identification information for identifying blocks in the first operational volume, the blocks each storing update data of updated files of the files stored in the first operational volume, and identification information for identifying blocks in the first differential volume storing differential data of the updated files,

the second NAS system comprising;

a processor for performing computing processing;

a second memory for storing information;

a second differential volume for storing differential data between snapshots of the second operational volume;

a second differential management processing module for managing the differential data; and

a second transfer processing module for receiving data transferred from the first transfer processing module,

the management computer comprising;

a processor for performing computing operation;

a third memory for storing information;

a third transfer processing module for communicating with the second NAS system; and

a determination processing module for determining whether or not to store the update data and the differential data in the second operational volume and in the second differential volume, respectively, the data recovery method comprising the steps of;

transmitting, by the first transfer processing module, the differential management information to the second transfer processing module;

sequentially transmitting, by the first transfer processing module, after the transmission of the differential management information, the update data of the first operational volume and the differential data stored in the first differential volume to the second transfer processing module;

storing, by the second transfer processing module, the differential management information received from the first transfer processing module, in the second memory;

receiving the update data and the differential data from the first transfer processing module and recording, in the differential management information stored in the second memory, completion of reception of the update data and the differential data, by the second transfer processing module;

transmitting, by the second transfer processing module, a reception failure notification to the third transfer processing module when the update data of the differential management information stored in the second memory has not all been received;

obtaining, by the third transfer processing module, upon receiving the reception failure notification from the second transfer processing module, the differential management information from the second memory of the second NAS system;

storing, by the third transfer processing module, the received differential management information in the third memory;

specifying, by the determination processing module, a file from which all the update data and all the differential data have been received, with reference to the differential management information stored in the third memory;

transmitting, by the third transfer processing module, an update instruction of the specified file to the second transfer processing module; and

receiving the update instruction and storing update data of the file designated by the update instruction in the second operational volume, by the second transfer processing module.

2. The data recovery method in differential remote backup for a NAS system according to claim 1, wherein the step of storing the update data of the designated file in the second operational volume includes receiving the update instruction and storing the update data and the differential data of the file designated by the update instruction in the second operational volume and in the second differential volume, respectively, by the second transfer processing module.

3. The data recovery method in differential remote backup for a NAS system according to claim 2, wherein:

the management computer comprises file management information for managing files which need to be updated simultaneously, as associated files; and

the determination processing module refers to the differential management information stored in the third memory, specifies a file from which all the update data and all the differential data of the associated files managed by the file management information have been received, as a target file to be updated; and

the third transfer processing module transmits the update instruction, with respect to the specified file, to the second transfer processing module.

4. The data recovery method in differential remote backup for a NAS system according to claim 3, wherein:

the first NAS system comprises update log information recording a correspondence relation between an update date and time of a file and a client computer which has requested an update operation of the file;

the first differential management processing module records, when the update operation of a file is performed, a name of the file, the update date and time of the file, and an identifier of a client computer which has executed the update operation of the file, in the update log information; and

the management computer records, with reference to the update log information of the first NAS system, files which are updated within a predetermined period by the same client computer, as associated files which need to be updated simultaneously, in the file management information.

5. The data recovery method in differential remote backup for a NAS system according to claim 3, wherein the determination processing module excludes, with reference to the differential management information of the third memory, files which are included in the same block storing update data and differential data of another file from which the update data and the differential data have been received only in part, from the target files to be updated.

6. A data recovery method in differential remote backup for a NAS system, which is used in a system including:

a first NAS system for providing a first operational volume which includes files to be accessed through a network; and

a second NAS system for providing a second operational volume which stores a replication of the first operational volume through the network, the data recovery method being used for recovering the second operational volume in the second NAS system when a failure has occurred in the first NAS system,

the first NAS system comprising;

a processor for performing computing processing;

a first memory for storing information;

a first differential volume for storing differential data between snapshots of the first operational volume;

a first differential management processing module for managing the differential data;

a first transfer processing module for transferring data to the second NAS system; and

differential management information for managing a correspondence between identification information for identifying blocks in the first operational volume, the blocks each storing update data of updated files of the files stored in the first operational volume, and identification information for identifying blocks in the first differential volume storing differential data of the updated files,

the second NAS system comprising;

a processor for performing computing processing;

a second memory for storing information;

a second differential volume for storing differential data between snapshots of the second operational volume;

a second differential management processing module for managing the differential data;

a second transfer processing module for receiving data transferred from the first transfer processing module; and

a determination processing module for determining whether or not to store the update data and the differential data in the second operational volume and in the second differential volume, respectively, the data recovery method comprising the steps of;

transmitting, by the first transfer processing module, the differential management information to the second transfer processing module;

sequentially transmitting, by the first transfer processing module, after the transmission of the differential management information, the update data of the first operational volume and the differential data stored in the first differential volume to the second transfer processing module;

storing, by the second transfer processing module, the differential management information received from the first transfer processing module, in the second memory;

receiving the update data and the differential data from the first transfer processing module and recording, in the differential management information stored in the second memory, completion of reception of the update data and the differential data, by the second transfer processing module;

specifying, by the determination processing module, a file from which all the update data and all the differential data have been received, with reference to the differential management information stored in the second memory, when the update data of the differential management information stored in the second memory has not all been received by the second transfer processing module; and

storing, by the second transfer processing module, update data of the specified file in the second operational volume.

7. The data recovery method in differential remote backup for a NAS system according to claim 6, wherein the step of storing the update data of the specified file in the second operational volume includes storing, by the second transfer processing module, the update data and the differential data of the specified file in the second operational volume and in the second differential volume, respectively.

8. The data recovery method in differential remote backup for a NAS system according to claim 7, wherein:

the second NAS system creates file management information for managing files which need to be updated simultaneously, as associated files;

the determination processing module specifies, with reference to the differential management information, files from which all the update data and all the differential data of the associated files managed by the file management information have been received, as target files to be updated; and

the second transfer processing module stores the update data and the differential data corresponding to the specified files, in the second operational volume and the second differential volume, respectively.

9. The data recovery method in differential remote backup for a NAS system according to claim 8, wherein:

the first NAS system comprises update log information recording a correspondence relation between an update date and time of a file and a client computer which has requested an update operation of the file;

the first differential management processing module records, when the update operation of a file is performed, a name of the file, the update date and time of the file, and an identifier of a client computer which has executed the update operation of the file, in the update log information; and

the second NAS system records, with reference to the update log information of the first NAS system, files which are updated within a predetermined period by the same client computer, as associated files which need to be updated simultaneously, in the file management information.

10. The data recovery method in differential remote backup for a NAS system according to claim 8, wherein the determination processing module excludes, with reference to the differential management information of the second memory, files which are included in the same block storing update data and differential data of another file from which the update data and the differential data have been received only in part, from the target files to be updated.

11. A computer system comprising:

a first NAS system for providing a first operational volume which includes files to be accessed through a network; and

a second NAS system for providing a second operational volume which stores a replication of the first operational volume through the network, wherein;

the first NAS system comprises;

a processor for performing computing processing;

a first memory for storing information;

a first differential volume for storing differential data between snapshots of the first operational volume;

a first differential management processing module for managing the differential data;

a first transfer processing module for transferring data to the second NAS system; and

differential management information for managing a correspondence between identification information for identifying blocks in the first operational volume, the blocks each storing update data of updated files of the files stored in the first operational volume, and identification information for identifying blocks in the first differential volume storing differential data of the updated files;

the second NAS system comprises;

a processor for performing computing processing;

a second memory for storing information;

a second differential volume for storing differential data between snapshots of the second operational volume;

a second differential management processing module for managing the differential data;

a second transfer processing module for receiving data transferred from the first transfer processing module; and

a determination processing module for determining whether or not to store the update data and the differential data in the second operational volume and in the second differential volume, respectively;

the first transfer processing module transmits the differential management information to the second transfer processing module, and sequentially transmits, after the transmission of the differential management information, the update data of the first operational volume and the differential data stored in the first differential volume to the second transfer processing module;

the second transfer processing module stores the differential management information received from the first transfer processing module in the second memory, and then receives the update data and the differential data from the first transfer processing module and records, in the differential management information stored in the second memory, completion of reception of the update data and the differential data; and

the second transfer processing module specifies a file from which all the update data and all the differential data have been received, with reference to the differential management information stored in the second memory when the update data of the differential management information stored in the second memory has not all been received, and stores update data of the specified file in the second operational volume.

12. The computer system according to claim 11, wherein the second transfer processing module stores the update data and the differential data of the specified files in the second operational volume and the second differential volume, respectively.

13. The computer system according to claim 12, wherein:

the second NAS system creates file management information for managing files which need to be updated simultaneously, as associated files;

the determination processing module specifies, with reference to the differential management information of the second memory, files from which all the update data and all the differential data of the associated files managed by the file management information have been received, as target files to be updated; and

the second transfer processing module stores the update data and the differential data corresponding to the specified files, in the second operational volume and the second differential volume, respectively.

14. The computer system according to claim 13, wherein:

the first NAS system comprises update log information recording a correspondence relation between an update date and time of a file and a client computer which has requested an update operation of the file;

the first differential management processing module records, when the update operation of a file is performed, a name of the file, the update date and time of the file, and an identifier of a client computer which has executed the update operation of the file, in the update log information; and

the second NAS system records, with reference to the update log information of the first NAS system, files which are updated within a predetermined period by the same client computer, as associated files which need to be updated simultaneously, in the file management information.

15. The computer system according to claim 13, wherein the determination processing module excludes, with reference to the differential management information of the second memory, files which are included in the same block storing update data and differential data of another file from which the update data and the differential data have been received only in part, from the target files to be updated.