INCREMENTAL BACKUP OF SOURCE TO TARGET STORAGE VOLUME

• US 20100250882A1
• Filed: 03/22/2010
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: RAW, Lucy, McALLISTER, Cameron J., SMITH, Bruce J., HUTCHISON, Gordon D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,560,787 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1451 by selection of backup contents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1458 Management of the backup or restore process
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/84 Using snapshots, i.e. a logical point-in-time copy of the data

Abstract

Various method, system, and computer program product embodiments for performing a backup of a source storage volume to a target storage volume are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a flashcopy of the source storage volume to the target storage volume is initiated. The content of the source storage volume is stored on the target storage volume in a space efficient manner. The space requirement of the stored content on the target storage volume is monitored. The flashcopy is terminated when the space requirement reaches a predetermined level. The stored content on the target storage volume is copied to a backup storage medium. A new flashcopy of the source storage volume is initiated.

Claims

1. A method of performing a backup of a source storage volume to a target storage volume by a processor device, comprising:

initiating a flashcopy of the source storage volume to the target storage volume;

storing the content of the source storage volume on the target storage volume in a space efficient manner;

monitoring the space requirement of the stored content on the target storage volume;

terminating the flashcopy when the space requirement reaches a predetermined level;

copying the stored content on the target storage volume to a backup storage medium; and

initiating a new flashcopy of the source storage volume.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined level is derived from a size of the backup storage medium.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of storing the content of the source storage volume on the target storage volume comprises including in the stored content a predetermined percentage of an oldest data stored by the source storage volume.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising detecting that a portion of the source storage volume has not been backed-up in a predetermined number of flashcopies.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the step of storing the content of the source storage volume on the target storage volume comprises including in the stored content the detected portion the source storage volume.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising setting the background copy rate in the flashcopy to zero.

7. A system for performing a backup of a source storage volume to a target storage volume comprising:

a backup storage medium; and

a storage volume controller in communication with the backup storage medium, wherein the storage volume controller is configured to;

initiate a flashcopy of the source storage volume to the target storage volume,

store the content of the source storage volume on the target storage volume in a space efficient manner,

monitor the space requirement of the stored content on the target storage volume,

terminate the flashcopy when the space requirement reaches a predetermined level,

copy the stored content on the target storage volume to a backup storage medium, and

initiate a new flashcopy of the source storage volume.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the predetermined level is derived from a size of the backup storage medium.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein the storage volume controller is further configured to, when storing the content of the source storage volume on the target storage volume, include in the stored content a predetermined percentage of an oldest data stored by the source storage volume.

10. The system according to claim 7, wherein the storage volume controller is further configured to detect that a portion of the source storage volume has not been backed-up in a predetermined number of flashcopies.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the storage volume controller is further configured, when storing the content of the source storage volume on the target storage volume, to include in the stored content the detected portion the source storage volume.

12. The system according to claim 7, wherein the storage volume controller is further configured to set the background copy rate in the flashcopy to zero.

13. A computer program product for performing a backup of a source storage volume to a target storage volume, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

a first executable portion for initiating a flashcopy of the source storage volume to the target storage volume;

a second executable portion for storing the content of the source storage volume on the target storage volume in a space efficient manner;

a third executable portion for monitoring the space requirement of the stored content on the target storage volume;

a fourth executable portion for terminating the flashcopy when the space requirement reaches a predetermined level;

a fifth executable portion for copying the stored content on the target storage volume to a backup storage medium; and

a sixth executable portion for initiating a new flashcopy of the source storage volume.

14. The computer program product according to claim 13, further including a seventh executable portion for deriving the predetermined level from a size of the backup storage medium.

15. The computer program product according to claim 13, further including a seventh executable portion for, pursuant to storing the content of the source storage volume on the target storage volume, including in the stored content a predetermined percentage of an oldest data stored by the source storage volume.

16. The computer program product according to claim 13, further comprising a seventh executable portion for detecting that a portion of the source storage volume has not been backed-up in a predetermined number of flashcopies.

17. The computer program product according to claim 16, further including an eighth executable portion for, pursuant to storing the content of the source storage volume on the target storage volume, including in the stored content the detected portion the source storage volume.

18. The computer program product according to claim 13, further comprising a seventh executable portion for setting the background copy rate in the flashcopy to zero.