EXTENDED DATA STORAGE SYSTEM

• US 20110055272A1
• Filed: 08/28/2009
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: AHMAD, SAID A., BRUME, SHAWN O.
• Granted Patent: US 8,229,972 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/781
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0611 in relation to response time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0643 Management of files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0685 Hybrid storage combining heterogeneous device types, e.g. hierarchical storage, hybrid arrays

Abstract

In one embodiment, an extended data storage system employs a first data storage and an extended data storage. A first level of metadata is established with respect to data from the using entity, the first level of metadata is provided in the first data storage. The data from the using entity is stored in the extended data storage. A second level of metadata at least describing the data as stored in the extended data storage is also established, wherein the second level of metadata associated with the first level of metadata for the stored data. The first level of metadata is made accessible to the using entity at the first data storage; and the second level of metadata is made unavailable to the using entity. Thus, the data is stored in the extended data storage and a small amount of metadata is stored in the first data storage.

Claims

1. A method for storing data from a using entity in an extended data storage system comprising a first data storage and an extended data storage, comprising the steps of:

establishing in said first data storage a first level of metadata with respect to data from said using entity, said first level of metadata identifying said data for access by said using entity;

storing said data from said using entity in said extended data storage;

establishing a second level of metadata at least describing said data as stored in said extended data storage, said second level of metadata associated with said first level of metadata for said stored data;

making said first level of metadata accessible to said using entity at said first data storage; and

making said second level of metadata unavailable to said using entity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first level of metadata relates to said data in storage and presents information as required for said using entity;

and wherein said second level of metadata describes said data as physically stored in said extended data storage.

3. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising the step of storing said second level metadata in said first data storage and said extended data storage.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said data is stored in the form of data files, and said second level metadata is stored in said extended data storage at least in the form of a header with respect to said data.

5. The method of claim 3, additionally comprising the step of storing a copy of said first level metadata in said extended data storage.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said first level of metadata is associated with a pointer to said second level of metadata for said data, and additionally comprising the step of making said pointer unavailable to said using entity.

7. A data handling system for a data storage system, said data storage system comprising a first data storage and an extended data storage, said data handling system comprising:

at least one host interface to at least one using entity;

at least one data storage interface to said first data storage and to said extended data storage; and

a computer processing system configured to process data via said at least one host interface for storage via said at least one data storage interface, said computer processing system configured to perform the steps of;

establishing via said at least one data storage interface in said first data storage a first level of metadata with respect to data from a using entity, said first level of metadata identifying said data for access by said using entity;

storing said using entity data received via said at least one host interface in said extended data storage via said at least one data storage interface;

establishing a second level of metadata at least describing said data as stored in said extended data storage, said second level of metadata associated with said first level of metadata for said stored data;

making said first level of metadata accessible to said using entity via said at least one host interface at said first data storage; and

making said second level of metadata unavailable to said using entity.

8. The data handling system of claim 7, wherein said first level of metadata relates to said data in storage and presents information as required for said using entity;

and wherein said second level of metadata describes said data as physically stored in said extended data storage.

9. The data handling system of claim 7, wherein said computer processing system is additionally configured to perform the step of storing said second level metadata in said first data storage and said extended data storage via said at least one data storage interface.

10. The data handling system of claim 9, wherein said data is stored in the form of data files, and said second level metadata is stored in said extended data storage at least in the form of a header with respect to said data.

11. The data handling system of claim 9, wherein said computer processing system is additionally configured to perform the step of storing a copy of said first level metadata in said extended data storage via said at least one data storage interface.

12. The data handling system of claim 7, wherein said first level of metadata is associated with a pointer to said second level of metadata for said data, and wherein said computer processing system is additionally configured to perform the step of making said pointer unavailable to said using entity.

13. A data storage system comprising:

a first data storage configured to store data;

an extended data storage configured to store data; and

a data handling system configured to process and transfer data of at least one using entity with respect to said first data storage and said extended data storage, said data handling system configured to perform the steps of;

establishing in said first data storage a first level of metadata with respect to data from a using entity, said first level of metadata identifying said data for access by said using entity;

storing data received from said using entity in said extended data storage;

establishing a second level of metadata at least describing said data as stored in said extended data storage, said second level of metadata associated with said first level of metadata for said stored data;

making said first level of metadata accessible to said using entity at said first data storage; and

making said second level of metadata unavailable to said using entity.

14. The data storage system of claim 13, wherein said first level of metadata relates to said data in storage and presents information as required for said using entity;

and wherein said second level of metadata describes said data as physically stored in said extended data storage.

15. The data storage system of claim 13, wherein said data handling system is additionally configured to perform the step of storing said second level metadata in said first data storage and said extended data storage.

16. The data storage system of claim 15, wherein said data is stored in the form of data files, and said second level metadata is stored in said extended data storage at least in the form of a header with respect to said data.

17. The data storage system of claim 16, wherein said data handling system is additionally configured to perform the step of storing a copy of said first level metadata in said extended data storage.

18. The data storage system of claim 13, wherein said first level of metadata is associated with a pointer to said second level of metadata for said data, and wherein said data handling system is additionally configured to perform the step of making said pointer unavailable to said using entity.

19. The data storage system of claim 13, wherein said extended data storage comprises magnetic tape.

20. A computer program product for storing data from a using entity in an extended data storage system comprising a first data storage and an extended data storage, said computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code, wherein said computer readable program code, when executed on a computer processing system, causes said computer processing system to:

establish in said first data storage a first level of metadata with respect to data from said using entity, said first level of metadata identifying said data for access by said using entity;

store said data from said using entity in said extended data storage;

establish a second level of metadata at least describing said data as stored in said extended data storage, said second level of metadata associated with said first level of metadata for said stored data;

make said first level of metadata accessible to said using entity at said first data storage; and

make said second level of metadata unavailable to said using entity.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein said first level of metadata relates to said data in storage and presents information as required for said using entity;

and wherein said second level of metadata describes said data as physically stored in said extended data storage.

22. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein said computer readable program code, when executed on a computer processing system, causes said computer processing system additionally to store said second level metadata in said first data storage and said extended data storage.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein said data is stored in the form of data files, and said second level metadata is stored in said extended data storage at least in the form of a header with respect to said data.

24. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein said computer readable program code, when executed on a computer processing system, causes said computer processing system additionally to store a copy of said first level metadata in said extended data storage.

25. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein said first level of metadata is associated with a pointer to said second level of metadata for said data;

and wherein said computer readable program code, when executed on a computer processing system, causes said computer processing system additionally to make said pointer unavailable to said using entity.