STORAGE REPLICATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20110106763A1
• Filed: 10/30/2009
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veritas Technologies, LLC (Whitehouse Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Symantec Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: Madan, Nitin, Josyula, Subrahmanyam
• Granted Patent: US 8,762,337 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/639
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2094 Redundant storage or storage space G06F11/2056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems

Abstract

Systems and methods for information storage replication are presented. In one embodiment a replication method includes performing an intelligent synchronization process of selected portions of a primary image and intelligent verification of the accuracy of the replication. The intelligent synchronization process can include forwarding information if the information is in use (e.g., has been altered, written to, etc.) and the intelligent verification can be performed on the information in use.

Claims

1. ) A replication method comprising:

performing an intelligent synchronization process of relevant portions of an image; and

performing an intelligent verification process, wherein said intelligent storage verification process comprises;

quiescing a primary system;

determining portions of said primary system storage resources that are in use;

taking a snapshot of said primary system storage information that is in use;

injecting a marker in a data stream from said primary system;

taking a snapshot of secondary system storage information that is in use; and

comparing said snapshot of said primary system storage information resources to said snapshot of said secondary system storage information.

2. ) A replication method of claim 1 wherein said intelligent synchronization process comprises:

determining if information within a storage range is in use;

forwarding information if said information is in use; and

incrementing a storage location indication in accordance with said storage range.

3. ) A replication method of claim 2 wherein said determining if information is in use includes querying a file system.

4. ) A replication method of claim 1 wherein said intelligent synchronization process comprises forwarding information if said information is in use.

5. ) A replication method of claim 1 wherein said storage range is similar to a storage block.

6. ) A replication method of claim 1 wherein said storage range is dynamically configurable.

7. ) A replication method of claim 1 wherein said primary image is included in a primary storage resource and said secondary image is included in a secondary storage resource.

8. ) A replication method of claim 1 wherein said intelligent synchronization process includes determining if a information in a primary source is different from a secondary source.

9. ) A replication method of claim 8 further comprising performing a correction process for portions of said secondary system storage information that does not match corresponding portions of said primary system storage information.

10. ) A computer readable storage medium having stored thereon, computer-executable instructions that when executed by a computing device cause the computing device to perform a method comprising:

performing an intelligent synchronization process of relevant portions of an image; and

performing an intelligent verification process, wherein said wherein said intelligent storage verification process comprises;

quiescing a primary system;

determining portions of said primary system storage resources that are in use;

taking a snapshot of said primary system storage information that is in use;

injecting a marker in a data stream from said primary system;

taking a snapshot of secondary system storage information that is in use; and

comparing said snapshot of said primary system storage information resources to said snapshot of said secondary system storage information.

11. ) A computer readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein said intelligent synchronization process comprises:

determining if information within a storage range is in use;

forwarding information if said information is in use; and

incrementing a storage location indication in accordance with said storage range.

12. ) A computer readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein said intelligent synchronization process comprises forwarding information if said information is in use.

13. ) A computer readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein said storage range is a storage block.

14. ) A computer readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein said storage range is dynamically configurable.

15. ) A computer readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein said primary image is included in a primary storage resource and said secondary image is included in a secondary storage resource.

16. ) A computer readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein intelligent synchronization process includes determining if a information in a primary source is different from a secondary source.

17. ) A computer readable medium of claim 16 further comprising performing a correction process for portions of said secondary system storage information that does not match corresponding portions of primary system storage information.

18. ) A multivolume file system, comprising:

a computer system having a processor coupled to a computer readable storage media and executing computer readable code which causes the computer system to;

perform an intelligent synchronization process of relevant portions of an image; and

perform an intelligent verification process, wherein said intelligent storage verification process comprises;

quiesce a primary system;

determine portions of said primary system storage resources that are in use;

take a snapshot of said primary system storage information that is in use;

inject a marker in a data stream from said primary system;

take a snapshot of secondary system storage information that is in use; and

compare said snapshot of said primary system storage information resources to said snapshot of said secondary system storage information.

19. ) A multivolume system of claim 18 wherein said intelligent synchronization process comprises:

determining if information within a storage range is in use;

forwarding information if said information is in use; and

incrementing a storage location indication in accordance with said storage range.

20. ) A multivolume system of claim 18 wherein said intelligent synchronization process includes determining if information is in use includes querying a file system.