ISOLATING DATA STORAGE MIRRORING OPERATIONS

• US 20140181436A1
• Filed: 12/20/2012
• Published: 06/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inic. Dropbox
• Original Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Inventors: Modzelewski, Kevin, Gupta, Akhil
• Granted Patent: US 9,063,909 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2082 Data synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2087 with a common controller

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for isolating mirroring operations when interacting with a data storage space, and more specifically to directing data to be stored in two locations, where storing the data in the second location does not slow or impede storing the data in the first location. Upon receiving a request to store data, the system can determine a first storage space and a second storage space in which to store the data. Instructions can be prepared for storing the data in the first storage space while at the same time preparing instructions for storing identical data in the second storage space. The system can communicate the instructions to both storage systems, with the first storage space immediately beginning the storage process while the second storage space places the instructions into a queue for later processing.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, by a processor, instructions to store data in a first storage space, which data is to be mirrored to a second storage space;

preparing, by a processor, first instructions for storing the data in the first storage space, and second instructions for also storing the data in the second storage space;

communicating, by a processor, the first instructions to the first storage space to initiate storage of the data in the first storage space; and

communicating, by a processor, the second instructions to a queue to be executed for storing the data in the second storage space at a subsequent time upon a predefined condition being met.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the queue comprises a list of data storage instructions which are processed in sequence.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from a requestor, a retrieval request to retrieve the data;

determining that the data is stored in the second storage space; and

responding to the retrieval request by;

obtaining the data from the second storage space; and

communicating the data to the requestor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first storage space has a higher storage capacity than the second storage space.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first storage space is owned by a different entity than the second storage space.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first storage space packages the data for storage in a different format from the second storage space.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein storage of the data in the first storage space and the second storage space is not disclosed to an entity which sent the instructions.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising only performing the determining, preparing, and communicating after determining that mirroring of the data needs to be performed.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second instructions are processed upon meeting a threshold.

10. A computer-readable storage medium having processor-executable instructions stored therein for causing a processor to:

receive instructions to store data in a first storage space, which data is to be mirrored to a second storage space;

prepare first instructions for storing the data in the first storage space, and second instructions for also storing the data in the second storage space;

communicate the first instructions to the first storage space to initiate storage of the data in the first storage space; and

communicate the second instructions to a queue to be executed for storing the data in the second storage space at a subsequent time upon a predefined condition being met.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the second storage space queue comprises a list of data storage instructions which are processed in sequence.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, the computer-readable storage medium having additional instructions stored therein for causing a processor to:

receive, from a requestor, a retrieval request to retrieve the data;

determine that the data is stored in the second storage space; and

respond to the retrieval request by;

obtaining the data from the second storage space; and

communicating the data to the requestor.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the first storage space has a higher storage capacity than the second storage space.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the first storage space is owned by a different entity than the second storage space.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the first storage space packages the data for storage in a different format from the second storage space.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein storage of the data in the first storage space and the second storage space is not disclosed to an entity which sent the instructions.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, the computer-readable storage medium having additional instructions stored which result in the method further comprising only performing the determining, preparing, and communicating after determining that mirroring of the data needs to be performed.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the second instructions are processed upon meeting a threshold.

19. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable storage medium having processor-executable instructions stored therein for causing a processor to;

receive instructions to store data in a first storage space, which data is to be mirrored to a second storage space;

prepare first instructions for storing the data in the first storage space, and second instructions for also storing the data in the second storage space;

communicate the first instructions to the first storage space to initiate storage of the data in the first storage space; and

communicate the second instructions to a queue to be executed for storing the data in the second storage space at a subsequent time upon a predefined condition being met.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the second storage space queue comprises a list of data storage instructions which are processed in sequence.