METHOD FOR A SOURCE STORAGE DEVICE SENDING DATA TO A BACKUP STORAGE DEVICE FOR STORAGE, AND STORAGE DEVICE

• US 20150113317A1
• Filed: 12/24/2014
• Published: 04/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ouyang, Ji, Zou, Ye
• Granted Patent: US 9,311,191 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/6.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1451 by selection of backup contents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• 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 12/0866 for peripheral storage systems, e.g. disk cache
• 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: G06F 2201/885 Monitoring specific for caches
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/1032 Reliability improvement, data loss prevention, degraded operation etc
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/466 Metadata, control data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/065 Replication mechanisms

Abstract

In a backup method, a source storage device sends data to a backup storage device. The source storage device contains a processor and a cache. The processor receives a write data request which includes target data. And then, the processor reads a first period ID recorded in a period ID table, wherein the first period ID is corresponding to a first period. Next, the processor modifies the write data request by attaching the first period ID to the target data and writes the modified write data request into the cache. After a backup task corresponding to the first period is triggered, the processor identifies a second period ID. The second period ID corresponds to a previous period up to which data received by the source storage device have been duplicated to the backup storage device. And then, the processor obtains data received after the period corresponding to the second period ID and up to the first period and sends the obtained data to the backup storage device.

Claims

1. A method for a source storage device to send data to a backup storage device over multiple backup periods, wherein each period is assigned a period ID, wherein the source storage device includes a processor and a cache;

the method being performed by the processor and comprising;

receiving a write data request which includes target data;

reading a first period ID recorded in a period ID table, wherein the first period ID is corresponding to a first period;

modifying the write data request by attaching the first period ID to the target data;

writing the modified write data request into the cache;

determining that a backup task corresponding to the first period is triggered, wherein the triggering of the backup task moves the source device into a next period;

identifying a second period ID, wherein the second period ID corresponds to a previous period up to which data received by the source storage device have been duplicated to the backup storage device;

obtaining data received after the period corresponding to the second period ID and up to the first period; and

sending the obtained data to the backup storage device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the write data request further includes an address, and the method further comprises:

sending the address to the backup storage device to instruct the backup storage device to store the obtained data into a storage space of the address.

3. A storage device for sending data to a backup storage device over multiple backup periods, wherein each period is assigned a period ID, wherein the storage device comprises a processor and a cache;

wherein the processor is configured to receive a write data request which includes target data;

read a first period ID recorded in a period ID table, wherein the first period ID is corresponding to a first period;

modify the write data request by attaching the first period ID to the target data;

write the modified write data request into the cache;

determine that a backup task corresponding to the first period is triggered, wherein the triggering of the backup task moves the source device into a next period;

identify a second period ID, wherein the second period ID corresponds to a previous period up to which data received by the source storage device have been duplicated to the backup storage device;

obtain data received after the period corresponding to the second period ID and up to the first period; and

send the obtained data to the backup storage device.

4. The storage device according to claim 3, wherein the write data request further includes an address, and the processor is further configured to send the address to the backup storage device to instruct the backup storage device to store the obtained data into a storage space of the address.