DATA STORAGE SYSTEM UTILIZING PROXY DEVICE FOR STORAGE OPERATIONS
First Claim
1. A method for creating a snapshot of a data store associated with a virtual machine using a proxy computing device on which the virtual machine resides, the method comprising:
- receiving a snapshot request at a proxy computing device having a plurality of virtual machines instantiated thereon, each of the plurality of virtual machines having a data store associated therewith comprising primary data generated by at least one application executing on the respective virtual machine,wherein the snapshot request comprises a request by a first virtual machine of the plurality of virtual machines to create a point-in-time snapshot copy of at least a portion of the data store associated with the first virtual machine, and wherein the proxy computing device forms part of a networked storage system comprising at least one storage device that is capable of taking snapshots representing point-in-time copies of data;
forwarding, by the proxy computing device, the snapshot request to the storage device on behalf of the first virtual machine, wherein a point-in-time snapshot is created on the storage device in response to the snapshot request;
receiving, at the proxy computing device, a snapshot identifier associated with the created snapshot; and
forwarding the snapshot identifier to the first virtual machine by the proxy computing device.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A data storage environment can include one or more virtual clients instantiated on a host proxy computing device. The virtual clients may have only indirect access to a storage device, and may access the storage device via the proxy computing device. For example, the proxy computing device receives storage operation requests from one of the virtual clients, such as a request to create, mount or revert a snapshot of virtual client data. The proxy computing device generally acts as an intermediary between the virtual clients and the storage device to carry out the snapshots or other storage operations. The proxy computing device may further receive a notification upon completion of the storage operations, and transmits relevant data to the requesting virtual client regarding the storage operation.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for creating a snapshot of a data store associated with a virtual machine using a proxy computing device on which the virtual machine resides, the method comprising:
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receiving a snapshot request at a proxy computing device having a plurality of virtual machines instantiated thereon, each of the plurality of virtual machines having a data store associated therewith comprising primary data generated by at least one application executing on the respective virtual machine, wherein the snapshot request comprises a request by a first virtual machine of the plurality of virtual machines to create a point-in-time snapshot copy of at least a portion of the data store associated with the first virtual machine, and wherein the proxy computing device forms part of a networked storage system comprising at least one storage device that is capable of taking snapshots representing point-in-time copies of data; forwarding, by the proxy computing device, the snapshot request to the storage device on behalf of the first virtual machine, wherein a point-in-time snapshot is created on the storage device in response to the snapshot request; receiving, at the proxy computing device, a snapshot identifier associated with the created snapshot; and forwarding the snapshot identifier to the first virtual machine by the proxy computing device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A data storage system, comprising:
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a host computing device comprising one or more processors; a plurality of virtual machines instantiated on the host computing device and executing on the one or more processors, each virtual machine of the plurality of virtual machines having at least one application executing thereon that produces primary data; and a plurality of data stores each associated with a corresponding one of the virtual machines and containing the primary data associated with the corresponding virtual machine, wherein at least a first virtual machine of the plurality of virtual machines is configured to generate a request to perform a point-in-time copy of at least a portion of the primary data contained on the data store of the first virtual machine, and wherein the host computing device is configured to act as a proxy between the first virtual machine and at least one storage device by forwarding the request to perform the point-in-time copy to the at least one storage device on behalf of the first virtual machine, wherein the at least one storage device performs the point-in-time copy in response to the forwarded request. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for performing a data storage operation associated with a virtual machine and using a proxy computing device on which the virtual machine resides, the method comprising:
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receiving a storage operation request at a proxy computing device having at least one virtual machine instantiated thereon, the at least one virtual machine having a data store associated therewith comprising primary data generated by at least one application executing on the at least one virtual machine, wherein the proxy computing device forms part of a networked storage system comprising at least one storage device that is capable of performing the requested storage operation; forwarding, by the proxy computing device, the storage operation request to the storage device on behalf of the first virtual machine, wherein the storage device performs the storage operation in response to the request. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification