OPTIMIZED COPY ALGORITHM SELECTION

• US 20160246511A1
• Filed: 02/24/2015
• Published: 08/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Miller, Dash D., Perez, Miguel A., Reed, David C., Smith, Max D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,823,847 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2056 by mirroring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2058 using more than 2 mirrored copies
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/275 Synchronous replication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/855 Details of asynchronous mirroring using a journal to transfer not-yet-mirrored changes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/065 Replication mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/728 for backup paths
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes

Abstract

A method for increasing the efficiency of copying data is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method includes receiving a request to copy data from a first location to a second location. The method determines an original copy algorithm associated with the request and determines whether the original copy algorithm is the best copy algorithm available to copy the data. If the original copy algorithm is the best copy algorithm, the method uses the original copy algorithm to copy the data. If, however, the original copy algorithm is not the best copy algorithm available, the method substitutes a more efficient copy algorithm for the original copy algorithm. In certain embodiments, this may be accomplished by looking in a prioritized list of copy algorithms and selecting a more efficient copy algorithm from the list. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for increasing the efficiency of copying data, the method comprising:

receiving a request to copy data from a first location to a second location;

determining an original copy algorithm associated with the request;

determining whether the original copy algorithm is the best copy algorithm available to copy the data;

if the original copy algorithm is the best copy algorithm, using the original copy algorithm to copy the data; and

if the original copy algorithm is not the best copy algorithm available, substituting a more efficient copy algorithm for the original copy algorithm.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein substituting a more efficient copy algorithm comprises looking in a prioritized list of copy algorithms, and selecting the more efficient copy algorithm from the list.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein selecting the more efficient copy algorithm comprises selecting the most efficient copy algorithm in the list.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising updating the list to include newer more efficient copy algorithms.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising including, in the list, hardware requirements for each copy algorithm.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the original copy algorithm is the best copy algorithm available comprises determining whether the original copy algorithm is the best copy algorithm available based on a current hardware configuration.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a request comprises intercepting a request intended for a system data mover.

8. A computer program product for increasing the efficiency of copying data, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having computer-usable program code embodied therein, the computer-usable program code comprising:

computer-usable program code to receive a request to copy data from a first location to a second location;

computer-usable program code to determine an original copy algorithm associated with the request;

computer-usable program code to determine whether the original copy algorithm is the best copy algorithm available to copy the data;

computer-usable program code to use the original copy algorithm to copy the data if the original copy algorithm is the best copy algorithm available; and

computer-usable program code to substitute a more efficient copy algorithm for the original copy algorithm if the original copy algorithm is not the best copy algorithm available.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein substituting a more efficient copy algorithm comprises looking in a prioritized list of copy algorithms, and selecting the more efficient copy algorithm from the list.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein selecting the more efficient copy algorithm comprises selecting the most efficient copy algorithm in the list.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising computer-usable program code to update the list to include newer more efficient copy algorithms.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the list includes hardware requirements for each copy algorithm.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein determining whether the original copy algorithm is the best copy algorithm available comprises determining whether the original copy algorithm is the best copy algorithm available based on a current hardware configuration.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein receiving a request comprises intercepting a request intended for a system data mover.

15. A system for increasing the efficiency of copying data, the system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one memory device operably coupled to the at least one processor and storing instructions for execution on the at least one processor, the instructions causing the at least one processor to;

receive a request to copy data from a first location to a second location;

determine an original copy algorithm associated with the request;

determine whether the original copy algorithm is the best copy algorithm available to copy the data;

use the original copy algorithm to copy the data if the original copy algorithm is the best copy algorithm available; and

substitute a more efficient copy algorithm for the original copy algorithm if the original copy algorithm is not the best copy algorithm available.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein substituting a more efficient copy algorithm comprises looking in a prioritized list of copy algorithms, and selecting the more efficient copy algorithm from the list.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein selecting the more efficient copy algorithm comprises selecting the most efficient copy algorithm in the list.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the list includes hardware requirements for each copy algorithm.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein determining whether the original copy algorithm is the best copy algorithm available comprises determining whether the original copy algorithm is the best copy algorithm available based on a current hardware configuration.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein receiving a request comprises intercepting a request intended for a system data mover.