APPLICATION AWARE EXPORT TO OBJECT STORAGE OF LOW-REFERENCE DATA IN DEDUPLICATION REPOSITORIES

• US 20170277598A1
• Filed: 03/28/2016
• Published: 09/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: DAIN, Joseph W., KISHI, Gregory T., PAZ, Gil E., UGALDE AMEZCUA, Renan Jeshua
• Granted Patent: US 10,956,273 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1451 by selection of backup contents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1453 using de-duplication of the data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1748 De-duplication implemented within the file system, e.g. based on file segments de-duplication techniques in storage systems for the management of data blocks G06F3/0641
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1752 based on file chunks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0608 Saving storage space on storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0641 De-duplication techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

Various embodiments for managing data in a data deduplication repository in a computing storage environment, by a processor device, are provided. In one embodiment, a method comprises migrating certain deduplication repository data from a host to an object storage by integrating a data offload process with an existing backup management application, for reducing unnecessary deduplication repository data stored on the host.

Claims

1. A method for managing data in a data deduplication repository in a computing storage environment, by a processor device, comprising:

migrating certain deduplication repository data from a host to an object storage by integrating a data offload process with an existing backup management application, for reducing unnecessary deduplication repository data stored on the host.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the certain deduplication repository data comprises data identified as candidate repository data developed on a candidate list;

and

the candidate repository data on the candidate list includes repository data having a reference count number below a predetermined reference count threshold, the reference count number associated with an overall system deduplication efficiency ratio.

3. The method of claim 2, further including issuing a first application programming interface (API) command by one of the existing backup management application and an end user to a deduplication gateway for identifying the candidate repository data.

4. The method of claim 3, further including scanning metadata of a subset of entities in a deduplication repository to identify the candidate repository data.

5. The method of claim 3, further including excluding repository data from the candidate list based on at least one of a predetermined age threshold associated with an age of the repository data and repository data marked as excluded by the end user.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the data offload process comprises migrating the candidate repository data on the candidate list from the host to the object storage using a second API command by one of the existing backup management application and the end user.

7. The method of claim 6, further including initiating the data offload process when a repository capacity is greater than a predetermined repository capacity threshold.

8. The method of claim 1, further including maintaining a mapping of the migrated certain deduplication repository data between the host and the object storage by updating host repository metadata.

9. A system for managing data in a data deduplication repository in a computing storage environment, the system comprising:

at least one processor device, wherein the at least one processor device;

migrates certain deduplication repository data from a host to an object storage by integrating a data offload process with an existing backup management application, for reducing unnecessary deduplication repository data stored on the host.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the certain deduplication repository data comprises data identified as candidate repository data developed on a candidate list;

and

the candidate repository data on the candidate list includes repository data having a reference count number below a predetermined reference count threshold, the reference count number associated with an overall system deduplication efficiency ratio.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor device issues a first application programming interface (API) command by one of the existing backup management application and an end user to a deduplication gateway for identifying the candidate repository data.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor device scans metadata of a subset of entities in a deduplication repository to identify the candidate repository data.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor device excludes repository data from the candidate list based on at least one of a predetermined age threshold associated with an age of the repository data and repository data marked as excluded by the end user.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the data offload process comprises migrating the candidate repository data on the candidate list from the host to the object storage using a second API command by one of the existing backup management application and the end user.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor device initiates the data offload process when a repository capacity is greater than a predetermined repository capacity threshold.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor device maintains a mapping of the migrated certain deduplication repository data between the host and the object storage by updating host repository metadata.

17. A computer program product for managing data in a data deduplication repository in a computing storage environment, by a processor device, the computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

an executable portion that migrates certain deduplication repository data from a host to an object storage by integrating a data offload process with an existing backup management application, for reducing unnecessary deduplication repository data stored on the host.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the certain deduplication repository data comprises data identified as candidate repository data developed on a candidate list;

and

the candidate repository data on the candidate list includes repository data having a reference count number below a predetermined reference count threshold, the reference count number associated with an overall system deduplication efficiency ratio.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, further including an executable portion that issues a first application programming interface (API) command by one of the existing backup management application and an end user to a deduplication gateway for identifying the candidate repository data.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, further including an executable portion that scans metadata of a subset of entities in a deduplication repository to identify the candidate repository data.

21. The computer program product of claim 19, further including an executable portion that excludes repository data from the candidate list based on at least one of a predetermined age threshold associated with an age of the repository data and repository data marked as excluded by the end user.

22. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the data offload process comprises migrating the candidate repository data on the candidate list from the host to the object storage using a second API command by one of the existing backup management application and the end user.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, further including an executable portion that initiates the data offload process when a repository capacity is greater than a predetermined repository capacity threshold.

24. The computer program product of claim 17, further including an executable portion that maintains a mapping of the migrated certain deduplication repository data between the host and the object storage by updating host repository metadata.