Method and apparatus for suspending multiple duplex pairs during back up processing to insure storage devices remain synchronized in a sequence consistent order

• US 5,692,155 A
• Filed: 04/19/1995
• Issued: 11/25/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Micka, William Frank, Kern, Robert Frederic, Shomler, Robert Wesley, Iskiyan, James Lincoln
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Eddie P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KIM, HONG CHONG
• Application Number:
  US08/424,930
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 395/489, 395/488, 395/182.04, 395/182.1, 395/182.11
• US Class Current: 711/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2064 while ensuring consistency
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2082 Data synchronisation

Abstract

A data storage system atomically suspends multiple duplex pairs across either a single storage subsystem or multiple storage subsystems. The duplex pairs are suspended such that the data on the secondary DASDs of the duplex pairs is maintained in a sequence consistent order. A host processor in the data storage system running an application generates records and record updates to be written to the primary DASDs of the duplex pairs. The storage controller directs copies of the records and record updates to the secondary DASDs of the duplex pairs. Sequence consistency is maintained on the secondary DASDs by quiescing the duplex pairs and then suspending the duplex pairs with change recording. Quiescing the duplex pairs allows any current write I/O in progress to complete to the primary DASD. The storage controller then locks out any subsequent write I/O from the host processor by raising a long busy signal to such subsequent write requests. Suspending the duplex pairs with change recording directs the storage controller to mark the physical address of the primary DASD which the application in the host processor updates between the time the duplex pair is suspended and then is reestablished.

Claims

1. In a data storage system capable of writing records and record updates and copying said records and record updates for backup purposes, said data storage system including a host processor running an application generating records and record updates, a first duplex pair having a primary data storage device and a secondary data storage device, a second duplex pair having a primary data storage device and a secondary data storage device, a storage controller coupled between said host processor and said first and said second duplex pairs, a method for suspending said first and said second duplex pairs while copying said records and record updates such that said secondary data storage devices of said first and said second duplex pairs remain synchronized in a sequence consistent order comprising steps of:

quiescing said first duplex pair by said storage controller in response to an initial quiesce command from said application to inhibit writing future records and record updates from said application to said primary data storage device of said first duplex pair, wherein said quiescing does not halt said application running in said host processor;

quiescing said second duplex pair by said storage controller in response to a subsequent quiesce command from said application to Inhibit writing future records and record updates from said application to said primary data storage device of said second duplex pair and to synchronize records and record updates copied to said secondary data storage device of said first and second duplex pairs in a sequence consistent order, wherein said quiescing does not halt said application running in said host processor;

suspending said first and second duplex pairs by said storage controller receiving a suspend command from said application to inhibit copying, by said storage controller to said secondary data storage device of said first and second duplex pairs, of records and record updates transmitted from said application to said primary data storage device of said first and second duplex pairs; and

signalling said application by said storage controller that said first and second duplex pairs are suspended and subsequent records and record updates can be written to said primary data storage device of said first and second duplex pairs without copying said record to said secondary data storage device of said first and second duplex pairs.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said quiescing step further comprises issuing a Long Busy signal from said storage controller to said host processor for inhibiting subsequent writes of records and record updates from said application to said primary data storage device of said duplex pair.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising said storage controller terminating said duplex pair such that subsequent records and record updates transferred from said host processor to said primary data storage device are not marked for later copying to said secondary device if said duplex pair is reestablished.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising said storage controller marking records and record updates transferred from said host processor to said primary data storage device subsequent to suspending said duplex pair, such that said records and record updates are copied to said secondary data storage device if said duplex pair is reestablished.

5. In a data storage system providing data duplexing, said data storage system including a host processor running an application, a first duplex pair having a primary data storage device and a secondary data storage device, a second duplex pair having a primary data storage device and a secondary data storage device, a storage controller coupled between said host processor and said first and said second duplex pairs, said application generating records and record updates and issuing a quiesce duplex pair and a suspend duplex pair command, said primary data storage device for storing said records and record updates, said secondary data storage device for storing copies of said records and record updates, said storage controller for suspending said first and said second duplex pairs such that said secondary data storage devices remain synchronized in a sequence consistent order comprising:

a storage path for directing records and record updates between said host processor and said first and said second duplex pairs, said storage path quiescing said first and second duplex pairs in response to said quiesce duplex pair commands from said application, such that said application is not halted within said host processor, to inhibit writing future records and record updates from said application to said primary data storage devices of said first and said second duplex pairs, said storage path further suspending said first and second duplex pair in response to said suspend duplex pair commands from said application such that said records and record updates are copied to said secondary data storage devices of said first and said second duplex pairs and synchronized in a sequence consistent order; and

a memory coupled to said storage path for storing said records and record updates to be copied to said secondary data storage device of said duplex pair.

6. The storage controller in claim 5 wherein said memory is a cache memory.

7. The storage controller in claim 5 further comprising a non-volatile storage (NVS) for storing records and record updates in sequence consistent order, said records and record updates to be subsequently copied to said secondary data storage device of said duplex pair.

8. The storage controller in claim 7 further comprising bit maps in said NVS for marking a physical address associated with said duplex pair receiving said record update while said duplex pair is suspended, said record update written to said primary data storage device while said duplex pair is suspended and said record update copied to said secondary data storage device once said duplex pair is reestablished.

9. The storage controller in claim 5 wherein said storage path further issues a Long Busy signal to said host processor in response to said quiesce duplex pair command to allow said record update currently being written from said host processor to said primary data storage device of said duplex pair to complete and to inhibit subsequent record updates to be written from said host processor to said primary data storage device of said duplex pair.

10. The storage controller in claim 5 wherein said secondary data storage devices are located at a remote site, said remote site including a secondary storage controller, said secondary storage controller coupled between said secondary data storage devices and a communication link, said communication link connecting said storage controller to said secondary storage controller.

11. The storage controller in claim 10 wherein said secondary storage controller further comprises:

a secondary memory for initially storing said plurality of record updates copied from said storage controller to said secondary storage controller; and

a secondary storage path coupled between said communication link and said secondary data storage devices, said secondary memory further coupled to said secondary storage path, said storage path directing movement of said plurality of record updates between said secondary memory and said secondary data storage devices such that said secondary data storage devices remain synchronized in a sequence consistent order.

12. A data storage system comprising:

a host processor running an application generating a plurality of record updates, said host processor issuing a quiesce duplex pair command and a suspend duplex pair command;

a channel coupled to said host processor;

a first and second duplex pair, each having a primary data storage device and a secondary data storage device, said primary data storage device for storing said plurality of record updates and said secondary data storage device for storing a copy of said plurality of record updates;

a storage controller coupled to said host processor by said channel and further coupled to said first and said second duplex pair, said storage controller comprising;

a memory for initially storing said plurality of record updates transferred from said host processor; and

a storage path coupled between said channel and said first and said second duplex pairs, said memory further coupled to said storage path, said storage path directing movement of said plurality of record updates between said host processor and said primary data storage device through said memory, said storage path copying said plurality of record updates to said secondary data storage device, said storage path quiescing said first and second duplex pairs in response to said quiesce duplex pair commands from said application, such that said application is not halted within said host processor, to inhibit future writing of said plurality of record updates from said application to said primary data storage devices of said first and said second duplex pairs, said storage path further suspending said first and second duplex pair, in response to said suspend duplex pair commands from said application, such that said plurality of record updates copied to said secondary data storage devices remain synchronized in a sequence consistent order.

13. The data storage system in claim 12 wherein said memory in said storage controller is a cache memory.

14. The data storage system in claim 12 further comprising a non-volatile storage (NVS) in said storage controller coupled to said storage path, said NVS for storing records and record updates in sequence consistent order, said records and record updates to be subsequently copied to said secondary data storage device of said duplex pair.

15. The data storage system in claim 12 wherein said each secondary data storage device of said each duplex pair is located at a secondary site remote to said each primary data storage device, said secondary site further comprising a storage controller for receiving said records and record updates from said storage controller at said primary site and further coupled to said each secondary data storage device.

16. The data storage system in claim 13 wherein said secondary storage controller further comprises:

a secondary memory for initially storing said plurality of record updates copied from said storage controller to said secondary storage controller; and

a secondary storage path coupled between said secondary memory and said secondary data storage devices, said secondary storage path directing movement of said plurality of record updates between said secondary memory and said secondary data storage devices such that said secondary data storage devices remain synchronized in a sequence consistent order.

17. The data processing system in claim 12 wherein said storage path in said storage controller further issues a Long Busy signal to said host processor in response to said quiesce duplex pair command to allow said record update currently being written from said host processor to said primary data storage device of said duplex pair to complete and to inhibit subsequent record updates to be written from said host processor to said primary data storage device of said duplex pair.