Remote data mirroring

• US 5,742,792 A
• Filed: 05/28/1996
• Issued: 04/21/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Castel, Daniel D. C., Ofek, Yuval Y. O., Vishlitzky, Natan, Alterescu, Bruno, Yanai, Moshe, Shklarsky, Gadi G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Asta, Frank J.
• Application Number:
  US08/654,511
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 395/182.03, 395/182.04, 395/488, 395/489, 395/492, 395/821, 371/10.1, 371/21.1, 371/40.1
• US Class Current: 711/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2066 Optimisation of the communication load
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2071 using a plurality of controllers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2074 Asynchronous techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2079 Bidirectional techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2082 Data synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2003/0697 device management, e.g. handlers, drivers, I/O schedulers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0601 Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0608 Saving storage space on storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/061 Improving I/O performance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/064 Management of blocks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/065 Replication mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0661 Format or protocol conversion arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/1217 on discs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/26 Special purpose or proprietary protocols or architectures network applications for proprietary or special purpose networking environments H04L67/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation

Abstract

Two data storage systems are interconnected by a data link for remote mirroring of data. Each volume of data is configured as local, primary in a remotely mirrored volume pair, or secondary in a remotely mirrored volume pair. Normally, a host computer directly accesses either a local or a primary volume, and data written to a primary volume is automatically sent over the link to a corresponding secondary volume. Each remotely mirrored volume pair can operate in a selected synchronization mode including synchronous, semi-synchronous, adaptive copy - remote write pending, and adaptive copy - disk. Direct write access to a secondary volume is denied if a "sync required" attribute is set for the volume and the volume is not synchronized. If a "volume domino" mode is enabled for a remotely mirrored volume pair, access to a volume of the pair is denied when the other volume is inaccessible. In a "links domino" mode, access to all remotely mirrored volumes is denied when remote mirroring is disrupted by an all-links failure. The domino modes can be used to initiate application-based recovery, for example, recovering a secondary data file using a secondary log file. In an active migration mode, host processing of a primary volume is concurrent with migration to a secondary volume. In an overwrite cache mode, remote write-pending data in cache can be overwritten. Write data for an entire host channel command word chain is bundled in one link transmission.

Claims

1. A system for automatically providing remote copy data storage, said system comprising:

a host computer;

a first data storage system including at least a first data storage system controller and at least one data storage device, said first data storage system being coupled to said host computer for storing data to be accessed by at least said host computer;

a second data storage system including at least a second data storage system controller and at least one data storage device, said second data storage system being remotely coupled to said first data storage system for copying of said data to said second data storage system controller; and

said first data storage system controller coordinating and controlling the copying of said data to said second data storage system controller wherein said first data storage system maintains an index, said index including at least a first indicator providing an indication of whether a predetermined data element stored on said first data storage system is valid, a second indicator providing an indication of whether said predetermined data element stored on said second data storage system is valid, a third indicator providing an indication of whether a write is pending to said predetermined data element stored on said first data storage system, and at least a fourth indicator providing an indication of whether a write is pending to said predetermined data element stored in said second data storage system.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said first indicator provides an indication of whether data stored in a predetermined data element storage location on said first data storage system is valid, said second indicator provides an indication of whether corresponding data stored in a corresponding data element storage location in said second data storage system is valid, said third indicator provides an indication of whether a write is pending to said predetermined data element storage location on said first data storage system, and said fourth indicator provides an indication of whether a write is pending to said corresponding data element storage location in said second data storage system.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first data storage system contains a cache memory and a disk data storage device, said third indicator provides an indication of whether a write is pending from said cache memory to said disk data storage device, and said fourth indicator provides an indication of whether a write is pending from said first data storage system to said second data storage system.

4. The system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said first data storage system maintains a count of a number of data storage locations which are invalid on said second data storage system, and said first data storage system transmits to said second data storage system said count of said number of data storage locations which are invalid on said second data storage system.

5. A method of operating a data storage system for automatically providing remote data copying to remote data storage, said data storage system having primary data storage for storing a primary copy of data, and a data storage controller for controlling storage of data in said primary data storage and transmission of data over a link from said data storage system to said remote data storage to store a secondary copy of the data in said remote data storage, said method comprising:

said data storage controller maintaining an index, said index including at least a first indicator providing an indication of whether a format command is pending for a data storage device in said primary data storage, a second indicator providing an indication of whether a format command is pending for a data storage device in said remote data storage for storing a secondary copy of data stored in the data storage device in said primary data storage, a third indicator for providing an indication of whether an invalid track exists for the data storage device in said primary data storage, and a fourth indicator for providing an indication of whether an invalid track exists for the data storage device in the remote data storage for storing the secondary copy of data stored in the data storage device in the primary data storage.

6. A data storage system for providing remote data copying to remote data storage, said data storage system comprising:

primary data storage for storing a primary copy of data; and

a data storage controller for controlling storage of data in said primary data storage and transmission of data over a link from said data storage system to said remote data storage to store a secondary copy of the data in said remote data storage;

wherein said data storage system maintains an index, said index including at least a first indicator providing an indication of whether a predetermined data element stored on said data storage system is valid, a second indicator providing an indication of whether said predetermined data element stored in said remote data storage is valid, a third indicator providing an indication of whether a write is pending to said predetermined data element stored on said data storage system, and at least a fourth indicator providing an indication of whether a write is pending to said predetermined data element stored in said remote data storage.

7. The data storage system of claim 6 wherein said first indicator provides an indication of whether data stored in a predetermined data element storage location on said data storage system is valid, said second indicator provides an indication of whether corresponding data stored in a corresponding data element storage location in said remote data storage is valid, said third indicator provides an indication of whether a write is pending to said predetermined data element storage location on said data storage system, and said fourth indicator provides an indication of whether a write is pending to said corresponding data element storage location in said remote data storage.

8. The data storage system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said data storage system contains a cache memory and a disk data storage device, said third indicator provides an indication of whether a write is pending from said cache memory to said disk data storage device, and said fourth indicator provides an indication of whether a write is pending from said data storage system to said remote data storage.

9. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said data storage system maintains a count of a number of data storage locations which are invalid in said remote data storage, and said data storage system transmits to said remote data storage said count of said number of data storage locations which are invalid in said remote data storage.

10. A method of operating a data storage system for providing remote data copying to remote data storage, said data storage system having primary data storage for storing a primary copy of data, and a data storage controller for controlling storage of data in said primary data storage and transmission of data over a link from said data storage system to said remote data storage to store a secondary copy of the data in said remote data storage, said method comprising:

maintaining, in storage of said data storage system, a first indicator providing an indication of whether a predetermined data element stored on said data storage system is valid;

maintaining, in said data storage system, a second indicator providing an indication of whether said predetermined data element stored in said remote data storage is valid;

maintaining, in said data storage system, a third indicator providing an indication of whether a write is pending to said predetermined data element stored on said data storage system; and

maintaining, in said data storage system, a fourth indicator providing an indication of whether a write is pending to said predetermined data element stored in said remote data storage.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said first indicator provides an indication of whether data stored in a predetermined data element storage location on said data storage system is valid, said second indicator provides an indication of whether corresponding data stored in a corresponding data element storage location in said remote data storage is valid, said third indicator provides an indication of whether a write is pending to said predetermined data element storage location on said data storage system, and said fourth indicator provides an indication of whether a write is pending to said corresponding data element storage location in said remote data storage.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said data storage system contains a cache memory and a disk data storage device, said third indicator provides an indication of whether a write is pending from said cache memory to said disk data storage device, and said fourth indicator provides an indication of whether a write is pending from said data storage system to said remote data storage.

13. The method as claimed in claim 10, which further includes maintaining in said data storage system a count of a number of data storage locations which are invalid in said remote data storage, and transmitting from said data storage system to said remote data storage said count of said number of data storage locations which are invalid in said remote data storage.

14. A program storage device readable by a data storage system, said program storage device encoding a program for execution by the data storage system for providing remote data copying from the data storage system to remote data storage, wherein the program is executable by the data storage system for maintaining an index, said index including at least a first indicator providing an indication of whether a predetermined data element is valid in storage of the data storage system, a second indicator providing an indication of whether said predetermined data element is valid in said remote data storage, a third indicator providing an indication of whether a write of said predetermined data element is pending to storage of the data storage system, and at least a fourth indicator providing an indication of whether a write of said predetermined data element is pending to said remote data storage.

15. The program storage device as claimed in claim 14, wherein said first indicator provides an indication of whether data stored in a predetermined data element storage location in said data storage system is valid, said second indicator provides an indication of whether corresponding data stored in a corresponding data element storage location in said remote data storage is valid, said third indicator provides an indication of whether a write is pending to said predetermined data element storage location in said data storage system, and said fourth indicator provides an indication of whether a write is pending to said predetermined data element storage location in said remote data storage.

16. The program storage device as claimed in claim 14, wherein said data storage system contains a cache memory and a disk data storage device, said third indicator provides an indication of whether a write is pending from said cache memory to said disk data storage device, and said fourth indicator provides an indication of whether a write is pending from said data storage system to said remote data storage.

17. The program storage device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the program is executable by the data storage system for maintaining a count of a number of data storage locations which are invalid in said remote data storage, and for transmitting from said data storage system to said remote data storage said count of said number of data storage locations which are invalid in said remote data storage.

18. A system for automatically providing remote copy storage of data from a host computer, said system comprising:

a first data storage system for coupling to the host computer for storing data from the host computer; and

a second data storage system remotely coupled to the first data storage system for receiving a copy of the data from the first data storage system;

wherein the first data storage system is adapted to operate in an asynchronous mode wherein data is copied from the first data storage system to the second data storage system asynchronously from the time when the first data storage system returns an i/o completion signal for the data to the host computer, and the first data storage system maintains, in the first data storage system, an index of information about the data as stored in the first data storage system and about the copy of the data as stored in the second data storage system, the index identifying data stored in the first data storage system and not yet copied to the second data storage system, the index including additional information about the copy of the data stored in the second data storage system so that the additional information is accessible by the first data storage system without retrieval from the second data storage system in order to reduce time for recovery from a failure to access the data stored in the first data storage system.

19. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the index includes a first indicator of whether a write to a predetermined data element is pending to the second data storage system in order to identify the data stored in the first data storage system and not yet copied to the second data storage system, and the additional information about the copy of the data stored in the second data storage system includes a second indicator of whether the predetermined data element is valid in the second data storage system.

20. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the additional information identifies data storage device locations for which a format command is pending and for which an invalid track exists.

21. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the additional information identifies data storage device locations for which a format command is pending, data storage device locations for which an invalid track exists, data storage device locations for which a device is pending, and data storage device locations which have been write disabled.

22. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the index in the first data storage system is substantially similar to an index maintained in the second data storage system by the second data storage system.

23. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the first data storage system and the second data storage system are coupled by a high speed communication link for transmission of the copy of the data from the first data storage system to the second data storage system.

24. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the second data storage system is adapted for coupling to a second host computer for storing in the second data storage system data from the second host computer, and the second data storage system is coupled to the first data storage system for transmission of a copy of the data from the second host computer for storage in the first data storage system.

25. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the first data storage system has semiconductor memory, and the first data storage system maintains the index in the semiconductor memory.

26. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the index is a hierarchical structure including a table of flag bits.

27. A system for automatically providing remote copy data storage, said system comprising:

a host computer;

a first data storage system coupled to the host computer for storing data from the host computer; and

a second data storage system remotely coupled to the first data storage system for receiving a copy of the data from the first data storage system;

wherein the first data storage system is adapted to operate in an asynchronous mode wherein data is copied from the first data storage system to the second data storage system asynchronously from the time when the first data storage system returns an i/o completion signal for the data to the host computer, and the first data storage system maintains, in the first data storage system, an index of information about the data as stored in the first data storage system and about the copy of the data as stored in the second data storage system, the index identifying data stored in the first data storage system and not yet copied to the second data storage system, the index including additional information about the copy of the data stored in the second data storage system so that the additional information is accessible by the first data storage system without retrieval from the second data storage system in order to reduce time for recovery from a failure to access the data stored in the first data storage system.

28. The system as claimed in claim 27, wherein the index includes a first indicator of whether a write to a predetermined data element is pending to the second data storage system in order to identify the data stored in the first data storage system and not yet copied to the second data storage system, and the additional information about the copy of the data stored in the second data storage system includes a second indicator of whether the predetermined data element is valid in the second data storage system.

29. The system as claimed in claim 27, wherein the additional information identifies data storage device locations for which a format command is pending and for which an invalid track exists, and wherein the index in the first data storage system is substantially similar to an index maintained in the second data storage system by the second data storage system.

30. The system as claimed in claim 27, wherein the additional information identifies data storage device locations for which a format command is pending, data storage device locations for which an invalid track exists, data storage device locations for which a device is pending, and data storage device locations which have been write disabled, and wherein the index in the first data storage system is substantially similar to an index maintained in the second data storage system by the second data storage system.

31. The system as claimed in claim 27, wherein the first data storage system and the second data storage system are coupled by a high speed communication link for transmission of the copy of the data from the first data storage system to the second data storage system, the host computer is coupled to the first data storage system by a first direct data signal path, and the host computer is coupled to the second data storage system by a second direct data signal path.

32. A data storage system for automatically providing remote data copying to remote data storage, said data storage system comprising:

primary data storage for storing a primary copy of data; and

a data storage controller for controlling storage of data in said primary data storage and transmission of data over a link from said data storage system to said remote data storage to store a secondary copy of the data in said remote data storage;

wherein said data storage controller maintains an index, said index including at least a first indicator providing an indication of whether a format command is pending for a data storage device in said primary data storage, a second indicator providing an indication of whether a format command is pending for a data storage device in said remote data storage for storing a secondary copy of data stored in the data storage device in said primary data storage, a third indicator for providing an indication of whether an invalid track exists for the data storage device in said primary data storage, and a fourth indicator for providing an indication of whether an invalid track exists for the data storage device in the remote data storage for storing the secondary copy of data stored in the data storage device in said primary data storage.

33. A method of operating a system for automatically providing remote copy storage of data from a host computer, the system having a first data storage system coupled to the host computer for storing the data from the host computer, and a second data storage system remotely coupled to the first data storage system for receiving a copy of the data from the first data storage system, said method comprising the steps of:

operating the first data storage system in an asynchronous mode wherein data is copied from the first data storage system to the second data storage system asynchronously from the time when the first data storage system returns an i/o completion signal for the data to the host computer, and the first data storage system maintains, in the first data storage system, an index of information about the data as stored in the first data storage system and about the copy of the data as stored in the second data storage system, the index identifying data stored in the first data storage system and not yet copied to the second data storage system, the index including additional information about the copy of the data stored in the second data storage system; and

in response to a failure to access the data stored in the first data storage system, the first data storage system accessing the additional information stored in the index in the first data storage system in order to reduce time for recovery from the failure.

34. The method as claimed in claim 33, wherein the index includes a first indicator of whether a write to a predetermined data element is pending to the second data storage system in order to identify the data stored in the first data storage system and not yet copied to the second data storage system, and the additional information about the copy of the data stored in the second data storage system includes a second indicator of whether the predetermined data element is valid in the second data storage system.

35. The method as claimed in claim 33, wherein the additional information identifies data storage device locations for which a format command is pending and for which an invalid track exists.

36. The method as claimed in claim 33, wherein the additional information identifies data storage device locations for which a format command is pending, data storage device locations for which an invalid track exists, data storage device locations for which a device is pending, and data storage device locations which have been write disabled.

37. The method as claimed in claim 33, wherein the index in the first data storage system is substantially similar to an index maintained in the second data storage system by the second data storage system.

38. The method as claimed in claim 33, wherein the index is a hierarchical structure including a table of flag bits.