Method and apparatus for mirroring data in a remote data storage system

• US 5,933,653 A
• Filed: 05/31/1996
• Issued: 08/03/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Ofek, Yuval
• Primary Examiner(s): Amsbury, Wayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARDO, THUY N
• Application Number:
  US08/657,760
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: 395/182.18, 395/280, 395/182.11, 395/182.16, 395/182.03, 395/183.04, 395/200.33, 395/826, 370/230, 711/162, 711/202, 711/146, 711/161
• US Class Current: 710/6
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2069 Management of state, configuration or failover
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2074 Asynchronous techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2076 Synchronous techniques

Abstract

A data processing network including a local system and a geographically remote system. Each of the local and remote systems includes a data storage facility. The remote data storage facility mirrors the local data storage facility. In a normal operating mode, the local and remote systems operate in near synchronism or in synchronism. In an alternate operating mode, writing operations at the local system immediately update the storage devices in the local data storage facility. Transfers of corresponding data to the remote data storage facility are made independently of and asynchronously with respect to the operation of the local system.

Claims

1. In a data processing network including a first data storage facility, a geographically remote second data storage facility and intersystem transfer means for effecting transfers between the first and second data storage facilities wherein each of the data storage facilities includes a data store for storing data in a retrievable form, a buffer memory for temporarily storing data and means for transferring data from the buffer memory to the data store and wherein the first data storage facility includes host connection means for connection to a host processor for transferring data to the first data storage facility in response to a writing operation initiated by the host processor, the first and second data storage facilities normally transferring the data to the data storage facilities in both the first and second data storage facilities in accordance with a normal operating mode, the method of transferring data to the second data storage facility in accordance with an alternate operating mode comprising the steps of:

A. enabling the alternate operating mode and thereby disabling the normal operation mode,

B. thereafter responding to each writing operation initiated by the host processor by;

i. transferring the data from the host connection means to the buffer memory in the first data storage facility,

ii. transferring the data from the buffer memory to the data store in the first data storage facility,

iii. transferring an acknowledgment of the transfer into the first data storage facility to the host processor, and

iv. transferring the data from the first data storage facility to the second data storage facility independently of the operations between the first data storage facility and the host processor,

C. monitoring the state of the transfers to the second data storage facility when the second operating mode is enabled, and

D. reverting to the first operating mode when said monitoring indicates a predetermined state exists while allowing previously requested operations during the enablement of the alternate operating mode to complete.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said monitoring during the alternate operating mode comprises:

A. monitoring the quantity of data in the first data storage facility to be transferred to the second data storage facility, and

B. comparing the monitored quantity to a threshold quantity,

said reverting to the normal operating mode occurring while the monitored quantity exceeds the threshold.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said step of transferring the data to the second data storage facility includes:

A. transferring the data from the first data storage facility buffer memory to the second data storage facility buffer memory, and

B. transferring the data from the buffer memory in the second data storage facility to the data store therein.

4. A method as recited in claim 3 wherein each of first and second data storage facilities transfers data from its respective buffer memory to its respective data store by a destaging operation, said host connection means, during the alternate operating mode, causing separate write requests to be stored for each of the first and second data stores in the first data storage facility buffer memory, said method comprising the step of transferring the write request and the data to the second data storage facility buffer memory whereby said second data storage facility destages the write request to the data store therein.

5. A method as recited in claim 4 additionally wherein said monitoring comprises the steps of:

i. monitoring the number of write requests in the first data storage facility buffer memory, and

ii. disabling the alternate operating mode when the number of write requests exceeds a predetermined number.

6. A method as recited in claim 3 wherein each data store is defined by storage sections and the first data storage facility includes status means for indicating whether each storage section in the second data storage facility contains valid data, said transfer of data to the second data storage facility including the steps of:

a. setting the status means to an invalid status during each transfer of data to a section in the first data storage facility, and

b. for each section indicated to be invalid, copying the corresponding section from the data store in the first data storage facility to the data store in the second data storage facility.

7. A method as recited in claim 6 wherein the intersystem transfer means includes means for copying data and wherein the copying step includes:

a. monitoring the section status from the intersystem transfer means,

b. selecting a section indicated to be invalid, and

c. enabling the copying means to transfer the data from the first to the second data storage facility.

8. A method as recited in claim 6

wherein said monitoring includes monitoring the number of invalid sections in the first data storage facility buffer memory

and wherein said reverting includes disabling the alternate operating mode when the number of invalid sections exceeds a predetermined number.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 comprising the additional step of reenabling the alternate mode when said monitoring indicates that other than the predetermined state exists.

10. In a data processing network including a first data storage facility, a geographically remote second data storage facility and intersystem transfer means for effecting transfers between the first and second data storage facilities wherein each of the data storage facilities includes a data store for storing data in a retrievable form, a buffer memory for temporarily storing data and means for transferring data from the buffer memory to the data store and wherein the first data storage facility includes host connection means for connection to a host processor for transferring data to the first data storage facility in response to a writing operation initiated by the host processor, the first and second data storage facilities normally transferring the data to the data storage facilities in both the first and second data storage facilities in accordance with a normal operating mode, means for transferring data to the second data storage facility in accordance with an alternate operating mode comprising:

A. means for enabling the alternate operating mode and thereby disabling the normal operation mode,

B. means responsive to said enabling means and to each writing operation initiated by the host processor including;

i. means for transferring the data from the host connection means to the buffer memory in the first data storage facility,

ii. means for transferring the data from the buffer memory to the data store in the first data storage facility,

iii. means for transferring an acknowledgment of the transfer into the first data storage facility to the host processor, and

iv. means for transferring the data from the first data storage facility to the second data storage facility independently of the operations between the first data storage facility and the host processor, and

C. means for monitoring the state of the transfers to the second data storage facility when the second operating mode is enabled,

said enabling means reverting operations to the first operating mode when said monitoring indicates a predetermined state exists while allowing previously requested operations during the enablement of the alternate operating mode to complete.

11. A network as recited in claim 10 wherein said monitoring means operating during the alternate operating mode comprises:

A. means for monitoring the quantity of data in the first data storage facility to be transferred to the second data storage facility, and

B. means for comparing the monitored quantity to a threshold quantity, then reverting of operations to the normal operating mode occurring while the monitored quantity exceeds the threshold.

12. A network as recited in claim 10 wherein said means for transferring data to the second data storage facility includes:

A. first buffer memory transfer means for transferring the data from the first data storage facility buffer memory to the second data storage facility buffer memory, and

B. second buffer memory transfer means for transferring the data from the buffer memory in the second data storage facility to the data store therein.

13. A network as recited in claim 12 wherein each of first and second data storage facilities transfers data from its respective buffer memory to its respective data store by a destaging operation, said host connection means, during the alternate operating mode, causing separate write requests to be stored for each of the first and second data stores in the first data storage facility buffer memory, said first buffer memory transfer means including means for transferring the write request and the data to the second data storage facility buffer memory whereby said second data storage facility destages the write request to the data store therein.

14. A network as recited in claim 13 additionally wherein said monitoring means:

i. means for monitoring the number of write requests in the first data storage facility buffer memory, and

ii. means for disabling the alternate operating mode when the number of write requests exceeds a predetermined number.

15. A network as recited in claim 12 wherein each data store is defined by storage sections and the first data storage facility includes status means for indicating whether each storage section in the second data storage facility contains valid data, said means for transferring data to the second data storage facility including:

a. means for setting the status means to an invalid status during each transfer of data to a section in the first data storage facility, and

b. means for copying, for each section indicated to be invalid, the corresponding section from the data store in the first data storage facility to the data store in the second data storage facility.

16. A network as recited in claim 15 wherein the intersystem transfer means includes means for copying data and wherein the copying means includes:

a. means for monitoring the section status from the intersystem transfer means,

b. means for selecting a section indicated to be invalid, and

c. means for enabling said copying means to transfer the data from the first to the second data storage facility.

17. A network as recited in claim 15 wherein said monitoring means includes means for monitoring the number of invalid sections in the first data storage facility buffer memory, said enabling means terminating the alternate operating mode when the number of invalid sections exceeds a predetermined number thereby to return operations to the normal operating mode.

18. A network as recited in claim 10 comprising means for reenabling the alternate mode when said monitoring means indicates that other than the predetermined state exists.