Point-in-time backup utilizing multiple copy technologies

• US 6,078,932 A
• Filed: 01/13/1998
• Issued: 06/20/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xyratex Technology Limited (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Shackelford, David Michael, Haye, Mark Alan, Kern, Ronald Maynard
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, RUAY L
• Application Number:
  US09/006,638
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1-10, 707/100-104, 707/200-206, 395/200.3, 395/200.31-200.39, 395/703, 395/712
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1438 Restarting or rejuvenating
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1458 Management of the backup or restore process
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/82 Solving problems relating to consistency
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/84 Using snapshots, i.e. a logical point-in-time copy of the data
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for performing a point-in-time backup using multiple copy technologies includes steps of suspending execution of updates to the source data; determining what point-in-time backup technology is supported by the device by determining the device and extents of the source data; processing each of the extents as determined by the backup technology supported and copying the source data in point-in-time; and backing up copied entire source data to a target media. If the backup process fails, the method, apparatus, and article of manufacture provides a restart function.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for performing a point-in-time backup of source data stored in one or more storage devices that support one or more backup and copy technologies, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) suspending updates to the source data;

(b) identifying one or more extents for the source data and a type of data storage device storing the identified extents;

(c) determining at least two copy technologies available for the identified type of storage device to create a point-in-time copy of the extents for the source data;

(d) selecting one of the determined copy technologies; and

(e) making a point-in-time copy of the identified extents using the selected copy technology.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the copy technology is selected from a group comprising a concurrent copy, a snapshot copy, and a serialization copy.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(d) determining whether there was a successful completion to the backing up step; and

(e) resuming updates to the source data upon the successful completion.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(d) determining whether there was a successful completion to the backing up step; and

(e) releasing resources involved upon the successful completion.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(d) determining whether there was a successful completion to the backing up step; and

(e) restarting the backing up step upon an unsuccessful completion.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting one of the determined copy technologies comprises:

making a point-in-time copy of the identified extents;

copying pointers to the data at the identified extents after determining that the point-in-time copy operation is unavailable; and

preventing updates to the source extents to insure that data is not backed up in an inconsistent manner if the copying of pointers is unavailable.

7. An article of manufacture embodying logic that causes a processor to perform method steps for performing a point-in-time backup of source data stored in one or more storage devices that support one or more backup and copy technologies, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) suspending updates to the source data;

(b) identifying one or more extents for the source data and a type of data storage device storing the identified extents;

(c) determining at least two copy technologies available for the identified type of storage device to create a point-in-time copy of the extents for the source data;

(d) selecting one of the determined copy technologies; and

(e) making a point-in-time copy of the identified extents using the selected copy technology.

8. The article of manufacture of claim 7, wherein the copy technology is selected from a group comprising a concurrent copy, a snapshot copy, and a serialization copy.

9. The article of manufacture of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

(d) determining whether there was a successful completion to the backing up step; and

(e) resuming updates to the source data upon the successful completion.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

(d) determining whether there was a successful completion to the backing up step; and

(e) releasing resources involved upon the successful completion.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 7, further comprising the steps of

(d) determining whether there was a successful completion to the backing up step;

and

(e) restarting the backing up step upon an unsuccessful completion.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 7, wherein selecting one of the determined copy technologies comprises:

making a point-in-time copy of the identified extents;

copying pointers to the data at the identified extents after determining that the point-in-time copy operation is unavailable; and

preventing updates to the source extents to insure that data is not backed up in an inconsistent manner if the copying of pointers is unavailable.

13. A computer-implemented system for performing a point-in-time backup of source data stored in one or more storage devices that support one or more backup and copy technologies, comprising:

(a) a computer having one or more data storage devices connected thereto;

(b) one or more computer programs, performed by the computer, comprising;

(i) means for suspending updates to the source data;

(ii) means for identifying one or more extents for the source data and a type of data storage device storing the identified extents;

(iii) means for determining at least two copy technologies available for the identified type of storage device to create a point-in-time copy of the extents for the source data;

(iv) means for selecting one of the determined copy technologies; and

(v) means for making a point-in-time copy of the identified extents using the selected copy technology.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the copy technology is selected from a group comprising a concurrent copy, a snapshot copy, and a serialization copy.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the computer programs further comprise:

means for determining whether there was a successful completion to the backing up step; and

means for resuming updates to the source data upon the successful completion.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the computer programs further comprise:

means for determining whether there was a successful completion to the backing up step; and

means for releasing resources involved upon the successful completion.

17. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

means for determining whether there was a successful completion to the backing up step; and

means for restarting the backing up step upon an unsuccessful completion.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein selecting one of the determined copy technologies comprises:

means for making a point-in-time copy of the identified extents;

means for copying pointers to the data at the identified extents after determining that the point-in-time copy operation is unavailable; and

means for preventing updates to the source extents to insure that data is not backed up in an inconsistent manner if the copying of pointers is unavailable.