Method and system for providing additional addressable functional space on a disk for use with a virtual data storage subsystem

• US 6,192,444 B1
• Filed: 01/05/1998
• Issued: 02/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xyratex Technology Limited (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: White, Michael Wayne, Serls, David, Tomsula, Patrick James
• Primary Examiner(s): Cabeca, John W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TZENG, FRED
• Application Number:
  US09/002,686
• Time in Patent Office: 1,142 Days
• Field of Search: 711/2, 711/4, 711/12, 711/203
• US Class Current: 711/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0608 Saving storage space on storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0644 Management of space entities, e.g. partitions, extents, pools
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0664 at device level, e.g. emulation of a storage device or system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0674 Disk device

Abstract

A method and system in accordance with the present invention provides additional addressable space on a disk for use by a host processor using a virtual data storage subsystem. The method and system includes defining at least one of a plurality of extended image devices on a disk and requesting an instant image to be addressed to an extended image device utilizing channel command words by a host processor. The method and system also includes reading the instant image utilizing commands, such as channel command words or common descriptor blocks, by the host processor. In a method and system in accordance with the present invention, a plurality of extended image devices are defined as extensions of a primary functional device. Data may be transferred between at least one of the plurality of extended images and the primary functional device, or between at least one of the plurality of extended image devices and another of the plurality of extended image devices. An advantage of a method and system in accordance with the present invention is the availability of additional addressable space which may be used by the host processor for accomplishing the subsystem'"'"'s functions, such as the copying of track pointers. By extending the amount of addressable space, the host processor is alleviated from having to conduct a search for available space within a primary functional device whenever space on the device becomes scarce.

Claims

1. A method for providing additional addressable space on a disk for use by a host processor using a virtual data storage subsystem comprising the steps of:

a) primary functional device, wherein the extended image device is identified by an Image Sequence Number, wherein the address of the instant image is passed to the data storage subsystem by passing a corresponding track address on the primary functional device, and by passing the Image Sequence Number through a new parameter setting in a Define Extent Channel Command Word of the data storage subsystem, such that the instant image is located on the extended image device identified by the Image Sequence Number;

b) requesting an instant image to be addressed to an extended image device utilizing channel command words by the host processor, and

c) reading the instant image utilizing channel command words by the host processor.

2. The method in claim 1, wherein data may be transferred between the extended image device and the primary functional device.

3. The method in claim 1, wherein data may be transferred between the extended image device and another extended image device.

4. The method in claim 1, wherein an instant image is persistent until overlaid by the data storage subsystem.

5. The method in claim 1, wherein an instant image is persistent until deleted by the data storage subsystem.

6. The method in claim 1, wherein the extended image device may be deleted by the host processor.

7. A method for providing additional addressable space on a disk for use by a host processor using a virtual data storage subsystem comprising the steps of:

a) defining at least one of a plurality of extended image devices as a multiple of a primary functional device for the purpose of copying tracks, wherein an addressable space on the at least one of the plurality of extended image devices is defined as an extension of an addressable space on the primary functional device, wherein the at least one of the plurality of extended image devices is identified by an Image Sequence Number, wherein the address of the instant image is passed to the data storage subsystem by passing a corresponding track address on the primary functional device, and by passing the Image Sequence Number through a new parameter setting in a Define Extent Channel Command Word of the data storage subsystem, such that the instant image is located on the at least one of the plurality of extended image devices identified by the Image Sequence Number;

b) requesting an instant image utilizing channel command words of the data storage subsystem which reference the at least one of the plurality of extended image devices as a target for the instant image;

c) reading an instant image utilizing channel command words of the data storage subsystem which reference the at least one of the plurality of extended image devices on which the instant image resides.

8. The method in claim 7, wherein tracks may be copied between at least one of the plurality of extended image devices and the primary functional device.

9. The method in claim 7, wherein tracks may be copied between at least one of the plurality of extended image devices and another of the plurality of extended image devices.

10. The method in claim 7, wherein an instant image is persistent until overlaid by the data storage system.

11. The method in claim 7, wherein an instant image is persistent until deleted by the data storage subsystem.

12. The method in claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of extended image devices may be deleted by the host processor.

13. A method for providing additional addressable space on a disk for the copying of pointers to tracks by a host processor using a virtual Direct Access Storage Device subsystem comprising the steps of:

a) defining at least one of a plurality of extended image devices as a multiple of a primary functional device, wherein an addressable space on the at least one of the plurality of extended image devices is defined as an extension of an addressable space on the primary functional device, wherein the extended image device is identified by an Image Sequence Number, wherein the address of the instant image is passed to the data storage subsystem by passing a corresponding track address on the primary functional device, and by passing the Image Sequence Number through a new parameter setting in a Define Extent Channel Command Word of the data storage subsystem, such that the instant image is located on the extended image device identified by the Image Sequence Number;

b) requesting an instant image utilizing a command sequence where an address is passed through the Define Extent Channel Command Word, the address identifying a track on one of the plurality of extended image devices; and

c) reading the instant image utilizing a ReadData Channel Command Word and the Define Extent Channel Command Word, the address of the instant image is passed through the Define Extent Channel Command Word, whereby the address allows the ReadData Channel Command Word to read the instant image which resides on a track outside of the primary functional device and within the extended image device.

14. The method in claim 13, wherein pointers to tracks may be copied between at least one of the plurality of extended image devices and the primary functional device.

15. The method in claim 13, wherein pointers to tracks may be copied between at least one of the plurality of extended image devices and another of the plurality of extended image devices.

16. The method in claim 13, wherein an instant image is persistent until overlaid by the data storage subsystem by a subsequent instant image request to the same track.

17. The method in claim 13, wherein an instant image is persistent until deleted using a Deleted Data Space Release ECAM Request which reference the extended image device on which the instant image resides.

18. The method in claim 13, wherein the copying of pointers to track are preformed by SnapShot.

19. The method in claim 13, wherein the command sequence used to request an instant image is a SnapShot request command.

20. The method in claim 13, wherein an instant image is read-only.

21. The method in claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of extended image devices can only be used for the copying of pointers to tracks.

22. A computer readable medium with computer instructions for providing addressable space on a disk for use by a host processor using a virtual data storage subsystem, the computer instructions for:

a) defining an extended image device on a disk, wherein an addressable space on the extended image device is defined as an extension of an addressable space on a primary functional device, wherein the extended image device is identified by an Image Sequence Number, wherein the address of the instant image is passed to the data storage subsystem by passing a corresponding track address on the primary functional device, and by passing the Image Sequence Number through a new parameter setting in a Define Extent Channel Command Word of the data storage subsystem, such that the instant image is located on the extended image device identified by the Image Sequence Number;

b) requesting an instant image to be addressed to an extended image device utilizing channel command words by a host process; and

c) reading the instant image utilizing channel command words by the host processor.