Method and system to administer mirrored filesystems

• US 6,493,729 B2
• Filed: 09/23/1999
• Issued: 12/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hamilton, Rick A. II, Gusler, Carl Phillip
• Primary Examiner(s): Corrielus, Jean M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRUONG, CAM Y T
• Application Number:
  US09/404,277
• Publication Number:
  US 20020152230A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/200-204, 711/111-114
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2069 Management of state, configuration or failover
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

The automated splitting process begins by setting appropriate names and values for the new and old filesystems, physical volumes, and logs. Logs are updated for the split. Next, names and values are checked for validity and to see that a specified value is not contrary to the operating system'"'"'s parameters. The split is performed with specified copies placed into specified logical volumes and filesystems. The automated merging process begins by setting appropriate names and values for log files, and by setting filesystem names to be merged and synchronized. Logs are updated for the merge. Next, names and values are checked for validity and to see that a specified value is not contrary to the operating system'"'"'s parameters. The secondary filesystem is deleted, and the logical volumes are merged, creating the mirror out of the secondary filesystem.

Claims

1. A data processing system implemented method for splitting a mirrored filesystem, comprising:

identifying an existing filesystem on an existing logical volume;

determining if said existing filesystem is mirrored, said existing logical volume including both said existing filesystem and a mirrored copy of said existing filesystem within said existing logical volume when said existing filesystem is mirrored; and

only in response to a determination that said existing filesystem is mirrored;

splitting the existing logical volume, wherein said mirror between said existing filesystem and said mirrored copy of said existing filesystem is split;

placing said mirrored copy of said existing filesystem on a new logical volume; and

identifying said placed mirrored copy as a new filesystem, wherein said existing filesystem remains on said existing logical volume and said new filesystem exists on said new logical volume, and further wherein said existing filesystem and said new filesystem are not mirrored.

2. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

scheduling a plurality of times to execute an automated script, and

executing said automated script at each of said plurality of times, wherein said steps of identifying an existing filesystem on an existing logical volume, determining if said existing filesystem is mirrored; and

only in response to a determination that said existing filesystem is mirrored;

splitting the existing logical volume, placing said mirrored copy of said existing filesystem on a new logical volume; and

identifying said placed mirrored copy as a new filesystem are performed in response to executing said automated script.

3. The method recited in claim 2, wherein the script is terminated on the basis of a filesystem violating a system parameter.

4. The method recited in claim 1, wherein a disk servicing the existing filesystem is serviced.

5. The method recited in claim 1 further comprises:

checking the logical volume split.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

specifying a first filesystem;

specifying a second filesystem;

validating the first filesystem and the second filesystem;

determining a first logical volume for a first filesystem;

determining a second logical volume for a second filesystem; and

creating a mirror out of the second filesystem by merging the first and second logical volumes.

7. The method recited in claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

scheduling a plurality of times to execute an automated script; and

executing said automated script at each of said plurality of times, wherein said steps of specifying a first filesystem, specifying a second filesystem, validating the first filesystem and the second filesystem, determining a first logical volume for a first filesystem, determining a second logical volume for a second filesystem; and

, creating a mirror out of the second filesystem by merging the first and second logical volumes are performed in response to executing said automated script.

8. The method recited in claim 6, further comprising the step of terminating said script in response to a failure to validate said filesystems.

9. The method recited in claim 6, wherein, prior to merging, the method comprises:

confirming that the first logical volume and the second logical volume are of equal size.

10. The method recited in claim 6, wherein, prior to merging, the method comprises:

confirming that the second filesystem is not mirrored.

11. The method recited in claim 6, wherein, prior to merging, the method comprises:

confirming that the maximum amount of copies do not exist for the first filesystem.

12. The method recited in claim 6 further comprises:

checking the filesystem merger for success.

13. A data processing system for splitting a mirrored filesystem, comprising:

means for identifying an existing filesystem on an existing logical volume;

means for determining if said existing filesystem is mirrored, said existing logical volume including both said existing filesystem and a mirrored copy of said existing filesystem within said existing logical volume when said existing filesystem is mirrored; and

only in response to a determination that said existing filesystem is mirrored;

means for splitting the existing logical volume, wherein said mirror between said existing filesystem and said mirrored copy of said existing filesystem is split;

means for placing said mirrored copy of said existing filesystem on a new logical volume; and

means for identifying said placed copy as a new filesystem, wherein said existing filesystem remains on said existing logical volume and said new filesystem exists on said new logical volume, and further wherein said existing filesystem and said new filesystem are not mirrored.

14. The system recited in claim 13, further comprising:

means for scheduling a plurality of times to execute an automated script; and

means for executing said automated script at each of said plurality of times, wherein said steps of identifying an existing filesystem on an existing logical volume, determining if said existing filesystem is mirrored; and

only in response to a determination that said existing filesystem is mirrored;

splitting the existing logical volume, placing said mirrored copy of said existing filesystem on a new logical volume; and

identifying said placed mirrored copy as a new filesystem are performed in response to executing said automated script.

15. The system recited in claim 14, wherein the script is terminated on the basis of a filesystem violating a system parameter.

16. The system recited in claim 13, wherein a disk servicing the existing filesystem is serviced.

17. The system recited in claim 13 further comprising:

checking means for checking the logical volume split.

18. The system according to claim 13, further comprising:

means for specifying a first filesystem;

means for specifying a second filesystem;

means for validating the first filesystem and the second filesystem;

means for determining a first logical volume for a first filesystem;

means for determining a second logical volume for a second filesystem; and

means for creating a mirror out of the second filesystem by merging the first and second logical volumes.

19. The system recited in claim 18, further comprising:

means for scheduling a plurality of times to execute an automated script; and

means for executing said automated script at each of said plurality of times, wherein said steps of specifying a first filesystem, specifying a second filesystem, validating the first filesystem and the second filesystem, determining a first logical volume for a first filesystem, determining a second logical volume for a second filesystem; and

, creating a mirror out of the second filesystem by merging the first and second logical volumes are performed in response to executing said automated script.

20. The system recited in claim 18, wherein the script is terminated on the basis of a filesystem violating a system parameter.

21. The system recited in claim 18, wherein, prior to merging, the system comprises:

confirming means for confirming that the first logical volume and the second logical volume are of equal size.

22. The system recited in claim 18, wherein, prior to merging, the system comprises:

confirming means for confirming that the second filesystem is not mirrored.

23. The system recited in claim 18, wherein, prior to merging, the system comprises:

confirming means for confirming that the maximum amount of copies do not exist for the first filesystem.

24. The system recited in claim 18 further comprises:

checking means for checking the filesystem merger for success.

25. A computer program product in a computer readable media for use in a data processing system for splitting a mirrored filesystem, comprising:

instruction means for identifying an existing filesystem on an existing logical volume;

instruction means for determining if said existing filesystem is mirrored, said existing logical volume including both said existing filesystem and a mirrored copy of said existing filesystem within said existing logical volume when said existing filesystem is mirrored; and

only in response to a determination that said existing filesystem is mirrored;

instruction means for splitting the existing logical volume, wherein said mirror between said existing filesystem and said mirrored copy of said existing filesystem is split;

instruction means for placing said mirrored copy of said existing filesystem on a new logical volume; and

instruction means for identifying said placed copy as a new filesystem, wherein said existing filesystem remains on said existing logical volume and said new filesystem exists on said new logical volume, and further wherein said existing filesystem and said new filesystem are not mirrored.

26. The computer program product in a computer readable media for use in a data processing system for creating mirrored filesystems according to claim 25, further comprising:

instruction means for specifying a first filesystem;

instruction means for specifying a second filesystem;

instruction means for validating the first filesystem and the second filesystem;

instruction means for determining a first logical volume for a first filesystem;

instruction means for determining a second logical volume for a second filesystem; and

instruction means for creating a mirror out of the second filesystem by merging the first and second logical volumes.