Backup and restore of data associated with a host in a dynamically changing virtual server farm without involvement of a server that uses an associated storage device

• US 6,714,980 B1
• Filed: 03/22/2002
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Terraspring, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Aziz, Ashar, Markson, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): EL HADY, NABIL M
• Application Number:
  US10/104,886
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/225, 709/226, 709/104, 709/105, 709/208, 707/204, 707/205
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1456 Hardware arrangements for backup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1458 Management of the backup or restore process
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1466 to make the backup process non-disruptive
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5061 Partitioning or combining of resources
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

One or more datasets of a computer data storage device that participates in a dynamically changing virtual server farm are backed up without involving or affecting operation of servers in the virtual server farm that use the data storage device, and without receiving information about the structure or content of data in the datasets, the topology of the virtual server farm, or the type of server, file system, or operating system in use by the servers. A restore operation provides restored data on an address that is linearly related to and separated from a backup address. Data can be restored to a storage device without interfering with operation of the servers that use the data and without regard to structure or content of the data.

Claims

1. A method of storing a backup copy of computer data, comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

receiving a request to back up data associated with a networked computer system that comprises a data storage device and one or more servers, wherein the networked computer system is dynamically configured with more or fewer data storage devices and servers from time to time;

requesting each server in the computer system to quiesce;

receiving information defining a then-current configuration of the dynamically changing computer system;

determining a list of datasets of the data storage device for backup;

initiating a backup of the one or more datasets of the data storage device without involvement of the servers in the computer system that use the data storage device and without regard to structure or content of data of the datasets.

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

receiving a server farm list of then-active virtual server farms from a control database that stores information about a plurality of virtual server farms;

for each virtual server farm in the server farm list

requesting such virtual server farm to quiesce;

identifying a control plane machine that is responsible for such virtual server farm;

requesting such control plane machine to quiesce; and

initiating the backup only upon receiving a response indicating quiescence.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

for each virtual server farm in the server farm list

requesting such virtual server farm to quiesce;

requesting a snap copy of the storage device; and

generating the information defining a then-current configuration of the dynamically changing computer system in response to completing the snap copy of the storage device.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a request to restore data associated with a host in the virtual server farm, wherein the request identifies the host and a first address;

locating the data associated with the host in a backup mass storage device; and

making the data associated with the host available from the backup mass storage device at a second address that is linearly related to the first address.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the first address is a storage system address, and wherein the second address is a second storage system address that is determined by the relation:

((total address space of storage system)/2)+1.

6. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the first address is a first SCSI address, and wherein the second address is a second SCSI address having a value equal to a sum of the first SCSI address and 8.

7. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for storing a backup copy of computer data, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

receiving a request to back up data associated with a networked computer system that comprises a data storage device and one or more servers, wherein the networked computer system is dynamically configured with more or fewer data storage devices and servers from time to time;

requesting each server in the computer system to quiesce;

receiving information defining a then-current configuration of the dynamically changing computer system;

determining a list of one or more volumes or tracks of the data storage device for backup;

initiating a backup of the one or more volumes or tracks of the data storage device without involvement of the servers in the computer system that use the data storage device and without regard to structure or content of data on the storage.

8. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 7, further comprising sequences of instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

receiving a server farm list of then-active virtual server farms from a control database that stores information about a plurality of virtual server farms;

for each virtual server farm in the server farm list

requesting such virtual server farm to quiesce;

identifying a control plane machine that is responsible for such virtual server farm;

requesting such control plane machine to quiesce; and

initiating the backup only upon receiving a response indicating quiescence or timeout.

9. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 7, further comprising sequences of instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

for each virtual server farm in the server farm list

requesting such virtual server farm to quiesce;

requesting a snap copy of the storage device; and

generating the information defining a then-current configuration of the dynamically changing computer system in response to completing the snap copy of the storage device.

10. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 7, further comprising sequences of instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

receiving a request to restore data associated with a host in the virtual server farm, wherein the request identifies the host and a first address;

locating the data associated with the host in a backup mass storage device; and

making the data associated with the host available from the backup mass storage device at a second address that is linearly related to the first address.

11. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein the first address is a storage system address, and wherein the second address is a second storage system address that is determined by the relation:

((total address space of storage system)/2)+1.

12. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein the first address is a first SCSI address, and wherein the second address is a second SCSI address having a value equal to a sum of the first SCSI address and 8.

13. A method of restoring data associated with a host in a virtual server farm, comprising the steps of:

receiving a request to restore data associated with the host in the virtual server farm, wherein the request identifies the host and a first address, wherein the virtual server farm is dynamically changing;

locating the data associated with the host in a backup mass storage device; and

making the data associated with the host available from the backup mass storage device at a second address that is linearly related to the first address.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the first address is a storage system address, and wherein the second address is a second storage system address that is determined by the relation:

((total address space of storage system)/2)+1.

15. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the first address is a first SCSI address, and wherein the second address is a second SCSI address having a value equal to a sum of the first SCSI address and 8.

16. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for restoring data associated with a host in a virtual server farm, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

receiving a request to restore data associated with the host in the virtual server farm, wherein the request identifies the host and a first address, wherein the virtual server farm is dynamically changing;

locating the data associated with the host in a backup mass storage device; and

making the data associated with the host available from the backup mass storage device at a second address that is linearly related to the first address.

17. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the first address is a storage system address, and wherein the second address is a second storage system address that is determined by the relation:

((total address space of storage system)/2)+1.

18. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the first address is a first SCSI address, and wherein the second address is a second SCSI address having a value equal to a sum of the first SCSI address and 8.

19. An apparatus for storing a backup copy of computer data, comprising:

means for receiving a request to back up data associated with a dynamically changing networked computer system that comprises a data storage device and one or more servers;

means for requesting each server in the computer system to quiesce;

means for receiving information defining a then-current configuration of the dynamically changing computer system;

means for determining a list of one or more tracks of the data storage device for backup;

means for initiating a backup of the one or more tracks of the data storage device without involvement of the servers in the computer system that use the data storage device and without regard to structure or content of data on the tracks.

20. Apparatus as recited in claim 19, further comprising:

means for receiving a server farm list of then-active virtual server farms from a control database that stores information about a plurality of virtual server farms;

means, for each virtual server farm in the server farm list, for

requesting such virtual server farm to quiesce;

identifying a control plane machine that is responsible for such virtual server farm;

requesting such control plane machine to quiesce; and

initiating the backup only upon receiving a response indicating quiescence.

21. Apparatus as recited in claim 19, further comprising:

means, for each virtual server farm in the server farm list, for

requesting such virtual server farm to quiesce;

requesting a snap copy of the storage device; and

generating the information defining a then-current configuration of the dynamically changing computer system in response to completing the snap copy of the storage device.

22. Apparatus as recited in claim 19, further comprising:

means for receiving a request to restore data associated with a host in the virtual server farm, wherein the request identifies the host and a first address;

means for locating the data associated with the host in a backup mass storage device; and

means for making the data associated with the host available from the backup mass storage device at a second address that is linearly related to the first address.

23. Apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein the first address is a first SCSI address, and wherein the second address is a second SCSI address having a value equal to a sum of the first SCSI address and 8.

24. An apparatus for storing a backup copy of computer data, comprising:

a control plane that manages one or more computing grid segments each comprising one or more virtual server farms, each virtual server farm comprising a dynamically changing networked computer system that comprises a data storage device and one or more servers;

a backup controller that is communicatively coupled to the control plane, and comprising sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of;

receiving a request to back up data associated with one of the virtual server farms;

identifying each server in the virtual server farm, based on a control database of virtual server farm information that is communicatively coupled to the backup controller;

requesting each server in the virtual server farm identified in the request to quiesce;

receiving information defining a then-current configuration of the virtual server farm from the control plane;

determining a list of one or more tracks of the data storage device for backup;

initiating a backup of the one or more tracks of the data storage device to a backup storage system that is communicatively coupled to the backup controller, without involvement of the servers in the virtual server farm that use the data storage device and without regard to structure or content of data on the tracks.

25. An apparatus as recited in claim 24, further comprising instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

receiving a server farm list of then-active virtual server farms from the control database;

for each virtual server farm in the server farm list

requesting such virtual server farm to quiesce;

identifying a control plane machine in the control plane that is responsible for managing such virtual server farm;

requesting such control plane machine to quiesce; and

initiating the backup only upon receiving a response indicating quiescence.

26. An apparatus as recited in claim 24, further comprising instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

for each virtual server farm in the server farm list

requesting such virtual server farm to quiesce;

requesting a snap copy of the storage device; and

generating the information defining a then-current configuration of the virtual server farm in response to completing the snap copy of the storage device.

27. An apparatus as recited in claim 24, further comprising instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

receiving a request to restore data associated with a host in the virtual server farm, wherein the request identifies the host and a first address;

locating the data associated with the host in a backup mass storage device; and

making the data associated with the host available from the mass storage device at a second address that is linearly related to the first address.

28. An apparatus as recited in claim 27, wherein the first address is a storage system address, and wherein the second address is a second storage system address that is determined by the relation:

((total address space of storage system)/2)+1.

29. An apparatus as recited in claim 27, wherein the first address is a first SCSI address, and wherein the second address is a second SCSI address having a value equal to a sum of the fist SCSI address and 8.