Instant virtual copy technique with expedited creation of backup dataset inventory from source dataset inventory

• US 6,732,244 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2002
• Issued: 05/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Rao, Savur Anand, Ashton, Lyn Lequam, Thompson, John Glenn, Pearson, Anthony Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Verbrugge, Kevin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Namazi, Mehdi
• Application Number:
  US10/055,297
• Publication Number:
  US 20030140204A1
• Time in Patent Office: 833 Days
• Field of Search: 711/161, 711/162, 707/204, 707/203
• US Class Current: 711/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1458 Management of the backup or restore process
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1466 to make the backup process non-disruptive
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/84 Using snapshots, i.e. a logical point-in-time copy of the data
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99954 Version management

Abstract

A method of copying a body of source data is shown, with rapid creation of an a backup dataset inventory. While write operations to the source data are temporarily suspended, a backup manager conducts an instant virtual copy of the source data creating a backup copy. Also while write operations are being suspended, the backup manager captures contents of a source dataset inventory cross-referencing datasets in the source data and locations in the body of source data where the datasets are stored. After the copy operation completes and writes to the source data resume, the backup manager adds the captured backup contents to a backup dataset inventory cross-referencing datasets in the backup copy and locations where the backup copy datasets are stored in the backup copy.

Claims

1. A method of copying a body of source data, comprising operations of:

while write operations to a body of source data are temporarily suspended, performing backup operations comprising;

performing an instant virtual copy of the source data creating a backup copy;

capturing contents of a source dataset inventory cross-referencing datasets in the source data and locations in the body of source data where the datasets are stored;

adding the captured contents to a backup dataset inventory cross-referencing datasets in the backup copy and locations in the backup copy where the backup copy datasets are stored.

2. The method of claim 1, the source data being stored on a number of source logical storage volumes, the operations further comprising prior to the backup operations, pairing each source logical storage volume with a counterpart backup logical storage volume, where the operation of performing the instant virtual copy utilizes the backup logical storage volume to locate the backup copy.

3. The method of claim 1, the operations further comprising suspending write operations to the body of source data during the performing and capturing operations, the suspending comprising at least one of the following:

preventing applications from conducting any writes to the source data;

buffering all data transmitted by applications for writing to the source data, and deferring writing of the buffered data until after the suspending operation;

instructing one or more data storage devices containing the body of source data to refrain from writing;

permitting applications to continue to write to the source data, and logging such writes;

permitting applications to continue to perform atomic writes, logging such atomic writes, and deferring completion of non-atomic writes until after write-suspend;

failing applications'"'"' write requests and notifying the applications that the write did not succeed.

4. The method of claim 1, the operations further comprising temporarily suspending write operations to the body of source data, comprising:

permitting applications to write to the source data insofar as writing is consistent with validity of the backup copy.

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

receiving operator input designating the source data by specifying a copy pool representing multiple volumes of source data.

6. The method of claim 1, the source data including a number of logical volumes, the backup copy including a number of different logical volumes, the operations further comprising:

after completion of the backup operations, creating a record mapping between the logical volumes of source data and the logical volumes of backup data.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing the backup dataset inventory to locate a specified dataset in the backup copy;

accessing contents of the specified dataset in the backup copy.

8. A signal-bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform a method for copying a body of source data, said operations comprising:

while write operations to a body of source data are temporarily suspended, performing backup operations comprising;

performing an instant virtual copy of the source data creating a backup copy;

capturing contents of a source dataset inventory cross-referencing datasets in the source data and locations in the body of source data where the datasets are stored;

adding the captured contents to a backup dataset inventory cross-referencing datasets in the backup copy and locations in the backup copy where the backup copy datasets are stored.

9. The medium of claim 8, the source data being stored on a number of source logical storage volumes, the operations further comprising prior to the backup operations, pairing each source logical storage volume with a counterpart backup logical storage volume, where the operation of performing the instant virtual copy utilizes the backup logical storage volume to locate the backup copy.

10. The medium of claim 8, the operations further comprising suspending write operations to the body of source data during the performing and capturing operations, the suspending comprising at least one of the following:

preventing applications from conducting any writes to the source data;

buffering all data transmitted by applications for writing to the source data, and deferring writing of the buffered data until after the suspending operation;

instructing one or more data storage devices containing the body of source data to refrain from writing;

permitting applications to continue to write to the source data, and logging such writes;

permitting applications to continue to perform atomic writes, logging such atomic writes, and deferring completion of non-atomic writes until after write-suspend;

failing applications'"'"' write requests and notifying the applications that the write did not succeed.

11. The medium of claim 8, the operations further comprising temporarily suspending write operations to the body of source data, comprising:

permitting applications to write to the source data insofar as writing is consistent with validity of the backup copy.

12. The medium of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

receiving operator input designating the source data by specifying a copy pool representing multiple volumes of source data.

13. The medium of claim 8, the source data including a number of logical volumes, the backup copy including a number of different logical volumes, the operations further comprising:

after completion of the backup operations, creating a record mapping between the logical volumes of source data and the logical volumes of backup data.

14. The medium of claim 8, further comprising:

accessing the backup dataset inventory to locate a specified dataset in the backup copy;

accessing contents of the specified dataset in the backup copy.

15. A logic circuit of multiple interconnected electrically conductive elements configured to perform operations to perform a method for copying a body of source data, said operations comprising:

while write operations to a body of source data are temporarily suspended, performing backup operations comprising;

performing an instant virtual copy of the source data creating a backup copy;

capturing contents of a source dataset inventory cross-referencing datasets in the source data and locations in the body of source data where the datasets are stored;

adding the captured contents to a backup dataset inventory cross-referencing datasets in the backup copy and locations in the backup copy where the backup copy datasets are stored.

16. A data storage system, comprising:

digital data storage;

metadata including a source data inventory cross-referencing datasets in the source data and locations in the body of source data where the datasets are stored;

a storage manager coupled to the storage and the metadata, programmed to perform operations to copy a body of source data, comprising;

while write operations to a body of source data are temporarily suspended, performing backup operations comprising;

performing an instant virtual copy of the source data creating a backup copy;

capturing contents of the source dataset inventory;

adding the captured contents to a backup dataset inventory cross-referencing datasets in the backup copy and locations in the backup copy where the backup copy datasets are stored.

17. A data storage system, comprising:

first means for digital data storage;

second means for storing metadata including a source data inventory cross-referencing datasets in the source data and locations in the body of source data where the datasets are stored;

storage manager means for copying a body of source data by;

while write operations to a body of source data are temporarily suspended, performing backup operations comprising;

performing an instant virtual copy of the source data creating a backup copy;

capturing contents of the source dataset inventory;

adding the captured contents to a backup dataset inventory cross-referencing datasets in the backup copy and locations in the backup copy where the backup copy datasets are stored.