Reversible mirrored restore of an enterprise level primary disk

• US 6,832,330 B1
• Filed: 09/05/2001
• Issued: 12/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Boudrie, Robert A, Dings, Thomas L
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wilson, Yolanda L
• Application Number:
  US09/945,657
• Time in Patent Office: 1,196 Days
• Field of Search: 714/6, 714/5, 707/202, 707/201, 711/114
• US Class Current: 714/6.23
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2056 by mirroring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/80 Database-specific techniques
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

When performing mirrored disk restores, including both disk level mirrored restores and file level mirrored restores, rather than first restore data to a mirror disk and later move that data to the primary disk, the data on the primary disk is first copied to the mirror disk, and thereafter, the data is restored from the backup storage device to the primary disk, independent of the mirror disk.

Claims

1. A system for restoring data from backup storage using a mirror disk and a primary disk, the restored data being restored to the primary disk which is accessible by a database application in a host system, the system comprising:

a reflector to copy pre-restored data from the primary disk to the mirror disk in response to a restore request; and

a primary disk restorer to restore data from a backup storage device to the primary disk, independent of the mirror disk, after the pre-restored data is copied from the primary disk to the mirror disk.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the restore comprises a disk-level restore of a complete image of a given disk.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the restore comprises a file-level restore of selected files needed by the database application.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the reflector comprises instantiated software for performing a primary disk to mirror disk synchronization.

5. A method for restoring data from backup storage using a mirror disk and a primary disk, the restored data being restored to the primary disk which is accessible by a database application in a host system, the method comprising:

copying pre-restored data from the primary disk to the mirror disk in response to a restore request; and

restoring data from a backup storage device to the primary disk, independent of the mirror disk, after the pre-restored data is copied from the primary disk to the mirror disk.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the restoring comprises performing a disk-level restore of a complete image of a given disk.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the restoring comprises performing a file-level restore of select files needed by the database application.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the copying comprises performing a primary disk to mirror disk synchronization.

9. A computer-readable medium encoded with a program for restoring data from backup storage using a mirror disk and a primary disk, the restored data being restored to said primary disk which is accessible by a database application in a host system, said program when read by a computer causing:

copying pre-restored data from the primary disk to the mirror disk in response to a restore request; and

restoring data from a backup storage device to the primary disk, independent of the mirror disk, after the pre-restored data is copied from the primary disk to the mirror disk.

10. The medium according to claim 9, wherein the restoring comprises performing a disk-level restore of a complete image of a given disk.

11. The medium according to claim 9, wherein the restoring comprises performing a file-level restore of select files needed by the database application.

12. The medium according to claim 9, wherein the copying comprises performing a primary disk to mirror disk synchronization.

13. A method comprising:

a restore system performing a restore operation, the restore operation including restoring data from a source to a restore target;

the restore system reversing the restore operation in response to a request to cancel the restore operation, the reversing of the restore operation leaving the restore target, after the reversing, in a data state the same as the data state of the restore target prior to the restore operation.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the interaction with the restore system comprises a user cancel request.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the interaction with the restore system comprises a cancel request caused by a problem with the integrity of the data being restored.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the interaction with the restore system comprises a cancel request caused by a detected failure of the restore operation.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the restore system comprises a data manage and an enterprise storage platform.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the source comprises a backup storage device.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the backup storage device comprises a tape unit.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the restore target comprises a primary disk.

21. The method according to claim 13, further comprising, before attempting a restore, moving data from the restore target to a holding location.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein said holding location comprises a mirror disk.