Method and system for archiving and compacting data in a data storage array

• US 7,117,294 B1
• Filed: 05/28/2002
• Issued: 10/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Jiang, Yuan, Mi, Zheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Elmore, Reba I.
• Application Number:
  US10/157,939
• Time in Patent Office: 1,589 Days
• Field of Search: 711/101, 711/161, 711/170
• US Class Current: 711/101
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0649 Lifecycle management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method and system for archiving and compacting data in a data storage array. In one embodiment, a plurality of archivable files are identified, archived, and removed from a data storage array. A first configuration of the data storage array is then determined in which the free space on each of a plurality of data storage devices in the data storage array is calculated. A process is performed for moving a plurality of files from a first of the data storage devices to other data storage devices in the data storage array. The moving process is repeated to create a second configuration of the data storage array. In the second configuration, the first data storage device has a greater amount of free space than in the first configuration.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a bus;

a memory unit coupled with said bus;

a processor coupled with said bus and for executing a method for transferring data in a data storage array comprising;

a) archiving a plurality of selected files to remove them from said data storage array;

b) determining a first configuration of said data storage array calculating a first amount of free space on each of a plurality of data storage devices in said data storage array; and

c) moving a plurality of files from a first data storage device in said data storage array to a second data storage device in said data storage array to create a second configuration of said data storage array, wherein said first data storage device has a second amount of free space that is greater than said first amount of free space in said first configuration.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein said a) of said method comprises:

a1) recognizing an assigned logical date associated with a file entity of said plurality of selected files defining a beginning of a time period for maintaining said file entity in said centralized data storage array;

a2) recognizing an assigned category associated with said file entity defining a length of said time period for maintaining said file entity in said centralized data storage array;

a3) creating a list of candidate file entities and adding said file entity to said list of candidate file entities when said time period for maintaining said file entity in said centralized data storage array has elapsed;

a4) identifying an archivable file entity from said list of candidate file entities and creating a copy of said archivable file entity; and

a5) removing said archivable file entity from said data storage array.

3. The computer system of claim 2, wherein said a3) of said method comprises:

determining a current date;

determining an archival date wherein said time period for maintaining said file entity in said data storage array is subtracted from said current date;

comparing said archival date with said logical date and automatically adding said file entity to said list of candidate file entities when said logical date precedes said archival date;

automatically adding a file entity without said logical date to said list of candidate file entities; and

automatically adding a file entity without said category to said list of candidate file entities.

4. The computer system of claim 3, wherein one of said candidate file entities is identified as an exception and wherein said method further comprises removing said exception from said list of candidate entities.

5. The computer system of claim 1, where in said c) of said method comprises:

c1) selecting said first data storage device in said data storage array;

c2) selecting a first file from said first data storage device; and

c3) moving said first file from said first data storage device to a second data storage device in said data storage array.

6. The computer system of claim 5, wherein said c1) of said method comprises:

sorting said plurality of data storage devices in a descending order based upon said first amount of free space on each of said plurality of data storage devices;

selecting a third data storage device in said data storage array as a support device comprising an amount of free space that is greater than any other of said plurality of data storage devices; and

selecting a data storage device comprising an amount of free space that is less than said amount of free space on said support device but is greater than an amount of free space on any other of said plurality of data storage devices.

7. The computer system of claim 6, wherein a plurality of files resident upon said support device are exempted from said moving during said process and comprising utilizing said support device when moving a file from said first data storage device to said second data storage device.

8. The computer system of claim 5, wherein said c2) of said method comprises:

calculating a size of each of said plurality of files stored on said first data storage device;

sorting said plurality of said files in descending order based upon said size of each of said files; and

selecting a largest of said plurality of files as said first file and comparing said first file with a predetermined size threshold, wherein said predetermined size threshold defines a minimum size for a file being moved.

9. The computer system of claim 5, wherein said c3) of said method comprises:

comparing each of said plurality of data storage devices with a predetermined receiving threshold; and

selecting one of said plurality of data storage devices which exceeds said predetermined receiving threshold and has an amount of free space large enough to accommodate said first file, as said second data storage device;

moving said first file to said second data storage; and

recalculating said amount of free space on said second data storage device after said moving of said first file.

10. The computer system of claim 9, wherein said d) of said method comprises:

repeating said process until there are no files resident on said first storage device larger than said size threshold;

excluding said first data storage device from subsequent compacting steps;

repeating said b), wherein an amount of free space on each remaining data storage device in said data storage array is calculated; and

initiating said process upon a fourth data storage device in said data storage array having an amount of free space that is less than said first data storage device but is greater than an amount of free space on any other of said remaining data storage device in said data storage array.

11. The computer system of claim 1, wherein said method further comprises:

calculating a total number of said plurality of data storage devices;

sorting said total number of said plurality of data storage devices in descending order based upon an amount free space on each of said plurality of data storage devices; and

moving said plurality of files from a first half of said total number of said plurality of data storage devices, wherein said first half of said total number of said plurality of data storage devices comprises a greater amount of said free space than a second half of said total number of said plurality of data storage devices.

12. The computer system of claim 1, wherein said method further comprises designating specific sub-group of said plurality of data storage devices for compacting.

13. The computer system of claim 1, wherein said method further comprises designating a number of repetitions for said performing of said process for moving said plurality of files.

14. A method for transferring data stored on a centralized data storage array comprising:

recognizing an assigned logical date associated with a file entity defining a beginning of a time period for maintaining said file entity in said centralized data storage array;

recognizing an assigned category associated with said file entity defining a length of said time period for maintaining said file entity in said centralized data storage array;

adding said file entity to a list of candidate entities when said time period for maintaining said file entity in said centralized data storage array has elapsed; and

identifying an archivable file entity from said list of candidate entities and archiving a copy of said archivable file entity.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein said recognizing of said assigned category further comprises recognizing an exception rule which prevents said adding said of file entity to said list of candidate entities.

16. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein adding of said file entity to said list of candidate entities comprises:

determining a current date;

determining an archival date wherein said time period for maintaining said file entity in said centralized data storage array is subtracted from said current date; and

comparing said archival date with said logical date and automatically adding said file entity to said list of candidate entities when said logical date precedes said archival date.

17. The method as recited in claim 14 further comprising:

adding a file entity without said assigned logical date to said list of candidate file entities; and

adding a file entity without said assigned category to said list of candidate file entities.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein said length of said time period for maintaining said file entity in said centralized data storage array is extended for a file entity identified as an ad-hoc exception, and further comprising removing said ad-hoc exception from said list of candidate entities.

19. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein a file entity which is not identified as an archivable file entity is removed from said centralized data storage array and comprising removing said archivable file entity from said centralized data storage array after said archiving of said archivable file entity.

20. A method for transferring data stored in a data storage array comprising:

a) determining a first configuration of said data storage array wherein a first amount of free space on each of a plurality of data storage devices in said data storage array is calculated;

b) moving a plurality of individual file entities between said plurality of data storage devices wherein said b) comprises;

b1) selecting a first data storage device in said data storage array;

b2) selecting a first file entity from said first data storage device; and

b3) moving said first file entity from said first data storage device to a data storage device of said plurality of other data storage devices in said data storage array to create a second configuration of said data storage array, wherein said first data storage device has a second amount of free space that is greater than said first amount of free space in said first configuration.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein said b1) of said method comprises:

sorting said plurality of data storage devices in a descending order based upon said first amount of free space on each of said plurality of data storage devices;

selecting a third data storage device in said data storage array as a support device comprising an amount of free space that is greater than any other of said plurality of data storage devices; and

selecting a data storage device, comprising an amount of free space that is less than said amount of free space on said support device but is greater than an amount of free space on any other of said plurality of data storage devices, as said first data storage device.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein a plurality of file entities resident upon said support device are exempted from said moving during said process and comprising utilizing said support device when moving a file entity from said first data storage device to said second data storage device.

23. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein said b2) of said method comprises:

calculating a size of each of a plurality of file entities stored on said first data storage device;

sorting said plurality of said file entities in descending order based upon said size of each of said file entities; and

selecting a largest of said plurality of file entities as said first file entity and comparing said first file entity with a predetermined size threshold, wherein said predetermined size threshold defines a minimum size for a file entity being moved.

24. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein said b3) of said method comprises:

comparing each of said plurality of data storage devices with a predetermined capacity threshold; and

selecting one of said plurality of data storage devices which exceeds said predetermined capacity threshold and has an amount of free space large enough to accommodate said first file entity, as said second data storage device;

moving said first file entity to said second data storage device wherein said first file entity is greater than said size threshold; and

recalculating said amount of free space on said second data storage device after said moving of said first file entity.

25. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein said predetermined capacity threshold is a percentage of said amount of free space in comparison with a total capacity of said data storage device and comprising comparing said first file entity with said percentage.

26. The method as recited in claim 20 wherein said a) of said method comprises:

calculating a total number of said plurality of data storage devices;

sorting said total number of said plurality of data storage devices in descending order based upon an amount free space on each of said plurality of data storage devices; and

moving said plurality of files from a first half of said total number of said plurality of data storage devices, wherein said first half of said total number of said plurality of data storage devices comprises a greater amount of said free space than a second half of said total number of said plurality of data storage devices.

27. The method as recited in claim 20 further comprising identifying a particular group of said plurality of data storage devices for compacting.

28. The method as recited in claim 20 further comprising designating a number of repetitions for said performing of said process.