System and method for replication of one or more databases

• US 7,155,463 B1
• Filed: 09/20/2001
• Issued: 12/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Wang, Yun, Wang, Yao, Kendler, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Rones, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): AL HASHEMI, SANA A
• Application Number:
  US09/957,278
• Time in Patent Office: 1,923 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/6, 707/102, 707/104.1, 707/103.R, 707/271, 707/105
• US Class Current: 707/634
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2069 Management of state, configuration or failover
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

This invention is a system and method for managing replication of data in a data storage environment by grouping logical devices. The system is enabled for configuring, monitoring, and controlling replication processes in accordance with a replication policy that is particularly useful when combined with grouping of logical devices used in replication. The invention is useful for replicating essentially an entire copy of a production-level database such that the copy may be used essentially as the production-level database itself.

Claims

1. A method for managing data replication of a database in a data storage environment, the method comprising the computer-executed steps of:

providing a first data replication management (DRM) agent which is in communication with a first data storage system, and wherein the DRM agent is configured to manage replication of a database in accordance with one or more replication policies that use groups of mirrored logical volumes that store data associated with the database to be replicated, the one or more replication policies comprising a control policy, the control policy being assignable to a first grouping level and the same control policy also being assignable to a second grouping level.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the DRM agent is configured to manage the replication of the database so that a copy of the database is replicated to one or more groups of mirrored logical volumes that are located remotely to the first data storage system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the DRM agent is configured to manage replication of the database so that a copy of the database is replicated to a third data storage system that is located remotely to the first and second data storage system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the control policy includes a policy for controlling replication.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the replication policy includes a policy for scheduling replication.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the replication policy includes an application policy for replicating data associated with a specified database.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the mirrored logical volumes involved in the replication of the database are grouped into one or more logical volume groups and at least one replication policy is assigned to each logical device group.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the mirrored logical volume groups are further grouped into replication groups and a replication policy is assigned to each replication group.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the replication groups are further grouped into host groups and a replication policy is assigned to each host group.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the mirrored logical volume groups are further grouped into remote device (RD) groups and a replication policy is assigned for each RD group.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the replication policy includes a schedule policy for scheduling when replication may occur, and an application policy for replicating data associated with a specified database application.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the DRM agent is configured to communicate in accordance with an internet protocol.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the internet protocol is adhered to by using Java-based code.

14. The method of claim 1, including providing a DRM server in communication with the first DRM agent.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein there is a second DRM agent in communication with a second data storage system that is located remotely to the first data storage system and each DRM Server and DRM Agent is configured so that either the DRM server or the first or the second DRM agent can manage replication of a copy of the database to a second data storage system which is located remotely to the first data storage system.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein on the first data storage system the following steps are included:

putting the database to be replicated in backup mode so that a copy of the database may be replicated to logical devices in response to being put in backup mode, logically separating the mirrored logical volumes containing the database copy, taking the database out of backup mode, replicating data files and archive logs associated with the database to the second data storage system.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein on the second data storage system the following steps are included, shutting down the database, synchronizing data files associated with the database, recovering the database using control files and archived redo logs, and startup the database.

18. A networked computer system for managing data replication of a database in a data storage environment, the networked computer system comprising:

a first data storage system;

a first data replication management (DRM) agent in communication with the first data storage system;

a second data replication management (DRM) agent in communication with the first DRM agent;

a second data storage system in communication with the second DRM agent;

wherein the first and second DRM agent are configured to manage replication of a database in accordance with one or more replication policies that use groups of mirrored logical volumes that store data associated with the database to be replicated, the one or more replication policies comprising a control policy, the control policy being assignable to a first grouping level and the same control policy also being assignable to a second grouping level.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the first and second DRM agent are configured to communicate in accordance with an internet protocol.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the internet protocol is adhered to by using Java-based code.

21. The system of claim 18, including providing a DRM server in communication with the first DRM agent.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the second data storage system is located remotely to the first data storage system and the DRM Server and the first and second DRM Agent are configured so that either the DRM server or the first or the second DRM agent can manage replication of a copy of the database to a second data storage system which is located remotely to the first data storage system.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein on the first data storage system the following steps are included:

putting the database to be replicated in backup mode so that a copy of the database may be replicated to mirrored logical volumes in response to being put in backup mode, logically separating the logical volumes containing the database copy, taking the database out of backup mode, replicating data files and archive logs associated with the database to the second data storage system.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein on the second data storage system the following steps are included, shutting down the database, synchronizing data files associated with the database, recovering the database using control files, archiving redo logs, and starting the database.

25. A program product for managing data replication of a database in a data storage environment, the program product being in communication with a first and second data replication (DRM) agent, each being in communication with a first and second data storage system, the program product including computer-executable logic contained on a computer-readable medium and which is configured for causing the following computer-executed step to occur on the first and second DRM agent:

replicate a database in accordance with one or more replication policies that use groups of mirrored logical volumes that store data associated with the database to be replicated, the one or more replication policies comprising a control policy, the control policy being assignable to a first grouping level and the same control policy also being assignable to a second grouping level.