Method and apparatus for recovery of the association of construct definitions with logical volumes in a virtual tape server

• US 7,197,518 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2002
• Issued: 03/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kishi, Gregory Tad, Peake, Jonathan Wayne, Gibble, Kevin Lee, Fisher, James Arthur
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong; Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROWN, SHEREE N
• Application Number:
  US10/230,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20040044701A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,671 Days
• Field of Search: 707/200, 707/202, 707/204, 707/203, 711/111, 711/112, 711/113, 714/25
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

A method and apparatus to recover a construct definition associated with a logical volume in a virtual tape server (VTS) system following a disaster situation involving a library manager database. The method and apparatus re-establish the association between a logical volume or data file or block and a construct definition or volume attribute that assigns certain actions that may be taken on the logical volumes. Such actions and constructs may be defined by a client processor or by the VTS system in order to provide quality storage media management. The constructs may be uploaded to or reconstructed within the library manager database in combination with the host or virtual tape server and consequently made available to the system. In particular, the method and apparatus are configured to recover one or more of a storage group construct, a management class construct, a storage class construct, and a data class construct associated with a logical volume within a VTS system.

Claims

1. A method for recovery of a construct association with a logical volume in a virtual tape server (VTS) system, the method comprising:

identifying a plurality of logical volumes;

recognizing a plurality of constructs originally associated with one or more of the logical volumes, the constructs comprising a storage group construct for determining a pool of stack volumes, a management class construct for determining whether a secondary copy of a logical volume should be made, and a storage class construct for determining whether a logical volume should remain in cache;

implementing a recovery action to recover the association of a construct with a logical volume as determined by a construct type, the recovery action including storing the association of a construct in a database, and

wherein implementing the recovery action to recover the construct association comprises recovering a storage group construct association during a logical volume insert process by a host.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein implementing the recovery action to recover the construct association comprises recovering a management class construct association by determining whether a second copy of a logical volume should be made.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein implementing the recovery action to recover the construct association comprises recovering a storage class construct association over time by determining whether a logical volume should remain in a cache.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring a volume construct flag indicating employment of a default construct definition.

5. A method for recovery of a construct association with a logical volume in a virtual tape server (VTS) system, the method comprising:

identifying a plurality of logical volumes;

recognizing a plurality of constructs originally associated with one or more of the logical volumes;

implementing a recovery action to recover the construct association as determined by a construct type, the recovery action including storing the construct association in a database;

recovering a storage group construct association during a logical volume insert process by a host;

recovering a management class construct association by determining whether a second copy of a logical volume should be made;

recovering a storage class construct association over time by determining whether a logical volume should remain in a cache; and

monitoring a volume construct flag indicating employment of a default construct definition.

6. An apparatus for recovery of a construct association with a logical volume in a virtual tape server (VTS) system, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of logical volumes;

a plurality of constructs originally associated with one or more of the logical volumes, the constructs comprising a storage group construct for determining a pool of stack volumes, a management class construct for determining whether a secondary copy of a logical volume should be made, and a storage class construct for determining whether a logical volume should remain in cache;

a recovery module configured to implement a recovery action to recover the construct association as determined by a construct type and to monitor a volume construct flag indicating employment of a default construct definition, the recovery action including storing the construct association in a database.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the recovery module comprises a storage group module configured to recover a storage group construct association during a logical volume insert process by a host.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the recovery module comprises a management class module configured to recover a management class construct association by determining whether a second copy of a logical volume should be made.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the recovery module comprises a storage class module configured to recover a storage class construct association over time by determining whether a logical volume should remain in a cache.

10. An apparatus for recovery of a construct association with a logical volume in a virtual tape server (VTS) system, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of logical volumes;

a plurality of constructs originally associated with one or more of the logical volumes;

a recovery module configured to implement a recovery action to recover the construct association as determined by a construct type and to monitor a volume construct flag indicating employment of a default construct definition, the recovery action including storing the construct association in a database;

a storage group module configured to recover a storage group construct association during a logical volume insert process by a host;

management class module configured to recover a management class construct association by determining whether a second copy of a logical volume should be made;

storage class module configured to recover a storage class construct association over time by determining whether a logical volume should remain in a cachet.

11. A system for recovery of a construct association with a logical volume in the system, the system comprising:

a virtual tape server (VTS);

an automated library including a library manager;

a host;

a plurality of logical volumes;

a plurality of constructs originally associated with one or more of the logical volumes, the constructs comprising a storage group construct for determining a pool of stack volumes, a management class construct for determining whether a secondary copy of a logical volume should be made, and a storage class construct for determining whether a logical volume should remain in cache; and

a recovery module configured to implement a recovery action to recover the construct association as determined by a construct type, the recovery action including storing the construct association in a database.

12. A virtual tape server (VTS) for recovery of a construct association with a logical volume in the system, the system comprising:

a communications interface with a client;

a communications interface with an automated storage media library, including a library manager;

a cache configured to store a plurality of logical volumes; and

a recovery module configured to implement a recovery action to recover the construct association as determined by construct types, the recovery action including storing the construct association in a database, the construct types comprising a storage group construct for determining a pool of stack volumes, a management class construct for determining whether a secondary copy of a logical volume should be made, and a storage class construct for determining whether a logical volume should remain in cache.

13. An automated storage media library for recovery of a construct association with a logical volume stored on a virtual tape server, the library comprising:

a communications interface with a virtual tape server (VTS);

a library manager;

a plurality of storage media cartridges;

a plurality of storage media drives;

a cache configured to store in a database a table of VOLSERs and corresponding construct tags associated with construct types, the construct types comprising a storage group construct for determining a pool of stack volumes, a management class construct for determining whether a secondary copy of a logical volume should be made, and a storage class construct for determining whether a logical volume should remain in cache; and

a recovery module configured to implement a recovery action to recover the construct association as determined by the construct type, the recovery action including storing the construct association in a database.

14. An apparatus for recovery of a construct association with a logical volume in a virtual tape server (VTS) system, the apparatus comprising:

means for identifying a plurality of logical volumes;

means for recognizing a plurality of constructs originally associated with one or more of the logical volumes;

means for implementing a recovery action to recover the construct association as determined by a construct type, the recovery action including storing the construct association in a database;

means for recovering a storage group construct association during a logical volume insert process by a host;

means for recovering a management class construct association by determining whether a second copy of a logical volume should be made;

means for recovering a storage class construct association over time by determining whether a logical volume should remain in a cache; and

means for monitoring a volume construct flag indicating employment of a default construct definition.

15. A computer method for recovering a construct association with a logical volume in a virtual tape server (VTS) system, the method comprising:

identifying a plurality of logical volumes;

recognizing a plurality of constructs originally associated with one or more of the logical volumes;

implementing a recovery action to recover the construct association as determined by a construct type, the recovery action including storing the construct association in a database;

recovering a storage group construct association during a logical volume insert process by a host;

recovering a management class construct association by determining whether a second copy of a logical volume should be made;

recovering a storage class construct association over time by determining whether a logical volume should remain in a cache; and

monitoring a volume construct flag indicating employment of a default construct definition.