Snapshot by deferred propagation
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- receiving a command to create a point-in-time copy of an original data store, the original data store stored to a parent virtual logical unit (VLU) having associated therewith a deferred propagation data structure, the deferred propagation data structure capable of containing a plurality of data propagation records and a plurality of separators, each data propagation record containing a previous version of one or more data blocks of the parent VLU, each separator containing a pointer to a particular child VLU storing a point-in-time copy of the original data store and separating the data propagation records pertaining to the particular child VLU;
creating a child VLU to store the point-in-time copy of the original data store;
entering a new separator into the data propagation data structure, the new separator containing a pointer to the child VLU; and
implementing a search pointer in the child VLU, the search pointer pointing to the deferred propagation data structure.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An embodiment of the invention provides a method for creating a snapshot of a data store. A command to create a snapshot of an original data store, stored to a parent virtual logical unit (VLU), is received. A deferred propagation data structure (DPDS) is associated with the parent VLU. The DPDS is capable of containing data propagation records and separators, each data propagation record contains a previous version of one or more data blocks of the parent VLU, each separator contains a pointer to a particular child VLU storing a snapshot of the original data store and separating the data propagation records pertaining to the particular child VLU. A child VLU to store the copy of the original data store is created. A new separator containing a pointer to the child VLU is created in the DPDS. A search pointer pointing to the DPDS is implemented in the child VLU.
-
Citations
31 Claims
-
1. A method comprising:
-
receiving a command to create a point-in-time copy of an original data store, the original data store stored to a parent virtual logical unit (VLU) having associated therewith a deferred propagation data structure, the deferred propagation data structure capable of containing a plurality of data propagation records and a plurality of separators, each data propagation record containing a previous version of one or more data blocks of the parent VLU, each separator containing a pointer to a particular child VLU storing a point-in-time copy of the original data store and separating the data propagation records pertaining to the particular child VLU; creating a child VLU to store the point-in-time copy of the original data store; entering a new separator into the data propagation data structure, the new separator containing a pointer to the child VLU; and implementing a search pointer in the child VLU, the search pointer pointing to the deferred propagation data structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A memory for storing data comprising:
a data structure stored on the memory, the data structure capable of containing a plurality of data propagation records and a plurality of separators, each data propagation record containing a previous version of one or more data blocks of an original data store stored to a parent virtual logical unit (VLU), each separator containing a pointer to a particular child VLU, the child VLU storing a point-in-time copy of the original data store and separating the data propagation records pertaining to the particular child VLU. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
-
14. An article of manufacture comprising:
-
a computer usable medium having one or more executable instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a digital processing system, cause the digital processing system to perform a method, the method comprising; receiving a command to create a point-in-time copy of an original data store, the original data store stored to a parent virtual logical unit (VLU) having associated therewith a deferred propagation data structure, the deferred propagation data structure capable of containing a plurality of data propagation records and a plurality of separators, each data propagation record containing a previous version of one or more data blocks of the parent VLU, each separator containing a pointer to a particular child VLU storing a point-in-time copy of the original data store and separating the data propagation records pertaining to the particular child VLU; creating a child VLU to store the point-in-time copy of the original data store; entering a new separator into the data propagation data structure, the new separator containing a pointer to the child VLU; and implementing a search pointer in the child VLU, the search pointer pointing to the deferred propagation data structure. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
-
23. A data storage system comprising:
-
a storage media; a processing system; a memory, coupled to the processing system, characterized in that the memory has stored therein instructions which, when executed by the processing system, cause the processing system to receive a command to create a point-in-time copy of an original data store, the original data store stored to a parent virtual logical unit (VLU) having associated therewith a deferred propagation data structure, the deferred propagation data structure capable of containing a plurality of data propagation records and a plurality of separators, each data propagation record containing a previous version of one or more data blocks of the parent VLU, each separator containing a pointer to a particular child VLU storing a point-in-time copy of the original data store and separating the data propagation records pertaining to the particular child VLU; create a child VLU to store the point-in-time copy of the original data store; enter a new separator into the data propagation data structure, the new separator containing a pointer to the child VLU; and implement a search pointer in the child VLU, the search pointer pointing to the deferred propagation data structure. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
-
Specification