Verifying input/output command data by separately sending data to be written and information about contents of the data

• US 7,260,658 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2003
• Issued: 08/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Williams, James, Bridge, William H. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sparks; Donald
• Assistant Examiner(s): KIM, HAROLD J
• Application Number:
  US10/425,166
• Publication Number:
  US 20030226063A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,575 Days
• Field of Search: 710/5, 710/55, 718/102, 718/115
• US Class Current: 710/55
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1435 using file system or storage system metadata

Abstract

Techniques for verifying input/output (I/O) command data are provided. Information about the contents of the data are specified in the I/O command. After an application issues the I/O command, a subsequent component, such as a controller, uses the information to verify the contents of the data before the I/O command is performed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of performing a write command, comprising:

invoking a write command specifying data to be written and information about contents of the data, wherein the data to be written is sent in a first stream and the information about contents of the data is sent in a second stream, separate from the first stream;

verifying the contents of the data utilizing the information; and

committing the write command if the contents of the data are verified.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second stream is sent before the first stream.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information is that the data XORs to a specified value.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information specifies a number contained in the data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the number is a block number.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the information further specifies a length of a block.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the information further specifies an offset of the number in the data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the write command is a write of the data to a disk drive.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the data and information are specified as parameters of the write command.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the information about the contents of the data is transmitted separately from the data.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein invoking the write command includes:

receiving a command specifying the information about the contents of the data, wherein the command does not specify the data.

10. A computer program product that performs a write command, comprising:

computer code that issues a write command specifying data to be written and information about contents of the data, wherein the data to be written is sent in a first stream and the information about contents of the data is sent in a second stream, separate from the first stream;

computer code that verifies the contents of the data utilizing the information; and

computer code that commits the write command if the contents of the data are verified; and

a computer readable storage medium that stores the computer codes.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the computer readable storage medium is a CD-ROM, floppy disk, tape, flash memory, system memory, or hard drive.

12. A system, comprising:

an application that issues a write command specifying data to be written and information about contents of the data, wherein the data to be written is sent in a first stream and the information about contents of the data is sent in a second stream, separate from the first stream;

a controller that receives the write command and verifies the contents of the data utilizing the information; and

a hard drive that commits the write command if the contents of the data are verified.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the controller is an array controller or a disk controller.

14. A method of performing a write command of data to a disk drive, comprising:

invoking a write command of data to a storage device including parameters specifying the data and information about contents of the data, wherein the data to be written is sent in a first stream and the information about contents of the data is sent in a second stream, separate from the first stream;

verifying the contents of the data utilizing the information; and

committing the write command of the data to the storage device if the contents of the data are verified.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second stream is sent before the first stream.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the information is that the data XORs to a specified value.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the information specifies a number contained in the data.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the number is a block number.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the information further specifies a length of a block.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the information further specifies an offset of the number in the data.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the data includes a plurality of blocks and the information specifies a block number, an offset of the block number in a block and a length of a block.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein verifying comprises:

verifying a first block has the block number at the offset in the first block; and

verifying each subsequent block has a sequentially higher block number at the offset in the subsequent block, wherein each subsequent block is located utilizing the length of a block.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the storage device is a disk drive.

24. A computer program product that performs a write command of data to a storage device, comprising:

computer code that issues a write command of data to a storage device drive including parameters specifying the data and information about contents of the data, wherein the data to be written is sent in a first stream and the information about contents of the data is sent in a second stream, separate from the first stream;

computer code that verifies the contents of the data utilizing the information; and

computer code that commits the write command of the data to the storage device if the contents of the data are verified; and

a computer readable storage medium that stores the computer codes.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the computer readable medium is a CD-ROM, floppy disk, tape, flash memory, system memory, or hard drive.

26. A system, comprising:

an application that issues a write command of data to a storage device including parameters specifying the data and information about contents of the data, wherein the application specifies data is to be sent in a first stream and information about contents of the data is to be sent in a second stream, separate from the first stream;

a controller that receives the write command and verifies the contents of the data utilizing the information; and

a storage device that commits the write command if the contents of the data are verified.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the controller is an array controller or a disk drive controller.

30. A computer-implemented method of performing a write command, comprising:

invoking a write command specifying data to be written and information about contents of the data, wherein the data to be written is sent in a first stream and the information about contents of the data is sent in a second stream, separate from the first stream;

verifying the contents of the data utilizing the information;

writing the data if the contents of the daata are verified; and

generating an error indication if the contents of the data are not verified.