System and method for providing access to replicated data

• US 7,370,025 B1
• Filed: 12/17/2002
• Issued: 05/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veritas Technologies, LLC (Whitehouse Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Symantec Operating Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: Pandit, Bhushan S.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEWIS, CHERYL RENEA
• Application Number:
  US10/322,121
• Time in Patent Office: 1,967 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 5, 707/8, 707/10, 707100-102, 707200-206, 707/104.1, 717169-170, 709220-225, 709/201, 709/203, 709/211, 711160-163, 711144-145, 714 4- 6, 714 11- 12, 714 15- 16, 710/1, 710/200
• US Class Current: 707/610
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/184 implemented as replicated file system
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users

Abstract

A system and method for providing access to replicated data is disclosed. Embodiments of the present invention utilize a remote access file system to provide access to replicated data concurrently with replication. According to one embodiment including unidirectional replication, access to a replicated target volume is provided using a remote access file system to perform reads locally or “directly” and to perform writes indirectly to a replication source volume which are subsequently replicated to the replication target volume. According to another embodiment, bidirectional replication is provided and access to both replication source and replication target volumes are provided locally and subsequently replicated as necessary.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

replicating data from a first volume to a second volume, wherein

a first storage device comprises said first volume,

a second storage device comprises said second volume,

said replicating is performed utilizing a replication facility, and

said replicating said data from said first volume to said second volume results in a replicated copy of said data within said second volume; and

providing access to said replicated copy of said data, wherein

said providing comprises

receiving an access request for said replicated copy of said data utilizing a remote access file system client local to said second node comprising

receiving a write request for said replicated copy of said data,

arbitrating access to said data utilizing a remote access file system server local to said first node in response to said receiving,

performing a write operation on said data within said first volume utilizing said remote access file system in response to receiving said write request for said replicated copy of said data, and

replicating said data from said first volume to said second volume in response to said performing,

said access is provided utilizing a remote access file system,

said access is provided to said replicated copy of said data concurrently with said replicating of said data, and

said remote access file system is separate from said replication facility;

storing said data within said first volume, wherein

said storing comprises

storing said data within a first volume associated with a first node; and

replicating said data from said first volume to said second volume in response to said storing, wherein

said replicating comprises

replicating said data to a second volume associated with a second node.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said replicating comprises:

synchronously replicating said data from said first volume to said second volume.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said replicating comprises:

replicating said data from said first volume to said second volume at a block level.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said replicating comprises:

bi-directionally replicating said data between said first volume and said second volume.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein providing access to said replicated copy of said data further comprises,

maintaining file system data at said second node utilizing said remote access file system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said remote

access file system client local to said second node comprises an application local to said second node.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said arbitrating access comprises:

arbitrating access to said data at a file level.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said arbitrating access comprises:

establishing a resource lock for said data utilizing said remote access file system server.

9. A computer system comprising:

a first storage device;

a second storage device, communicatively coupled to said first storage device;

a computer program product comprising

a first set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to replicate data from a first volume to a second volume, wherein

said first storage device comprises said first volume,

said second storage device comprises said second volume,

said replicating is performed utilizing a replication facility, and

said replicating said data from said first volume to said second volume results in a replicated copy of said data within said second volume

said first set of instructions comprises

a first subset of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to store said data within a first volume associated with a first node, and

a second subset of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to replicate said data to a second volume associated with a second node;

a second set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to provide access to a replicated copy of data within a second volume, wherein

said second set of instructions comprises

a first subset of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to receive an access request for said replicated copy of said data utilizing a remote access file system client local to said second node comprising

 

receiving a write request for said replicated copy of said data,

a second subset of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to provide arbitrating access to said data utilizing a remote access file system server local to said first node in response to said receiving,

a third subset of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to perform a write operation on said data within said first volume utilizing said remote access file system in response to receiving said write request for said replicated copy of said data, and

a fourth subset of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to replicate said data from said first volume to said second volume in response to said performing,

said access is provided utilizing a remote access file system,

said first set of instructions and said second set of instructions are configured to be executed concurrently,

said replication is performed by a replication facility,

said remote access file system is separate from said replication facility, and

said replicated copy of said data within said second volume results from said replications

a third set of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to store said data within said first volume;

a fourth set of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to replicate said data from said first volume to said second volume in response to said storing; and

computer readable storage media, wherein said computer program product is encoded in said computer readable storage media.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein said second set of instructions comprise:

a first subset of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to receive an access request for said replicated copy of said data, wherein

said access request is received utilizing a remote access file system client, and

said remote access file system client is local to said second node; and

a second subset of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to arbitrate access to said data in response to said access request being received, wherein

said access is arbitrated utilizing a remote access file system server, and

said remote access file system server is local to said first node.

11. A computer system, wherein said computer system is configured to support a plurality of facilities, said facilities comprising:

a replication facility configured to replicate data from a replication source volume to a replication target volume, wherein

a first node is associated with said replication source volume,

a second node is associated with said replication target volume,

a replication of said data from said replication source volume to said replication target volume results in a replicated copy of said data within said second volume, and

said replicated copy of said data is stored on said replication target volume; and

a remote access file system configured to provide access from said first node to said replicated copy of said data within said second node, wherein

said remote access file system is separate from said replication facility,

said replication facility and said remote access file system are configured to perform their respective operations concurrently with one another, and

said remote access file system comprises

a remote access file system client local to said second node configured to receive an access request for said replicated copy of said data; and

a remote access file system server local to said first node configured to arbitrate access to said data.

12. A computer system comprising:

a first node comprising a first volume;

a second node comprising a second volume;

a remote access file systems wherein

said remote access file system is configured to provide access to said second volume by said first node;

means for replicating data from said first volume to said second volume, wherein

said means for replicating comprises a replication facility; and

means for providing access to a replicated copy of said data within said second volume, wherein

said means for providing comprises

means for storing said data within said first volume,

means for replicating said data to said second volume,

means for receiving an access request for said replicated copy of said data local to said second node, and

means for arbitrating access to said data local to said first node,

said access is provided utilizing hall said remote access file system,

said access is provided concurrently with a replication of said data by said means for replicating,

said remote access file system is separate from said replication facility, and

said replicated copy of said data within said second volume results from said replication.