External storage and data recovery method for external storage as well as program
First Claim
1. A system configured to be coupled to a plurality of computers, the system comprising:
- a data storage area being configured to store data received from at least one of the plurality of computers;
a journal storage area being configured to store a plurality of journal data and a plurality of recoverable points, one of the plurality of journal data corresponding to data stored in the data storage area, and one of the plurality of recoverable points being set for being able to recover data stored in the data storage area at a first point-in-time corresponding to the one of the plurality of recoverable points if the one of the plurality of recoverable points is designated by at least one of the plurality of computers;
a backup storage area being configured to store backup data of data stored in the data storage area at a second point-in-time; and
a control apparatus being configured to send information of the plurality of recoverable points to the at least one of the plurality of computers by managing the plurality of recoverable points,the control apparatus being configured to write a new journal data to a portion of the journal storage area, in which an old journal data is stored, after data corresponding to the old journal data is stored in the backup storage area, andthe control apparatus being configured to recover data of the data storage area corresponding to the first point-in-time, designated by the at least one of the plurality of computers which receives the information of the plurality of recoverable points from the control apparatus, by using at least one of the plurality of journal data, stored in the journal storage area and corresponding to the designated recoverable point, and the backup data stored in the backup storage area.
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Abstract
The data is automatically recovered to a desired arbitrary point in an external storage without imposing a burden on the host computer. An application on a host computer instructs data recovery control processing of a disk control apparatus to set a recovery opportunity. It is possible to register arbitrary plural points as a recoverable point by setting a recovery flag included in journal data. In the case in which data is recovered due to occurrence of a failure or the like, the application requests a list showing recovery opportunities which have already been set. The application designates a point to which data is recovered on the basis of the recovery opportunity list. The disk control apparatus recovers the data to the designated point on the basis of a backup disk and a journal disk.
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Citations
49 Claims
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1. A system configured to be coupled to a plurality of computers, the system comprising:
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a data storage area being configured to store data received from at least one of the plurality of computers; a journal storage area being configured to store a plurality of journal data and a plurality of recoverable points, one of the plurality of journal data corresponding to data stored in the data storage area, and one of the plurality of recoverable points being set for being able to recover data stored in the data storage area at a first point-in-time corresponding to the one of the plurality of recoverable points if the one of the plurality of recoverable points is designated by at least one of the plurality of computers; a backup storage area being configured to store backup data of data stored in the data storage area at a second point-in-time; and a control apparatus being configured to send information of the plurality of recoverable points to the at least one of the plurality of computers by managing the plurality of recoverable points, the control apparatus being configured to write a new journal data to a portion of the journal storage area, in which an old journal data is stored, after data corresponding to the old journal data is stored in the backup storage area, and the control apparatus being configured to recover data of the data storage area corresponding to the first point-in-time, designated by the at least one of the plurality of computers which receives the information of the plurality of recoverable points from the control apparatus, by using at least one of the plurality of journal data, stored in the journal storage area and corresponding to the designated recoverable point, and the backup data stored in the backup storage area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 21, 36, 37)
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13. A control apparatus comprising:
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at least one port adapted to be coupled to a plurality of computers, wherein the control apparatus is adapted to perform a process of sending information of at least one of a plurality of recoverable points to at least one of the plurality of computers, the plurality of recoverable points being set so that the control apparatus is able to recover data stored in a data storage area at a plurality of points-in-time corresponding to the plurality of recoverable points, wherein the control apparatus is adapted to write a new portion of journal data to a portion of the journal storage area, in which an old portion of journal data is stored, after data corresponding to the old portion of journal data is stored in a backup storage area, wherein the control apparatus is adapted to perform the process of recovering data of the data storage area at a first point-in-time corresponding to a designated recoverable point, designated by the at least one of the plurality of computers to which the information of the at least one of the plurality of recoverable points is sent from the control apparatus, by using at least a portion of journal data stored in the journal storage area and backup data, stored in the backup storage area and corresponding to data stored in the data storage area at a second point-in-time. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 38, 39)
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25. A computer program stored on a computer readable storage medium and implemented in a control apparatus, the control apparatus is configured to be coupled to a plurality of computers, the computer program comprising:
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code for sending information of at least one of a plurality of recoverable points to at least one of the plurality of computers, each of the plurality of recoverable points being set for being able to recover data stored in a data storage area at a plurality of points-in-time corresponding to the plurality of recoverable points; code for writing a new journal data to a portion of a journal storage area, in which an old journal data is stored, after data corresponding to the old journal data is stored in a backup storage area; and code for recovering data of the data storage area at a first point-in-time corresponding to a designated recoverable point, designated by the at least one of the plurality of computers to which the information of the at least one of the plurality of recoverable points is sent from the control apparatus, by using at least one of a plurality of journal data stored in the journal storage area and backup data stored in the backup storage area of data stored in the data storage area at a second point-in-time. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 40, 41)
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42. A control apparatus comprising:
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at least one unit adapted to be coupled to a plurality of computers, a journal storage area and a backup storage area, the journal storage area storing a plurality of journal data corresponding to a plurality of data stored in a data storage area, the backup storage area storing backup data of data stored in the data storage area at a first time, wherein the control apparatus is adapted to receive information of a recoverable point other than a request for committing data in the data storage area, wherein the control apparatus is adapted to set one of a plurality of recoverable points based on the received information of the recoverable point, so that the control apparatus is able to recover data of the data storage area at a second time corresponding to the one of the plurality of recoverable points if the one of the plurality of recoverable points is designated, wherein the control apparatus is adapted to write a new journal data to a portion of the journal storage area, in which an old journal data is stored, after data corresponding to the old journal data is stored in the backup storage area, wherein the control apparatus is adapted to send information of the plurality of recoverable points to at least one of the plurality of computers, and wherein the control apparatus is adapted to recover data of the data storage area at the second time, designated by the at least one of the plurality of computers to which the information of the plurality of recoverable points is sent from the control apparatus, by using one or more of the plurality of journal data stored in the journal storage area and the backup data stored in the backup storage area. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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Specification