Storage layout and data replication

• US 7,519,785 B1
• Filed: 07/16/2007
• Issued: 04/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veritas Technologies, LLC (Whitehouse Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Symantec Operating Corporation (Gen Digital Inc.)
• Inventors: Schultz, Margaret E., Graham, Debra H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Hiep T
• Application Number:
  US11/778,330
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 711/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2094 Redundant storage or storage space G06F11/2056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2097 maintaining the standby controller/processing unit updated initialisation or re-synchronisation thereof G06F11/1658 and subgroups

Abstract

Various embodiments of volume replication are disclosed. A request may be received to replicate a storage layout of a first storage system to a second storage system. A storage layout (e.g., configuration) of the first storage system may be determined, and one or more storage options of the second storage system may be determined. The storage options of the second storage system may include one or more storage devices available to the second storage system. A storage layout for the second storage system may be determined based on the storage options of the second storage system and the storage layout of the first storage system. Determining the storage layout of the second storage system may be based on the user input. The determined storage layout for the second storage system may be implemented, and data from the first storage system may be replicated onto the second storage system.

Claims

1. A computer-readable memory medium storing program instructions which are computer-executable to:

automatically determine configuration information for one or more volumes of a first storage system;

automatically determine storage capabilities of a second storage system; and

automatically replicate the one or more volumes of the first storage system to the second storage system based on the configuration information and the storage capabilities of the second storage system.

2. The memory medium of claim 1,

wherein said replicating the one or more volumes of the first storage system to the second storage system comprises:

for each respective volume of the one or more volumes of the first storage system, automatically creating a corresponding volume on the second storage system.

3. The memory medium of claim 2,

wherein said replicating the one or more volumes of the first storage system to the second storage system further comprises:

for each respective volume of the one or more volumes of the first storage system, automatically copying data from the volume to the corresponding volume on the second storage system.

4. The memory medium of claim 2,

wherein said automatically determining the configuration information for the one or more volumes of the first storage system comprises automatically determining a size of each volume;

wherein, for each respective volume of the one or more volumes of the first storage system, the corresponding volume on the second storage system is created with a size based on the size of the respective volume of the first storage system.

5. The memory medium of claim 2,

wherein said automatically determining the configuration information for the one or more volumes of the first storage system comprises automatically determining a size of each volume;

wherein, for each respective volume of the one or more volumes of the first storage system, the corresponding volume on the second storage system is created with a same size as the size of the respective volume of the first storage system.

6. The memory medium of claim 2,

wherein said automatically determining the configuration information for the one or more volumes of the first storage system comprises automatically determining a name of each volume;

wherein, for each respective volume of the one or more volumes of the first storage system, the corresponding volume on the second storage system is created with a same name as the name of the respective volume of the first storage system.

7. The memory medium of claim 1,

wherein said automatically determining the storage capabilities of the second storage system comprises automatically determining storage devices of the second storage system;

wherein said automatically replicating the one or more volumes of the first storage system to the second storage system comprises automatically implementing each volume on one or more of the storage devices of the second storage system.

8. The memory medium of claim 1,

wherein said automatically determining the storage capabilities of the second storage system comprises automatically determining storage spaces available on the second storage system;

wherein said automatically replicating the one or more volumes of the first storage system to the second storage system comprises automatically implementing each volume in one or more of the storage spaces available on the second storage system.

9. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

receive user input specifying one or more constraints on storage configuration of the second storage system;

wherein the one or more volumes of the first storage system are automatically replicated to the second storage system based on the configuration information, the storage capabilities of the second storage system, and the one or more constraints specified by the user input.

10. The memory medium of claim 1,

wherein said automatically determining the configuration information for the one or more volumes of the first storage system comprises automatically determining rule information indicating storage configuration principles of an application;

wherein the one or more volumes of the first storage system are automatically replicated to the second storage system based on the rule information.

11. The memory medium of claim 10,

wherein the rule information specifies a plurality of rules;

wherein the rule information includes priority information that specifies a priority in application of the rules.

12. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

display information indicating a storage configuration automatically determined for the second storage system, wherein the storage configuration for the second storage system is automatically determined based on the configuration information for the one or more volumes of the first storage system and the storage capabilities of the second storage system; and

receive user input accepting the storage configuration determined for the second storage system;

wherein said replicating the one or more volumes of the first storage system to the second storage system comprises replicating the one or more volumes in accordance with the storage configuration determined for the second storage system in response to the user input accepting the storage configuration.

13. The memory medium of claim 12,

wherein said displaying the information indicating the storage configuration automatically determined for the second storage system comprises displaying graphical information illustrating the storage configuration.

14. A system comprising:

a first storage system including one or more storage devices;

a second storage system including one or more storage devices;

one or more processors; and

memory storing program instructions, wherein the memory is coupled to the one or more processors;

wherein the one or more processors are operable to execute the program instructions, wherein the program instructions are executable to;

automatically determine configuration information for one or more volumes of the first storage system;

automatically determine storage capabilities of the second storage system; and

automatically replicate the one or more volumes of the first storage system to the second storage system based on the configuration information and the storage capabilities of the second storage system.

15. The system of claim 14,

wherein said replicating the one or more volumes of the first storage system to the second storage system comprises:

for each respective volume of the one or more volumes of the first storage system, automatically creating a corresponding volume on the second storage system.

16. The system of claim 15,

wherein said replicating the one or more volumes of the first storage system to the second storage system further comprises:

for each respective volume of the one or more volumes of the first storage system, automatically copying data from the volume to the corresponding volume on the second storage system.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

receive user input specifying one or more constraints on storage configuration of the second storage system;

wherein the one or more volumes of the first storage system are automatically replicated to the second storage system based on the configuration information, the storage capabilities of the second storage system, and the one or more constraints specified by the user input.

18. A method comprising:

automatically determining configuration information for one or more volumes of a first storage system;

automatically determining storage capabilities of a second storage system; and

automatically replicating the one or more volumes of the first storage system to the second storage system based on the configuration information and the storage capabilities of the second storage system.

19. The method of claim 18,

wherein said replicating the one or more volumes of the first storage system to the second storage system comprises:

for each respective volume of the one or more volumes of the first storage system, automatically creating a corresponding volume on the second storage system.

20. The method of claim 19,

wherein said replicating the one or more volumes of the first storage system to the second storage system further comprises:

for each respective volume of the one or more volumes of the first storage system, automatically copying data from the volume to the corresponding volume on the second storage system.