Maintaining an aggregate including active files in a storage pool

• US 7,660,834 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2005
• Issued: 02/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cannon, David Maxwell, Martin, Howard Newton
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham; Khanh B
• Assistant Examiner(s): LODHI, ANDALIB FT
• Application Number:
  US11/206,488
• Publication Number:
  US 20070043785A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,637 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/609
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1873 Versioning file systems, temporal file systems, e.g. file system supporting different historic versions of files
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99954 Version management

Abstract

Provided are a method, system, and program for maintaining an aggregate including active files in a storage pool. One active-only storage pool is included in a plurality of storage pools. Each storage pool includes files and the active-only storage pool is intended to include only active files and not inactive versions of files. The active-only storage pool includes at least a first aggregate including a plurality of files. One file is deactivated in the first aggregate in the active only storage pool to produce an inactive version of the file, wherein the first aggregate includes the inactive version of the file. A determination is made of inactive versions of files in the first aggregate. A second aggregate is generated in the active only storage pool including the active files from the first aggregate and not including the determined inactive versions of files from the first aggregate. The second aggregate replaces the first aggregate in the active-only storage pool.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing a plurality of storage pools including one active-only storage pool, wherein each storage pool includes files, wherein the active-only storage pool is intended to include only active files and not inactive versions of files, and wherein the active-only storage pool includes at least a first aggregate including a plurality of files, wherein the files in the first aggregate are maintained in a sequential ordering;

deactivating one file in the first aggregate in the active only storage pool to produce an inactive version of the file, wherein the first aggregate includes the inactive version of the file;

determining inactive versions of files in the first aggregate;

generating a second aggregate in the active only storage pool including the active files from the first aggregate in the sequential ordering of the first aggregate and not including the determined inactive versions of files from the first aggregate, wherein the second aggregate replaces the first aggregate in the active-only storage pool, wherein files are stored sequentially in the first and second aggregates in a manner in which data is stored in a sequential access storage device, and wherein the active versions of the files in the first aggregate storage pool are written in the sequential ordering of the first aggregate to the second aggregate such that the active version of the files are stored sequentially in the second aggregate;

copying the first aggregate to a copy of the first aggregate in an additional storage pool of the plurality of storage pools, wherein the copy maintains the determined inactive version of files in the first aggregate; and

maintaining aggregate information for the first aggregate, wherein the information for the first aggregates indicates the first aggregate identifier, a number of files in the first aggregate, and a size of the first or second aggregate, wherein the first aggregate is located in the active-only storage pool and the additional storage pool.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the file is deactivated as a result of an update to the file, wherein updating the file produces an active version of the file in addition to the inactive version of the file, and wherein the active version of the file is included in the active-only storage pool and not included in the second aggregate.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the active-only storage pool comprises a sequential access storage pool in which files in the aggregate are written sequentially and wherein the aggregates are periodically processed to generate the second aggregate including only active files from the processed aggregate, wherein the active files in the generated second aggregate are written sequentially.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

copying the determined inactive version of files in the first aggregate to another storage pool.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a copy of the first aggregate in an additional storage pool of the plurality of storage pools, wherein the copy maintains the determined inactive version of files in the first aggregate.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first aggregate has a first identifier and the second aggregate has a second identifier, further comprising:

providing a data structure having information on defined aggregates including an aggregate identifier and storage pool for each indicated aggregate;

removing information on the first aggregate from the data structure in response to generating the second aggregate; and

adding information on the second aggregate to the data structure including the second identifier in response to generating the second aggregate.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the file is deactivated as a result of an update to the file, wherein updating the file produces an active version of the file in addition to the inactive version of the file, further comprising:

adding information to the data structure for the active version of the file having a third identifier and indicating that the active version of the file is in the active-only storage pool.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein information for aggregates in the data structure indicates a cumulative size of all files included in the aggregate and a number of files included in the aggregate.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the data structure comprises a first data structure, further comprising:

providing a second data structure having information on files included in aggregates including the aggregate identifier of the aggregate including the file, wherein the aggregate identifier for the files is the first identifier before the second aggregate is generated; and

updating the aggregate identifier for files indicated in the second data structure having the first identifier to the second identifier in response to generating the second aggregate.

10. The method of claim 9, farther comprising:

updating the information in the second data structure for the determined inactive files having the second identifier to indicate that the files are not included in the second aggregate.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein indicating that the inactive files are not included in the second aggregate comprises setting a length of the inactive files indicated in the second data structure to indicate that the file was removed.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein each storage pool comprises a sequential access storage pool in which data is stored sequentially in a file volume, wherein each sequential access storage pool is implemented in a random access media, and wherein data in the sequential access stored pool is maintained as data is maintained for a sequential access device.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining aggregate file information having an entry for each file stored in the first aggregate, wherein each entry indicates a file identifier, a first aggregate identifier, and an ordering of the files in the first aggregate, wherein the sequential ordering of files in the first aggregate is indicated by the order indicated in the entries for the files of the first aggregate in the aggregate file information, wherein the files in the second aggregate are included in the order indicated in the entries of the files in the first aggregate in the aggregate file information.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the order indicated in the entries in the aggregate file information comprises an offset indicating an offset of the file in the first aggregate, wherein the files in the first aggregate are included in the second aggregate according to an order of their offsets indicated in the file entries in the aggregate file information.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

adding entries to the aggregate file information for each file from the first aggregate included in the second aggregate, wherein each added entry identifies the included file, a second aggregate identifier, and an order in which the file was included in the second aggregate.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

deleting entries in the aggregate file information for each entry indicating the first aggregate identifier in response to adding the entries to the aggregate file information for the files in the second aggregate.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

adding an entry to the aggregate file information for each inactive file in the first aggregate not copied to the second aggregate indicating the file identifier of the inactive file not copied, the second aggregate identifier, and indication that the file was not copied.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the sequential ordering of the files in the first aggregate is indicated in aggregate file information.

19. A system in communication with at least one storage system, comprising:

a processor in communication with the storage pools; and

a computer readable storage medium including a program executed by the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

providing a plurality of storage pools including one active-only storage pool, wherein each storage pool includes files, wherein the active-only storage pool is intended to include only active files and not inactive versions of files, and wherein the active-only storage pool includes at least a first aggregate including a plurality of files, wherein the files in the first aggregate are maintained in a sequential ordering;

deactivating one file in the first aggregate in the active only storage pool to produce an inactive version of the file, wherein the first aggregate includes the inactive version of the file;

determining inactive versions of files in the first aggregate; and

generating a second aggregate in the active only storage pool including the active files from the first aggregate in the sequential ordering of the first aggregate and not including the determined inactive versions of files from the first aggregate, wherein the second aggregate replaces the first aggregate in the active-only storage pool, wherein files are stored sequentially in the first and second aggregates in a manner in which data is stored in a sequential access storage device, and wherein the active versions of the files in the first aggregate storage pool are written in the sequential ordering of the first aggregate to the second aggregate such that the active version of the files are stored sequentially in the second aggregate;

copying the first aggregate to a copy of the first aggregate in an additional storage pool of the plurality of storage pools, wherein the copy maintains the determined inactive version of files in the first aggregate; and

maintaining aggregate information for the first aggregate, wherein the information for the first aggregates indicates the first aggregate identifier, a number of files in the first aggregate, and a size of the first or second aggregate, wherein the first aggregate is located in the active-only storage pool and the additional storage pool.

maintaining aggregate information for the first aggregate, wherein the information for the first aggregates indicates the first aggregate identifier, a number of files in the first aggregate, and a size of the first or second aggregate, wherein the first aggregate is located in the active-only storage pool and the additional storage pool.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the file is deactivated as a result of an update to the file, wherein updating the file produces an active version of the file in addition to the inactive version of the file, and wherein the active version of the file is included in the active-only storage pool and not included in the second aggregate.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise:

generating a copy of the first aggregate in an additional storage pool of the plurality of storage pools, wherein the copy maintains the determined inactive version of files in the first aggregate.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the first aggregate has a first identifier and the second aggregate has a second identifier, wherein the operations further comprise:

providing a data structure having information on defined aggregates including an aggregate identifier and storage pool for each indicated aggregate;

removing information on the first aggregate from the data structure in response to generating the second aggregate; and

adding information on the second aggregate to the data structure including the second identifier in response to generating the second aggregate.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the data structure comprises a first data structure, wherein the operations further comprise:

providing a second data structure having information on files included in aggregates including the aggregate identifier of the aggregate including the file, wherein the aggregate identifier for the files is the first identifier before the second aggregate is generated; and

updating the aggregate identifier for files indicated in the second data structure having the first identifier to the second identifier in response to generating the second aggregate.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein each storage pool comprises a sequential access storage pool in which data is stored sequentially in a file volume, wherein each sequential access storage pool is implemented in a random access media, and wherein data in the sequential access stored pool is maintained as data is maintained for a sequential access device.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise:

maintaining aggregate file information having an entry for each file stored in the first aggregate, wherein each entry indicates a file identifier, a first aggregate identifier, and an ordering of the files in the first aggregate, wherein the sequential ordering of files in the first aggregate is indicated by the order indicated in the entries for the files of the first aggregate in the aggregate file information, wherein the files in the second aggregate are included in the order indicated in the entries of the files in the first aggregate in the aggregate file information.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the order indicated in the entries in the aggregate file information comprises an offset indicating an offset of the file in the first aggregate, wherein the files in the first aggregate are included in the second aggregate according to an order of their offsets indicated in the file entries in the aggregate file information.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the operations further comprise:

adding entries to the aggregate file information for each file from the first aggregate included in the second aggregate, wherein each added entry identifies the included file, a second aggregate identifier, and an order in which the file was included in the second aggregate.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the operations further comprise:

deleting entries in the aggregate file information for each entry indicating the first aggregate identifier in response to adding the entries to the aggregate file information for the files in the second aggregate.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the operations further comprise:

adding an entry to the aggregate file information for each inactive file in the first aggregate not copied to the second aggregate indicating the file identifier of the inactive file not copied, the second aggregate identifier, and indication that the file was not copied.

30. An article of manufacture comprising a computer readable storage medium including code executed by a processor to communicate with at least one storage system and perform operations, the operations comprising:

providing a plurality of storage pools including one active-only storage pool, wherein each storage pool includes files, wherein the active-only storage pool is intended to include only active files and not inactive versions of files, and wherein the active-only storage pool includes at least a first aggregate including a plurality of files, wherein the files in the first aggregate are maintained in a sequential ordering;

deactivating one file in the first aggregate in the active only storage pool to produce an inactive version of the file, wherein the first aggregate includes the inactive version of the file;

determining inactive versions of files in the first aggregate; and

generating a second aggregate in the active only storage pool including the active files from the first aggregate in the sequential ordering of the first aggregate and not including the determined inactive versions of files from the first aggregate, wherein the second aggregate replaces the first aggregate in the active-only storage pool, wherein files are stored sequentially in the first and second aggregates in a manner in which data is stored in a sequential access storage device, and wherein the active versions of the files in the first aggregate storage pool are written in the sequential ordering of the first aggregate to the second aggregate such that the active version of the files are stored sequentially in the second aggregate;

copying the first aggregate to a copy of the first aggregate in an additional storage pool of the plurality of storage pools, wherein the copy maintains the determined inactive version of files in the first aggregate; and

maintaining aggregate information for the first aggregate, wherein the information for the first aggregates indicates the first aggregate identifier, a number of files in the first aggregate, and a size of the first or second aggregate, wherein the first aggregate is located in the active- only storage pool and the additional storage pool.

31. The article of manufacture of claim 30, wherein the file is deactivated as a result of an update to the file, wherein updating the file produces an active version of the file in addition to the inactive version of the file, and wherein the active version of the file is included in the active-only storage pool and not included in the second aggregate.

32. The article of manufacture of claim 30, wherein the operations further comprise:

generating a copy of the first aggregate in an additional storage pool of the plurality of storage pools, wherein the copy maintains the determined inactive version of files in the first aggregate.

33. The article of manufacture of claim 30, wherein the first aggregate has a first identifier and the second aggregate has a second identifier wherein the operations further comprise:

providing a data structure having information on defined aggregates including an aggregate identifier and storage pool for each indicated aggregate;

removing information on the first aggregate from the data structure in response to generating the second aggregate; and

adding information on the second aggregate to the data structure including the second identifier in response to generating the second aggregate.

34. The article of manufacture of claim 33, wherein the data structure comprises a first data structure, wherein the operations further comprise:

providing a second data structure having information on files included in aggregates including the aggregate identifier of the aggregate including the file, wherein the aggregate identifier for the files is the first identifier before the second aggregate is generated; and

updating the aggregate identifier for files indicated in the second data structure having the first identifier to the second identifier in response to generating the second aggregate.

35. The article of manufacture of claim 30, wherein each storage pool comprises a sequential access storage pool in which data is stored sequentially in a file volume, wherein each sequential access storage pool is implemented in a random access media, and wherein data in the sequential access stored pool is maintained as data is maintained for a sequential access device.

36. The article of manufacture of claim 30, wherein the operations further comprise:

maintaining aggregate file information having an entry for each file stored in the first aggregate, wherein each entry indicates a file identifier, a first aggregate identifier, and an ordering of the files in the first aggregate, wherein the sequential ordering of files in the first aggregate is indicated by the order indicated in the entries for the files of the first aggregate in the aggregate file information, wherein the files in the second aggregate are included in the order indicated in the entries of the files in the first aggregate in the aggregate file information.

37. The article of manufacture of claim 36, wherein the order indicated in the entries in the aggregate file information comprises an offset indicating an offset of the file in the first aggregate, wherein the files in the first aggregate are included in the second aggregate according to an order of their offsets indicated in the file entries in the aggregate file information.

38. The article of manufacture of claim 36, wherein the operations further comprise:

adding entries to the aggregate file information for each file from the first aggregate included in the second aggregate, wherein each added entry identifies the included file, a second aggregate identifier, and an order in which the file was included in the second aggregate.

39. The article of manufacture of claim 38, wherein the operations further comprise:

deleting entries in the aggregate file information for each entry indicating the first aggregate identifier in response to adding the entries to the aggregate file information for the files in the second aggregate.

40. The article of manufacture of claim 38, wherein the operations further comprise:

adding an entry to the aggregate file information for each inactive file in the first aggregate not copied to the second aggregate indicating the file identifier of the inactive file not copied, the second aggregate identifier, and indication that the file was not copied.