Apparatus and method to map and copy computer files

• US 7,747,586 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2003
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: X Corp. (f/k/a Twitter, Inc.) (X Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Warren, Donald P. Jr., Kaczmarski, Michael Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Mofiz; Apu M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pyo; Monica M
• Application Number:
  US10/421,450
• Publication Number:
  US 20040215628A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,624 Days
• Field of Search: 707/100, 707/202, 707/204, 707/205, 707/694, 711/162
• US Class Current: 707/694
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1448 Management of the data involved in backup or backup restore
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1456 Hardware arrangements for backup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1458 Management of the backup or restore process
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1466 to make the backup process non-disruptive

Abstract

A method to copy computer files, where that method includes receiving a computer file, mapping that file to its constituent blocks, generating meta-data describing those constituent blocks, saving that meta-data in a memory device, and copying the file to one or more information storage media, where the mapping step, the generating step, and the saving step, are performed substantially synchronously, and where the copying step is performed at a later time. A data storage and retrieval system comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code disposed therein to copy computer files on one or more information storage media disposed therein. A computer program product usable with a programmable computer processor having computer readable program code embodied therein for copying computer files.

Claims

1. A method to copy a modified host computer file, comprising the steps of:

supplying a host computer comprising host computer files, an operating system, and a storage management program;

supplying a backup cache external to said host computer;

supplying a copy manager external to said host computer, wherein said copy manager is in communication with said host computer;

supplying a data storage and retrieval system external to said host computer and external to said copy manager, wherein said data storage and retrieval system is in communication with said host computer and with said copy manager;

continuously monitoring said host computer files by said storage management program;

determining, by said storage management program, that a host computer file has been modified;

determining, by said storage management program, if said modified host computer file has been saved;

when said modified host computer file has been saved;

determining, by said storage management program, if said modified computer file meets a copy criteria;

mapping, by said storage management program, said modified computer file to one or more constituent blocks;

generating, by said storage management program, meta-data describing said one or more constituent blocks;

storing, by said storage management program, said meta-data in said backup cache;

providing, by said storage management program, said meta-data to said copy manager; and

copying, by said copy manager, said modified host computer file to one or more information storage media disposed in the data storage and retrieval system;

wherein said determining step, said mapping step, said generating step, and said storing step, are all performed within a time interval less than a millisecond; and

wherein a time interval between said storing step and said providing step is greater than about 10 hours.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said copying step further comprises using a Small Computer System Interface-3 Extended Copy command.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said mapping step, said generating, and said recording step, further comprise the steps of:

receiving-a host computer file;

mapping said host computer file to one or more first constituent blocks;

receiving a modified host computer file;

mapping said modified host computer file to one or more second constituent blocks;

comparing each of said one or more first constituent blocks to each of said one or more second constituent blocks; and

recording in said backup cache meta-data describing each of said one or more second constituent blocks that differs from each of said one or more first constituent blocks.

4. An article of manufacture comprising host computer files, an operating system, a storage management program, and a computer readable medium having computer readable program code disposed therein to copy computer files, the computer readable program code comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

continuously monitoring, by said storage management program, said host computer files;

determining, by said storage management program, that a host computer file has been modified;

determining, by said storage management program, if said modified host computer file has been saved;

when said modified host computer files has been saved;

determining, by said storage management program, if said modified computer file meets a copy criteria;

mapping, by said storage management program, said modified computer file to one or more constituent blocks;

generating, by said storage management program, meta-data describing said one or more constituent blocks;

storing, by said storage management program, said meta-data in a backup cache, wherein said backup cache is external to said host computer;

providing, by said storage management program, said meta-data to an interconnected copy manager, wherein said copy manager is external to said article of manufacture, and wherein said copy manager is in communication with said article of manufacture and with a data storage and retrieval system which is external to both said article of manufacture and to said copy manager;

wherein said determining, said mapping, said generating, and said storing, are all performed within a time interval less than a millisecond; and

wherein a time interval between said storing and said providing is greater than about 10 hours.

5. The article of manufacture of claim 4, wherein said computer readable program code further comprises a series of computer readable program steps to effect using a Small Computer System Interface-3 Extended Copy Command.

6. The article of manufacture of claim 4, wherein said computer readable program code further comprises a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

receiving a host computer file;

mapping said host computer file to one or more first constituent blocks;

receiving a modified host computer file;

mapping said modified computer file to one or more second constituent blocks;

comparing each of said one or more first constituent blocks to each of said one or more second constituent blocks; and

recording in said backup cache meta-data describing each of said one or more second constituent blocks that differs from each of said one or more first constituent blocks.

7. A storage management program written to an information storage medium disposed in a host computer comprising host computer files and an operating system wherein said storage management program is usable with a programmable computer processor for copying a host computer file using a backup cache and a copy manager, comprising:

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to continuously monitor said host computer files;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to determine that a host computer file has been modified;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to determine if said modified computer file has been saved;

computer readable program code which, when said modified computer has been saved, causes said programmable computer processor to;

determine if said modified computer file meets a copy criteria;

map said modified computer file to one or more constituent blocks;

generate meta-data describing said one or more constituent blocks;

store said meta-data in a backup cache, wherein said backup cache is external to said host computer;

provide said meta-data to an interconnected copy manager wherein said copy manager is external to said article of manufacture, and wherein said copy manager is in communication with said article of manufacture and with a data storage and retrieval system which is external to both said article of manufacture and to said copy manager;

wherein said determining step, said mapping step, said generating step, and said storing step, are all performed within a time interval less than a millisecond; and

wherein a time interval between said storing step and said providing step is greater than about 10 hours.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein said computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to copy said computer file further comprises computer readable program code to use the Small Computer System Interface-3 Extended Copy command.

9. The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising:

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to receive a host computer file;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to map said host computer file to one or more first constituent blocks;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to receive a modified host computer file;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to map said modified computer file to one or more second constituent blocks;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to compare each of said one or more first constituent blocks to each of said one or more second constituent blocks; and

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to record in said backup cache meta-data describing each of said one or more second constituent blocks that differs from each of said one or more first constituent blocks.