Filesystem snapshot enhancement to improve system performance

• US 7,774,316 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2005
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Breau, Robert, Mark, Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): MIZRAHI, DIANE D
• Application Number:
  US11/292,095
• Publication Number:
  US 20070130228A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,712 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707100-1041, 707200-206
• US Class Current: 707/652
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1448 Management of the data involved in backup or backup restore
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1466 to make the backup process non-disruptive
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/84 Using snapshots, i.e. a logical point-in-time copy of the data

Abstract

Reducing copy on write activity during snapshot backup processing in computer system. A snap shot of the data is created. As the backup of each file is successfully completed, the copy-on-write functionality for the file is disabled. As the backup of each other file is successfully completed, the copy-on-write for each other file is disabled.

Claims

1. A method comprising;

initiating a back up of a plurality of data blocks in a storage device;

generating a snapshot of metadata corresponding to the plurality of data blocks;

enabling a copy-on-write functionality for the plurality of data blocks;

initiating the backup for a first data block from the plurality of data blocks;

disabling the copy-on-write functionality for the first data block in response to the first data block being backed up while the copy-on-write functionally is maintained for the plurality of data blocks;

backing up additional data blocks from the plurality of data blocks; and

disabling the copy-on-write functionality for individual data blocks from the additional data blocks as soon as the individual data blocks are backed up.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising prior to initiating the backup for the first data block, determining a priority backup order for backing up the plurality of data blocks.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the priority backup order comprises identifying a range of data within a data block to be backed-up and disabling the copy-on-write functionality for only the range of data within the data block.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising;

segregating the first data block into one or more ranges of bytes of data;

backing up a range from the first data block;

disabling the copy-on-write functionality for the range when the backup of the range is complete;

backing up a next range and disabling the copy-on-write functionality for the next range when the back-up of the next range is complete until all ranges in the first data block are backed up.

5. A method of managing data in a data storage system comprising;

creating a snapshot of a plurality of data blocks in a data storage system as of a predetermined point in time and storing the snapshot in a memory;

identifying a priority order for the plurality of data blocks in the data storage system;

enabling a copy-on-write functionality for the plurality of data blocks;

initiating a data backup process of the data storage system in accordance with the priority order;

disabling the copy-on-write functionality for an individual data block of the plurality of data blocks in response to completion of the data backup process for the individual data block; and

generating a backup of the plurality of data blocks in the data storage system.

6. A computer program product comprising:

a computer useable program storage device having computer readable code means embodied therein for causing a computer to reduce copy on write activity during snapshot backup processing, the computer readable code means in the computer program product comprising;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to create a snapshot of a file system, the file system comprising a plurality of data files;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to enable a copy-on-write function for the plurality of data files;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to initiate a backup for the plurality of data files, the backup comprising;

backing up a first data file;

disabling the copy-on-write functionality for the first data file after the backup of the first data file is complete;

backing up a second data file;

disabling the copy-on-write functionality for the second data file once backup of the second data file is complete; and

continue individually backing up and disabling the copy-on-write functionality for additional data files in the plurality of data files.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, further comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to disable the copy-on-write functionality for a range of bytes within an individual data file once the backup of the range of bytes of the individual data file is complete.

8. The computer program product of claim 6, further comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to determine a priority order for the plurality of data files to be backed up, the priority order comprising a most active file to a least active file, and backing up the data beginning with the most active file.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing stored instructions that when executed by a machine cause the machine to perform a method, the method comprising:

initiating a back up of a plurality of data blocks in a storage device;

generating a snapshot of metadata corresponding to the plurality of data blocks;

enabling a copy-on-write functionality for the plurality of data blocks;

initiating the backup for a first data block from the plurality of data blocks;

disabling the copy-on-write functionality for the first data block in response to the first data block being backed up while the copy-on-write functionally is maintained for the plurality of data blocks;

backing up additional data blocks from the plurality of data blocks; and

disabling the copy-on-write functionality for individual data blocks from the additional data blocks as soon as the individual data blocks are backed up.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing stored instructions that when executed by a machine cause the machine to perform a method, the method comprising:

creating a snapshot of a plurality of data blocks in a data storage system as of a predetermined point in time and storing the snapshot in a memory;

identifying a priority order for the plurality of data blocks in the data storage system;

enabling a copy-on-write functionality for the plurality of data blocks;

initiating a data backup process of the data storage system in accordance with the priority;

disabling the copy-on-write functionality for an individual data block of the plurality of data blocks in response to completion of the data backup process for the individual data block; and

generating a backup of the plurality of data blocks in the data storage system.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing stored instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method, the method comprising:

causing the computer to reduce copy on write activity during snapshot backup processing, comprising;

causing the computer to create a snapshot of a file system, the file system comprising a plurality of data files;

causing the computer to enable a copy-on-write function for the plurality of data files;

causing the computer to initiate a backup for the plurality of data files, the backup comprising;

backing up a first data file;

disabling the copy-on-write functionality for the first data file after the backup of the first data file is complete;

backing up a second data file;

disabling the copy-on-write functionality for the second data file once backup of the second data file is complete; and

continue individually backing up and disabling the copy-on-write functionality for additional data files in the plurality of data files.