Virtualization metadata promotion
First Claim
1. A method for storing digital data in a virtualization storage system having one or more using systems having virtual volume mappings, a storage subsystem, and one or more physical storage devices, the method comprising:
- a) creating a virtual storage volume;
b) communicating the location of the virtual storage volume to the storage subsystem;
c) identifying a mapping type between the virtual volume and at least one virtual volume-related physical device;
d) creating virtualization metadata describing the virtual volume, the mapping type, and the virtual volume-related physical device; and
e) associating at least a portion of the virtualization metadata with the virtual volume-related physical device;
f) providing at least a portion of the stored virtualization metadata to the using system; and
g) updating virtual volume information in the using system such that the using system responds to a request for specified data stored by allowing the using system to access the specified data that was originally requested by direct access to the at least one virtual volume related physical device if the storage subsystem is unable to identify the virtual volume-related physical device as a result of a failure of the virtual volume.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for storing digital data in a virtualization storage system which includes the step of creating a virtual storage volume and communicating the location of the virtual storage volume to a storage subsystem. The storage subsystem identifies a mapping type between the virtual volume and at least one virtual volume-related physical device and then creates virtualization metadata describing the virtual volume, the mapping type, and the virtual volume-related physical device. The storage subsystem mediates the storing of at least a portion of the virtualization metadata on the virtual volume-related physical device as device stored metadata. A portion of the stored virtualization metadata is provided to then one or more using systems which utilize this metadata to update the virtual volume information contained therein. A virtualization storage system implements one or more steps of the methods of the invention.
32 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for storing digital data in a virtualization storage system having one or more using systems having virtual volume mappings, a storage subsystem, and one or more physical storage devices, the method comprising:
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a) creating a virtual storage volume; b) communicating the location of the virtual storage volume to the storage subsystem; c) identifying a mapping type between the virtual volume and at least one virtual volume-related physical device; d) creating virtualization metadata describing the virtual volume, the mapping type, and the virtual volume-related physical device; and e) associating at least a portion of the virtualization metadata with the virtual volume-related physical device; f) providing at least a portion of the stored virtualization metadata to the using system; and g) updating virtual volume information in the using system such that the using system responds to a request for specified data stored by allowing the using system to access the specified data that was originally requested by direct access to the at least one virtual volume related physical device if the storage subsystem is unable to identify the virtual volume-related physical device as a result of a failure of the virtual volume. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A virtualization storage system comprising:
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one or more physical storage devices; a storage subsystem operable to; receive the location of a virtual storage volume to the storage subsystem; identify a mapping type between the virtual volume and a virtual volume-related physical device; create virtualization metadata describing the virtual volume, the mapping type, and the virtual volume-related physical device; store at least a portion of the virtualization metadata on the virtual volume-related physical device as device stored metadata; and provide the virtualization metadata to one or more using systems so that virtual volume information stored therein is updated allowing the using system to make subsequent direct access to the at least one virtual volume related physical device as a solution to the failure of a virtual volume. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for a using system to access, via a storage subsystem, data stored in a virtualized storage system having virtualization metadata to map a virtual storage volume to one or more physical storage devices, the method comprising:
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scanning the one or more physical storage devices for virtualization metadata relating to a requested virtual volume in response to the storage subsystem being unable to identify one or more physical storage devices from the virtualization metadata associated with a requested virtual volume identified by the storage subsystem in response to a request from the using system for data access; communicating an identifier for the physical storage device containing the virtualization metadata to the using system for subsequent direct access to the physical storage device by the using system. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification