Method for managing data access requests utilizing storage meta data processing

• US 7,818,309 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2007
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LinkedIn Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Browne, Michael E., Wightwick, Glenn R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong; Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lie; Angela M
• Application Number:
  US11/854,002
• Publication Number:
  US 20070299809A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/705, 707/706, 707/707, 707/781, 707/783, 709/219, 712/237, 712/238, 712/220
• US Class Current: 707/705
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2453 Query optimisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24552 Database cache management

Abstract

A method and system are provided for managing requests to access data in a computer environment. In one aspect of the present invention, a request manager receives a request associated with meta data corresponding to data that is maintained separately from the meta data. In another aspect, the request manager informs a data object manager of an anticipated request that will be received by the data object manager to enable it to prepare for the anticipated request. The data object manager commences preparing for the anticipated request in response to being informed of the anticipated request to facilitate a reduction in data access time. In one example of a computing environment utilizing one or more aspects of the invention, a storage subsystem comprising a data object manager prepares for the anticipated request by pre-fetching data blocks from storage media into a cache.

Claims

1. A method of managing requests in a computer environment, said method comprising:

providing a computer environment, comprising a data storage subsystem, with functionality for;

receiving by a request manager of the computer environment, via a request management network, an access permission request from a requester, the access permission request associated with meta data, said meta data corresponding to data maintained separately from the meta data by a data object manager of the data storage subsystem of the computer environment, the request manager determining, responsive to receipt of the access permission request, whether to grant the requester subsequent access to the data through the data object manager, and generating an access permission request response to be sent to the requester across the request management network responsive to the determining by the request manager;

responsive to determining to grant the requester access to the data in response to the access permission request, automatically informing by the request manager, via a private network, the data object manager of a data request to be subsequently received by the data object manager from the requester via a data network in response to granting of the access permission request, to enable the data object manager to prepare for the data request, wherein the data request to be subsequently received by the data object manager is at least partially ascertainable from the meta data associated with the access permission request received by the request manager; and

wherein the data object manager prepares for the data request to be received across the data network by adjusting utilization of a cache of the data storage subsystem of the computer environment based on information derived from the meta data associated with the access permission request by the request manager before the data request is received at the data object manager from the requester.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data object manager prepares for the data request by at least one of pre-fetching into the cache data required by the data request, thereby reducing data access latency, or moving data from the cache to a disk of the data storage subsystem, thereby facilitating receipt of data at the cache.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said preparing comprises managing contents of the cache in the data storage subsystem, wherein the data object manager prepares for the data request by noting that data associated with the data request is not to be cached.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data object manager prepares for the data request by managing the requester'"'"'s access to the data.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, by the request manager, the access permission request response to the requester in response to the access permission request substantially simultaneously with said informing; and

thereafter receiving, by the data object manager, the data request from the requester, wherein said preparing by the data object manager begins before the receiving by the data object manager.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said pre-fetching comprises pre-fetching one or more data blocks from one or more storage media of the data storage subsystem whereby the data blocks are stored in the cache, the data blocks comprising at least some of the data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the preparing by the data object manager comprises releasing storage locations of the cache, whereby the storage locations become available for storing other data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the request manager automatically informs, via the private network, the data object manager of the data request substantially concurrently with sending, via the request management network, the access permission request response to the requester.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the private network is a distinct, external, communications network between the request manager and the data object manager, separate from the request management network and the data network.

10. A computer program product for managing requests in a computer environment, the computer program product comprising:

a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising;

receiving by a request manager of the computer environment, via a request management network, an access permission request from a requester, the access permission request associated with meta data, said meta data corresponding to data maintained separately from the meta data by a data object manager of the data storage subsystem of the computer environment, the request manager determining, responsive to receipt of the access permission request, whether to grant the requester subsequent access to the data through the data object manager, and generating an access permission request response to be sent to the requester across the request management network responsive to the determining by the request manager;

responsive to determining to grant the requester access to the data in response to the access permission request, automatically informing by the request manager, via a private network, the data object manager of a data request to be subsequently received by the data object manager from the requester via a data network in response to granting of the access permission request, to enable the data object manager to prepare for the data request, wherein the data request to be subsequently received by the data object manager is at least partially ascertainable from the meta data associated with the access permission request received by the request manager; and

wherein the data object manager prepares for the data request to be received across the data network by adjusting utilization of a cache of the data storage subsystem of the computer environment based on information derived from the meta data associated with the access permission request by the request manager before the data request is received at the data object manager from the requester.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the data object manager prepares for the data request by at least one of pre-fetching into the cache data required by the data request, thereby reducing data access latency, or moving data from the cache to a disk of the data storage subsystem, thereby facilitating receipt of data at the cache.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein said preparing comprises managing contents of the cache in the data storage subsystem, wherein the data object manager prepares for the data request by noting that data associated with the data request is not to be cached.

13. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the data object manager prepares for the data request by managing the requester'"'"'s access to the data.

14. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising:

sending, by the request manager, the access permission request response to the requester in response to the access permission request substantially simultaneously with said informing; and

thereafter receiving, by the data object manager, the data request from the requester, wherein said preparing by the data object manager begins before the receiving by the data object manager.

15. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the request manager automatically informs, via the private network, the data object manager of the data request substantially concurrently with sending, via the request management network, the access permission request response to the requester.

16. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the private network is a distinct, external communications network between the request manager and the data object manager, separate from the request management network and the data network.

17. A computer system for managing requests in a computer environment, the computer system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor in communications with the memory, wherein the computer system is configured to perform a method, the method comprising;

receiving by a request manager of the computer environment, via a request management network, an access permission request from a requester, the access permission request associated with meta data, said meta data corresponding to data maintained separately from the meta data by a data object manager of a data storage subsystem of the computer environment, the request manager determining, responsive to receipt of the access permission request, whether to grant the requester subsequent access to the data through the data object manager, and generating an access permission request response to be sent to the requester across the request management network responsive to the determining by the request manager;

responsive to determining to grant the requester access to the data in response to the access permission request, automatically informing by the request manager, via a private network, the data object manager of a data request to be subsequently received by the data object manager from the requester via a data network in response to the access permission request, to enable the data object manager to prepare for the data request, wherein the data request to be subsequently received by the data object manager is at least partially ascertainable from the meta data associated with the access permission request received by the request manager; and

wherein the data object manager prepares for the data request to be received across the data network by adjusting utilization of a cache of the data storage subsystem of the computer environment based on information derived from the meta data associated with the access permission request by the request manager before the data request is received at the data object manager from the requester.

18. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the data object manager prepares for the data request by at least one of pre-fetching into the cache data required by the data request, thereby reducing data access latency, or moving data from the cache to a disk of the data storage subsystem, thereby facilitating receipt of data at the cache.

19. The computer system of claim 17, wherein said preparing comprises managing contents of the cache in the data storage subsystem, wherein the data object manager prepares for the data request by noting that data associated with the data request is not to be cached.

20. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the request manager automatically informs, via the private network, the data object manager of the data request substantially concurrently with sending, via the request management network, the access permission request response to the requester.