Intelligent device and media server selection for optimized backup image duplication

• US 8,095,684 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2009
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veritas Technologies, LLC (Whitehouse Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Symantec Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: Stryker, Donald J., Rudolph, Claudia L., Didwania, Rakesh, Paladugu, Shanthi
• Primary Examiner(s): NAWAZ, ASAD M
• Application Number:
  US12/559,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20110066754A1
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 709223-248, 709203-205, 709217-219
• US Class Current: 709/241
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media are disclosed for a computer system determining a transport path for a data duplication job. A data duplication job request, being a request that data stored on a source device be duplicated, may be received. A plurality of possible transport path components may be enumerated. The plurality of possible transport path components may include one or more possible destination devices, one or more possible means of transport, and one or more possible media servers. A ranking may be determined for at least a subset of the possible transport path components. An availability may be determined for at least a subset of the possible transport path components. A transport path may be selected based on the determined rankings and the determined availabilities. The data duplication job may be performed using the selected transport path.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising program instructions for selecting a transport path for a data duplication job, wherein the program instructions are executable by a computer system to:

receive a data duplication job request, wherein the data duplication job request comprises a request that data stored on a source device be duplicated for backup;

enumerate a plurality of possible transport path components, wherein the plurality of possible transport path components comprise two or more possible destination devices, one or more possible means of transport, and one or more possible media servers;

determine a ranking for at least a subset of the possible transport path components;

determine an availability for at least a subset of the possible transport path components;

select a transport path based on the determined rankings and the determined availabilities, wherein the program instructions executable to select the transport path are executable to;

select a first transport path that utilizes the highest ranked means of transport, in response to determining that a highest ranked means of transport is available; and

put the data duplication job into a queue or select a second transport path, in response to determining that the highest ranked means of transport is not available;

wherein the data duplication job is performed using the selected transport path.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein said program instructions executable to select the transport path are executable to:

determine that the highest ranked means of transport is not available;

determine, based on characteristics of the data duplication job and runtime characteristics of the possible transport path components, whether to put the data duplication job into the queue or to select the second transport path.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein said program instructions executable to select the transport path are executable to:

determine that the highest ranked means of transport is not available;

select the second transport path in response to determining that the highest ranked means of transport is not available, wherein the second transport path utilizes a highest ranked available means of transport.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein said program instructions executable to select the transport path are executable to:

determine that the highest ranked means of transport is not available;

place the data duplication job into the queue in response to determining that the highest ranked means of transport is not available,

periodically check whether the highest ranked means of transport is available;

if said periodically checking indicates that the highest ranked means of transport is available, select a first transport path that utilizes the highest ranked means of transport;

if the highest ranked means of transport is not available after a preconfigured amount of time has passed, select a second transport path that utilizes a highest ranked available means of transport.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the selected transport path comprises a selected destination device, a selected means of transport, and a selected one or more media servers, wherein the first destination device is coupled to the source device by the first means of transport and the first one or more media servers.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the ranking for each respective possible transport path component is based on the runtime loading and performance capability of the respective possible transport path component.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1,

wherein the possible means of transport comprise one or more of:

shared memory transport;

device direct copy transport;

fibre channel transport;

LAN transport;

or

WAN transport.

8. A method for selecting a transport path for a data duplication job, the method comprising:

using a computer to perform;

receiving a data duplication job request, wherein the data duplication job request comprises a request that data stored on a source device be duplicated for backup;

automatically enumerating a plurality of possible transport path components, wherein the plurality of possible transport path components comprise two or more possible destination devices, one or more possible means of transport, and one or more possible media servers;

automatically determining a ranking for at least a subset of the possible transport path components;

automatically determining an availability for at least a subset of the possible transport path components;

automatically selecting a transport path based on the determined rankings and the determined availabilities, comprising;

selecting a first transport path that utilizes the highest ranked means of transport, in response to determining that a highest ranked means of transport is available; and

putting the data duplication job into a queue or select a second transport path, in response to determining that the highest ranked means of transport is not available;

wherein the data duplication job is performed using the selected transport path.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said automatically selecting the transport path comprises:

if the highest ranked means of transport is available;

automatically selecting a first transport path that utilizes the highest ranked means of transport;

if the highest ranked means of transport is not available;

automatically deciding, based on characteristics of the data duplication job and runtime characteristics of the possible transport path components, whether to put the data duplication job into the queue or to select the second transport path;

if it is decided to select the second transport path;

automatically selecting the second transport path, wherein the second transport path utilizes a highest ranked available means of transport.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising, if it is decided to put the data duplication job into the queue:

putting the data duplication job into the queue;

periodically checking whether the highest ranked means of transport is available;

if said periodically checking indicates that the highest ranked means of transport is available, automatically selecting a third transport path that utilizes the highest ranked means of transport;

if the highest ranked means of transport is not available after a preconfigured amount of time has passed, automatically selecting a fourth transport path that utilizes a highest ranked available means of transport.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the selected transport path comprises a selected destination device, a selected means of transport, and a selected one or more media servers, wherein the first destination device is coupled to the source device by the first means of transport and the first one or more media servers.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the ranking for each respective possible transport path component is based on the runtime loading and performance capability of the respective possible transport path component.

13. The method of claim 8,

wherein the possible means of transport comprise one or more of:

shared memory transport;

device direct copy transport;

fibre channel transport;

LAN transport;

or

WAN transport.

14. A computer system, comprising:

one or more processors;

a computer-readable storage medium coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the computer-readable storage medium comprises program instructions for selecting a transport path for a data duplication job, wherein the program instructions are executable by the one or more processors to;

receive a data duplication job request, wherein the data duplication job request comprises a request that data stored on a source device be duplicated for backup;

enumerate a plurality of possible transport path components, wherein the plurality of possible transport path components comprise two or more possible destination devices, one or more possible means of transport, and one or more possible media servers;

determine a ranking for at least a subset of the possible transport path components;

determine an availability for at least a subset of the possible transport path components;

select a transport path based on the determined rankings and the determined availabilities, wherein the program instructions executable to select the transport path are executable to;

select a first transport path that utilizes the highest ranked means of transport, in response to determining that a highest ranked means of transport is available; and

put the data duplication job into a queue or select a second transport path, in response to determining that the highest ranked means of transport is not available;

wherein the data duplication job is performed using the selected transport path.

15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein said program instructions executable to select the transport path are executable to:

if a highest ranked means of transport is available;

select a first transport path that utilizes the highest ranked means of transport;

if the highest ranked means of transport is not available;

decide, based on characteristics of the data duplication job and runtime characteristics of the possible transport path components, whether to put the data duplication job into the queue or to select the second transport path;

if it is decided to select the second transport path;

select the second transport path, wherein the second transport path utilizes a highest ranked available means of transport.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein said program instructions are further executable to, if it is decided to put the data duplication job into the queue:

put the data duplication job into the queue;

periodically check whether the highest ranked means of transport is available;

if said periodically checking indicates that the highest ranked means of transport is available, select a third transport path that utilizes the highest ranked means of transport;

if the highest ranked means of transport is not available after a preconfigured amount of time has passed, select a fourth transport path that utilizes a highest ranked available means of transport.

17. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the selected transport path comprises a selected destination device, a selected means of transport, and a selected one or more media servers, wherein the first destination device is coupled to the source device by the first means of transport and the first one or more media servers.

18. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the ranking for each respective possible transport path component is based on the runtime loading and performance capability of the respective possible transport path component.

19. The computer system of claim 14,

wherein the possible means of transport comprise one or more of:

shared memory transport;

device direct copy transport;

fibre channel transport;

LAN transport;

or

WAN transport.