Snapshot reset method and apparatus

• US 8,204,858 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2007
• Issued: 06/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dot Hill Systems Corporation (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Dot Hill Systems Corporation (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Wayda, James George, Lee, Kent, Vu, Ngoclan Thi, Rodriguez, Elizabeth G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lie, Angela
• Assistant Examiner(s): MINA, FATIMA P
• Application Number:
  US11/768,127
• Publication Number:
  US 20080320258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,821 Days
• Field of Search: 707/649, 707/639, 707/640
• US Class Current: 707/639
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1435 using file system or storage system metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1458 Management of the backup or restore process
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/84 Using snapshots, i.e. a logical point-in-time copy of the data

Abstract

A method, device, and system for resetting snapshots are provided. The reset of a snapshot incorporates the traditional snapshot delete and snapshot create operations into a single operation. Additionally, a snapshot created under the reset operation may receive an array partition from a snapshot being deleted under the same snapshot reset operation thereby retaining its identifying characteristics.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a command to reset a first snapshot of a master volume, wherein the first snapshot comprises a first array partition and first snapshot data, wherein the command to reset transfers the first array partition from the first snapshot to a second snapshot;

marking the first snapshot for reset;

after marking the first snapshot for reset, marking the first snapshot for deletion, wherein each of marking the first snapshot for reset and marking the first snapshot for deletion comprises one of setting or resetting a bit in a memory;

allowing access to the first snapshot data while the first snapshot is marked for reset;

disassociating the first array partition from the first snapshot;

associating the first array partition with second snapshot data of the master volume to create the second snapshot;

after the second snapshot has been associated with the first array partition, releasing the reset mark associated with the first snapshot;

deleting the first snapshot; and

updating the first array partition to reflect at least one characteristic of the master volume at a point-in-time associated with the second snapshot.

updating the first array partition to reflect at least one characteristic of the master volume at a point-in-time associated with the second snapshot.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second snapshot is a new snapshot created in response to receiving the reset command.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second snapshot is created with a corresponding snapshot data structure and without an array partition.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second snapshot is a snapshot that existed prior to receiving the reset command.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the age of the second snapshot to correspond to the point-in-time when the reset command was received.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second snapshot is assigned to at least one of the same global identifier, LUN, serial number, and zoning of the LUN that the first snapshot was previously assigned to.

7. A device for preserving an array partition while transferring a snapshot, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, coupled to the processor, comprising;

a snapshot reset application, configured to receive a command to reset a first snapshot of a master volume, in response to receiving the command to reset the first snapshot, transfer a first array partition from the first snapshot to a second snapshot, mark the first snapshot for reset, disassociate the first array partition from the first snapshot, associate the first array partition with second snapshot data of the master volume to create the second snapshot, and update the first array partition to reflect at least one characteristic of the master volume at a point-in-time associated with the second snapshot;

wherein the first snapshot comprises a first array partition and first snapshot data, wherein the device allows access to the first snapshot data while the first snapshot is marked for reset, wherein after the snapshot reset application marks the first snapshot for reset, the snapshot reset application marks the first snapshot for deletion, wherein each of the snapshot reset application marks the first snapshot for reset and the snapshot reset application marks the first snapshot for deletion comprises one of the snapshot reset application sets or resets a bit in the memory, wherein after the snapshot reset application associates the second snapshot with the first array partition, the snapshot reset application releases the reset mark associated with the first snapshot and deletes the first snapshot.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the second snapshot is a new snapshot created in response to the snapshot reset application receiving the reset command.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the snapshot reset application creates the second snapshot with a corresponding data structure and without an array partition.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein the second snapshot is a snapshot that existed prior to the snapshot reset application receiving the reset command.

11. The device of claim 7, wherein the snapshot reset application updates the age of the second snapshot to correspond to the point-in-time when the reset command was received.

12. The device of claim 7, wherein the snapshot reset application assigns the second snapshot to at least one of the same global identifier, LUN, serial number, and zoning of the LUN that the first snapshot was previously assigned to.