Error tracking method and system

• US 8,347,151 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2011
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dawson, Colin S., Hattrup, Glen, Martin, Howard N., Morton, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRUONG, LOAN
• Application Number:
  US13/053,013
• Publication Number:
  US 20110231368A1
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 714/54, 714/42, 714/6.1
• US Class Current: 714/54
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments

Abstract

Data storage services are provided for clients for backup of data objects from the clients. A data object is sent to a first location in a first storage device. A determination is made if the data object was successfully stored at the first location, and if so, meta data corresponding with the data object is stored, wherein the meta data includes first path information on a first data path of the data object to the first location. The data object is migrated from the first location to a second location in a second storage device. A determination is made if the data object was successfully stored at the second location, and if so, second path information on a second data path of the data object is added to the second location to the meta data corresponding with the data object, to update the meta data.

Claims

1. A machine readable storage device comprising at least one of a magnetic storage device and an electronic memory device having machine-readable instructions executed by a server, in communication with a plurality of clients, a first storage device, and a second storage device, to perform operations, the operations comprising:

providing data storage services for the clients for backup of data objects from the clients;

sending a data object to a first location in the first storage device;

determining if the data object was successfully stored at the first location, and if so, storing meta data corresponding with the data object, wherein the meta data includes first path information on a first data path of the data object from a source location to the first location;

migrating the data object from the first location to a second location in the second storage device;

determining if the data object was successfully stored at the second location, and if so, adding second path information on a second data path of the data object from the first location to the second location to the meta data corresponding with the data object, to update the meta data;

detecting that the data object is corrupted;

analyzing error logs for the first and the second storage devices at the first and the second locations included in the meta data corresponding with the data object;

identifying the first storage device and the second storage device included in the meta data corresponding with the data object that indicate an error in their error log; and

using information on the determined first and the second storage devices having the error in their error logs to determine whether the data object or at least one of the first and the second storage devices are corrupted.

2. The machine readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the server provides data storage services for the clients at the first and the second storage devices in a storage area network.

3. The machine readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the first and the second storage devices comprise different storage media, and wherein the data object is migrated to the second location by migrating the data object to tape.

5. The machine readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the meta data indicates a data path to track the storage devices and hardware paths through which a data object passes while being stored at the first and the second locations.

6. The machine readable storage device of claim 5, wherein the meta data further tracks a time at which the data object was located at the first and the second locations.

4. A machine readable storage device comprising at least one of a magnetic storage device and an electronic memory device having machine-readable instructions executed by a server, in communication with a plurality of clients, a first storage device, and a second storage device, to perform operations, the operations comprising:

providing data storage services for the clients for backup of data objects from the clients;

sending a data object to a first location in the first storage device;

determining if the data object was successfully stored at the first location, and if so, storing meta data corresponding with the data object, wherein the meta data includes first path information on a first data path of the data object from a source location to the first location, wherein the first path information includes a first source identifier, a first destination identifier, and a second destination identifier;

migrating the data object from the first location to a second location in the second storage device;

determining if the data object was successfully stored at the second location, and if so, adding second path information on a second data path of the data object from the first location to the second location to the meta data corresponding with the data object, to update the meta data;

sending the data object from the first location to a third location;

determining if the data object was successfully stored at the third location, and if so, updating the meta data on a third data path of the data object from the first location to the third location;

detecting that the data object is corrupted after storing first path information and second path information in the meta data corresponding with the data object;

determining storage devices, including the first and the second storage devices, at the first, second, and third locations indicated in the meta data for the data object whose error logs include an error; and

using information on the determined storage devices having the error in their error logs to determine whether the data object or at least one of the storage devices are corrupted.

7. A computing system in communication with a first storage device, a second storage device and a plurality of clients, comprising:

a machine readable storage medium, comprising at least one of a magnetic storage device and an electronic memory device, including computer instructions; and

a processing device coupled to the machine readable storage medium to execute the computer instructions to perform error tracking operations, the operations comprising;

providing data storage services for the clients for backup of data objects from the clients;

sending a data object to a first location in the first storage device;

determining if the data object was successfully stored at the first location, and if so, storing meta data corresponding with the data object, wherein the meta data includes first path information on a first data path of the data object from a source location to the first location;

migrating the data object from the first location to a second location in the second storage device;

determining if the data object was successfully stored at the second location, and if so, adding second path information on a second data path of the data object from the first location to the second location to the meta data corresponding with the data object, to update the meta data;

detecting that the data object is corrupted;

analyzing error logs for the first and the second devices at the first and the second locations included in the meta data corresponding with the data object;

identifying the first device and second device included in the meta data corresponding with the data object that indicate an error in their error log; and

using information on the determined first and the second storage devices having the error in their error logs to determine whether the data object or at least one of the devices are corrupted.

8. The computing system of claim 7, wherein the server provides data storage services for the clients at the storage devices in a storage area network.

9. The computing system of claim 7, wherein the first and the second storage devices comprise different storage media, and wherein the data object is migrated to the second location by migrating the data object to tape.

11. The computing system of claim 7, wherein the meta data indicates a data path to track the storage devices and hardware paths through which a data object passes while being stored at the first and the second locations.

12. The computing system of claim 11, wherein the meta data further tracks a time at which the data object was located at the first and the second locations.

10. A computing system in communication with a first storage device, a second storage device and a plurality of clients, comprising:

a machine readable storage medium, comprising at least one of a magnetic storage device and an electronic memory device, including computer instructions; and

a processing device coupled to the machine readable storage medium to execute the computer instructions to perform error tracking operations, the operations comprising;

providing data storage services for the clients for backup of data objects from the clients;

sending a data object to a first location in the first storage device;

determining if the data object was successfully stored at the first location, and if so, storing meta data corresponding with the data object, wherein the meta data includes first path information on a first data path of the data object from a source location to the first location, wherein the first path information includes a first source identifier, a first destination identifier, and a second destination identifier;

migrating the data object from the first location to a second location in the second storage device;

determining if the data object was successfully stored at the second location, and if so, adding second path information on a second data path of the data object from the first location to the second location to the meta data corresponding with the data object, to update the meta data;

sending the data object from the first location to a third location;

determining if the data object was successfully stored at the third location, and if so, updating the meta data on a third data path of the data object from the first location to the third location;

detecting that the data object is corrupted after storing first path information and second path information in the meta data corresponding with the data object;

determining storage devices, including the first and the second storage devices, at the first, second, and third locations indicated in the meta data for the data object whose error logs include an error; and

using information on the determined storage devices having the error in their error logs to determine whether the data object or at least one of the storage devices are corrupted.

13. A method for performing error checking operations, comprising:

providing data storage services for clients for backup of data objects from the clients;

sending a data object to a first location in a first storage device;

determining if the data object was successfully stored at the first location, and if so, storing meta data corresponding with the data object, wherein the meta data includes first path information on a first data path of the data object from a source location to the first location;

migrating the data object from the first location to a second location in a second storage device of the storage devices, wherein the first and the second storage devices comprise different storage media;

determining if the data object was successfully stored at the second location, and if so, adding second path information on a second data path of the data object from the first location to the second location to the meta data corresponding with the data object, to update the meta data;

detecting that the data object is corrupted;

analyzing error logs for all devices at the first and the second locations included in the meta data corresponding with the data object;

identifying the first and the second storage devices included in the meta data corresponding with the data object that indicate an error in their error log; and

using information on the determined first and the second devices having the error in their error logs to determine whether the data object or at least one of the first and the second storage devices are corrupted.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein data storage services are provided for the clients at the first and the second storage devices in a storage area network.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the first and the second storage devices comprise different storage media, and wherein the data object is migrated to the second location by migrating the data object to tape.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the meta data indicates a data path to track the first and the second storage devices and hardware paths through which a data object passes while being stored at the first and the second locations.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the meta data further tracks a time at which the data object was located at the first and second locations.

16. A method for performing error checking operations, comprising:

providing data storage services for clients for backup of data objects from the clients;

sending a data object to a first location in a first storage device;

determining if the data object was successfully stored at the first location, and if so, storing meta data corresponding with the data object, wherein the meta data includes first path information on a first data path of the data object from a source location to the first location;

migrating the data object from the first location to a second location in a second storage device of the storage devices, wherein the first and the second storage devices comprise different storage media;

determining if the data object was successfully stored at the second location, and if so, adding second path information on a second data path of the data object from the first location to the second location to the meta data corresponding with the data object, to update the meta data, wherein the first path information includes a first source identifier, a first destination identifier, and a second destination identifier;

sending the data object from the first location to a third location;

determining if the data object was successfully stored at the third location, and if so, updating the meta data on a third data path of the data object from the first location to the third location;

detecting that the data object is corrupted after storing first path information and second path information in the meta data corresponding with the data object;

determining storage devices, including the first and the second storage devices, at the first, second, and third locations indicated in the meta data for the data object whose error logs include an error; and

using information on the determined storage devices having the error in their error logs to determine whether the data object or at least one of the storage devices are corrupted.