Replicating data objects within a storage network

• US 8,862,542 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2010
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Darcy, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Kerzhner, Aleksandr
• Application Number:
  US12/872,022
• Publication Number:
  US 20120054155A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,505 Days
• Field of Search: 707/634, 707/999.204
• US Class Current: 707/623
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2094 Redundant storage or storage space G06F11/2056 takes precedence

Abstract

Embodiments relate to systems and methods for dynamically replicating data from a primary resource to a secondary resource within a storage network. In particular, a user can select parameters that specify a policy framework. A policy management module can determine one or more attributes associated with resources of the storage network, and enter the one or more attributes into the policy framework to determine a replication policy. The one or more attributes can be determined at any point before or during a replication. The policy management module can then replicate the data according to the replication policy.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining, by a processing device of a replication system, a policy framework comprising a plurality of parameters to replicate a data object on a storage network, wherein the parameters comprise characteristics defining at least one of where, when, or how the data object is replicated on the storage network;

generating a replication policy in view of the policy framework, wherein the parameters of the policy framework are updated in view of changes to values corresponding to resources of the storage network that are associated with the parameters;

determining, by the replication system subsequent to the generating of the replication policy, attributes of the storage network to which the replication policy applies in view of the parameters of the policy framework, wherein the attributes comprise a specification of a property of at least one of the data object or the resources of the storage network;

detecting a change in one of the attributes;

generating a new parameter of the policy framework in view of the change in the detected attribute of the storage network; and

entering the generated new parameter into the policy framework.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

replicating the data object from a first resource to a second resource according to the replication policy.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein at least one of the first resource or the second resource is instantiated in a cloud-based network.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the second resource is determined in view of a detected storage network attribute that has been entered into the policy framework as a generated parameter.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the policy framework is received via a user interface.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein one of the attributes corresponds to at least one of the first resource, the second resource, or the data object.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the property of the attributes comprises at least one of a data type, data size, data name, location, security attribute, or data owner.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a notification indicating the replication policy; and

providing the notification to a user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the policy framework comprises a variable.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein one of the attributes is a value for the variable.

11. A system, comprising:

a memory; and

a processing device communicably coupled with the memory, the processing device to;

determine a policy framework comprising a plurality of parameters to replicate a data object on a storage network, wherein the parameters comprise characteristics defining at least one of where, when, or how the data object is replicated on the storage network;

generate a replication policy in view of the policy framework, wherein the parameters of the policy framework are updated in view of changes to values corresponding to resources of the storage network that are associated with the parameters;

determine, subsequent to the generating of the replication policy, attributes of the storage network to which the replication policy applies in view of the parameters of the policy framework, wherein the attributes comprise a specification of a property of at least one of the data object or the resources of the storage network;

detect a change in one of the attributes;

generate a new parameter of the policy framework in view of the change in the detected attribute of the storage network; and

enter the generated new parameter into the policy framework.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the processing device further to replicate the data object from a first resource to a second resource according to the replication policy.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein at least one of the first resource or the second resource is instantiated in a cloud-based network.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the second resource is determined in view of a detected storage network attribute that has been entered into the policy framework as a generated parameter.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the policy framework is received via a user interface.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein one of the attributes corresponds to at least one of the first resource, the second resource, or the data object.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the property of the attributes comprises at least one of a data type, data size, data name, location, security attribute, or data owner.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the processing device further to:

generate a notification indicating the replication policy; and

provide the notification to a user.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the policy framework comprises a variable.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein one of the attributes is a value for the variable.

21. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having instructions recorded thereon that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:

determining, by the processing device of a replication system, a policy framework comprising a plurality of parameters to replicate a data object on a storage network, wherein the parameters comprise characteristics defining at least one of where, when, or how the data object is replicated on the storage network;

generating a replication policy in view of the policy framework, wherein the parameters of the policy framework are updated in view of changes to values corresponding to resources of the storage network that are associated with the parameters;

determining, by the replication system subsequent to the generating of the replication policy, attributes of the storage network to which the replication policy applies in view of the parameters of the policy framework, wherein the attributes comprise a specification of a property of at least one of the data object or the resources of the storage network;

detecting a change in one of the attributes;

generating a new parameter of the policy framework in view of the change in the detected attribute of the storage network; and

entering the generated new parameter into the policy framework.

22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the operations further comprise replicating the data object from a first resource to a second resource according to the replication policy, wherein at least one of the first resource or the second resource is instantiated in a cloud-based network.

23. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the property of the attributes comprises at least one of a data type, data size, data name, location, security attribute, or data owner.

24. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein one of the attributes corresponds to at least one of the first resource, the second resource, or the data object.

25. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the second resource is determined in view of a detected storage network attribute that has been entered into the policy framework as a generated parameter.