Unified management of sync and async replication for block and file objects

• US 9,330,155 B1
• Filed: 09/30/2013
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Bono, Jean-Pierre, Tummala, Himabindu, Natanzon, Assaf
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Khanh
• Application Number:
  US14/041,238
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1787 Details of non-transparently synchronising file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/184 implemented as replicated file system

Abstract

A technique for managing synchronous replication and asynchronous replication of both block-based objects and file-based objects employs a common replication session manager configured from a common GUI application. The replication session manager can access different settings for different data objects (e.g., LUNs, file systems, block-based vVOLs (virtual volumes), file-based vVOLs, VMDKs, etc.), with replication settings maintained on a per-data-object basis. The replication session manager can also orchestrate synchronous and/or asynchronous replication sessions, failover, and/or recovery, for any given data object in accordance with the particular data-object-specific settings established for that object.

Claims

1. A method of managing replication in a data storage system, comprising:

storing, in the data storage system, a file that provides a realization of a host file system;

establishing settings for performing (i) synchronous replication of the host file system and (ii) asynchronous replication on the host file system;

mapping the file that provides the realization of the host file system to a logical volume;

operating, by a replication session manager, a synchronous replication session on the host file system, including, in response to receiving an IO request specifying data to be written to the host file system, (i) expressing the IO request as a block-based request specifying data to be written to the logical volume, (ii) storing the data specified in the block-based request at a synchronous replication site in accordance with the established settings for performing synchronous replication on the host file system, and (iii) processing the block-based request to effect a write operation on the file that provides the realization of the host file system;

operating, by the replication session manager, an asynchronous replication session on the host file system in accordance with the established settings for performing asynchronous replication on the host file system;

storing, in the data storage system, a second file that provides a realization of a LUN;

mapping the second file to a second logical volume representing the LUN;

establishing settings for performing synchronous replication of the LUN; and

operating, by the replication session manager, a synchronous replication session on the LUN, including, in response to receiving an IO request specifying data to be written to the LUN, (i) expressing the IO request as a second block-based request specifying data to be written to the second logical volume, (ii) storing the data specified in the second block-based request at a synchronous replication site for the LUN in accordance with the established settings for performing synchronous replication on the LUN, and (iii) processing the second block-based request to effect a write operation on the second file that provides the realization of the LUN.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing settings for performing asynchronous replication on the LUN; and

operating, by the replication session manager, an asynchronous replication session on the LUN in accordance with the established settings for performing asynchronous replication on the LUN.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

storing, in the data storage system, a third file that provides a realization of a vVOL;

establishing settings for performing (i) synchronous replication of the vVOL and (ii) asynchronous replication on the vVOL;

mapping the third file to a third logical volume;

operating, by the replication session manager, a synchronous replication session on the vVOL, including in response to receiving an IO request specifying data to be written to the vVOL, (i) expressing the IO request as a third block-based request specifying data to be written to the third logical volume, (ii) storing the data specified in the third block-based request at a synchronous replication site for the vVOL in accordance with the established settings for performing synchronous replication on the vVOL, and (iii) processing the third block-based request to effect a write operation on the third file that provides the realization of the vVOL; and

operating, by the replication session manager, an asynchronous replication session on the vVOL in accordance with the established settings for performing asynchronous replication on the vVOL.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein storing, for the host file system, the data specified in the block-based request at a synchronous replication site in accordance with the established settings for performing synchronous replication on the host file system includes:

receiving the block-based request by a replication splitter;

sending, by the replication splitter, the block-based request to a replication appliance specified in the settings for performing synchronous replication on the host file system; and

receiving an acknowledgement from the replication appliance that the data specified in the block-based request have been persisted.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein storing, for the LUN, the data specified in the second block-based request at a synchronous replication site in accordance with the established settings for performing synchronous replication on the LUN includes:

receiving the second block-based request by the replication splitter;

sending, by the replication splitter, the second block-based request to a replication appliance specified for the LUN in the settings for performing synchronous replication on the LUN; and

receiving an acknowledgement from the replication appliance specified for the LUN that the data specified in the second block-based request have been persisted.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein operating, by the replication session manager, the asynchronous replication session on the host file system in accordance with the established settings for performing asynchronous replication on the host file system includes:

taking a first snap of the file that provides the realization of the host file system at a first time;

taking a second snap of the file that provides the realization of the host file system at a second time;

identifying a difference between the first snap and the second snap, and

sending the difference to an asynchronous replication site specified in the settings established for performing asynchronous replication on the host file system.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein operating, by the replication session manager, the asynchronous replication session on the LUN in accordance with the established settings for performing asynchronous replication on the LUN includes:

taking a first snap of the second file that provides the realization of the LUN at a first time;

taking a second snap of the second file that provides the realization of the LUN at a second time;

identifying a difference between the first snap of the second file and the second snap of the second file, and

sending the difference to an asynchronous replication site specified in the settings established for performing asynchronous replication on the LUN.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein operating, by the replication session manager, the asynchronous replication session on the host file system in accordance with the established settings for performing asynchronous replication on the host file system includes, in response to receiving IO requests specifying data to be written to the host file system:

expressing the IO requests as respective block-based requests specifying data to be written to the logical volume;

receiving the block-based requests by a replication splitter;

sending, by the replication splitter, the block-based requests to a replication appliance specified for the host file system in the settings for performing asynchronous replication on the host file system; and

receiving a message from the replication appliance specified for the host file system that the data specified in the block-based requests have been asynchronously persisted at an asynchronous replication site.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein operating, by the replication session manager, the asynchronous replication session on the LUN in accordance with the established settings for performing asynchronous replication on the LUN includes, in response to receiving second 10 requests specifying data to be written to the LUN:

expressing the second IO requests as respective second block-based requests specifying data to be written to the logical volume;

receiving the second block-based requests by the replication splitter;

sending, by the replication splitter, the second block-based requests to a replication appliance specified for the LUN in the settings for performing asynchronous replication on the LUN; and

receiving a message from the replication appliance specified for the LUN that the data specified in the second block-based requests have been asynchronously persisted at an asynchronous replication site for the LUN.

10. The method of claim 2,

wherein establishing settings for performing synchronous and asynchronous replication on the file system and on the LUN includes receiving user inputs for establishing the settings in a GUI (graphical user interface) application that provides an entry point to the replication session manager, and

wherein the GUI application accepts user input for managing a range of operations of the data storage system, including managing replication, configuring pools, configuring block-based objects and configuring file-based objects.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein establishing settings for performing synchronous and asynchronous replication on the file system and on the LUN is performed automatically and without user input for establishing the settings.

12. A data storage apparatus, comprising a set of processing units and memory, the memory coupled to the set of processing units, the set of processing units and the memory together forming a controller constructed and arranged to:

store, in the data storage system, a file that provides a realization of a host file system;

establish settings for performing synchronous replication of the host file system;

establish settings for performing asynchronous replication on the host file system;

map the file that provides the realization of the host file system to a logical volume;

operate, by a replication session manager, a synchronous replication session on the host file system, including in response to receipt of an IO request specifying data to be written to the host file system, (i) expressing the IO request as a block-based request specifying data to be written to the logical volume, (ii) storing the data specified in the block-based request at a synchronous replication site in accordance with the established settings for performing synchronous replication on the host file system, and (iii) processing the block-based request to effect a write operation on the file that provides the realization of the host file system;

operate, by the replication session manager, an asynchronous replication session on the host file system in accordance with the established settings for performing asynchronous replication on the host file system

store, in the data storage system, a second file that provides a realization of a LUN;

map the second file to a second logical volume representing the LUN;

establish settings for performing synchronous replication of the LUN; and

operate, by the replication session manager, a synchronous replication session on the LUN, including, in response to receipt of an IO request specifying data to be written to the LUN, (i) expressing the IO request as a second block-based request specifying data to be written to the second logical volume, (ii) storing the data specified in the second block-based request at a synchronous replication site for the LUN in accordance with the established settings for performing synchronous replication on the LUN, and (iii) processing the second block-based request to effect a write operation on the file that provides the realization of the LUN.

13. The data storage apparatus of claim 12, wherein the controller is further constructed and arranged to:

establish settings for performing asynchronous replication on the LUN; and

operating, by the replication session manager, an asynchronous replication session on the LUN in accordance with the established settings for performing asynchronous replication on the LUN.

14. The data storage apparatus of claim 13,

wherein, when constructed and arranged to operate, by the replication session manager, the asynchronous replication session on the host file system in accordance with the established settings of for performing asynchronous replication on the host file system, the controller is further constructed and arranged to, in response to receiving 10 requests specifying data to be written to the host file system:

express the IO requests as respective block-based requests specifying data to be written to the logical volume;

receive the block-based requests by a replication splitter;

send, by the replication splitter, the block-based requests to a replication appliance specified for the host file system in the settings for performing asynchronous replication on the host file system; and

receive a message from the replication appliance specified for the host file system that the data specified in the block-based requests have been asynchronously persisted at an asynchronous replication site,

and

wherein, when constructed and arranged to operate, by the replication session manager, the asynchronous replication session on the LUN in accordance with the established settings for performing asynchronous replication on the LUN, the controller is further constructed and arranged to, in response to receiving IO requests specifying data to be written to the LUN;

express the IO requests as respective second block-based requests specifying data to be written to the logical volume;

receive the second block-based requests by the replication splitter;

send, by the replication splitter, the second block-based requests to a replication appliance specified for the LUN in the settings for performing asynchronous replication on the LUN; and

receive a message from the replication appliance specified for the LUN that the data specified in the second block-based requests have been asynchronously persisted at an asynchronous replication site for the LUN.

15. A computer program product having a non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions which, when executed by a controller of a data storage apparatus, cause the controller to perform a method of managing replication in a data storage system, the method comprising:

storing, in the data storage system, a file that provides a realization of a host file system;

establishing settings for performing (i) synchronous replication of the host file system and (ii) asynchronous replication on the host file system;

mapping the file that provides the realization of the host file system to a logical volume;

operating, by a replication session manager, a synchronous replication session on the host file system, including, in response to receiving an IO request specifying data to be written to the host file system, (i) expressing the IO request as a block-based request specifying data to be written to the logical volume, (ii) storing the data specified in the block-based request at a synchronous replication site in accordance with the established settings for performing synchronous replication on the host file system, and (iii) processing the block-based request to effect a write operation on the file that provides the realization of the host file system;

operating, by the replication session manager, an asynchronous replication session on the host file system in accordance with the established settings for performing asynchronous replication on the host file system;

storing, in the data storage system, a second file that provides a realization of a LUN;

mapping the second file to a second logical volume representing the LUN;

establishing settings for performing synchronous replication of the LUN; and

operating, by the replication session manager, a synchronous replication session on the LUN, including, in response to receiving an IO request specifying data to be written to the LUN, (i) expressing the IO request as a second block-based request specifying data to be written to the second logical volume, (ii) storing the data specified in the second block-based request at a synchronous replication site for the LUN in accordance with the established settings for performing synchronous replication on the LUN, and (iii) processing the IO request to effect a write operation on the second file that provides the realization of the LUN.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

establishing settings for performing asynchronous replication on the LUN; and

operating, by the replication session manager, an asynchronous replication session on the LUN in accordance with the established settings for performing asynchronous replication on the LUN.

17. The computer program product of claim 16,

wherein establishing settings for performing synchronous and asynchronous replication on the file system and on the LUN includes receiving user inputs for establishing the settings in a GUI (graphical user interface) application that provides an entry point to the replication session manager, and

wherein the GUI application accepts user input for managing a range of operations of the data storage system, including managing replication, configuring pools, configuring block-based objects and configuring file-based objects.

18. A method of managing replication in a data storage system, comprising:

storing, in the data storage system, (i) a first file that provides a realization of a host file system and (ii) a second file that provides a realization of a LUN;

establishing settings for (i) performing synchronous replication of the host file system, (ii) performing synchronous replication of the LUN, and (iii) performing asynchronous replication at least one of the host file system and the LUN;

mapping (i) the first file to a first logical volume and (ii) the second file to a second logical volume;

operating, by a replication session manager, a synchronous replication session on the host file system, including, in response to receiving an IO request specifying data to be written to the host file system, (i) expressing the IO request as a block-based request specifying data to be written to the first logical volume, (ii) storing the data specified in the block-based request at a synchronous replication site in accordance with the established settings for performing synchronous replication on the host file system, and (iii) processing the block-based request to effect a write operation on the first file;

operating, by the replication session manager, a synchronous replication session on the LUN, including, in response to receiving an IO request specifying data to be written to the LUN, (i) expressing the IO request as a second block-based request specifying data to be written to the second logical volume, (ii) storing the data specified in the second block-based request at a synchronous replication site for the LUN in accordance with the established settings for performing synchronous replication on the LUN, and (iii) processing the second block-based request to effect a write operation on the second file; and

operating, by the replication session manager, an asynchronous replication session on at least one of the host file system and the LUN in accordance with the established settings for performing asynchronous replication on said host file system and/or LUN.