Version-controlling storage volume snapshots

• US 10,489,216 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2016
• Issued: 11/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bryant, Jay S., Carey, James E., Hill, Zachary A., Nelson, Kendall J., Palm, Lucas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dwivedi, Mahesh H
• Application Number:
  US15/358,401
• Publication Number:
  US 20180143883A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1438 Restarting or rejuvenating
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/84 Using snapshots, i.e. a logical point-in-time copy of the data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5077 Logical partitioning of resources; Management or configuration of virtualized resources specific details on emulation or internal functioning of virtual machines G06F9/455

Abstract

A snapshot of data is generated by receiving a plurality of respective file system information sets from a corresponding plurality of virtual machines. Each of the plurality of virtual machines includes one or more storage volumes configured for receiving and storing data to thereby provide stored data. Each of the plurality of respective file information sets comprises file system information for the stored data. A first snapshot is created that includes the file system information for all of the virtual machines of the plurality of virtual machines.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for generating a snapshot of data, the method comprising:

receiving, at a processor running a version control process at a computer, a plurality of respective file system information sets from a corresponding plurality of virtual machines, each of the plurality of virtual machines including one or more storage volumes configured for receiving and storing data to thereby provide stored data, and each of the plurality of respective file information sets comprising file system information for the stored data, the file system information being version controlled to provide a version-controlled file system for the stored data at the computer, said processor running said version control process tracking one or more changes to one or more files at a file system level in the version-controlled file system;

creating, by the processor running the version control process, a first version-controlled snapshot of the version-controlled file system that includes the file system information for all of the virtual machines of the plurality of virtual machines,

creating one or more additional snapshots of the version-controlled file system using versioning control, the additional snapshots reflecting changes to the file system information subsequent to the creation of the first snapshot;

configuring a cloud controller to send an indication to the one or more storage volumes when the first version-controlled snapshot should be taken, and configuring the cloud controller to send the indication when the one or more additional snapshots should be taken;

configuring a node as a snapshot controller for ensconcing all version controlled data from the first version-controlled snapshot and the one or more additional snapshots into the one or more storage volumes; and

pushing the stored version controlled data to the snapshot controller in response to the cloud controller sending the indication, or in response to the one or more storage volumes receiving the indication,

wherein a bandwidth required to send the version controlled data is less than the bandwidth required to create a full snapshot of the one or more storage volumes enabling storage of multiple volume snapshots while avoiding any limit imposed with regards to a maximum number of snapshots that can be created.

2. A computer program product for generating a snapshot of data, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having a computer-readable program stored therein, wherein the computer-readable program, when executed on a computing device including at least one processor running a version control process, causes the at least one processor to:

receive a plurality of respective file system information sets from a corresponding plurality of virtual machines, each of the plurality of virtual machines including one or more storage volumes configured for receiving and storing data to thereby provide stored data, and each of the plurality of respective file information sets comprising file system information for the stored data, the file system information being version controlled to provide a version-controlled file system for the stored data at the computer, said processor running said version control process tracking one or more changes to one or more files at a file system level in the version-controlled file system;

create a first version-controlled snapshot of the version-controlled file system that includes the file system information for all of the virtual machines of the plurality of virtual machines,

create one or more additional snapshots of the version-controlled file system using versioning control, the additional snapshots reflecting changes to the file system information subsequent to the creation of the first snapshot;

wherein the computer-readable program causes the at least one processor to cause a cloud controller to;

send an indication to the one or more storage volumes when the first version-controlled snapshot should be taken, and configuring the cloud controller to send the indication when the one or more additional snapshots should be taken;

configure a node as a snapshot controller for ensconcing all version controlled data from the first version-controlled snapshot and the one or more additional snapshots into the one or more storage volumes; and

push the stored version controlled data to the snapshot controller in response to the cloud controller sending the indication, or in response to the one or more storage volumes receiving the indication,

wherein a bandwidth required to send the version controlled data is less than the bandwidth required to create a full snapshot of the one or more storage volumes enabling storage of multiple volume snapshots while avoiding any limit imposed with regards to a maximum number of snapshots that can be created.

3. An apparatus for generating a snapshot of data, the apparatus comprising a computing device including at least one processor running a version control process and a memory coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

receive a plurality of respective file system information sets from a corresponding plurality of virtual machines, each of the plurality of virtual machines including one or more storage volumes configured for receiving and storing data to thereby provide stored data, and each of the plurality of respective file information sets comprising file system information for the stored data, the file system information being version controlled to provide a version-controlled file system for the stored data at the computer, said processor running said version control process tracking one or more changes to one or more files at a file system level in the version-controlled file system;

create a first version-controlled snapshot of the version-controlled file system that includes the file system information for all of the virtual machines of the plurality of virtual machines,

create one or more additional snapshots of the version-controlled file system using versioning control, the additional snapshots reflecting changes to the file system information subsequent to the creation of the first snapshot;

cause a cloud controller to send an indication to the one or more storage volumes when the first version-controlled snapshot should be taken, and configuring the cloud controller to send the indication when the one or more additional snapshots should be taken;

configure a node as a snapshot controller for ensconcing all version controlled data from the first version-controlled snapshot and the one or more additional snapshots into the one or more storage volumes; and

push the stored version controlled data to the snapshot controller in response to the cloud controller sending the indication, or in response to the one or more storage volumes receiving the indication,

wherein a bandwidth required to send the version controlled data is less than the bandwidth required to create a full snapshot of the one or more storage volumes enabling storage of multiple volume snapshots while avoiding any limit imposed with regards to a maximum number of snapshots that can be created.