Consolidated processing of storage-array commands using a forwarder media agent in conjunction with a snapshot-control media agent

• US 10,891,197 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2018
• Issued: 01/12/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Nallathambi, Vimal Kumar, Tambe, Unmil Vinay
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoang, Hau H
• Application Number:
  US16/023,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20180373602A1
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/00 Error detection; Error correction; Monitoring error detection, correction or monitoring in information storage based on relative movement between record carrier and transducer G11B20/18; monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing G11B27/36; in static stores G11C29/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2074 Asynchronous techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2082 Data synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3034 where the computing system component is a storage system, e.g. DASD based or network based digital input from or digital output to record carriers G06F3/06; digital recording or reproducing G11B20/18; for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3409 for performance assessment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/84 Using snapshots, i.e. a logical point-in-time copy of the data

Abstract

The illustrative systems and methods consolidate storage-array command channels into a media agent that executes outside the production environment. A “snapshot-control media agent” (“snap-MA”) is configured on a secondary storage computing device that operates apart from client computing devices. A “forwarder” media agent operates on each client computing device that uses the storage array, yet lacks command channels to the storage array. Likewise, a “forwarder” proxy media agent may operate without command channels to the storage array. No third-party libraries or storage-array-command devices are installed or needed on the host computing device. The forwarder media agent forwards any commands directed at the storage array to the snap-MA on the secondary storage computing device. The snap-MA receives and processes commands directed at the storage array that were forwarded by the forwarder media agents. Responses from the storage array are transmitted to the respective forwarder media agent. The snap-MA advantageously pools any number of storage-array-command devices so that capacity limitations in regard to communications channels at the storage array may be avoided. As a result, the snap-MA operating in conjunction with the forwarder media agents enable the illustrative system to consolidate the communication of storage-array commands away from client computing devices and/or proxy media agent hosts and into the secondary storage computing device that hosts the snap-MA.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a first media agent executing on a first computing device, a command instructing a storage array to perform a snapshot-related operation within the storage array,

wherein an application that executes on the first computing device reads and writes primary data residing on the storage array, and

wherein the command is received by the first media agent from at least one of;

a storage manager, and a data agent associated with the application;

forwarding the command by the first media agent to a snapshot-control media agent that executes on a second computing device, wherein the snapshot-control media agent is configured with a command device for directly communicating the command to the storage array;

wherein the first media agent on the first computing device is configured without a command device for directly communicating the command to the storage array;

executing, by the storage array, the snapshot-related operation in response to the command received via the command device configured on the snapshot-control media agent;

receiving, by the first media agent from the snapshot-control media agent, a response from the storage array based on the snapshot-related operation within the storage array; and

wherein by being configured without a command device and by forwarding the command to the snapshot-control media agent, the first media agent protects the first computing device from directly communicating the command to the storage array.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the command instructing the storage array and received by the first media agent requests the storage array to take a snapshot of a volume on the storage array.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the command instructing the storage array and received by the first media agent requests the storage array to take a snapshot of a volume on the storage array, wherein the volume stores at least part of the primary data that the application reads and writes.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the command instructing the storage array and received by the first media agent does not comprise the primary data that the application reads and writes.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the command directed at the storage array is issued to the first media agent by the storage manager before being forwarded by the first media agent to the snapshot-control media agent.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the command instructing the storage array is issued to the first media agent by the data agent on the first computing device before being forwarded by the first media agent to the snapshot-control media agent.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the command instructing the storage array is received by the first media agent from at least one of:

the data agent, which executes on the first computing device, and the storage manager, which executes on a third computing device distinct from the first computing device.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the command instructing the storage array is part of a storage management operation for protecting the primary data that the application reads and writes, and

wherein the first media agent and the data agent associated with the application perform the storage management operation.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the command instructing the storage array is part of a storage management operation for protecting the primary data that the application reads and writes, and

wherein the storage management operation is managed by a third computing device executing the storage manager, which communicates with the data agent and with the first media agent.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the command instructing the storage array is part of a storage management operation for protecting the primary data that the application reads and writes, and

wherein the storage management operation is managed by a third computing device executing the storage manager, which instructs the data agent and the first media agent to perform the storage management operation.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the second computing device executing the snapshot-control media agent is configured with third-party libraries for directly communicating commands, including the command, to the storage array;

and

wherein the first computing device executing the first media agent is configured without third-party libraries for directly communicating commands, including the command, to the storage array.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the first computing device is one of a plurality of first computing devices each executing a respective application, a data agent associated with the respective application, and a respective first media agent, and further wherein each first computing device is configured without command devices for directly communicating commands to the storage array;

and

wherein the snapshot-control media agent is configured to consolidate communications of commands originating from the first media agents and directed at the storage array.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a first computing device, cause the first computing device to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by a first media agent executing on the first computing device, a command that instructs a storage array to perform a snapshot-related operation within the storage array,

wherein an application that executes on the first computing device reads and writes primary data residing on the storage array, and

wherein the command is received by the first media agent from at least one of;

a storage manager, and a data agent associated with the application;

forwarding the command by the first media agent to a snapshot-control media agent that executes on a second computing device, wherein the snapshot-control media agent is configured with a command device for directly communicating the command to the storage array;

wherein the first media agent on the first computing device is configured without a command device for directly communicating the command to the storage array;

receiving, by the first media agent from the snapshot-control media agent, a response from the storage array based on the snapshot-related operation within the storage array; and

wherein by being configured without a command device and by forwarding the command to the snapshot-control media agent, the first media agent protects the first computing device from directly communicating the command to the storage array.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein the command instructing the storage array and received by the first media agent requests the storage array to take a snapshot of a volume on the storage array, wherein the volume stores at least part of the primary data that the application reads and writes;

and

further wherein the command instructing the storage array and received by the first media agent does not comprise the primary data that the application reads and writes.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein the command instructing the storage array is received by the first media agent from at least one of:

the data agent, which executes on the first computing device, and the storage manager, which executes on a third computing device distinct from the first computing device.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein the command instructing the storage array is part of a storage management operation for protecting the primary data that the application reads and writes, and

wherein the first media agent and the data agent associated with the application perform the storage management operation as managed by the storage manager.

17. A method for forwarding commands directed at a storage array from a proxy media agent to a snapshot-control media agent, the method comprising:

receiving, by a proxy media agent executing on a first computing device, a command instructing the storage array to perform a snapshot-related operation within the storage array,

wherein an application that executes on a third computing device reads and writes primary data residing on the storage array, and

wherein the command is received by the proxy media agent from at least one of;

a storage manager, and a data agent associated with the application;

forwarding the command, by the proxy media agent to a snapshot-control media agent which executes on a second computing device,

wherein the snapshot-control media agent is configured with a command device for directly communicating the command to the storage array;

wherein the proxy media agent on the first computing device is configured without a command device for directly communicating the command to the storage array;

executing, by the storage array, the snapshot-related operation in response to the command received via the command device configured on the snapshot-control media agent;

receiving, by the proxy media agent from the snapshot-control media agent, a response from the storage array based on the snapshot-related operation within the storage array; and

wherein by being configured without a command device and by forwarding the command to the snapshot-control media agent, the proxy media agent protects the first computing device from directly communicating the command to the storage array.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the second computing device executing the snapshot-control media agent is configured with third-party libraries for directly communicating commands, including the command, to the storage array;

and

wherein the first computing device executing the proxy media agent is configured without third-party libraries for directly communicating commands, including the command, to the storage array.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the command instructing the storage array is issued to the proxy media agent by one of:

the storage manager, and the data agent associated with the application.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the first computing device is one of a plurality of first computing devices each executing a respective proxy media agent, and further wherein each first computing device is configured without command devices for directly communicating commands to the storage array;

and

wherein the snapshot-control media agent is configured to consolidate communications of commands originating from the proxy media agents and directed at the storage array.