System and method for synchronizing a data copy using an accumulation remote copy trio

• US 20020133511A1
• Filed: 03/14/2001
• Published: 09/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Storage Technologies Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Milillo, Michael S., West, Chrisopher J., Eskenberry, Robert P., Hostetter, David G.
• Granted Patent: US 6,728,736 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2082 Data synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/967 Peer-to-peer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

A system and method for synchronizing a data copy that include a source volume having a data file stored thereon, the source volume for receiving write commands from a host, executing the write commands to generate an updated data file, and generating a record of the write commands. The system and method further include a secondary volume having a copy of the data file stored thereon, the secondary volume for receiving and storing data indicated by the write command record, wherein the copy of the data file and the data indicated by the write command record are available for use in generating a copy of the updated data file.

Claims

1. A system for synchronizing a data copy comprising:

a source storage volume having a data file stored thereon, the source volume for receiving a series of write commands from a host, executing the series of write commands to generate an updated data file, and generating a record of the series of write commands; and

a secondary storage volume having a copy of the data file stored thereon, the secondary volume for receiving and storing data indicated by the write command record, wherein the copy of the data file and the data indicated by write command record are available for use in generating a copy of the updated data file.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a target storage volume for receiving the copy of the data file and a copy of the write command record from the source volume, and transmitting the copy of the data file and the data indicated by the write command record to the secondary volume.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the source and secondary volumes each comprise a magnetic tape.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the source and secondary volumes each comprise a magnetic disk.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the target and secondary volumes together comprise an established pair in a peer-to-peer remote copy system.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein the source, target and secondary volumes each comprise a magnetic tape.

7. The system of claim 2 wherein the source, target and secondary volumes each comprise a magnetic disk.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the record of the series of write commands comprises a bitmap.

9. The system of claim 2 wherein the record of the series of write commands comprises a bitmap.

10. A method for synchronizing a data copy comprising:

storing a data file on a source storage volume;

receiving at the source volume a series of write commands from a host;

executing the series of write commands to generate an updated data file;

generating a record of the series of write commands;

storing a copy of the data file on a secondary storage volume;

receiving at the secondary volume data indicated by the write command record; and

storing the data indicated by the write command record on the secondary volume, wherein the copy of the data file and the data indicated by the write command record are available for use in generating a copy of the updated data file.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising receiving at a target storage volume the copy of the data file and a copy of the write command record from the source volume, and transmitting the copy of the data file and the data indicated by the write command record from the target volume to the secondary volume.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the source and secondary volumes each comprise a magnetic tape.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the source and secondary volumes each comprise a magnetic disk.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the target and secondary volumes together comprise an established pair in a peer-to-peer remote copy system.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the source, target and secondary volumes each comprise a magnetic tape.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the source, target and secondary volumes each comprise a magnetic disk.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein the record of the series of write commands comprises a bitmap.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the record of the series of write commands comprises a bitmap.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising providing a target storage volume for receiving the copy of the data file and a copy of the write command record from the source volume, and transmitting the copy of the data file and the data indicated by the write command record to the secondary storage volume.

19. A method for synchronizing a data copy comprising:

providing a source storage volume having a data file stored thereon, the source volume for receiving a series of write commands from a host, executing the series of write commands to generate an updated data file, and generating a record of the series of write commands; and

providing a secondary storage volume having a copy of the data file stored thereon, the secondary volume for receiving and storing data indicated by the write command record, wherein the copy of the data file and the data indicated by the write command record are available for use in generating a copy of the updated data file.