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

• US 20020133512A1
• Filed: 08/27/2001
• 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: Johnson, Jennifer, Eskenberry, Robert P., West, Christopher J., Hostetter, David G., Milillo, Michael S.
• Granted Patent: US 6,643,671 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 include in one embodiment first and second remote copy trios, each with source, target, and secondary volumes. Source volumes store initial data files, execute write commands to generate updated data files, and generate records of the write commands. Target volumes receive copies of the initial data files and the write command records, and transmit the copies of the initial data files and data indicated by the write command records to secondary volumes. Secondary volumes store the copies of the initial data files and the data indicated by the write command records, which are available for use in generating copies of the updated data files. The target volumes transmit to the secondary volumes in series relative to each other so that consistency is maintained at all times across the source volumes.

Claims

1. A system for synchronizing a data copy comprising:

a first remote copy trio; and

a second remote copy trio, the first and second trios each comprising a source storage volume, a target storage volume associated with the source storage volume, and a secondary storage volume associated with the target storage volume,

each source volume for storing an initial data file, executing a plurality of write commands from a host to generate an updated data file, and generating a record of the write commands,

each target volume for receiving a copy of the initial data file and a copy of the write command record from the associated source volume, and transmitting the copy of the initial data file and data indicated by the write command record to the associated secondary volume, and

each secondary volume for storing the copy of the initial data file and the data indicated by the write command record received from the associated target volume, wherein the copy of the initial data file and the data indicated by write command record stored on the secondary volume are available for use in generating a copy of the updated data file, and wherein the target volumes transmit to the associated secondary volumes in series relative to each other so that consistency is maintained at all times across the source volumes.

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

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

4. The system of claim 1 wherein associated target and secondary volumes together comprise an established peer-to-peer remote copy pair.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the record of the plurality of write commands comprises a bitmap.

6. A system for synchronizing a data copy comprising:

a first remote copy trio; and

a second remote copy trio, the first and second trios each comprising a source storage volume, a target storage volume associated with the source storage volume, and a secondary storage volume associated with the target storage volume,

each source volume for storing an initial data file, executing a plurality of write commands from a host to generate an updated data file, and generating a record of the write commands,

each target volume for receiving a copy of the initial data file and a copy of the write command record from the associated source volume, and transmitting the copy of the initial data file and data indicated by the write command record to the associated secondary volume, and

each secondary volume for storing the copy of the initial data file and the data indicated by the write command record received from the associated target volume, wherein the copy of the initial data file and the data indicated by write command record stored on the secondary volume are available for use in generating a copy of the updated data file, and wherein the target volumes transmit to the associated secondary volumes in parallel relative to each other so that consistency across the source volumes is achieved when all target volumes have completed transmitting to the associated secondary volumes.

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

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

9. The system of claim 6 wherein associated target and secondary volumes together comprise an established peer-to-peer remote copy pair.

10. The system of claim 6 wherein the record of the plurality of write commands comprises a bitmap.

11. A method for synchronizing a data copy comprising:

providing a first remote copy trio; and

providing a second remote copy trio, the first and second trios each comprising a source storage volume, a target storage volume associated with the source storage volume, and a secondary storage volume associated with the target storage volume,

each source volume for storing an initial data file, executing a plurality of write commands from a host to generate an updated data file, and generating a record of the write commands,

each target volume for receiving a copy of the initial data file and a copy of the write command record from the associated source volume, and transmitting the copy of the initial data file and data indicated by the write command record to the associated secondary volume, and

each secondary volume for storing the copy of the initial data file and the data indicated by the write command record received from the associated target volume, wherein the copy of the initial data file and the data indicated by write command record stored on the secondary volume are available for use in generating a copy of the updated data file, and wherein the target volumes transmit to the associated secondary volumes in series relative to each other so that consistency is maintained at all times across the source volumes.

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

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

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

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the record of the plurality of write commands comprises a bitmap.

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

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

19. The method of claim 16 wherein associated target and secondary volumes together comprise an established peer-to-peer remote copy pair.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the record of the plurality of write commands comprises a bitmap.

16. A method for synchronizing a data copy comprising:

providing a first remote copy trio; and

providing a second remote copy trio, the first and second trios each comprising a source storage volume, a target storage volume associated with the source storage volume, and a secondary storage volume associated with the target storage volume,

each source volume for storing a data file, executing a plurality of write commands from a host to generate an updated data file, and generating a record of the write commands,

each target volume for receiving a copy of the data file and a copy of the write command record from the associated source volume, and transmitting the copy of the data file and data indicated by the write command record to the associated secondary volume, and

each secondary volume for storing a copy of the data file and the data indicated by the write command record received from the associated target volume, wherein the copy of the data file and the data indicated by write command record stored on the secondary volume are available for use in generating a copy of the updated data file, and wherein the target volumes transmit to the associated secondary volumes in parallel relative to each other so that consistency across the source volumes is achieved when all target volumes have completed transmitting to the associated secondary volumes.

21. A system for synchronizing a data copy comprising:

a source storage volume for storing an initial data file, executing a write command from a host to generate an updated data file, and generating a record of the write command;

a target storage volume for receiving a copy of the initial data file and a copy of the write command record from the source volume; and

a secondary volume for storing a copy of the initial data file;

the target volume further for transmitting the copy of the initial data file to the secondary volume, and transmitting data indicated by the write command record to the secondary volume so that consistency is maintained at all times for the source volume, and the secondary volume further for receiving and storing the data indicated by the write command record, wherein the copy of the initial data file and the data indicated by write command record stored on the secondary volume are available for use in generating a copy of the updated data file.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the source, target and secondary volumes each comprise a magnetic tape.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein the source, target and secondary volumes each comprise a magnetic disk.

24. The system of claim 21 wherein the target and secondary volumes together comprise an established peer-to-peer remote copy pair.

25. The system of claim 21 wherein the record of the series of write commands comprises a bitmap.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the source, target and secondary volumes each comprise a magnetic tape.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the source, target and secondary volumes each comprise a magnetic disk.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein the target and secondary volumes together comprise an established peer-to-peer remote copy pair.

30. The method of claim 26 wherein the record of the series o write commands comprises a bitmap.

26. A method for synchronizing a data copy comprising:

providing a source storage volume for storing an initial data file, executing a write command from a host to generate an updated data file, and generating a record of the write command;

providing a target storage volume for receiving a copy of the initial data file and a copy of the write command record from the source volume; and

providing a secondary volume for storing a copy of the initial data file;

the target volume further for transmitting the copy of the initial data file to the secondary volume, and transmitting data indicated by the write command record to the secondary volume so that consistency is maintained at all times for the source volume, and the secondary volume further for receiving and storing the data indicated by the write command record, wherein the copy of the initial data file and the data indicated by write command record stored on the secondary volume are available for use in generating a copy of the updated data file.