Double-allocation data-replication system

• US 20070061529A1
• Filed: 09/12/2005
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Thompson, John, Eastman, Justin
• Granted Patent: US 7,941,620 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1435 using file system or storage system metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2087 with a common controller

Abstract

A data-allocation data-replication system includes a controller adapted to respond to back-up requests from host systems by first allocating an accumulated data set containing multiple source data sets. An index data set is then allocated incorporating index keys and other information helpful to restore the source data sets, such as locations of individual source data sets within the accumulated data set.

Claims

1. A data replication system, comprising:

a data storage medium having a source data set; and

a processor adapted to allocate an accumulated data set and an index data set, to copy the source data set to the accumulated data set, to calculate index information corresponding to the source data set copied to the accumulated data set, and to write the index information to the index data set.

2. The data replication system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further adapted to calculate header information corresponding to the source data set that has been copied to the accumulated data set and to write the header information to the accumulated data set.

3. The data replication system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further adapted to calculate and index key corresponding to the source data set that has been copied to the accumulated data set and to write the index key to the index data set.

4. The data replication system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further adapted to transmit the accumulated data set and the index data set to a host computer.

5. A method of replicating data, comprising the steps of:

creating an accumulated data set;

copying a source data set to the accumulated data set;

calculating index information corresponding to the source data set copied to the accumulated data set;

creating an index data set; and

copying the index information to the index data set.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the index information includes an index key.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the index information includes information useful to restore the source data set from the accumulated data set.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of calculating header information associated with the source data set copied to the accumulated data set and writing the header information to the accumulated data set.

9. An article of manufacture including a data storage medium, said data storage medium including a set of machine-readable instructions that are executable by a processing device to implement an algorithm, said algorithm comprising the steps of:

creating an accumulated data set;

copying a source data set to the accumulated data set;

calculating index information corresponding to the source data set copied to the accumulated data set;

creating an index data set; and

copying the index information to the index data set.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 9, wherein the index information includes an index key.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 9, wherein the index information includes information useful to restore the source data set from the accumulated data set.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 9, further comprising the steps of calculating header information associated with the source data set copied to the accumulated data set and writing the header information to the accumulated data set.

13. A method of providing a service for replicating data, comprising integrating computer-readable code into a computing system, wherein the computer-readable code in combination with the computing system is capable of performing the following steps:

creating an accumulated data set;

copying a source data set to the accumulated data set;

calculating index information corresponding to the source data set copied to the accumulated data set;

creating an index data set; and

copying the index information to the index data set.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the index information includes an index key.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the index information includes information useful to restore the source data set from the accumulated data set.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of calculating header information associated with the source data set copied to the accumulated data set and writing the header information to the accumulated data set.