FILE MANAGEMENT IN THIN PROVISIONING STORAGE ENVIRONMENTS

• US 20160048532A1
• Filed: 08/14/2014
• Published: 02/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Islam, Shah M. R., Olson, John T., Patil, Sandeep R., Shiraguppi, Riyazahamad M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,881,018 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/172 Caching, prefetching or hoarding of files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems

Abstract

A computing environment includes a home site and a cache site with nonhomogeneous thin-provisioned storage configurations. A file management system updates files stored at the cache site. Each updated file has an updated file size and a pre-update file size. When a resynchronization is needed between the cache site and the home site, for example due to an extended communication failure, the storage requirement changes for the updated files are calculated and a notification is sent to the home site. The notification identifies the updated files and the storage requirement changes. The home site sends a reply to the cache site. The reply identifies which files are approved for immediate processing. The cache site transfers resynchronization data for the approved files to the home site, and delays transferring resynchronization data for the unapproved files until subsequent replies from the home site indicate that the previously unapproved files are now approved.

Claims

1. A method for managing files in a computing environment, the computing environment including a home site and a cache site, the method comprising:

updating a plurality of files stored at the cache site, each of the plurality of updated files having an updated file size and a pre-update file size;

determining to perform a resynchronization of the plurality of files between the cache site and the home site, the home site having at least one thin-provisioned storage device, the home site and the cache site having non-homogeneous storage configurations;

calculating storage requirement changes for the plurality of updated files, the calculating based at least in part on comparing the updated file sizes to the pre-update file sizes;

sending a notification to the home site, the notification including the storage requirement changes;

receiving a reply from the home site in response to the notification, the reply identifying at least one approved file and at least one disapproved file from the plurality of updated files;

transferring first resynchronization data associated with the at least one approved file to the home site in response to the reply; and

delaying transferring second resynchronization data associated with the at least one disapproved file to the home site in response to the reply.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage requirement changes include a first file size change for a first updated file, wherein the notification includes an information table having a first entry for the first updated file, and wherein the first entry includes a file identifier for the first updated file and the first file size change.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least two of the plurality of files are stored in a first storage pool at the home site, wherein the storage requirement changes include a first storage pool usage change for the first storage pool, wherein the notification includes an information table having a first entry for the first storage pool, and wherein the first entry includes a storage pool identifier for the first storage pool and the first storage pool usage change.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the reply includes a file identifier for each of the at least one approved files.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the cache site and the home site communicate over a wide area network as part of a cloud storage system, and wherein the determining to perform the resynchronization is in response to a failure of the wide area network.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, after the receiving the reply, at least one subsequent reply from the home site in response to the notification; and

transferring the second resynchronization data to the home site in response to the at least one subsequent reply.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the cache site has a second at least one thin-provisioned storage device, and wherein the second at least one thin-provisioned storage device raises a capacity threshold warning during the updating the plurality of files.

8. A computer program product for managing files in a computing environment, the computing environment including a home site and a cache site, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processor to perform a method comprising:

updating a plurality of files stored at the cache site, each of the plurality of updated files having an updated file size and a pre-update file size;

determining to perform a resynchronization of the plurality of files between the cache site and the home site, the home site having at least one thin-provisioned storage device, the home site and the cache site having non-homogeneous storage configurations;

calculating storage requirement changes for the plurality of updated files, the calculating based at least in part on comparing the updated file sizes to the pre-update file sizes;

sending a notification to the home site, the notification including the storage requirement changes;

receiving a reply from the home site in response to the notification, the reply identifying at least one approved file and at least one disapproved file from the plurality of updated files;

transferring first resynchronization data associated with the at least one approved file to the home site in response to the reply; and

delaying transferring second resynchronization data associated with the at least one disapproved file to the home site in response to the reply.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the storage requirement changes include a first file size change for a first updated file, wherein the notification includes an information table having a first entry for the first updated file, and wherein the first entry includes a file identifier for the first updated file and the first file size change.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein at least two of the plurality of files are stored in a first storage pool at the home site, wherein the storage requirement changes include a first storage pool usage change for the first storage pool, wherein the notification includes an information table having a first entry for the first storage pool, and wherein the first entry includes a storage pool identifier for the first storage pool and the first storage pool usage change.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the reply includes a file identifier for each of the at least one disapproved files.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the cache site and the home site communicate over a wide area network as part of a cloud storage system, and wherein the determining to perform the resynchronization is in response to a failure of the wide area network.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, after the receiving the reply, at least one subsequent reply from the home site in response to the notification; and

transferring the second resynchronization data to the home site in response to the at least one subsequent reply.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the cache site has a second at least one thin-provisioned storage device, and wherein the second at least one thin-provisioned storage device raises a capacity threshold warning during the updating the plurality of files.

15. A computer system for managing files in a computing environment, the computing environment including a home site and a cache site, the computer system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor in communication with the memory, wherein the computer system is configured to perform a method, the method comprising;

updating a plurality of files stored at the cache site, each of the plurality of updated files having an updated file size and a pre-update file size;

determining to perform a resynchronization of the plurality of files between the cache site and the home site, the home site having at least one thin-provisioned storage device, the home site and the cache site having non-homogeneous storage configurations;

calculating storage requirement changes for the plurality of updated files, the calculating based at least in part on comparing the updated file sizes to the pre-update file sizes;

sending a notification to the home site, the notification including the storage requirement changes;

receiving a reply from the home site in response to the notification, the reply identifying at least one approved file and at least one disapproved file from the plurality of updated files;

transferring first resynchronization data associated with the at least one approved file to the home site in response to the reply; and

delaying transferring second resynchronization data associated with the at least one disapproved file to the home site in response to the reply.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the storage requirement changes include a first file size change for a first updated file, wherein the notification includes an information table having a first entry for the first updated file, and wherein the first entry includes a file identifier for the first updated file and the first file size change.

17. The computer system of claim 15, wherein at least two of the plurality of files are stored in a first storage pool at the home site, wherein the storage requirement changes include a first storage pool usage change for the first storage pool, wherein the notification includes an information table having a first entry for the first storage pool, and wherein the first entry includes a storage pool identifier for the first storage pool and the first storage pool usage change.

18. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the reply includes a file identifier for each of the at least one approved files.

19. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the cache site and the home site communicate over a wide area network as part of a cloud storage system, and wherein the determining to perform the resynchronization is in response to a failure of the wide area network.

20. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving, after the receiving the reply, at least one subsequent reply from the home site in response to the notification; and

transferring the second resynchronization data to the home site in response to the at least one subsequent reply.