Data storage hierarchy with shared storage level

• US 5,239,647 A
• Filed: 09/07/1990
• Issued: 08/24/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Warren, Donald P., Anglin, Matthew J., Tevis, Gregory J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kulik, Paul V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOOMIS, JOHN C
• Application Number:
  US07/578,388
• Time in Patent Office: 1,082 Days
• Field of Search: 364/DIG. 1, 364/DIG. 2, 395/200, 395/600, 395/425, 395/725
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99956 File allocation

Abstract

A data storage hierarchy which inherently allows for a level 1 storage file to be uniquely identified across an entire network is disclosed. A directory naming convention is employed which includes an internal identifier and a name for each subdivision of the network. Because each file can be uniquely identified across the network, a single level 1 storage space in a file space, or a directory therein, can be used for the entire network. Also, because of the inherent uniqueness of the naming system, common DASD control files otherwise required to map between level 1 storage files and their level 0 source files can be eliminated.

Claims

1. A method for the storage management of a data storage hierarchy, the data storage hierarchy including a user interface, at least one level 0 peripheral storage device, a level 1 peripheral storage device, and a host processor coupled to the user interface and level 0 and level 1 peripheral storage devices, user interface permitting user specification of a first file having a first file name and of a second file having a second file name, said at least one level 0 peripheral storage device including storage space for a first file pool and a second file pool each under the control of one of a plurality of operating systems, each operating system assigned a different operating system identifier, the first file pool assigned a first file pool identifier unique to the one of a plurality of operating systems which controls the first file pool, the second file pool assigned a second file pool identifier unique to the one of a plurality of operating systems which controls the second file pool, the first file pool including the first file, the first file assigned a first file identifier unique to the first file pool and different than the first file name, the second file pool including the second file, the second file assigned a second file identifier unique to the second file pool and different then the second file name, the first file identifier identical to the second file identifier, the level 1 peripheral storage device including storage space for a shared file space thereon, the level 1 peripheral storage device having greater storage capacity and lower performance relative to said at least one level 0 peripheral storage device, the host processor coupled to the user interface and the level 0 and level 1 peripheral storage devices, the host processor having access to a first catalog storing management attributes for the first file, the first file identified in the first catalog by the first file identifier, the host processor also having access to a second catalog storing management attributes for the second file, the second file identified in the second catalog by the second file identifier, the method comprising the machine-executed steps of:

assigning storage management criteria to the first file and the second file and storing such in the first catalog and the second catalog respectively;

comparing the management criteria of the first and second files with the management attributes of the first and second files respectively;

if the step of comparing so determines, transferring the first file to the file space and assigning the first file a first unique name within the file space, the first unique name including the first file identifier, the first file pool identifier, and the operating system identifier for the one of a plurality of operating systems which controls the first file pool, or transferring the second file to the file space and assigning the second file a second unique name within the file space, the second unique name different than the first unique name and including the second file identifier, the second file pool identifier, and the operating system identifier for the one of a plurality of operating systems which controls the second file pool; and

updating the management attributes of the first and second files accordingly.

2. A data processing system for storage management in a data storage hierarchy including a user interface, at least one level 0 peripheral storage device, a level 1 peripheral storage device, and a host processor coupled to the user interface and level 0 and level 1 peripheral storage devices, the user interface permitting user specification of a first file having a first file name and of a second file having a second file name, said at least one level 0 peripheral storage device including storage space for a first file pool and a second file pool each under the control of one of a plurality of operating systems, each operating system assigned a different operating system identifier, the first file pool assigned a first file pool identifier unique to the one of a plurality of operating systems which controls the first file pool, the second file pool assigned a second file pool identifier unique to the one of a plurality of operating systems which controls the second file pool, the first file pool including the first file, the first file assigned a first file identifier unique to the first file pool and different than the first file name, the second file pool including the second file, the second file assigned a second file identifier unique to the second file pool and different than the second file name, the first file identifier identical to the second file identifier, the level 1 peripheral storage device including storage space for a shared file space thereon, the level 1 peripheral storage device having greater storage capacity and lower performance relative to said at least one level 0 peripheral storage device, the host processor coupled to the user interface and the level 0 and level 1 peripheral storage devices, the host processor having access to a first catalog storing management criteria and management attributes for the first file, the first file identified in the first catalog by the first file identifier, the host processor also having access to a second catalog storing management criteria and management attributes for the second file, the second file identified in the second catalog by the second file identifier, the data processing system comprising:

a data storage medium; and

storage management means coupled to the host processor for instructing the host processor to perform a machine-executed comparison of the management criteria of the first and second files with the management attributes of the first and second files respectively, and if the comparison so determines, to transfer the first file to the file space, and assign the first file a first unique name within the file space, the first unique name including the first file identifier, the first file pool identifier, and the operating system identifier for the one of a plurality of operating systems which controls the first file pool, to transfer the second file to the file space and assigning the second file a second unique name within the file space, the second unique name different than the first unique name and including the second file identifier, the second file pool identifier, and the operating system identifier for the one of a plurality of operating systems which controls the second file pool, and to update the management attributes of the first and second files accordingly.

3. A data storage hierarchy comprising:

a user interface permitting user specification of a first file having a first file name and of a second file having a second file name;

at least one level 0 peripheral storage device including storage space for a first file pool and a second file pool each under the control of one of a plurality of operating systems, each operating system assigned a different operating system identifier, the first file pool assigned a first file pool identifier unique to the one of a plurality of operating systems which controls the first file pool, the second file pool assigned a second file pool identifier unique to the one of a plurality of operating systems which controls the second file pool, the first file pool including the first file, the first file assigned a first file identifier unique to the first file pool and different than the first file name, the second file pool including the second file, the second file assigned a second file identifier unique to the second file pool and different than the second file name, the first file identifier identical to the second file identifier;

a level 1 peripheral storage device including storage space for a shared file thereon, the level 1 peripheral storage device having greater storage capacity and lower performance relative to said at least one level 0 peripheral storage device;

a host processor coupled to the user interface and the level 0 and level 1 peripheral storage devices, the host processor having access to a first catalog storing management criteria and management attributes for the first file, the first file identified in the first catalog by the first file identifier, the host processor also having access to a second catalog storing management criteria and management attributes for the second file, the second file identified in the second catalog by the second file identifier; and

storage management means coupled to the host processor for instructing the host processor to perform a machine-executed comparison of the management criteria of the first and second files with the management attributes of the first and second files respectively, and if the comparison so determines, to transfer the first file to the file space and assign the first file a first unique name within the file space, the first unique name including the first file identifier, the first file pool identifier, and the operating system identifier for the one of a plurality of operating systems which controls the first file pool to transfer the second file to the file space and assigning the second file a second unique name within the file space, the second unique name different than the first unique name and including the second file identifier, the second file pool identifier, and the operating system identifier for the one of a plurality of operating systems which controls the second file pool, and to update the management attributes of the first and second files accordingly.

4. The data storage hierarchy of claim 3 wherein the first and second file pools are controlled by different operating systems.

5. The data storage hierarchy of claim 3 further comprising a plurality of collections of operating systems, each operating system identifier unique to the collection of operating systems in which each operating system resides.

6. The data storage hierarchy of claim 5 further comprising a plurality of subnetworks each including a plurality of collections of operating systems, each collection assigned a collection identifier unique to the subnetwork in which each collection resides, the collection identifier for the collection including the one of a plurality of operating systems which controls the first file pool also used by the storage management means to create the first unique name.

7. The data storage hierarchy of claim 6 further comprising a subnetwork identifier unique to the network in which the subnetwork resides, the subnetwork identifier for the subnetwork including the collection which includes the one of a plurality of operating systems which controls the first file pool also used by the storage management means to create the first unique name.