Data synchronization of multiple remote storage after remote copy suspension

• US 7,139,932 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2003
• Issued: 11/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Watanabe, Naoki
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): GUYTON, PHILIP A
• Application Number:
  US10/386,277
• Publication Number:
  US 20030177321A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,351 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 714/6.31
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2058 using more than 2 mirrored copies
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2064 while ensuring consistency
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2069 Management of state, configuration or failover
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2071 using a plurality of controllers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2074 Asynchronous techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2082 Data synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for enhancing the performance of storage systems to allow recovery after all types of suspensions in remote copy operations. Data is synchronized after an interruption in transfer between a first storage volume of a primary storage system and a first storage volume of a secondary storage system which also includes a second storage volume. After the interruption is detected, at the primary storage system, a record is provided of the data written onto the first storage volume of the primary storage system, and at the secondary storage volume a record is provided of the data written onto the first storage volume of the secondary storage system. Then, at least a partial copy of the record of the data written onto the first storage volume of the primary storage system is written onto the second storage volume. Using the copy, the first storage volume of the secondary storage system is synchronized with the second storage volume of the secondary storage system.

Claims

1. A storage system comprising:

a local storage system having at least a first storage volume for storing data;

a remote storage system having at least first and second remote storage volumes for storing data; and

a communication link between the local storage system and each of the first and second remote storage volumes, wherein the at least first local storage volume is mirrored to at least the first remote storage volume,

wherein upon detecting an interruption in communications between the local storage system and the first remote storage volume;

a first record of the changes made to the first local storage volume from the time of the interruption is created and stored on the first local storage volume, the first record thereafter being updated with changes to the first local storage volume made subsequent to the interruption;

a second record of the changes made to the first remote storage volume from the time of the interruption is created and stored on the first remote storage volume; and

a copy of the first record is provided to the second remote storage volume,

wherein the first remote storage volume and the second remote storage volume can be resynchronized based on the second record stored on the first remote storage volume and on the copy of the first record stored on the second remote storage volume.

2. A storage system as in claim 1 wherein resynchronization between the first remote storage volume and the second remote storage.

3. A storage system as in claim 1 further comprising a processor for controlling synchronization of the first volume of the remote storage with the second volume of the remote storage.

4. A storage system arranged in a cascaded series of storage volumes, the storage system comprising:

a first storage volume being mirrored to a second storage volume;

a third storage volume configured to mirror the second storage volume; and

at least a fourth storage volume configured to mirror the third storage volume,

wherein upon detecting a failure in communications between the second and third storage volumes;

a first record of the changes made to the second local storage volume from the time of the interruption is created;

a second record of the changes made to the third local storage volume from the time of the interruption is created; and

a copy of the first record is stored on the first storage volume,

wherein the copy of the first record stored on the first storage volume and the second record are used to synchronize the first storage volume and the third storage volume.

5. A storage system as in claim 4 wherein the second record is stored on the third storage volume.

6. A method of synchronizing data stored in a storage system after an interruption in a transfer of data between a first storage volume of a primary storage system and a first storage volume of a secondary storage system, the secondary storage system also including a second storage volume, the method comprising:

detecting an interruption in the transfer of data from the primary storage system to the secondary storage system;

after detecting the interruption in the transfer of data;

at the primary storage system, providing a first record of the data written onto the first storage volume of the primary storage system, and

at the secondary storage system, providing a second record of the data written onto the first storage volume of the secondary storage system;

creating a third record comprising at least a portion of the first record of the data written onto the first storage volume of the primary storage system;

storing the third record on the second storage volume of the secondary storage system; and

using the third record and the second record of the data written onto the first storage volume of the secondary storage system, synchronizing the first storage volume of the secondary storage system with the second storage volume of the secondary storage system.

7. A method as in claim 6 wherein the third record is a copy of the first record of the data written onto the first storage volume of the primary storage system.

8. A method as in claim 6 wherein the first record, the second record, and the third record each comprises a bitmap.

9. A method as in claim 8 wherein the synchronizing further comprises:

exchanging bitmaps between the first and the second volumes of the secondary storage system;

using the exchanged bitmaps, determining a set of necessary write operations to synchronize the primary storage system and the secondary storage system; and

performing the set of necessary write operations.

10. A method of synchronizing data stored in a cascaded storage system, having first, second, third and fourth storage volumes serially connected, after an interruption in a transfer of data between the second storage volume and the third storage volume, the method comprising:

detecting an interruption in the transfer of data from the second storage volume to the third storage volume;

after detecting the interruption;

at the second storage volume, providing a first record of the data written onto the second storage volume, and

at the third storage volume providing a second record of the data written onto the third storage volume;

copying at least portions of the first record to the first storage volume;

copying at least portions of the second record to the fourth storage volumes; and

synchronizing at least one of the second and/or third storage volumes with at least one of the first and/or fourth storage volumes using at least one of the copied portions.

11. A remote copy method using a first volume in a first storage subsystem, a second volume in a second storage subsystem and a third volume in a third storage subsystem, wherein the first volume and the second volume provide a first mirrored pair, wherein the first volume and the third volume provide a second mirrored pair, the method comprising the steps of:

at the first storage subsystem creating and storing a record of changes made to the first volume when the first mirrored pair is suspended,

at the first storage subsystem transmitting the record to the third volume prior to performing a step of re-synchronizing the second volume with the third volume, and

at the third storage subsystem storing the record prior to the step of re-synchronizing.

12. A method as in claim 11, further comprising the step of re-synchronizing the second volume with the third volume using the record stored in the third storage subsystem when the first storage subsystem is unavailable while the first mirrored pair is suspended.