Data repository upgrade process

• US 7,792,800 B1
• Filed: 07/02/2007
• Issued: 09/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Krishnamoorthy, Padma, Carson, Keith Alan Jr., Yin, Min, Tiruveedi, Venkata R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Woo; Isaac M
• Assistant Examiner(s): JOHNSON, JOHNESE T
• Application Number:
  US11/772,805
• Time in Patent Office: 1,163 Days
• Field of Search: 707/609, 707/640, 707/659
• US Class Current: 707/640
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/213 with details for schema evolution support
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0846 based on copy from other elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0869 Validating the configuration within one network element
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

Upgrading an original repository of data is disclosed. A repository is defined by a set of schema structures and data contained therein. A copy of the original repository is exported. The set of schema structures of the original repository is modified to create a set of schema structures of the upgraded repository. Schema structures that are not present after the upgrade are deleted after data migration is completed. Data is migrated to the set of schema structures of the upgraded repository. Data includes existing data from the original repository and seed data for the upgraded repository. Existing data is copied into the appropriate schema structures of the upgraded repository. Seed data is inserted into new schema structures of the upgraded repository. The set of schema structures of the upgraded repository are validated against a standard set of schema structures corresponding to a properly upgraded standard repository to detect any errors.

Claims

1. A method of upgrading an original storage area network (SAN) repository of data, wherein a SAN repository is defined by a set of schema structures and data contained therein, the method comprising:

exporting a copy of the original SAN repository;

modifying the set of schema structures of the original SAN repository to create a set of schema structures of the upgraded SAN repository, wherein schema structures not present after the upgrading process is complete are not deleted until migration of data is completed;

migrating data to the set of schema structures of the upgraded SAN repository, wherein data includes existing data from the original repository and seed data for the upgraded SAN repository, wherein existing data is copied into the appropriate schema structures of the upgraded SAN repository and seed data is inserted into new schema structures of the upgraded repository;

creating a standard SAN repository through a full clean install including upgrades; and

validating the set of schema structures of the upgraded SAN repository against a standard set of schema structures corresponding to the standard SAN repository to detect any errors.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein modifying comprises:

adding a new schema structure to the set of schema structures of the original repository;

and wherein migrating comprises;

moving data from an existing schema structure of the original repository to the added new schema structure; and

deleting the existing schema structure.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein modifying comprises:

changing an existing schema structure of the original repository;

and wherein migrating comprises;

adding seed data to the changed schema structure, wherein the changed schema structure also includes existing data.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein migrating comprises:

migrating data to the set of schema structures of the upgraded repository, wherein data includes existing data from the original repository and seed data for the upgraded repository, wherein existing data includes customized data defined by a user, wherein existing data is copied into the appropriate schema structures of the upgraded repository and seed data is inserted into new schema structures of the upgraded repository.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein migrating further comprises:

prior to migrating, taking the seed data from a temporary table that includes the seed data; and

deleting the temporary table after migration of data is completed.

6. The method of claim 1 comprising:

comparing a version identifier of a desired upgrade to the original repository with a version identifier of the original repository; and

determining that the version identifier of the desired upgrade correlates with the version identifier of the original repository so that the upgrading method may be performed.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein determining comprising:

determining that the version identifier of the desired upgrade does not correlate with the version identifier of the original repository;

providing upgrade information, wherein the upgrade information identifies any necessary upgrades to be made to the original repository before the original repository is able to be upgraded with the desired upgrade; and

performing the upgrades identified in the upgrade information to the original repository.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein exporting, modifying, migrating, and validating are performed according to a set of instructions, wherein the set of instructions is ordered according to an execution sequence, and instructions execute one at a time according to the execution sequence, the method comprising:

counting each successfully executed instruction to produce a result;

detecting an error during the upgrading process; and

providing the result of the counting to identify a point of failure, wherein the point of failure is exactly where in the execution sequence the error occurred.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the original repository is a SAN repository of storage area network data that describes components and connections of a storage area network according to a set of schema structures that define the SAN repository, wherein the method comprises:

exporting a copy of the SAN repository;

modifying the set of schema structures of the SAN repository to create a set of schema structures of the upgraded SAN repository, wherein schema structures not present after the upgrading process is complete are not deleted until migration of data is completed;

migrating data to the set of schema structures of the upgraded SAN repository, wherein data includes existing data describing a storage area network from the current SAN repository and seed data for the upgraded SAN repository, wherein existing data is copied into the appropriate schema structures of the upgraded SAN repository and seed data is inserted into new schema structures of the upgraded SAN repository; and

validating the set of schema structures of the upgraded SAN repository against a standard set of schema structures corresponding to a properly upgraded standard SAN repository to detect any errors.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein modifying comprises:

changing an existing schema structure of the original repository and adding a new schema structure to the set of schema structures of the original repository;

and wherein migrating comprises;

migrating data to the set of schema structures of the upgraded repository, wherein data includes existing data from the original repository and seed data for the upgraded repository, wherein existing data includes customized data defined by a user, wherein existing data is copied into the appropriate schema structures of the upgraded repository and seed data is inserted into new schema structures of the upgraded repository.

11. A computer system comprising:

a memory;

a processor;

a communications interface; and

an interconnection mechanism coupling the memory, the processor, and the communications interface, allowing communication there between;

wherein the memory is encoded with a storage area network (SAN) repository upgrade application, that when executed in the processor, provides a SAN repository upgrade process that upgrades an original SAN repository of data, wherein a repository is defined by a set of schema structures and data contained therein, by causing the computer system to perform the operations of;

exporting a copy of the original SAN repository;

modifying the set of schema structures of the original SAN repository to create a set of schema structures of the upgraded SAN repository, wherein schema structures not present after the upgrading process is complete are not deleted until migration of data is completed;

migrating data to the set of schema structures of the upgraded SAN repository, wherein data includes existing data from the original SAN repository and seed data for the upgraded repository, wherein existing data is copied into the appropriate schema structures of the upgraded SAN repository and seed data is inserted into new schema structures of the upgraded SAN repository;

creating a standard SAN repository through a full clean install; and

validating the set of schema structures of the upgraded SAN repository against a standard set of schema structures corresponding to the standard SAN repository to detect any errors.

12. The computer system of claim 11 wherein modifying comprises:

adding a new schema structure to the set of schema structures of the original repository;

and wherein migrating comprises;

moving data from an existing schema structure of the original repository to the added new schema structure; and

deleting the existing schema structure.

13. The computer system of claim 11 further capable of performing operations of:

comparing a version identifier of a desired upgrade to the original repository with a version identifier of the original repository;

determining that the version identifier of the desired upgrade does not correlate with the version identifier of the original repository;

providing upgrade information, wherein the upgrade information identifies any necessary upgrades to be made to the original repository before the original repository is able to be upgraded with the desired upgrade; and

performing the upgrades identified in the upgrade information to the original repository.

14. The computer system of claim 11 wherein the operations of exporting, modifying, migrating, and validating are performed according to a set of instructions, wherein the set of instructions is ordered according to an execution sequence, and instructions execute one at a time according to the execution sequence, the computer system further capable of performing operations of:

counting each successfully executed instruction to produce a result;

detecting an error during the upgrading process; and

providing the result of the counting to identify a point of failure, wherein the point of failure is exactly where in the execution sequence the error occurred.

15. The computer system of claim 11 wherein the original repository is a SAN repository of storage area network data that describes components and connections of a storage area network according to a set of schema structures that define the SAN repository, wherein the computer system is capable of performing operations of:

exporting a copy of the SAN repository;

modifying the set of schema structures of the SAN repository to create a set of schema structures of the upgraded SAN repository, wherein schema structures not present after the upgrading process is complete are not deleted until migration of data is completed;

migrating data to the set of schema structures of the upgraded SAN repository, wherein data includes existing data describing a storage area network from the current SAN repository and seed data for the upgraded SAN repository, wherein existing data is copied into the appropriate schema structures of the upgraded SAN repository and seed data is inserted into new schema structures of the upgraded SAN repository; and

validating the set of schema structures of the upgraded SAN repository against a standard set of schema structures corresponding to a properly upgraded standard SAN repository to detect any errors.

16. A computer program product, stored on a computer readable storage medium, to upgrade an original repository of data, wherein a repository is defined by a set of schema structures and data contained therein, the computer program product comprising:

computer program code for exporting a copy of the original repository;

computer program code for modifying the set of schema structures of the original repository to create a set of schema structures of the upgraded repository, wherein schema structures not present after the upgrading process is complete are not deleted until migration of data is completed;

computer program code for migrating data to the set of schema structures of the upgraded repository, wherein data includes existing data from the original repository and seed data for the upgraded repository, wherein existing data is copied into the appropriate schema structures of the upgraded repository and seed data is inserted into new schema structures of the upgraded repository; and

computer program code for validating the set of schema structures of the upgraded repository against a standard set of schema structures corresponding to a properly upgraded standard repository to detect any errors.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein computer program code for modifying comprises:

computer program code for adding a new schema structure to the set of schema structures of the original repository;

and wherein computer program code for migrating comprises;

computer program code for moving data from an existing schema structure of the original repository to the added new schema structure; and

computer program code for deleting the existing schema structure.

18. The computer program product of claim 16 comprising:

computer program code for comparing a version identifier of a desired upgrade to the original repository with a version identifier of the original repository;

computer program code for determining that the version identifier of the desired upgrade does not correlate with the version identifier of the original repository;

computer program code for providing upgrade information, wherein the upgrade information identifies any necessary upgrades to be made to the original repository before the original repository is able to be upgraded with the desired upgrade; and

computer program code for performing the upgrades identified in the upgrade information to the original repository.

19. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein computer program code for exporting, computer program code for modifying, computer program code for migrating, and computer program code for validating are performed according to a set of instructions, wherein the set of instructions is ordered according to an execution sequence, and instructions execute one at a time according to the execution sequence, the computer program product comprising:

computer program code for counting each successfully executed instruction to produce a result;

computer program code for detecting an error during the upgrading process;

computer program code for providing the result of the counting to identify a point of failure, wherein the point of failure is exactly where in the execution sequence the error occurred; and

computer program code for resuming the upgrading process from the point of failure.

20. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the original repository is a SAN repository of storage area network data that describes components and connections of a storage area network according to a set of schema structures that define the SAN repository, wherein the computer program product comprises:

computer program code for exporting a copy of the SAN repository;

computer program code for modifying the set of schema structures of the SAN repository to create a set of schema structures of the upgraded SAN repository, wherein schema structures not present after the upgrading process is complete are not deleted until migration of data is completed;

computer program code for migrating data to the set of schema structures of the upgraded SAN repository, wherein data includes existing data describing a storage area network from the current SAN repository and seed data for the upgraded SAN repository, wherein existing data is copied into the appropriate schema structures of the upgraded SAN repository and seed data is inserted into new schema structures of the upgraded SAN repository; and

computer program code for validating the set of schema structures of the upgraded SAN repository against a standard set of schema structures corresponding to a properly upgraded standard SAN repository to detect any errors.