Systems and methods for allocating control of storage media in a network environment

• US 8,041,905 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2010
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Vijayan Retnamma, Manoj Kumar, Kottomtharayil, Rajiv, Devassy, Varghese
• Primary Examiner(s): Elmore; Stephen C
• Application Number:
  US12/914,412
• Publication Number:
  US 20110040799A1
• Time in Patent Office: 355 Days
• Field of Search: 711/154, 711/4, 711/100, 711/111, 711/151, 711/158, 711/162
• US Class Current: 711/154
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0613 in relation to throughput
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0635 by changing the path, e.g. traffic rerouting, path reconfiguration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• 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

A method for dynamically allocating control of a storage device, the method comprising receiving an access request from a first computer requesting access to a storage device; directing, based upon the access request, a first storage controller computer to assume an inactive state with respect to control of the storage device; and directing, based upon the access request, a second storage controller computer to assume an active state with respect to control of the storage device.

Claims

1. A system for allocating control of storage media, the system comprising:

storage media;

a first module executing in one or more computer processors wherein the first module is configured to direct storage operations performed by the storage media;

a second module executing in one or more computer processors, wherein the second module is configured to direct storage operations performed by the storage media; and

a third module executing in one or more computer processors, wherein the third module is configured to, based upon a priority of a storage operation, to direct the first module to assume an inactive state with respect to control of the storage media and to direct the second module to assume an active state with respect to control of the storage media, and

wherein the third module is configured to receive path data indicative of a network path to the storage media.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the third module receives the path data from the second module when in the active state.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first module executes on a first computer processor and the second module executes on a second computer processor.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first module is configured to mount the storage media to the first computer processor, and wherein the second module is configured to mount the storage media to the second computer processor.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the storage media comprises a set of media having a plurality of tapes spanning one or more drive pools.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second modules, when in an inactive state, is configured to execute a listening process for detecting communication from the third module to assume an active state with respect to the storage media.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second modules are associated, respectively, with first and second databases, wherein each of the first and second databases is configured to store the path data.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the third module is associated with a third database for storing information relating to which of the first and second modules is controlling the storage media.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the third module is further configured to assign control of the storage media to another module if the first module becomes unavailable.

10. A method for allocating control of storage media, the method comprising:

providing a first module executing in one or more computer processors configured to direct storage operations performed by storage media;

providing a second module executing in one or more computer processors configured to direct storage operations performed by the storage media;

directing with a third module executing in one or more computer processors, based upon a priority of a storage operation, the first module to assume an inactive state with respect to control of the storage media and to direct the second module to assume an active state with respect to control of the storage media; and

receiving path data indicative of a network path to the storage media.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein receiving the path data is from the second module when in the active state.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first module executes on a first computer processor and the second module executes on a second computer processor.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the first module mounts the storage media to the first computer processor, and wherein the second module mounts the storage media to the second computer processor.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the storage media comprises a set of media having a plurality of tapes spanning one or more drive pools.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein each of the first and second modules, when in an inactive state, executes a listening process for detecting communication from the third module to assume an active state with respect to the storage media.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the first and second modules are associated, respectively, with first and second databases, wherein each of the first and second databases is configured to store the path data.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the third module is associated with a third database for storing information relating to which of the first and second modules is controlling the storage media.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the third module assigns control of the storage media to another module if the first module becomes unavailable.