Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080205299 | CONFIGURATION OF FIBRE CHANNEL SAN PATH - System and computer program product are provided to configure a path between nodes through a fabric in a fibre channel storage area network (SAN). A node name is provided for a target node on the SAN and a port name is provided for each port in the target node. A relationship is established in a data structure between each port name and a slot in which each port is physically located in the target node. Prior to configuring a path between a source node and a port in the target node, the ports which are physically connected and logged in to the fabric are identified by port address. The port names corresponding to the port addresses are then identified. The port names are used to generate interface_ids of the ports corresponding to the physical slots in which the ports are located. A data structure is created to maintain the relationship between interface_ids and port names. To establish a path connection between a port in the source node and a selected port in the target node, the node name of the target node and the interface_id of the selected port are input to the data structure and the port name of the selected port is output. The port name is then used to obtain the address of the selected port and an I/O session path opened between the source and target nodes. | 08-28-2008 |
20090070528 | APPARATUS, SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR INCREMENTAL RESYNCHRONIZATION IN A DATA STORAGE SYSTEM - An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for performing an incremental resynchronization between two unrelated volumes when a third volume fails. The apparatus, system, and method include initiating registration of changed tracks; keeping track of bytes in flight activities between a local volume and an intermediate volume; recording the changed tracks in bitmaps at the local volume; stopping the recording of the changed tracks; and starting a resynchronization process by sending the changed tracks to a recovery volume. | 03-12-2009 |
20090094483 | METHOD OF MAINTAINING TASK SEQUENCE WITHIN A TASK DOMAIN ACROSS ERROR RECOVERY - Tracks of data or other data units are copied from a primary storage system to a secondary storage system. For multiple-track or multiple-data unit transfers, a group of tracks or data units which are sequentially related are transferred. A respective task is defined at the primary storage system for monitoring a progress of the transfer of each of the respective data units in a group. A state is maintained for monitoring a progress of the transfer of the group responsive to the progress of each of the tasks. A normal state is selected when there are no failed tasks. A recovery state is selected when there is a failure, and the status of the remaining tasks is being ascertained. A retry state is selected following the recovery state to retry the failed tasks. A failed state indicates an unrecoverable failure. | 04-09-2009 |
20100049928 | COMMAND SEQUENCE NUMBERING APPARATUS AND METHOD - A method, system, and computer program product to preserve data integrity in a mirror and copy environment is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method may include receiving a write command and data from a host device. The method may further include writing the data to a primary storage device and attaching a primary sequence number associated with the primary storage device to the write command, thereby providing a numbered write command with a command sequence number. The numbered write command may then be transmitted to a secondary storage device. The method may further include comparing the command sequence number to a secondary sequence number associated with the secondary storage device. If the command sequence number matches the secondary sequence number, then the command may be executed. Otherwise, it may be ignored. | 02-25-2010 |
20110063983 | SELF-HEALING FIBRE CHANNEL LINK - A method for verifying the integrity of a communication link is disclosed herein. In selected embodiments, such a method may include detecting, during normal operation of a communication link, a condition indicative of a high failure rate (HFR) on the communication link. The method may further include placing the communication link in an HFR state as a result of the condition. While in HFR state, the method may repeatedly transmit test I/Os over the communication link. The method may then automatically exit HFR state and resume normal operation on the communication link when one or more of the following has occurred: a selected number of test I/Os have been successfully transmitted over the communication link, and a number of test I/Os have been successfully transmitted over the communication link for a selected period of time. A corresponding system, apparatus, and computer program product are also disclosed and claimed herein. | 03-17-2011 |
20110196987 | COMPRESSION ON THIN PROVISIONED VOLUMES USING EXTENT BASED MAPPING - Method, system, and computer program product embodiments for facilitating data compression are provided. A set of logical extents, each having compressed logical tracks of data, is mapped to a head physical extent and, if the head physical extent is determined to have been filled, to at least one overflow extent having spatial proximity to the head physical extent. Pursuant to at least one subsequent write operation and destage operation, the at least one subsequent write operation and destage operation determined to be associated with the head physical extent, the write operation is mapped to one of the head physical extent, the at least one overflow extent, and an additional extent having spatial proximity to the at least one overflow extent. | 08-11-2011 |
20110239040 | Parallel Multiplex Storage Systems - A method for controlling a system includes receiving an indication that an operation has failed in a secondary storage device, suspending data operations sent to the secondary data storage device from a primary storage device, determining a failure policy set by a user, and initiating a first policy responsive to determining that the first policy is active, the first policy including sending a status query to the secondary storage device, determining whether a response has been received from the secondary storage device, determining whether the response indicates a failure of the secondary storage device responsive to determining that the response has been received from the secondary storage device, and continuing processing tasks on the server and data operations on the primary storage device responsive to determining that the response indicates a failure of the secondary storage device. | 09-29-2011 |
20120089795 | MULTIPLE INCREMENTAL VIRTUAL COPIES - Provided are techniques for, in response to establishing each incremental virtual copy from a source to a target, creating a target change recording structure for the target. While performing destage to a source data block at the source, it is determined that there is at least one incremental virtual copy target for this source data block. For each incremental virtual copy relationship where the source data block is newer than the incremental virtual copy relationship and an indicator is set in a target inheritance structure on the target for a corresponding target data block, the source data block is copied to each corresponding target data block, and an indicator is set in each target change recording structure on each target for the target data block corresponding to the source data block being destaged. | 04-12-2012 |
20120203983 | COMPRESSION ON THIN PROVISIONED VOLUMES USING EXTENT BASED MAPPING - A set of logical extents, each having compressed logical tracks of data, is mapped to a head physical extent and, if the head physical extent is determined to have been filled, to at least one overflow extent having spatial proximity to the head physical extent. Pursuant to at least one subsequent write operation and destage operation, the at least one subsequent write operation and destage operation determined to be associated with the head physical extent, the write operation is mapped to one of the head physical extent, the at least one overflow extent, and an additional extent having spatial proximity to the at least one overflow extent. | 08-09-2012 |
20120221499 | WORKLOAD LEARNING IN DATA REPLICATION ENVIRONMENTS - A method for replicating I/O performance in data replication environments, such as PPRC environments, is described. In selected embodiments, such a method includes monitoring I/O workload at a primary storage device over a period of time, such as a period of hours, days, or months. The method then generates learning data at the primary storage device describing the I/O workload over the selected time period. The learning data is replicated from the primary storage device to a secondary storage device. The method uses the learning data to optimize the secondary storage device to handle the I/O workload of the primary storage device. This will enable the secondary storage device to provide substantially the same I/O performance as the primary storage device in the event a failover occurs. | 08-30-2012 |
20120221521 | WORKLOAD LEARNING IN DATA REPLICATION ENVIRONMENTS - A method for replicating I/O performance in data replication environments, such as PPRC environments, is described. In selected embodiments, such a method includes monitoring I/O workload at a primary storage device over a period of time, such as a period of hours, days, or months. The method then generates learning data at the primary storage device describing the I/O workload over the selected time period. The learning data is replicated from the primary storage device to a secondary storage device. The method uses the learning data to optimize the secondary storage device to handle the I/O workload of the primary storage device. This will enable the secondary storage device to provide substantially the same I/O performance as the primary storage device in the event a failover occurs. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed and claimed herein. | 08-30-2012 |
20120221823 | MULTIPLE INCREMENTAL VIRTUAL COPIES - Provided are techniques for, in response to establishing each incremental virtual copy from a source to a target, creating a target change recording structure for the target. While performing destage to a source data block at the source, it is determined that there is at least one incremental virtual copy target for this source data block. For each incremental virtual copy relationship where the source data block is newer than the incremental virtual copy relationship and an indicator is set in a target inheritance structure on the target for a corresponding target data block, the source data block is copied to each corresponding target data block, and an indicator is set in each target change recording structure on each target for the target data block corresponding to the source data block being destaged. | 08-30-2012 |
20120254122 | NEAR CONTINUOUS SPACE-EFFICIENT DATA PROTECTION - A method for providing rolling continuous data protection of source data is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method includes enabling a user to select source data and establish a first interval when point-in-time copies of the source data are generated. The method further enables the user to specify a first number of point-in-time copies to retain at the first interval. The method further enables the user to specify a second number of point-in-time copies to retain at a second interval, wherein the second interval is a (n≧2) multiple of the first interval. The method further enables the user to specify a third number of point-in-time copies to retain at a third interval, wherein the third interval is a (n≧2) multiple of the second interval. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also disclosed. | 10-04-2012 |
20120265766 | COMPRESSION ON THIN PROVISIONED VOLUMES USING EXTENT BASED MAPPING - For facilitating data compression, a set of logical extents, each having compressed logical tracks of data, is mapped to a head physical extent and, if the head physical extent is determined to have been filled, to at least one overflow extent having spatial proximity to the head physical extent. Pursuant to at least one subsequent write operation and destage operation, the at least one subsequent write operation and destage operation determined to be associated with the head physical extent, the write operation is mapped to one of the head physical extent, the at least one overflow extent, and an additional extent having spatial proximity to the at least one overflow extent. | 10-18-2012 |
20130086415 | COMMUNICATION OF CONDITIONS AT A PRIMARY STORAGE CONTROLLER TO A HOST - A primary storage controller is maintained in a copy relationship with a secondary storage controller, wherein the primary and secondary storage controllers are coupled to a host that is configurable to use the secondary storage controller instead of the primary storage controller. The primary storage controller determines occurrence of at least one condition in the primary storage controller, wherein the at least one condition occurs prior to a failure of the host to perform an Input/Output (I/O) operation with respect to at least one storage volume of the primary storage controller. The primary storage controller communicates the occurrence of the at least one condition to the host, wherein in response to the communicating the host is configured to determine whether to use the secondary storage controller instead of the primary storage controller based on the occurrence of the at least one condition. | 04-04-2013 |
20140075110 | REPLICATING TRACKS FROM A FIRST STORAGE SITE TO A SECOND AND THIRD STORAGE SITES - Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for replicating tracks from a first storage to a second and third storages. A determination is made of a track in the first storage to transfer to the second storage as part of a point-in-time copy relationship and of a stride of tracks including the target track. The stride of tracks including the target track is staged from the first storage to a cache according to the point-in-time copy relationship. The staged stride is destaged from the cache to the second storage. The stride in the cache is transferred to the third storage as part of a mirror copy relationship. The stride of tracks in the cache is demoted in response to destaging the stride of the tracks in the cache to the second storage and transferring the stride of tracks in the cache to the third storage. | 03-13-2014 |
20140075114 | REPLICATING TRACKS FROM A FIRST STORAGE SITE TO A SECOND AND THIRD STORAGE SITES - Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for replicating tracks from a first storage to a second and third storages. A determination is made of a track in the first storage to transfer to the second storage as part of a point-in-time copy relationship and of a stride of tracks including the target track. The stride of tracks including the target track is staged from the first storage to a cache according to the point-in-time copy relationship. The staged stride is destaged from the cache to the second storage. The stride in the cache is transferred to the third storage as part of a mirror copy relationship. The stride of tracks in the cache is demoted in response to destaging the stride of the tracks in the cache to the second storage and transferring the stride of tracks in the cache to the third storage. | 03-13-2014 |
20140195871 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMPROVED ERROR RESPONSE IN DATA MIRRORING - Systems and methods are provided to improve performance in backup data storage systems by improving response to errors. The system and method provide for transferring data from a primary storage controller to a secondary storage controller, where the secondary storage controller is linked to the primary storage controller by a plurality of links. The system and method includes transmitting a first transaction from the primary storage controller to the secondary storage controller using a first of a plurality of links. Then, in response to the first transaction crossing a first timeout boundary without completing, the system and method includes transmitting a second transaction from the primary storage controller to the secondary storage controller using a second of the plurality of links, the second of the plurality of links preferentially selected to be on a different network failure boundary from the first of the plurality of links. | 07-10-2014 |
20140258659 | PROTECTION OF FORMER PRIMARY VOLUMES IN A SYNCHRONOUS REPLICATION RELATIONSHIP - An aspect includes protecting a former primary volume in a synchronous replication relationship. A swap between a primary volume at a first site and a secondary volume at a second site is initiated such that the secondary volume becomes a new primary volume and the primary volume becomes the former primary volume. A fenced state is set as active for the former primary volume. The former primary volume is configured as a fenced volume based on the fenced state being active. Read and write access to the fenced volume is blocked while the fenced state is active. | 09-11-2014 |
20140317442 | COMMUNICATION OF CONDITIONS AT A PRIMARY STORAGE CONTROLLER TO A HOST - A primary storage controller is maintained in a copy relationship with a secondary storage controller, wherein the primary and secondary storage controllers are coupled to a host that is configurable to use the secondary storage controller instead of the primary storage controller. The primary storage controller determines occurrence of at least one condition in the primary storage controller, wherein the at least one condition occurs prior to a failure of the host to perform an Input/Output (I/O) operation with respect to at least one storage volume of the primary storage controller. The primary storage controller communicates the occurrence of the at least one condition to the host, wherein in response to the communicating the host is configured to determine whether to use the secondary storage controller instead of the primary storage controller based on the occurrence of the at least one condition. | 10-23-2014 |
20140351534 | RECOVERY FROM FAILURE OF PRIMARY STORAGE VOLUMES BY USING MIRRORED DATA MAINTAINED WITH HOST TIMESTAMPS - A primary storage controller receives an input/output (I/O) command from a host, wherein a host timestamp is associated with the I/O command. During a mirroring of storage volumes to a secondary storage controller, the primary storage controller communicates the host timestamp associated with the I/O command to the secondary storage controller, wherein mirrored copies of the storage volumes are timestamped based on at least the host timestamp and an elapsed time since a last host I/O command. A recovery is made from a failure of one or more of the storage volumes in the primary storage controller, by using the timestamped mirrored copies of the storage volumes. | 11-27-2014 |
20150067281 | RESERVATION OF STORAGE SPACE FOR A THIN PROVISIONED VOLUME - For reserving storage space, a determination module determines if required storage space is available for a write in response to logical storage address for the write being unallocated. The logical storage address is a thin provisioned storage space. A reservation module reserves the required storage space for the write in response to determining that the required storage space is available. In addition, the reservation module may communicate an allocation success in response to determining the required storage space is available. The allocation success is communicated prior to allocating the required storage space. The reservation module may communicate a write failure in response to determining the required storage space is not available. | 03-05-2015 |