Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090006734 | APPARATUS, SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR SELECTING A CLUSTER - An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for selecting a source cluster in a distributed storage configuration. A measurement module measures system factors for a plurality of clusters over a plurality of instances. The clusters are in communication over a network and each cluster comprises at least one tape volume cache. A smoothing module applies a smoothing function to the system factors, wherein recent instances have higher weights. A lifespan module calculates a mount-to-dismount lifespan for each cluster from the smoothed system factors. A selection module selects a source cluster for accessing an instance of a specified volume in response to the mount-to-dismount lifespans and a user policy. | 01-01-2009 |
20110107024 | EXTENDED LOGICAL WORM DATA INTEGRITY PROTECTION - A data storage system stores logical data object(s), each identified by a logical identifier. A control is configured to assign a unique WORM (Write Once Read Many) identifier to the logical data object, and stores the unique WORM identifier as associated with the logical identifier, in a database maintained by the control so as to be persistent. Data storage is configured to write the logical data object with a header with the unique WORM identifier. The control, in order to allow the logical data object to be accessed externally to the control, requires matching the unique WORM identifier in the header of a logical data object to the unique WORM identifier of the persistent database for the logical object. The unique WORM identifier is formed of a checksum hash value related to nonce fields comprising at least the logical identifier of the logical data object, an incrementing token, and a time stamp. | 05-05-2011 |
20110107045 | HYBRID STORAGE DATA MIGRATION BY SELECTIVE DATA REMOVAL - A hybrid data storage system is one which has data storage clusters of different types. In a hybrid data storage system, at least one first data storage cluster is configured to store data and has high data storage capacity; and at least one second data storage cluster is configured to store data and has lower data storage capacity than the first cluster. The data is initially replicated and stored by at least one first and at least one second data storage cluster. The method identifies a portion of the stored initially replicated data of at least one second data storage cluster as “pinned”; continues to store the pinned initially replicated data; and selectively removes non-pinned initially replicated data from the second data storage cluster(s) to account for the capacity difference. | 05-05-2011 |
20110119441 | SELECTIVE DEVICE ACCESS CONTROL - Various method, system, and computer program product embodiments for selective device access control in a data storage system are provided. In one such embodiment, a plurality of access groups associated with logical devices used to access the data storage system is initialized. Each of the plurality of access groups corresponds to a range of the logical devices. An access group name of one of the access groups is bound to a logical volume of the data storage system at a volume creation. The logical volume, once bound to the access group name, is granted access by those of the logical devices in a range of the logical devices corresponding to the one of the access groups. | 05-19-2011 |
20110145517 | DYNAMIC REUSE AND RECONFIGURATION OF LOGICAL DATA OBJECTS IN A VIRTUAL TAPE SYSTEM - An embodiment of the invention comprises a virtual tape system supporting at least one Write Once Read Many (WORM) logical tape and at least one read-write logical tape, comprising a processor configured to a first task and/or a second task. The first task initializes a new logical data object from a single pool of at least two logical data objects, with the new logical data object bound with a member of a media type group consisting of a WORM data object or a read-write data object. The second task reuses one of the logical data objects without manual ejection and reinsertion. The reuse may include the processor configured to cycle the logical data object through a scratch pool as a selected scratch logical data object and mount the selected scratch logical data object with a write from beginning of tape command to bind at least one data attribute to the WORM data object. | 06-16-2011 |
20110276753 | LOCATING LOGICAL VOLUME RECORDS ON A PHYSICAL STACKED VOLUME - According to one embodiment, a method for accessing host data records stored on a VTS system includes receiving a mount request to access at least one host data record on a VTS system, determining a number of host compressed data records per physical block on a sequential access storage medium, determining a PBID that corresponds to the requested at least one host data record, accessing a physical block on the sequential access storage medium corresponding to the PBID, and outputting the physical block without outputting an entire logical volume that the physical block is stored to. In another embodiment, a VTS system includes random access storage, sequential access storage, support for at least one virtual volume, a storage manager having logic for determining a PBID that corresponds to a SLBID, and logic for performing the above described method. Other methods, systems, and computer program products are also described. | 11-10-2011 |
20110276754 | PARTIAL VOLUME ACCESS IN A PHYSICAL STACKED VOLUME - In one embodiment, a VTS system includes a tape volume cache, a storage drive for interacting with sequential access storage media; logic for receiving a mount request to access host data record(s) stored on a storage medium, the mount request including a virtual volume identifier of a logical volume and a logical block identifier of the first requested host data record therein; logic for issuing a locate command to position the sequential access storage medium to about a physical block in the logical volume having at least a portion of the requested host data record(s) therein based on the virtual volume identifier and the logical block identifier; logic for creating and supporting a partial virtual volume in the tape volume cache; and logic for copying at least the physical block to the partial virtual volume. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are also described, according to other embodiments. | 11-10-2011 |
20110276756 | MAPPING LOCATIONS OF LOGICAL VOLUME RECORDS ON A PHYSICAL STACKED VOLUME - In one embodiment, a method for accessing host data records stored in a VTS system includes receiving a mount request to access at least one host data record, determining a SLBID corresponding to the requested host data records, determining a PBID that corresponds to the SLBID, accessing a physical block on a sequential access storage medium corresponding to the PBID, and outputting at least the physical block corresponding to the PBID without outputting an entire logical volume that the physical block is stored to. According to another embodiment, a VTS system includes random access storage, sequential access storage, support for at least one virtual volume, a storage manager having logic for determining a PBID that corresponds to a SLBID, and logic for copying a portion of a logical volume from the sequential access storage to the random access storage without copying the entire logical volume. Other embodiments are disclosed also. | 11-10-2011 |
20110320679 | OFFLOADING VOLUME SPACE RECLAMATION OPERATIONS TO VIRTUAL TAPE SYSTEMS - A method for offloading volume space reclamation operations to virtual tape systems is disclosed herein. In certain embodiments, such a method includes writing instruction information to a virtual tape system for use in performing a reclamation operation on a source virtual tape volume. The instruction information identifies the source virtual tape volume as well as valid objects in the source virtual tape volume. The virtual tape system then transforms the source virtual tape volume by retaining valid objects in the source virtual tape volume, removing invalid objects in the source virtual tape volume, and updating metadata associated with the source virtual tape volume to reflect changes made thereto. This generates an updated source virtual tape volume of reduced size. A corresponding computer program product and system are also disclosed and claimed herein. | 12-29-2011 |
20120239876 | MAPPING LOCATIONS OF LOGICAL VOLUME RECORDS ON A PHYSICAL STACKED VOLUME - In one embodiment, a method for accessing host data records stored in a VTS system includes receiving a mount request to access at least one host data record, determining a SLBID corresponding to the requested host data records, determining a PBID that corresponds to the SLBID, accessing a physical block on a sequential access storage medium corresponding to the PBID, and outputting at least the physical block corresponding to the PBID without outputting an entire logical volume that the physical block is stored to. According to another embodiment, a VTS system includes random access storage, sequential access storage, support for at least one virtual volume, a storage manager having logic for determining a PBID that corresponds to a SLBID, and logic for copying a portion of a logical volume from the sequential access storage to the random access storage without copying the entire logical volume. Other embodiments are disclosed also. | 09-20-2012 |
20120239877 | LOCATING HOST DATA RECORDS ON A PHYSICAL STACKED VOLUME - According to one embodiment, a method for accessing host data records stored on a VTS system includes receiving a mount request to access at least one host data record on a VTS system, determining a number of host compressed data records per physical block on a sequential access storage medium, determining a PBID that corresponds to the requested at least one host data record, accessing a physical block on the sequential access storage medium corresponding to the PBID, and outputting the physical block without outputting an entire logical volume that the physical block is stored to. In another embodiment, a VTS system includes random access storage, sequential access storage, support for at least one virtual volume, a storage manager having logic for determining a PBID that corresponds to a SLBID, and logic for performing the above described method. Other methods are also described. | 09-20-2012 |
20120239891 | DYNAMIC REUSE AND RECONFIGURATION OF LOGICAL DATA OBJECTS IN A VIRTUAL TAPE SYSTEM - A method in one embodiment for operating a virtual server supporting at least one Write Once Read Many (WORM) logical data object and at least one read-write logical object includes initializing a logical data object from a common pool of the logical data objects, the logical data object bound with a member of a media type group, the member of the media type group comprising a WORM logical data object and a read-write logical data object; and reusing one of the logical data objects as the member of the media type group without ejection and reinsertion by mounting the logical data object with a write from beginning of logical data object to bind at least one data attribute to the member of the media type group to replace any previous attribute and data associated with the logical data object. | 09-20-2012 |
20120284467 | EXTENDED LOGICAL WORM DATA INTEGRITY PROTECTION WITH UNIQUE WORM IDENTIFIER IN HEADER AND DATABASE - A data storage system stores logical data object(s), each identified by a logical identifier. A control is configured to assign a unique WORM (Write Once Read Many) identifier to the logical data object, and stores the unique WORM identifier as associated with the logical identifier, in a database maintained by the control so as to be persistent. Data storage is configured to write the logical data object with a header with the unique WORM identifier. The control, in order to allow the logical data object to be accessed externally to the control, requires matching the unique WORM identifier in the header of a logical data object to the unique WORM identifier of the persistent database for the logical object. The unique WORM identifier is formed of a checksum hash value related to nonce fields comprising at least the logical identifier of the logical data object, and an incrementing token. | 11-08-2012 |
20130007361 | SELECTIVE DEVICE ACCESS CONTROL - Methods, systems, and computer program products for selective device access control in a data storage system are provided. A method includes initializing a plurality of access groups associated with logical devices used to access the data storage system, each of the plurality of access groups corresponding to a range of the logical devices, pursuant to a mount of a logical volume of the data storage system, and binding an access group name of one the plurality of access groups to at least one of a metadata of the logical volume at a volume creation and a volume header of the logical volume, wherein the logical volume, once bound to the access group name, is granted access by those of the logical devices in a range of the logical devices corresponding to the one of the plurality of access groups. | 01-03-2013 |
20130290625 | MAPPING LOCATIONS OF LOGICAL VOLUME RECORDS ON A PHYSICAL STACKED VOLUME - A system, method and computer program product for accessing host data records stored in a virtual tape storage (VTS) system. The computer program product includes a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith. The computer readable program code includes computer readable program code configured to receive a mount request to access at least one host data record in a VTS system; computer readable program code configured to determine a starting logical block ID (SLBID) corresponding to the at least one requested host data record; computer readable program code configured to determine a physical block ID (PBID) that corresponds to the SLBID; computer readable program code configured to access a physical block on a magnetic tape medium corresponding to the PBID; and computer readable program code configured to output at least the physical block without outputting an entire logical volume that the physical block is stored to. | 10-31-2013 |
20150089169 | DYNAMIC REUSE AND RECONFIGURATION OF LOGICAL DATA OBJECTS IN A VIRTUAL TAPE SYSTEM - A method according to one embodiment includes selecting, by a processor, one of a WORM logical data object and a read-write logical data object for reuse as a new WORM logical data object, said processor maintaining data attributes bound to said selected logical data object until it is determined that said selected logical data object is available for reuse. At least one temporary data attribute is assigned to said selected logical data object while maintaining said data attributes bound to said selected logical data object The selected logical data object is mounted and a write command to beginning of logical data object is received to bind at least one data attribute to said selected logical data object to replace data attributes and data associated with said selected logical data object to reuse said selected logical data object as said new WORM logical data object. | 03-26-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090055582 | SEGMENTATION OF LOGICAL VOLUMES - Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture, wherein a storage manager application implemented in a first computational device maintains a virtual logical volume that represents a plurality of segments of a linear storage medium of a secondary storage, wherein the virtual logical volume and the plurality of segments are created by the storage manager application. A request for data is received at the first computational device, from a second computational device. The storage manager application moves selected segments of the plurality of segments from the linear storage medium of the secondary storage to a cache storage, in anticipation that the requested data is included in the selected segments that are moved from the linear storage medium of the secondary storage to the cache storage. | 02-26-2009 |
20090063668 | TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP OF A STORAGE OBJECT IN RESPONSE TO AN ORIGINAL OWNER NODE BECOMING AVAILABLE AFTER A PERIOD OF UNAVAILABILITY - Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture, wherein a plurality of nodes coupled over a network are maintained, wherein a first node of the plurality of nodes initially owns a plurality of storage objects accessible via the network. A second node preemptively takes ownership of a selected storage object of the plurality of storage objects, in response to the first node becoming unavailable, wherein other nodes of the plurality of nodes can request ownership of the selected storage object while the first node is unavailable. A determination is made that the first node that originally owned the selected storage object has become available after a period of unavailability. A determination is made of the current owner node of the selected storage object, wherein the current owner node is one of the second node and the other nodes. The selected storage object is updated at the first node by the current owner node of the selected storage object, prior to allowing the first node to act on or assume ownership of the selected storage object. | 03-05-2009 |
20090083510 | METHOD, SYSTEM, AND ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE FOR RETURNING PHYSICAL VOLUMES - Provided are a method, system and article of manufacture for return processing in storage pools. A plurality of physical volumes are allocated to a first storage pool. A determination is made whether the first storage pool has more than a threshold number of empty physical volumes. If the first storage pool has more than the threshold number of empty physical volumes, then at least one empty physical volume is returned to a second storage pool. | 03-26-2009 |
20090119465 | Dynamic Loading of Virtual Volume Data in a Virtual Tape Server - Disclosed are a system, a method, and article of manufacture to provide for obtaining data storage device specific information from a data storage device using standard read/write commands. This method uses a host application to write a unique sequence of records to a logical volume of the data storage device. The data storage device detects the unique sequence of records for the logical volume and writes device specific information to the logical volume allowing the host application the ability to read the data storage device specific information using a read command for the logical volume. | 05-07-2009 |
20100082840 | USING LINK SEND AND RECEIVE INFORMATION TO SELECT ONE OF MULTIPLE LINKS TO USE TO TRANSFER DATA FOR SEND AND RECEIVE OPERATIONS - Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for using link send and receive information to select one of multiple links to use to transfer data for send and receive operations. Link information for a plurality of links to at least one target node indicates for each link a send throughput for sending data, a receive throughput for received data, a state of the link indicating whether the link is online, offline or degraded. A send operation is processed to transfer data to a receiving node comprising one of the target nodes. A determination is made of the states of the links to the receiving node in response to the send operation. The send throughput of the links having the online state is processed to select one of the links to the receiving node in response to determining that more than one of the links has the online state. The data of the send operation is sent using the selected link to the receiving node. A retrieve operation to access data from a sending node comprising one of the target nodes is processed. A determination is made of the state of the links to the sending node in response to the retrieve operation. The receive throughput is processed to select one of the links having the online state to the sending node in response to determining that more than one of the links has the online state. The data of the receive operation is received using the selected link to the sending node. | 04-01-2010 |