US 12,699,579 B2Granted

Locating virtual tape file systems on a virtual tape emulator

AssigneeDell Products L.P.

InventorsYuri Kotov, Konstantin Neshin, Kirill Moiseevskikh

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

Virtual tape emulation software on a Virtual Tape Emulator (VTE) assigns file systems labels based on the tape library name, the logical name of the storage array (from the VTE perspective), and the logical unit number (LUN) of the device on the VTE on which the file system is created. To prevent name conflicts within the VTE Operating System (VTEOS), a UDEV label translation process in the VTEOS creates a new label for the virtual tape file system that will be used by the VTEOS to identify the virtual tape file system. The label is created by concatenating the tape library ID, and the storage system identifier and the device identifier derived from the device World Wide Name (WWN). Since the label is unique within the VTE, UDEV label translation enables the VTEOS to differentiate between multiple replicated copies of the same virtual tape file system.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program for locating virtual tape file systems on a virtual tape emulator, the computer program including a set of instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method comprising the steps of:

receiving a virtual tape file system label assigned to a virtual tape file system by virtual tape emulation software executing on the virtual tape emulator, the virtual tape file system label including a virtual tape library identifier associated with the virtual tape file system;
identifying a world-wide identifier (WWN) of a device used to store the virtual tape file system by a storage system providing storage resources to the virtual tape emulator;
and
creating a unique label for the virtual tape file system for use during a mount process of virtual tape file system contained on a storage device to an operating system of the virtual tape emulator, the storage device being used by processes operating in the context of the operating system to access the virtual tape file system, the unique label for the virtual tape file system including:
the virtual tape library identifier extracted from the virtual tape file system label assigned by the virtual tape emulation software;
a serial number of the storage system providing storage resources to the virtual tape emulator;
and
a device identifier of a storage system device used to store the virtual tape file system by the storage system;
wherein the step of creating the unique label for the virtual tape file system is implemented by a label translation process running in the operating system, and prevents name conflicts within the operating system enabling the operating system to differentiate between multiple replica copies of the same virtual tape file system within the same virtual tape library.

6 more elements

A method of locating virtual tape file systems on a virtual tape emulator, comprising the steps of:

receiving a virtual tape file system label assigned to a virtual tape file system by virtual tape emulation software executing on the virtual tape emulator, the virtual tape file system label including a virtual tape library identifier associated with the virtual tape file system;
identifying a world-wide identifier (WWN) of a device used to store the file system by a storage system providing storage resources to the virtual tape emulator;
and
creating a unique label for the virtual tape file system for use during a mount process of a virtual tape file system contained on a storage device to an operating system of the virtual tape emulator, the storage device being used by processes operating in the context of the operating system to access the virtual tape file system, the unique label for the virtual tape file system including:
the virtual tape library identifier extracted from the virtual tape file system label assigned by the virtual tape emulation software;
a serial number of the storage system providing storage resources to the virtual tape emulator;
and
a device identifier of the device used to store the file system by the storage system;
wherein the step of creating the unique label for the virtual tape file system is implemented by a label translation process running in the operating system, and prevents name conflicts within the operating system enabling the operating system to differentiate between multiple replica copies of the same virtual tape file system within the same virtual tape library.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/872,230Filed 25 Jul 2022
Priority: RU 202210163425 Jan 2022
Published: US 2023/0236865 A127 Jul 2023
Granted: 4 Aug 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

G06F 9/45558
Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors: hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects
G06F 3/0664
Virtualisation aspects: at device level, e.g. emulation of a storage device or system
G06F 16/188
File system types: virtual file systems
G06F 3/0604
Specifically adapted to achieve a particular effect: improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management