US 2012/0233434 A1 · Virtual Disk Storage Techniques

Abstract

This document describes techniques for storing virtual disk payload data. In an exemplary configuration, each virtual disk extent can be associated with state information that indicates whether the virtual disk extent is described by a virtual disk file. Under certain conditions the space used to describe a virtual disk extent can be reclaimed and state information can be used to determine how read and/or write operations directed to the virtual disk extent are handled. In addition to the foregoing, other techniques are described in the claims, figures, and detailed description of this document.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A computer-readable storage medium including instructions that upon execution by a processor cause the processor to:

instantiate a virtual disk including a virtual disk extent, the virtual disk extent being dissociated from a virtual disk file;
allocate, based on state information associated with the virtual disk, a section of the virtual disk file to describe the virtual disk extent without overwriting a preexisting bit pattern within the section of the virtual disk file;
and
modify the state information associated with the virtual disk extent to indicate that the virtual disk extent is described by the virtual disk file.

1 more element

A computer implemented method for storing data for a virtual machine, comprising:

executing a guest operating system including a file system within a virtual machine;
exposing a virtual storage device to the guest operating system, the virtual storage device including a virtual disk extent, the virtual disk extent being dissociated from a virtual disk file;
receiving a request to write data to the virtual disk extent;
determining that state information associated with the virtual disk extent indicates that the virtual disk extent is free space;
allocating a section of the virtual disk file to describe the virtual disk extent without overwriting a preexisting bit pattern within the section of the virtual disk file;
modifying the state information associated with the virtual disk extent to indicate that the virtual disk extent is mapped to the allocated section of the virtual disk file;
and
storing the data to the allocated section of the virtual disk file.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

13/046,617Filed 11 Mar 2011

Published

13 Sep 2012

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

G06F 3/0631
Configuration or reconfiguration of storage systems: by allocating resources to storage systems
G06F 3/0604
Specifically adapted to achieve a particular effect: improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management
G06F 3/061
Specifically adapted to achieve a particular effect: improving I/O performance
G06F 3/0626
Specifically adapted to achieve a particular effect: reducing size or complexity of storage systems

Virtual Disk Storage Techniques

Life of this patent

Virtual Disk Storage Techniques

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20