US 6,718,436 B2 · Method for managing logical volume in order to support dynamic online resizing and software raid and to minimize metadata and computer readable medium storing the same

Abstract

A method for managing a logical volume for minimizing a size of metadata and supporting dynamic online resizing and software redundant array of independent disks (RAID), and a computer-readable recording medium storing instructions for embodying the method, are disclosed. The method includes the metadata having a disk partition table containing information of a disk partition in which the metadata is stored; a logical volume table for maintaining the information of the logical volume by storing duplicated information of the logical volume onto all disk partitions of the logical volume; an extent allocation table for indicating whether each extent in the disk partitions is used or not; and a mapping table for maintaining a mapping information for a physical address space corresponding to a logical address space which is a continuous address space equal in size of storage space of whole logical volume.

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Drawings

Claims14

Dependent claims

A method for managing a logical volume in order to support dynamic online resizing and minimizing a size of metadata, said method comprising steps of:

a) creating the logical volume by gathering disk partitions in response to a request for creating the logical volume in a physical storage space;
b) generating the metadata including information of the logical volume and the disk partitions forming the logical volume and storing the metadata to the disk partitions forming the logical volume;
c) dynamically resizing the logical volume in response to a request for resizing, and modifying the metadata on the disk partitions forming the logical volume;
and
d) calculating and returning a physical address corresponding to a logical address of the logical volume by using mapping information of the metadata containing information of the physical address corresponding to the logical address;
wherein the metadata includes,
a disk partition table containing information of a disk partition in which the metadata is stored;
a logical volume table for maintaining the information of the logical volume by storing duplicated information of the logical volume onto all disk partitions of the logical volume;
an extent allocation table for indicating whether each extent in the disk partition is used or not used;
and
a mapping table for maintaining a mapping information for a physical address space corresponding to a logical address space which is a continuous address space equal in size of storage space to an entirety of said logical volume.

8 more elements

A computer-readable recording medium storing instructions for executing a method for managing a logical volume in order to support dynamic online resizing and minimizing a size of metadata, said method comprising the steps of:

a) creating the logical volume by gathering disk partitions in response to a request for creating the logical volume in a physical storage space;
b) generating the metadata including information of the logical volume and the disk partitions forming the logical volume and storing it the metadata to the disk partitions forming the logical volume;
c) dynamically resizing the logical volume in response to a request for resizing, and modifying the metadata on the disk partitions forming the logical volume;
and
d) calculating and returning a physical address corresponding to a logical address of the logical volume by using mapping information of the metadata containing information of the physical address corresponding to the logical address;
wherein the metadata includes,
a disk partition table containing information of a disk partition in which the metadata is stored;
a logical volume table for maintaining the information of the logical volume by storing duplicated information of the logical volume onto all disk partitions of the logical volume;
an extent allocation table for indicating whether each extent in the disk partition is used or not used;
and
a mapping table for maintaining a mapping information for a physical address space corresponding to a logical address space which is a continuous address space equal in size of storage space to an entirety of said logical volume.

8 more elements

A method for managing a logical volume in order to support dynamic online resizing and minimizing a size of metadata, said method comprising steps of:

a) creating the logical volume by gathering disk partitions in response to a request for creating the logical volume in a physical storage space;
b) generating the metadata including information of the logical volume and the disk partitions forming the logical volume and storing the metadata to the disk partitions forming the logical volume;
c) dynamically resizing the logical volume in response to a request for resizing, and modifying the metadata on the disk partitions forming the logical volume;
and
d) calculating and returning a physical address corresponding to a logical address of the logical volume by using mapping information of the metadata containing information of the physical address corresponding to the logical address;
wherein the metadata includes:
a disk partition table including the logical volume information to which the disk partition containing the metadata belongs, information for identifying the disk partition, real data start information, an extent size information of the disk partition defined in the logical volume, and mirror checking information;
a logical volume table duplicated and stored in all disk partitions constructing corresponding logical volume including logical volume identifying information corresponding to the logical volume, logical volume name information, extent size information of the logical volume, RAID level information of construction type of the logical volume, and total number of disk partitions constructing the logical volume;
an extent allocation table for representing usage of the extent by using one bit per each extent in the disk partition;
and
a mapping table being constructed with a pair of the disk partition identifying information and an extent number corresponding to each extent for mapping a logical address to a physical address, for continuous logical address space of a logical volume.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description6,310 words

Summary2,240 words

#The present invention relates to a method for managing a logical volume for minimizing a size of metadata and dynamic resizing, and a computer-readable recording medium storing a program or data structure for embodying the method; and, more particularly, to a method for managing a logical volume in order to support dynamic online resizing of a logical volume and to minimize the size of metadata managed by the logical volume manager that overcomes a physical limitation of a storage device in computer systems, and a computer-readable recording medium storing a program or data structure for embodying the method.

#The logical volume manager provides a logical volume which is one virtual disk drive and includes multiple physical disk drives, and implements RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) technique with software to construct the logical volume.

#First, RAID and related terms will be explained.

Brief description of the drawings13 figures

#The above and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

#FIG. 1 is a diagram of a computer system utilizing the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a view of a logical volume in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Detailed description3,697 words

#Other objects and aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, which is set forth hereinafter.

#FIG. 1 is an illustration of a computer system utilizing the present invention.

#FIG. 1 illustrates an interface between a logical volume manager, physical storage devices, and high-level services, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Facts

Application

10/005,604Filed 7 Dec 2001

Priority

KR 2001-4562127 Jul 2001

Published

US 2003/0023811 A130 Jan 2003

Granted

6 Apr 2004

Term ended

5 May 2022

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 149 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification6 codes

G06F 3/0601
Digital input from, or digital output to, record carriers , e.g. RAID, emulated record carriers or networked record carriers: interfaces specially…
G06F 3/0608
Specifically adapted to achieve a particular effect: saving storage space on storage systems
G06F 3/0644
Organizing or formatting or addressing of data: management of space entities, e.g. partitions, extents, pools
G06F 3/0665
Virtualisation aspects: at area level, e.g. provisioning of virtual or logical volumes

Timeline

27 Jul 2001Priority claimedKR 2001-45621
7 Dec 2001Application filedUS 10/005,604
7 Dec 2001Assigned to Electronics and Telecommunications Research Instituteassignment of assignor's interest
30 Jan 2003PublishedUS 2003/0023811 A1
6 Apr 2004GrantedUS 6,718,436 B2
5 May 2022Term endedEstimated, includes 149 days of adjustment

Method for managing logical volume in order to support dynamic online resizing and software raid and to minimize metadata and computer readable medium storing the same

Life of this patent

Method for managing logical volume in order to support dynamic online resizing and software raid and to minimize metadata and computer readable medium storing the same

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims14

Description6,310 words

Drawings

Classification6 codes

Life of this patent

Description6,310 words