Method and related apparatus for data migration utilizing disk arrays

A computer system comprising:

• a disk array comprising a source disk and at least a member disk, each disk being utilized to provide a memory space to store data, a total number of the disks in the disk array equaling to N, and N being a natural number greater than 1;
• a central processing unit for controlling an operation of the computer system;
• and
• a memory capable of storing a data migration program;
• wherein the central processing unit is capable of executing the data migration program to separately store a data to be migrated of the source disk into each disk of the disk array, and the migration program comprises:
• an arranging procedure, wherein the central processing unit executes the arranging procedure to divide the data to be migrated in the source disk into a plurality of data stripes and divides the plurality of data stripes of the source disk into a plurality of zones, wherein number of data stripes of a first zone Z(0) of the plurality of zones is N, a number of data stripes in a second zone Z(j) of the plurality of zones is (N−1)×(N^j) wherein j is equal to 1, a number of data stripes of a third zone Z(j) of the plurality of zones is (N−1)×(N^j) wherein j is equal to 2, and a number of data stripes of a Mth zone Z(j) of the plurality of zones is (N−1)×(N^j) wherein M is a natural number equal to or greater than 4 and j is equal to M−1;
• a zone migration procedure, wherein the central processing unit executes the zone migration procedure to perform a data migration operation on data stripes of a one zone of the plurality of zones from the source disk to all disks in the disk array including the source disk and the at least one member disk, wherein the one zone corresponds to an initial data, and wherein the data migration operation of the data stripes of the first zone Z(0) is firstly completed;
• and
• an initial data updating procedure, wherein the central processing unit executes the initial data updating procedure to update the initial data with an initial address of a next zone immediately following after the one zone only when the data stripes of the one zone are completely migrated.

A method for data migration of a disk array, the disk array comprising a source disk and at least a member disk, and a total number of the disks in the disk array equaling to N, the method utilized to separately store a data to be migrated from the source disk into each disk of the disk array, the method comprising:

• dividing the data to be migrated into a plurality of data stripes;
• setting a threshold value equal to a predetermined percentage of a size of the source disk;
• dividing the plurality of data stripes of the source disk into a plurality of zones, wherein any one zone is smaller or equal to the size of the threshold value, and a number of data stripes of a first zone Z(0) of the plurality of zones is N, a number of data stripes of a second zone Z(j) of the plurality of zones is (N−1)*(N^j) wherein j is equal to 1, a number of data stripes of a third zone Z(j) of the plurality of zones is equal to (N−1)×(N^j) wherein j is equal to 2, and a number of data stripes of a Mth zone Z(j) of the plurality of zones is equal to (N−1)×(N^j) wherein M is a natural number equal to or greater than 4 and j is equal to M−1;
• performing a data migration operation on data stripes of a one zone of the plurality of zones from the source disk to all disks in the disk array including the source disk and the at least one member disk, wherein the one zone corresponds to an initial data, and wherein the data migration operation of the data stripes of the first zone Z(0) is firstly completed;
• and
• updating the initial data with an initial address of a next zone immediately following after the one zone only when the data stripes of the one zone are completely migrated.