US 7,680,997 B1 · Data recovery simulation

Abstract

Handling failure of a primary group at a first data center may be simulated by cloning the at least one storage volume at a second data center, cloning at least one storage volume at a third data center, cloning at least one of: buffers used for providing data to the asynchronous backup group and maps used to maintain a record of data sent to the synchronous backup group but not yet sent to the asynchronous backup group; and simulating resuming work at one of the second data center and the third data center using at least one of clones of the buffers and clones of the maps.

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Drawings

Claims17

Dependent claims

A method of simulating handling failure of at least one of a plurality of data centers, the method, performed by at least one processor, comprising:

cloning at least one storage volume at a second data center, wherein there is a synchronous data coupling to transfer data from at least one storage volume at a first data center to the at least one storage volume at the second data center;
cloning at least one storage volume at a third data center, wherein there is an asynchronous data coupling to transfer data from the at least one storage volume at the first data center to the at least one storage volume at the third data center and wherein the third data center has an asynchronous backup group;
cloning at least one of:
buffers used for providing data to the asynchronous backup group and maps used to maintain a record of data sent to the synchronous backup group but not yet sent to the asynchronous backup group;
and
simulating resuming work at one of the second data center and the third data center using at least one of clones of the buffers and clones of the maps.

3 more elements

Computer software provided in a computer-readable storage medium that simulates handling failure of at least one of a plurality of data centers, the software, executable by at least one processor, comprising:

executable code that clones at least one storage volume at a second data center, wherein there is a synchronous data coupling to transfer data from at least one storage volume at a first data center to the at least one storage volume at the second data center;
executable code that clones at least one storage volume at a third data center, wherein there is an asynchronous data coupling to transfer data from the at least one storage volume at the first data center to the at least one storage volume at the third data center and wherein the third data center has an asynchronous backup group;
executable code that clones at least one of:
buffers used for providing data to the asynchronous backup group and maps used to maintain a record of data sent to the synchronous backup group but not yet sent to the asynchronous backup group;
and
executable code that simulates resuming work at one of the second data center and the third data center using at least one of clones of the buffers and clones of the maps.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description57,162 words

Summary5,573 words

#1. Technical Field

#This application relates to computer storage devices, and more particularly to the field of transferring data between storage devices.

#2. Description of Related Art

Brief description of the drawings85 figures

#FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a host, a local storage device, and a remote data storage device used in connection with the system described herein.

#FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a flow of data between a host, a local storage device, and a remote data storage device used in connection with the system described herein.

#FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating items for constructing and manipulating chunks of data on a local storage device according to the system described herein.

Detailed description49,242 words

#Referring to FIG. 1, a diagram 20 shows a relationship between a host 22, a local storage device 24 and a remote storage device 26. The host 22 reads and writes data from and to the local storage device 24 via a host adapter (HA) 28, which facilitates the interface between the host 22 and the local storage device 24. Although the diagram 20 only shows one host 22 and one HA 28, it will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that multiple HA's may be used and that one or more HA's may have one or more hosts coupled thereto.

#Data from the local storage device 24 is copied to the remote storage device 26 via an RDF link 29 to cause the data on the remote storage device 26 to be identical to the data on the local storage device 24. Although only the one link 29 is shown, it is possible to have additional links between the storage devices 24, 26 and to have links between one or both of the storage devices 24, 26 and other storage devices (not shown). In addition, the link 29 may be provided using a direct connection (wired, over-the-air, or some combination thereof), a network (such as the Internet), or any other appropriate means for conveying data. Note that there may be a time delay between the transfer of data from the local storage device 24 to the remote storage device 26, so that the remote storage device 26 may, at certain points in time, contain data that is not identical to the data on the local storage device 24. Communication using RDF is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,742,792, which is incorporated by reference herein.

#The local storage device 24 includes a first plurality of RDF adapter units (RA's) 30a, 30b, 30c and the remote storage device 26 includes a second plurality of RA's 32a-32c. The RA's 30a-30c, 32a-32c are coupled to the RDF link 29 and are similar to the host adapter 28, but are used to transfer data between the storage devices 24, 26. The software used in connection with the RA's 30a-30c, 32a-32c is discussed in more detail hereinafter.

Facts

Application

11/648,772Filed 29 Dec 2006

Granted

16 Mar 2010

Term ends

26 Apr 2028

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 484 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.

Classification4 codes

G06F 11/26
Detection or location of defective computer hardware by testing during standby operation or during idle time, e.g. start-up testing: functional…
G06F 11/2058
By mirroring: using more than 2 mirrored copies
G06F 11/2069
By mirroring: management of state, configuration or failover
G06F
Computing and data processing

Timeline

29 Dec 2006Application filedUS 11/648,772
29 Dec 2006Assigned to Emc Corporationassignment of assignor's interest
6 Feb 2007Assigned to Emc Corporationassignment of assignor's interest
16 Mar 2010GrantedUS 7,680,997 B1
21 Sep 2016Assigned to Credit Suisse AG, Cayman Islands Branch, AS Collateral Agentsecurity agreement
21 Sep 2016Assigned to The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., AS Notes Collateral Agentsecurity agreement
29 Sep 2016Assigned to Emc IP Holding Company LLCassignment of assignor's interest
21 Mar 2019Assigned to The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A.security agreement
22 Apr 2020Assigned to The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A.security agreement
3 Nov 2021Assigned to Asap Software Express, Inc., Aventail LLC, Credant Technologies, Inc., Dell USA L.P., Dell International, L.L.C., Dell Marketing L.P., Dell Products L.P., Dell Software Inc., Dell Systems Corporation, Emc Corporation, Emc IP Holding Company LLC, Force10 Networks, Inc., Maginatics LLC, Mozy, Inc., Scaleio LLC, Wyse Technology L.L.C.release of security interest
26 Apr 2022Assigned to Dell Marketing Corporation (Successor-In-Interest To Asap Software Express, Inc.), Dell Marketing L.P. (On Behalf of Itself and AS Successor-In-Interest To Credant Technologies, Inc.), Dell USA L.P., Dell International L.L.C., Dell Products L.P., Dell Marketing Corporation (Successor-In-Interest To Force10 Networks, Inc. and Wyse Technology L.L.C.), Emc Corporation (On Behalf of Itself and AS Successor-In-Interest To Maginatics LLC), Emc IP Holding Company LLC (On Behalf of Itself and AS Successor-In-Interest To Mozy, Inc.), Scaleio LLCrelease of security interest in patents previously recorded at reel/frame (040136/0001)
20 May 2022Assigned to Dell Marketing Corporation (Successor-In-Interest To Asap Software Express, Inc.), Dell Marketing L.P. (On Behalf of Itself and AS Successor-In-Interest To Credant Technologies, Inc.), Dell USA L.P., Dell International L.L.C., Dell Products L.P., Dell Marketing Corporation (Successor-In-Interest To Force10 Networks, Inc. and Wyse Technology L.L.C.), Emc Corporation (On Behalf of Itself and AS Successor-In-Interest To Maginatics LLC), Emc IP Holding Company LLC (On Behalf of Itself and AS Successor-In-Interest To Mozy, Inc.), Scaleio LLCrelease of security interest in patents previously recorded at reel/frame (045455/0001)
23 Jun 2022Assigned to Dell Marketing L.P. (On Behalf of Itself and AS Successor-In-Interest To Credant Technologies, Inc.), Dell International L.L.C., Dell Products L.P., Dell USA L.P., Emc Corporation, Dell Marketing Corporation (Successor-In-Interest To Force10 Networks, Inc. and Wyse Technology L.L.C.), Emc IP Holding Company LLCrelease of security interest in patents previously recorded at reel/frame (053546/0001)
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
26 Apr 2028Term endsEstimated, includes 484 days of adjustment

Data recovery simulation

Life of this patent

Data recovery simulation

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims17

Description57,162 words

Drawings

Classification4 codes

Life of this patent

Description57,162 words