Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-03
2003-12-23
Corrielus, Jean M. (Department: 2172)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C707S793000, C707S793000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06668264
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to data storage systems. In particular, the invention relates to synchronization of source and target volumes in a mirrored storage system.
2. Related Art
Snapshots and multiple volumes are frequently used to prevent data loss when a data storage drive fails in a file system. Such snapshots “capture” the contents of the files and directories in a volume at a particular point in time in order to recover earlier versions of a file following an unintended deletion or modification. Such snapshots can also be copied to one or more volumes, which then can be used as a mirror or a collection or mirrors and which can provide a back-up copy of the file system. When used in this way, the mirror can be referred to as a target volume. In general, a target volume is a “read-only” volume that contains a set of data that is equivalent to the set of data on an original source volume. Such target volumes can be written to only by the original source volume.
A target volume may be updated periodically with respect to a source volume by looking to the most recent snapshot that the target and source have in common and using that snapshot as a consistency point (CP). The file blocks in the most recent common snapshot and the file blocks of a new snapshot are compared. The set of differences resulting from this comparison are written to the less up-to-date volume. In this way, both source and target volumes maintain equivalent sets of file blocks.
A source volume may become unavailable due to a failure of the source volume or to a failed connection to the source volume. Under such conditions, it is advantageous to temporarily use the target volume as a source volume by designating it as a “read/write” volume. User I/Os are directed to write to the target volume while the original source volume is unavailable.
One problem with writing to a target volume is that it may cause the target volume to contain data not found in the original source volume. A partial solution to this problem involves transferring data from the target to the source once the source is restored. However this is undesirable because it requires diversion of computational resources and filer overhead.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide an improved technique for quickly and efficiently updating source and target volumes after a target volume has been written to. This is achieved in an embodiment of the invention that addresses the foregoing deficiencies.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides an improved method and apparatus for quickly and efficiently updating an original source volume and an original target volume after the original target volume has been used as a source volume in a file system. One or more snapshots are used to compare data included in the source and target volume. Instead of transferring the entire volume, only the data that is missing from a source and a target volume is transferred.
In a first aspect of the invention, a target volume becomes synchronized with a source volume after the target has been written to by an entity other than the source. Synchronization is a two phase process. In the first phase, a target volume provides the source volume with a list of snapshots and associated snapshot numbers used to determine the sequence of the snapshots on the list. The source volume compares its own list of snapshot numbers with the list of the target volume's snapshot numbers and determines the newest common snapshot. This newest common snapshot is a consistency point between the target volume and the source volume. The source volume sends the target volume a set of snapshot numbers describing the newest common snapshot and the target volume reverts back to this snapshot. In the second phase, file system software identifies all the data blocks contained in any one or more of the snapshots of the source volume. This file system software also identifies all the data blocks in any one or more of the snapshots of the target volume using the data sent by the target volume to the source volume as described supra. A set of data blocks that are included in the source volume and not included in the target volume is generated. This can be accomplished by making a comparison based on logical differences, generating a virtual or actual list or other techniques known in the art.
File system software synchronizes the target volume with the source volume. First, the file system software removes snapshots from a target volume if the snapshots are not included in the source volume's snapshot list. Second, the file system software adds the set of data blocks identified above (that is the set of data blocks that are included in the source volume and not included in the target volume) to its memory. Lastly, the file system software adds snapshots to the target volume if the snapshots are included in the source volume's snapshot list and not in the target volume's snapshot list. At this point, the target volume includes the data blocks that are present on the source volume.
In a second aspect of the invention, the roles of the target volume and source volume are reversed and the process described supra is performed again so as to synchronize source volume with the target volume. This is necessary because the target volume may include data blocks not included in the source volume. After both source and target volumes are synchronized, the target volume stops being written to and the source once again is used as the active file. This is accomplished by 1) designating the target as a read-only volume, 2) designating the source as a read/write volume, and 3) redirecting users'I/O's back to the source volume.
In a preferred embodiment, sources and volumes can be synchronized dynamically, using a WAFL (Write Anywhere File Layout) system using RAID (Redundant Arrays of Independent Disks) architecture. However, various other types of file systems involving redundant copies of data can also be used.
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Federwisch Michael
Patterson Hugo
Corrielus Jean M.
Network Appliance Inc.
Swernofsky Law Group PC
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