Error detection/correction and fault detection/recovery – Data processing system error or fault handling – Reliability and availability
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-15
2001-07-24
Beausoleil, Robert (Department: 2181)
Error detection/correction and fault detection/recovery
Data processing system error or fault handling
Reliability and availability
C714S005110, C714S006130
Reexamination Certificate
active
06266784
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to disaster recovery in data processing systems using storage management servers, and, more particularly, to the recovery plan file which contains the recovery plan for a storage management server and the associated data, which would be needed for recovery in the event of a disaster or other loss with respect to the storage management server.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Data processing systems typically require storage of large amounts of data, which data is continually being updated, added to, deleted or changed. In major data processing systems, this data is stored by storage management servers in multiple locations, each often remote from each other. The ongoing data processing requires large amounts of data, and such data is typically periodically backed up to prevent loss of the data, by the storage management server. Many businesses view any loss of data as catastrophic, severely impacting the success of the business. To further protect the data of a business, the backed up data is often moved offsite and kept at a site remote from the site of the data processing system and the associated storage management server. Thus, if a disaster strikes the site of the data processing system and the associated storage management server, the data can be recovered from the backup copies located at the remote site.
In a typical major data processing system, a number of “client” data processors are coupled to a single storage management server over a network, and the server receives data files from the clients and stores them on several attached storage devices. The storage management server manages the backup, archiving, and migration of the client files. Clients can vary from small personal computer systems and workstations to large data processing host systems.
In a typical busy data processing system, the data for one or more, or all of the clients, is backed up periodically, and moved to an offsite location, often employing a server-to-server infrastructure to communicate the data to a remote storage management server. Thus, the communicated backup data from one period immediately outmodes that of the previous period, and the server which sent the data needs to have information indicating what was sent at the last communication in order to properly restore the data. Further, the server needs to have information about the clients, the network and about the server itself, in order to be able to carry out the restoration.
In the event of a site disaster, or of loss of the server, the server itself must be restored. Therefore, servers may have a server disaster recovery plan which includes the information, procedures, and executable instructions necessary to recover the storage management server. Currently, the server recovery plan file is manually managed, and copies made on a removable data storage media, such as tape, and for filing or storing, often in a warehouse or other site that is remote from the server site. The previous recovery plan files should be manually deleted, however, they often are part of a load of tapes that are delivered without a certain procedure for expiration and deletion of old tapes. Further, the recovery plan file should be periodically updated so that it tracks, not only changes to the server, but also the changes to the backed up data.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide the capability of saving the storage management server disaster recovery plan file so that it may be easily accessed for recovery of the server.
It is another object of the present invention to provide the capability for management of the saved recovery plan files so that the placement, backup, migration and expiration of recovery plan files is controlled.
Disclosed are a method, a storage management system, an article of manufacture comprising a computer readable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein, and a computer program product for saving a recovery plan file for a storage management server. The storage management system has a plurality of storage management servers at sites remote from one another coupled by a server-to-server infrastructure. A recovery plan file is generated for one of the storage management servers at one of the sites by establishing the one storage management server as a source for the recovery plan file. Another of the storage management servers at a site remote from the source storage management server site is established as a target for the source recovery plan file. The source storage management server creates its recovery plan file. Then, the source storage management server transmits its recovery plan file to the target storage management server at the remote site over the server-to-server infrastructure.
In another aspect of the present invention, the recovery plan file for the source server is managed at the target server according to defined criteria under the control of the source server, such as under specified rules for backup, migration and expiration.
In a further aspect of the present invention, the source recovery plan file is saved to a plurality of target storage management servers at remote sites over the server-to-server infrastructure.
In still another aspect of the present invention, recovery plan files are saved for a hierarchy of storage management servers. The target storage management server is additionally established as a hierarchical source for its recovery plan file. Another of the storage management servers at a site remote from the source site and from the target site is established as a hierarchical target for the hierarchical source recovery plan file. The hierarchical recovery plan file is created by the target. Then, the hierarchical recovery plan file from the target storage management server is transmitted to the hierarchical target storage management server at the remote site over the server-to-server infrastructure.
For a fuller understanding of the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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Hsiao Yu-Mei Una
Moxley Donald Monson
Plaza Rosa Tesiler
Van Hise David Gregory
Beausoleil Robert
Holcombe John H.
International Business Machines - Corporation
Sullivan Robert M.
Vo Tim
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