Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-24
2002-01-15
Black, Thomas (Department: 2171)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C711S118000, C711S135000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06339778
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention.
This invention relates in general to data storage and processing, and more particularly to distributed storage servers.
2. Description of Related Art.
The implementation of new technology in magnetic tape products has meant that the density of data written to tape has increased by orders of magnitude in the last ten or fifteen years. The ability to record high density tapes, e.g., ten gigabytes or more on one physical volume, has led to reducing costs in physical tape hardware as well as in handling and management resources.
However, over the past five years, tape data set stacking products, i.e., software solutions to increase tape utilization, have evolved in response to the customer requirement for more efficient ways to manage the information stored on tape. To achieve increased capacity enablement, a virtual tape server (VTS) has been proposed. In a VTS, the hardware is transparent to the host and the user. The VTS requires little external management except though the library management element of the tape library into which a VTS is integrated.
In a hierarchical storage systems, such as a VTS, intensively used and frequently accessed data is stored in fast but expensive memory. One example of a fast memory is a direct access storage device (DASD). In contrast, less frequently accessed data is stored in less expensive but slower memory. Examples of slower memory are tape drives and disk drive arrays. The goal of the hierarchy is to obtain moderately priced, high-capacity storage while maintaining high-speed access to the stored information.
In the VTS system, a host data interface, a DASD, and a number of tape devices are provided. When the host writes a logical volume, or a file, to the VTS, the data is stored as a resident file on the DASD. Although the DASD provides quick access to this data, it will eventually reach full capacity and a backup or secondary storage system will be needed. An IBM 3590 tape cartridge is one example of a tape device that could be used as a backup or secondary storage system.
When the DASD fills to a predetermined threshold, the logical volume data for a selected logical volume, typically the oldest, is removed from the DASD to free space for more logical volumes. The selected DASD file is then appended onto a tape cartridge, or a physical volume, with the original left on the DASD for possible cache hits. When a DASD file has been appended to a tape cartridge and the original remains on the DASD, the file is “premigrated”.
When the host reads a logical volume from the VTS, a cache hit occurs if the logical volume currently resides on the DASD. If the logical volume is not on the DASD, the storage manager determines which of the physical tape volumes contains the logical volume. The corresponding physical volume is then mounted on one of the tape devices, and the data for the logical volume is transferred back to the DASD from the tape.
Tape servers may use an engine to move data between the DASD and tape drives in a virtual tape server (VTS) environment. For example, the IBM Virtual Tape Server (VTS) uses the IBM Adstar Distributed Storage Manager (ADSM) as its engine to move data between the DASD and IBM 3590 tape drives on the VTS. In such a system, the VTS uses the a storage manager client on the DASD, e.g., the ADSM Hierarchical Storage Manager (HSM) client, and a distributed storage manager server attached to the tape drives to provide this function.
However, from time to time the storage manager client and the distributed storage manager server must be reconciled to synchronize their databases and expire files on the server. While reconcile is occurring, the storage manager client's auto-migration process is prevented from migrating files and freeing space on the DASD. Under certain conditions, the VTS can fill the remaining space on the DASD in less time than the reconcile takes, leading to a full DASD and a failure of the VTS.
Further, to open, read, write, and close files on the DASD, the VTS uses file functions, such as AIX file functions. The storage manager client function intercepts these file functions, performs the necessary operations, and returns any error codes to the VTS. However, for various VTS processes, a more efficient method of getting information on premigrated files on the DASD is required.
It can be seen that there is a need for a method for automatically reconciling the client and server databases and actively management the files stored in the cache.
It can also be seen that there is a need for a method that monitors free space on a DASD so that a VTS is allowed to fill the DASD with data during a reconcile process.
It can also be seen that there is a need for an active cache filename management scheme that improved VTS performance by obtaining information on premigrated files thereby eliminating usage of a premigration candidate list.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To overcome the limitations in the prior art described above, and to overcome other limitations that will become apparent upon reading and understanding the present specification, the present invention discloses a method for automatically reconciling the client and server databases and actively management the files stored in the cache.
The present invention solves the above-described problems by providing a method that monitors free space on a DASD so that a VTS is allowed to fill the DASD with data during a reconcile process. Furthermore, an active cache filename management scheme is provided that improved VTS performance by obtaining information on premigrated files thereby eliminating usage of a premigration candidate list.
A method in accordance with the principles of the present invention includes the steps of automatically reconciling a client and server database for a file system using a distributed storage manager, migrating disk files using a supplemental stubbing function of an automatic storage manager administrator while the distributed storage manger reconciles the client and server databases of the file system and actively managing the files stored in a cache file list of the automatic storage manager administrator to obtain information on premigrated files.
Other embodiments of a method in accordance with the principles of the invention may include alternative or optional additional aspects. One such aspect of the present invention is that the steps of reconciling and migrating further comprise the steps of initiating reconcile of a server and client database of a file system using a distributed storage manager, determining whether a disk needs more free space using an automatic storage manager administrator, selecting a file for stubbing from a cache list using the automatic storage administrator, stubbing the file using the automatic storage manager administrator while the distributed storage manager is reconciling the server and client database for the file system.
An article of manufacture is provided in yet another aspect of the invention. The article of manufacture includes a computer readable medium having instructions for causing a computer to perform a method including the steps of automatically reconciling a client and server database for a file system using a distributed storage manager, migrating disk files using a supplemental stubbing function of an automatic storage manager administrator while the distributed storage manger reconciles the client and server databases of the file system, and actively managing the files stored in a cache file list of the automatic storage manager administrator to obtain information on premigrated files.
A virtual tape server is provided in yet another aspect of the invention. The virtual tape server includes primary storage media, secondary storage media forming an automated library, a library manager, a distributed storage manager for moving data between the primary and secondary storage media, the distributed storage manager further comprising a distributed storage manager server and a hierarchical storage manager client and an autom
Altera Law Group LLC
Jury David
LandOfFree
Method and article for apparatus for performing automated... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method and article for apparatus for performing automated..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and article for apparatus for performing automated... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2868111