Patent ID: 8458422
Filing Date: 2013-06-04
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. For use in a virtual data storage system for use with a client system and a plurality of physical storage devices, the virtual data storage system including a device emulator for receiving commands and data from the client system and a storage system for storing the data as data objects to the plurality of physical storage devices in accordance with storage management policies, a method of managing multiple copies of stored data objects on multiple media types over time, the method comprising: establishing a plurality of storage pools, each storage pool defining a group of media that are to be treated in a uniform manner; establishing a policy composed of a series of policy copy/delete rules that directs movement of data objects into the storage pools, wherein each rule defines a destination storage pool, a length of time that the data objects are to remain in the destination storage pool, and a data source for the data objects; performing copy and delete actions to manage copies of data objects among the storage pools in accordance with the policy; designating a first storage pool for use in export processing; performing copy actions in accordance with the policy to make copies of certain of the data objects onto a subset of the media defined by the first storage pool; setting aside the subset of the media in the first storage pool to form an export media set; and preventing subsequent commands from modifying the subset of the media in the export media set such that subsequent movement of additional data objects governed by the policy are transferred onto media within the first storage pool other than the export media set.