Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7634516?dq=7,321,221
Timestamp: 2014-09-21 01:30:58
Document Index: 200796136

Matched Legal Cases: ['application No. 06', 'Application No. 20068000283841', 'Application No. 2006800283150', 'Application No. 2006800283841', 'Application No. 2006800283150', 'Application No. 2006800283841']

Patent US7634516 - Maintaining an aggregate including active files in a storage pool in a ... - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign in<nobr>Advanced Patent Search</nobr>PatentsProvided are a method, system, and program for maintaining an aggregate including active files in a storage pool in a random access medium. An active-only storage pool is configured in a random access device. The active-only storage pool is intended to include only active files and not inactive versions...http://www.google.com/patents/US7634516?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7634516 - Maintaining an aggregate including active files in a storage pool in a random access mediumAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS7634516 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 11/206,496Publication dateDec 15, 2009Filing dateAug 17, 2005Priority dateAug 17, 2005Fee statusLapsedAlso published asCN101233515A, CN101233515B, EP1924932A1, US20070043787, WO2007020121A1Publication number11206496, 206496, US 7634516 B2, US 7634516B2, US-B2-7634516, US7634516 B2, US7634516B2InventorsDavid Maxwell Cannon, Howard Newton MartinOriginal AssigneeInternational Business Machines CorporationExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (36), Non-Patent Citations (21), Classifications (9), Legal Events (5) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetMaintaining an aggregate including active files in a storage pool in a random access mediumUS 7634516 B2Abstract Provided are a method, system, and program for maintaining an aggregate including active files in a storage pool in a random access medium. An active-only storage pool is configured in a random access device. The active-only storage pool is intended to include only active files and not inactive versions of files. A plurality of files in the active-only storage pool are associated with a precursor aggregate in the active-only storage pool. One file associated with the precursor aggregate in the active only storage pool is deactivated to produce an inactive version of the deactivated file. The precursor aggregate is associated with the inactive version of the file in response to the deactivation. A determination is made of the inactive version of at least one file in the precursor aggregate. The determined inactive version of the at least one file is deleted from the active only storage pool.
SUMMARY Provided are a method, system, and program for maintaining an aggregate including active files in a storage pool in a random access medium. An active-only storage pool is configured in a random access device. The active-only storage pool is intended to include only active files and not inactive versions of files. A plurality of files in the active-only storage pool are associated with a precursor aggregate in the active-only storage pool. One file associated with the precursor aggregate in the active only storage pool is deactivated to produce an inactive version of the deactivated file. The precursor aggregate is associated with the inactive version of the file in response to the deactivation. A determination is made of the inactive version of at least one file in the precursor aggregate. The determined inactive version of the at least one file is deleted from the active only storage pool.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 illustrates a computing environment in which embodiments are implemented. A plurality of clients 2 a, 2 b . . . 2 n, storage devices 4 a, 4 b, and a storage management server 6 are in communication over a network 8. The storage management server 6 may access storage devices 4 a, 4 b over the network 8. Alternatively, a storage device may be attached directly to the storage management server 6 and accessed over a bus. The clients 2 a, 2 b . . . 2 n include client storage agents 10 a, 10 b . . . 10 n and the storage management server 6 includes storage management software 12. The client storage agents 10 a, 10 b . . . 10 n and the storage management software 12 interact to manage the storage of files in storage pools 14 a, 14 b implemented in the storage devices 4 a, 4 b. The storage management software 12 may maintain a storage hierarchy system in which storage pools 14 a, 14 b are defined to have level information, such that files at a higher level may be migrated to a lower level according to a hierarchical storage policy, e.g., to move less frequently accessed files to storage pools at a lower level in the hierarchy having slower access devices. The storage in the higher level may comprise faster access devices, such as hard disk drives, whereas the storage at lower levels may comprise slower access devices, such as slower hard disk drives, tape drives, etc. For instance, storage pools high in the hierarchy include more frequently or recently used data and are implemented in relatively faster access storage devices, whereas storage pools lower in the hierarchy may provide more long term storage of data and be implemented in a tape storage medium. In certain embodiments, the client storage agents 10 a, 10 b . . . 10 n may access, backup, archive and restore data through the storage management software 12, which manages access to files in the storage pools 14 a, 14 b. Further, the storage management software 12 may backup and archive data from the clients 2 a, 2 b, 2 c. The storage management software 12 maintains information on the files in the storage pools, including file information 16, aggregate information 18, and storage pool information 20. The information 16, 18, and 20 may be implemented in one or more database tables of a relational database or other suitable data structures known in the art. The file information 16 may comprise an inventory table having information on every file in the storage pools 14 a, 14 b, including client and policy information. The aggregate information 18 comprises information on aggregates defined in the storage pools 14 a, 14 b. A precursor aggregate comprises an association of files in the storage pools 14 a, 14 b, an aggregate managed file comprises a file or object in one storage pool in which one or more files are written and associated. Files grouped by a precursor aggregate are not stored in an aggregate managed file, but remain stored as separate files in the file system. An aggregate simplifies file movement operations (e.g., storage pool backup, restore, reclamation or movement to another pool which includes migration to another location within the hierarchy) because the storage management software 12 need only specify a data transfer operation with respect to an aggregate (precursor or aggregate managed file), and the storage management software 12 will then perform the requested operation with respect to the files grouped by the aggregate.
FIG. 10 illustrates an example of storage pools and tables having information on the aggregates in the storage pools. An active only storage pool 300, having an ID of �1�, is implemented in a random access media including three files A, B, C having IDs of 100, 200, 300, respectively. These files A, B, C are grouped in a precursor aggregate 302 having an ID of 400. Before updating files in the active-only storage pool 300, a copy is made of the files associated with the precursor aggregate 302 to an aggregate managed file 304, having an ID of 500, in the active/inactive storage pool 306, having an ID of �−1�. The active/inactive storage pool 306 may comprise a sequential access device or store files and aggregate managed files in a sequential file volume. File B 600 comprises an updated version of file B 200 associated with the precursor aggregate 302. Any changes to files associated with the precursor aggregate 302 does not effect the copy of the files in the aggregate managed file 304 in the active/inactive storage pool 306, other than changing the status of the copy of the files from active to inactive. File B may also be copied to the active/inactive storage pool 306.
In one embodiment, the storage management software 12 maintains a file/aggregate information table 310, an aggregate information table 312, and an aggregate file information table 314 having information on the files and aggregates in the storage pools 300 and 306. The file/aggregate information table 310 includes entries, such as entry 50 (FIG. 2), for each aggregate, including entries for precursor aggregate 400 and aggregate managed file 500 (having reference numbers 302 and 304, respectively) that are in the storage pools identified as 1 and �−1� (having reference numbers 300 and 306, respectively) and the updated file B having identifier 600.
The aggregate file information table 314 includes entries, such as entry 80 (FIG. 4), for each file in the aggregates 302 and 304. The files in the precursor aggregate 302 have offsets of zero and the files in the aggregate managed file 304 have offsets of their location in the aggregate managed file. In FIG. 10, the aggregate information 312 has information on the precursor aggregate 302 and the aggregate managed file 304, including an actual size field of zero for precursor aggregate 400 indicating that the aggregate is a precursor. The table 314 further indicates whether the file is active, �Y� or active and �N� for inactive.
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Martin.Classifications U.S. Classification1/1, 707/999.203, 707/999.202, 707/999.2International ClassificationG06F12/00Cooperative ClassificationG06F17/30067, Y10S707/99954, Y10S707/99953European ClassificationG06F17/30FLegal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionFeb 4, 2014FPExpired due to failure to pay maintenance feeEffective date: 20131215Dec 15, 2013LAPSLapse for failure to pay maintenance feesJul 26, 2013REMIMaintenance fee reminder mailedNov 9, 2010CCCertificate of correctionOct 17, 2005ASAssignmentOwner name: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION, NEW YFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:CANNON, DAVID MAXWELL;MARTIN, HOWARD NEWTON;REEL/FRAME:016890/0511Effective date: 20050816RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services©2012 Google