Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. The Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates in general to dual copy data storage systems and more particularly to the read-only recovery of a logical volume using a selective dual copy within a virtual tape server (VTS) system in a manner that is transparent to and asynchronous with a host. 
     2. The Relevant Art 
     High density, removable media storage libraries are used to provide large quantities of storage in networked computer systems. Typically, such data storage systems are employed for backup or other secondary storage purposes, but the data storage system may also be used as primary storage in circumstances that are conducive to sequential data access and the like. 
     The data is stored on media cartridges, such as magnetic tapes or optical disks, that are arranged in storage bins and accessed when data on a cartridge is requested. Currently available media cartridges are capable of storing much more data than the data volume units that correspond to the size of early types of media cartridges. For example, a data volume that corresponds to a 400 megabyte disk may now be stored on a disk with up to 60 gigabytes of storage capacity. Unfortunately, much legacy equipment in existing computer systems is configured for the smaller volume sizes. 
     Volume mapping is used to create a correlation between the physical capacity of a storage cartridge (stack volume or physical volume) and the data storage unit size (virtual volume or logical volume) of a file or block that is stored on the cartridge. Given the available data storage capacity of a single storage media cartridge, such mapping allows multiple logical volumes to be stored on a single physical volume, hence providing an efficient use of the available storage media. A virtual tape server (VTS) is one device capable of creating and maintaining such mapping among physical volumes and logical volumes. 
     A typical VTS system includes a virtual tape server and an automated media library. The library is controlled by a library manager that is similar to a workstation computer. Within the VTS system, typically two databases reside on separate memory disks within the system. One database resides on the virtual tape server and the other resides within the library manager. 
     The virtual tape server database contains the logical-to-physical volume mapping, as well as information concerning volume attributes that define actions that have been or will be taken on a logical volume each time it is closed. One of the attributes included in such information is whether a secondary copy of a logical volume was made when it was last written. 
     The library manager database also contains attributes associated with the logical volumes stored on the media cartridges. Included in these attributes are the construct names and associated attributes corresponding to each logical volume in the library. The library manager also controls the physical loading of media cartridges in corresponding drives by storing the physical location of the physical volumes within the storage bins and controlling a robotic accessor arm that retrieves the physical volumes from the bins and load the cartridges in the drives when a mount request is received. 
     Through proper communication of the volume mapping and construct attributes, a host processor and peripheral data storage equipment may access logical volumes as though they were individual physical volumes. The volume access management is provided via the virtual tape server and library manager as described above. 
     In certain circumstances, it may be desirable to make two copies of a single logical volume. It may also be desirable to store such copies on multiple physical volumes, such as on separate cartridges or even in separate geographic locations, so as to avoid loss due to failure of a single tape or tape drive unit. Additionally, it is desirable to provide a method of recovering the secondary copy of the logical volume if, for some reason, the primary copy becomes unavailable. Some systems and methods have been proposed to recover a secondary copy of a logical volume in a dual copy storage system. Unfortunately, a number of deficiencies exist in such known systems and methods. 
     For example, many known dual copy systems require an explicit command from the host to initiate recovery of a secondary copy. The software running on the host must be modified to provide the recovery command. As a result, such a recovery system may be difficult to use with existing (legacy) software. Consequently, adding recovery capability to an existing system may be rather difficult. Prior art recovery systems may also require that the host transmit the data to the virtual tape server repeatedly in order to recover the secondary copy. Thus, the I/O resources of the host are unduly taxed. 
     Furthermore, some dual copy systems require the host to track the locations, i.e., the physical media cartridges, of the logical volumes. This may require the maintenance of a special database on the host to hold meta data for each file stored in the virtual tape server. Again, such recovery systems are difficult or impossible to incorporate into existing host systems without providing new host software, and may unduly tax the resources of the host. Additionally, such systems may be difficult to use in a heterogeneous environment, i.e., with host computers that use different operating systems, file formats, etc. 
     Thus, it would be an advancement in the art to provide a virtual tape system capable of recovering a secondary copy of a logical volume in a manner that is substantially transparent to the host. It would further be an advancement in the art to provide a virtual tape system capable of efficiently recovering a logical volume independent of the host. Yet further, it would be an advancement in the art to provide a virtual tape system that minimizes the virtual tape server resources required to recover the secondary copy. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been developed in response to the present state of the art, and in particular, in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currently available logical volume recovery means and methods in dual copy data storage systems. Accordingly, it is an overall objective of the present invention to provide a dual copy data storage system and apparatus, as well as a read-only recovery method that overcome many or all of the above-discussed shortcomings in the art. 
     To achieve the foregoing objectives, and in accordance with the invention as embodied and broadly described herein in the preferred embodiments, a system, apparatus, and method for recovering a logical volume in a dual copy storage system is presented and described herein. 
     The read-only recovery apparatus, in the described embodiments, is provided with a logic unit containing a plurality of modules configure to carry out the individual steps of the recovery process. These modules include an identification module, a recall module, a reconciliation module, a stripping module, and a removal module. 
     The read-only recovery apparatus is configured to implement a recovery action to recover a selective dual copy of a logical volume in response to a failure to access a primary logical volume. The read-only recovery apparatus may employ the identification module, the recall module, or the reconciliation module as part of the recovery operations. 
     The identification module is configured to identify a logical volume on a read-only physical volume. The recall module is configured to recall a selective dual copy of the logical volume on the read-only physical volume. Additionally, the recall module may be configured to recall at least one volume construct associated with the selective dual copy. 
     The reconciliation module is configured to update a storage manager server database to synchronize a set of volume parameters in the database with a set of attributes corresponding to the logical volume. The reconciliation module may employ the stripping module to remove active data dependencies from the first physical volume and the removal module to remove the first physical volume from a data management software inventory. 
     According to one embodiment, the virtual tape system includes a virtual tape server (VTS) in communication with an automated media library unit, including a plurality of tape drive units and a library manager. The VTS receives the logical or “virtual” volumes and stores them for subsequent transmittal to the host, via a storage area network (SAN), or to a plurality of physical or stack volumes via the tape drive units. The library manager controls the physical loading of physical volumes, i.e., media cartridges, into the tape drive units by controlling a robotic accessor arm that retrieves the physical volumes and loads them into the tape drive units in response to a request from the host. 
     The VTS has a direct access storage device (DASD) that may exist on a hard drive system, or the like, and serve as a cache for the VTS. Additionally, the VTS has a file system manager that interacts with a DASD cache to store information. 
     Each logical volume has one or more constructs associated with it, which are preferably received from the host. The constructs may associate certain volume management actions with specific logical volumes. The volume management actions preferably specify at least where virtual volumes are physically stored, including secondary locations if selective dual copying of the volume is to be performed. 
     Upon notification to the VTS that a physical volume is in read-only status, the system attempts to recover the secondary copy of the logical volume and associated construct attributes. A recovery module is employed to perform the volume recovery. The physical volume may be assigned a read-only status due to physical damage to the media cartridge or other error that prohibits full access to the stored data. 
     A method of the present invention is also presented for logical volume recovery when a primary physical volume is in read-only status. The method attempts to access a primary logical volume from a physical cartridge. When the VTS determines that the primary volume is inaccessible or otherwise not retrievable in its entirety, the VTS attempts to recover the selective dual copy of the requested volume stored on a secondary physical volume. 
     To achieve the stated recovery, the virtual tape server in one embodiment verifies the availability of a selective dual copy of the logical volume. The method also allows for verification of the status of the data on the logical volume. If the data is not active data, then it is outdated and of no use to the host and need not be recovered. If the data is active, on the other hand, the method employs a recall procedure to recall the target logical volume from the secondary physical volume. The recall procedure in one embodiment also recalls construct attributes associated with the selective dual copy of the logical volume, including a storage group construct and a management class construct. 
     Following the successful recall of an active selective dual copy, the method allows for reconciliation of the proper database assignment and mapping data corresponding to the removed physical volume, as well as any new location of the recovered logical volume on new primary and secondary physical volumes. 
     These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In order that the manner in which the advantages and objectives of the invention are obtained will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a representative virtual tape server (VTS) system in accordance with the prior art; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a representative virtual tape server suitable for use with the VTS system of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a representative read-only recover apparatus in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic flow chart diagram illustrating one embodiment of a representative logical volume access method for use in the present invention; and 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic flow chart diagram illustrating one embodiment of a representative selective dual copy recovery for use in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Many of the functional units described in this specification have been labeled as modules, in order to more particularly emphasize their implementation independence. For example, a module may be implemented as a hardware circuit comprising custom VLSI circuits or gate arrays, off-the-shelf semiconductors such as logic chips, transistors, or other discrete components. A module may also be implemented in programmable hardware devices such as field programmable gate arrays, programmable array logic, programmable logic devices, or the like. 
     Modules may also be implemented in software for execution by various types of processors. An identified module of executable code may, for instance, comprise one or more physical or logical blocks of computer instructions which may, for instance, be organized as an object, procedure, or function. Nevertheless, the executables of an identified module need not be physically located together, but may comprise disparate instructions stored in different locations which, when joined logically together, comprise the module and achieve the stated purpose for the module. 
     Indeed, a module of executable code could be a single instruction, or many instructions, and may even be distributed over several different code segments, among different programs, and across several memory devices. Similarly, operational data may be identified and illustrated herein within modules, and may be embodied in any suitable form and organized within any suitable type of data structure. The operational data may be collected as a single data set, or may be distributed over different locations including over different storage devices, and may exist, at least partially, merely as electronic signals on a system or network. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a schematic block diagram of one embodiment of a representative virtual tape system  100  in accordance with the present invention. The system  100  includes an automated library unit  102 , at least one virtual tape server  104 , and at least one host  106 . Each host  106  may be a mainframe computer. Alternatively, the host  106  may be a server or personal computer using a variety of operating systems. The host  106  and the virtual tape server  104  are connected via a storage area network (SAN)  108  or similar communications channel. The communications channel  108  in one embodiment may be a FICON or ESCON. 
     The automated tape library unit  102  includes a library manager  110 , one or more data drive devices, which may be tape drive units  112 , an accessor  114 , and a plurality of media cartridges  116 . The plurality of media cartridges  116  may be stored in one or more media cartridge storage bins (not identified). 
     The library manager  110 , which includes at least one computing processor (not shown), is interconnected with, and controls the actions of, the tape drive units  112  and the accessor  114 . The library manager  110  typically also includes one or more hard disk drives (not shown) for memory storage, as well as, a control panel or keyboard (not shown) to provide user input. The control panel may be a computer in communication with the library manager  110  so that a user can control the operating parameters of the automated tape library unit  102  independently of the host  106 . 
     In  FIG. 1 , three tape drive units  112   a ,  112   b , and  112   c  are shown. The present invention is operable with one or any larger number of tape drive units  112 . The tape drive units  112  may share one single repository of cartridges  116 . Alternatively, the tape drive units  112  may independently correspond to and utilize multiple repositories of cartridges  116 . The tape drive units  112  may advantageously be distributed over multiple locations to decrease the probability that multiple tape drive units  112  will be incapacitated by a disaster in one location. 
     The interconnections between the library manager  110 , the tape drive units  112 , and the accessor  114  are shown as dashed lines to indicate that the library manager  110  transmits and receives control signals, rather than data to be stored or retrieved, to the tape drive units  112  and/or the accessor  114 . Data for storage or retrieval may instead be transmitted directly between the virtual tape server  104  and the tape drive units  112  via a network  118 , which may be a storage area network (SAN), a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), or a different type of network, such as the Internet or a direct connection between the virtual tape server  104  and the tape drive devices  112 . 
     The accessor  114  may be a robotic arm or other mechanical device configured to transport a selected cartridge  116  between a storage bin and a tape drive unit  112 . The accessor  114  typically includes a cartridge gripper and a bar code scanner (not shown), or similar read system, mounted on the gripper. The bar code scanner is used to read a volume serial number (VOLSER) printed on a cartridge label affixed to the cartridge  112 . In alternative embodiments, the tape drive units  112  may be replaced by optical disk drives or other magnetic drives. Similarly, the cartridges  116  may contain magnetic media, optical media, or any other removable media corresponding to the type of drive employed. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a schematic block diagram depicting one embodiment of the virtual tape server  104  of  FIG. 1 . The virtual tape server  104  may take the form of a computer with a bus, processor, memory, and the like. These elements have been omitted from  FIG. 2  to more clearly depict the various executable modules and data blocks of the virtual tape server  104 . 
     As shown, the virtual tape server  104  includes a file system manager  202 , a hierarchical storage manager  204 , a storage manager server  206 , an automated storage manager administrator  208 , and at least one direct access storage device (DASD) cache  210 . The DASD cache  210  may take the form of one or more virtual tape drives to contain data in the form of a logical, or virtual, volume  212 . The DASD cache  210  may also be the location where a database  214  for the storage manager server  206  is stored. Other executable modules and data blocks may also be present on the DASD cache  210 , but are omitted to focus on the present invention. 
     The file system manager  202  handles the actual DASD  210  read and write commands from the host  106 , in one embodiment, via the hierarchical storage manager  204 . The storage manager server  206  controls the interface communications between the DASD  210  and the drive devices  112 . The storage manager server  206  is controlled by the automated storage manager administrator  208 . The automated storage manager administrator  208  monitors and directs the operation of the file system manager  202 , the hierarchical storage manager  204 , and the storage manager server  206 , and communicates control information to and from the library manager  110 . 
     The DASD cache  210  is used to hold a plurality of logical, or virtual, volumes  212  from the physical volumes, or memory cartridges  116 . A read or write command from the host  106  is processed by the virtual tape server  104  via the DASD  210  prior to transferring the updated logical volume  212  from the DASD cache  210  to the physical volume  116 . 
     The transfer of the updated logical volume  212  from the DASD cache  210  to a physical volume  116  may occur in a variety of ways. In one embodiment, the logical volume  212  resident on the DASD cache  210  may be the only copy of that logical volume  212 . At a time determined by the virtual tape server  104 , the logical volume  212  maybe premigrated to a physical volume  116 . Such volume premigration provides for the virtual tape system  104  to make a copy of the logical volume  212  resident on the DASD cache  210  and store it on a physical volume  116 . The principal copy of the logical volume  212  remains on the DASD cache  210  for potential accesses by the host  106 . 
     If the host  106  does not access the logical volume  212  on the DASD cache  210  within a certain time frame, the virtual tape server  104  may decide to complete the migration of the logical volume  212  to the physical volume  116 . In this instance, the virtual tape server  104  insures that the copy on the physical volume  116  is the most recent, or active, data and removes the logical volume  212  from the DASD cache  210  to provide memory for other data as required. 
     The virtual tape server  104  illustrated also includes a read-only recovery module  216  that is configured to recover a selective dual copy of a logical volume that is on a read-only physical volume. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a schematic block diagram illustrates one embodiment of a read-only recovery module  302  given by way of example of a read-only recovery module  216  as shown in  FIG. 2 . The read-only recovery module  302  depicted includes an identification module  304 , a recall module  306 , and a reconciliation module  308 . 
     The identification module  304  is configured to identify a logical volume  212  on physical volume  116 . In one embodiment, the identification module  304  may be further configured to identify the location of a selective dual copy of the logical volume  212  that is located on a separate and distinct physical volume  116 . The selective dual copy of the logical volume  212  may be referred to as a backup copy of the logical volume  212 . Identification of these logical volumes  212 , their locations on respective physical volumes  116 , and attributes associated with each logical volume  212  provides the virtual tape server  104  with at least some of the information necessary to recall the selective dual copy of the logical volume  212  when the primary copy may become unavailable, either temporarily or permanently. 
     The recall module  306  is configured to recall the selective dual copy of the logical volume  212  to the DASD cache  212  of the virtual tape server  104  when the primary logical volume  212  is on a read-only physical volume  116  that is inaccessible. A physical volume  116  may be placed in a read-only state when the VTS system  100  is unable to access part or all of the information stored on the media cartridge  116 . Such inaccessibility is very likely to be due to physical damage or wear on the cartridge  116  that may not be reparable. 
     The VTS system  100  may attempt to recover information from the primary physical volume  116  using multiple techniques commonly known in the preset art. Among these techniques are switching media drives  112 , reverse-reading, and the like. Following this attempted recovery, the read-only recover module  302  may, in one embodiment, employ the recall module  306  to recall the selective dual copy of any or all logical volumes  212  not presently recovered from the primary physical volume  116 . 
     The reconciliation module  308  is employed by the read-only recovery module  302  following a successful recovery of at least one logical volume  212  or portion thereof. The reconciliation module  308  in one embodiment includes a stripping module  310  and a removal module  312 . 
     The stripping module  310  is configured to remove active data dependencies from the read-only physical volume  116  following a successful recall of at least some of the data on the physical volume  116 . The removal module  312  is configured to remove reference to the physical volume  116  from which the data has been recovered from a data management software database of physical volume  116 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , a schematic flowchart diagram depicts one embodiment of a logical volume access method  400  that may be employed by the VTS system  100 . The method  400  starts  402  by querying  404  the storage manager server  106  within the virtual tape server  104  for a list of physical volumes  116  that are indicated as read-only. The method  400  continues with the selection of one of the read-only physical volumes  116  and further selection  406  of a logical volume stored on the selected physical volume  116 . The selected logical volume  212  may be identified by a corresponding VOLSER that is unique to the logical volume  212 . 
     Having identified a target logical volume  212  that the virtual tape server  104  attempts to access, the virtual tape server  104  in one embodiment determines  408  if a copy of the identified logical volume  212  is resident on the DASD cache  210 . If a copy of the identified logical volume  212  is resident on the DASD cache  210 , the virtual tape server  104  determines  410  if the logical volume  212  on the DASD cache  210  is a premigrated copy. A copy of the logical volume  212  that is not premigrated is assumed to be active data (the most recent copy of the logical volume) and the method  400  ends  412 . 
     A copy of the logical volume  212  that is a premigrated copy may be marked  414  as an active copy. Alternately, it may be assumed that the premigrated copy of the logical volume  212  that resides on the DASD cache  210  is active data. In either case, the logical volume access method  400  ends  412 . 
     If it is determined  408  that a copy of the target logical volume  212  is not resident on the DASD cache, the virtual tape server  104  attempts to access  416  a copy of the logical volume on the primary physical volume  116  that is indicated to be in a read-only state. If such access is determined  418  to be successful, for example if the logical volume  212  on the physical volume  116  is accessible, the virtual tape server recalls  420  the logical volume  212  or accessible portions thereof to the DASD cache  210 . Any data recalled at this point is marked  422  as active data and the database  214  of the storage manager server  206  is reconciled  424  as discussed previously. The method  400  then ends  412 . 
     If it is determined  418  that the logical volume  212  on the physical volume  116  is not accessible, the read-only recovery module  302  attempts to recover  426  the selective dual copy of the logical volume  212 . The method  400  then ends  412 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , a schematic flowchart diagram depicts one embodiment of selective dual copy recovery method  500  given by way of example of a selective dual copy recovery step  426  of  FIG. 4 . The method  500  begins  502  as the recall module  306  of the recovery module  302  accesses  504  the selective dual copy of the logical volume  212  on the secondary physical volume  116 . 
     After the recall module  306  accesses  504  the selective dual copy, the recovery module  302  determines  506  if the data in the selective dual copy is active data. If it is determined  506  that the selective dual copy does not contain active data, the selective dual copy recall and recovery fails  508  and the method  500  ends  510 . A selective dual copy of a logical volume  212  that does not contain active data is of no use to the host  106  because some or all of the information has been superceded by revised or new data. 
     If it is determined  506  that the selective dual copy does contain active data, and is therefore the data requested by the host  106 , the recovery module  302  recalls  512  the selective dual copy of the logical volume  212  and stores it in the DASD cache  210  of the virtual tape server  104 . The recalled logical volume  212  now residing in the DASD cache  210  is marked  514  as active data ready to be accessed by the host  106 . At a time determined by the virtual tape server  104 , the logical volume  212  may be premigrated or migrated to at least one physical volume  116 , as described previously. 
     In one embodiment, at a time determined by the virtual tape server  104 , the virtual tape server  104  reevaluates the constructs associated with the logical volume  212  to determine if the logical volume still requires a selective dual copy. The logical volume  212  is premigrated or migrated to at least one physical volume  116 , as described previously. In some implementations, if a selective dual copy is required, the logical volume  212  is premigrated or migrated to at least one other physical volume  116 , as described previously. 
     Once the selective dual copy of the logical volume  212  is recalled  512  and marked  514  as active data, in one embodiment, the database  214  of the storage manager server  206  is reconciled  516  in a manner similar to that of step  424  and the method  500  ends  510 . 
     The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.

Technology Category: g