US6131148A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Snapshot copy of a secondary volume of a PPRC pair
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
•
Filing: 1998-01-26
•
Granted: 2000-10-10
•
Expires: 2018-01-26
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides a method and apparatus for setting up a Peer-to-Peer Remote Copy (PPRC) session and snapshot copying a remote secondary volume to another volume on the remote subsystem. The apparatus includes a primary storage subsystem having a primary data-storage device with at least a primary volume. A primary processing unit relays a request to perform a snapshot copy of at least a portion of the primary volume to a secondary storage subsystem. The secondary storage subsystem includes a secondary data-storage device having a secondary volume which is maintained in a duplexed state with the primary volume through the use of remote copy sessions. A secondary processing unit, responsive to the relayed request can perform an equivalent of a snapshot copy of at least a portion of the primary volume by making a snapshot copy of a corresponding portion of the secondary volume.
Inventors
- 👤 Christopher James West
- 👤 David Alan Serls
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 10:57
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/07; G06F11/14; G06F11/1446; G06F11/1448; G06F11/1458; G06F11/1466; G06F11/16; G06F11/20; G06F11/2053; G06F11/2056; G06F11/2087; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99951; Y10S707/99952; Y10S707/99953; Y10S707/99955
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
148 words
An apparatus for performing a snapshot copy of a volume comprising: a primary storage subsystem including: (a) a primary data-storage device having at least a primary volume, and (b) primary processing means for receiving a request from a requester to perform a snapshot copy of at least a portion of said primary volume; and a secondary storage subsystem coupled to said primary storage subsystem and including: (c) a secondary data-storage device having a secondary volume, and (d) a secondary processing means; wherein, said primary processing means relays said request to said secondary storage subsystem, after verifying that said secondary volume is a duplicate copy of said primary volume, and said secondary processing means, in response to said request, performs an equivalent of a snapshot copy of said at least a portion of said primary volume by performing a snapshot copy of a corresponding portion of said secondary volume.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
148 words
An apparatus for performing a snapshot copy of a volume comprising: a primary storage subsystem including: (a) a primary data-storage device having at least a primary volume, and (b) primary processing means for receiving a request from a requester to perform a snapshot copy of at least a portion of said primary volume; and a secondary storage subsystem coupled to said primary storage subsystem and including: (c) a secondary data-storage device having a secondary volume, and (d) a secondary processing means; wherein, said primary processing means relays said request to said secondary storage subsystem, after verifying that said secondary volume is a duplicate copy of said primary volume, and said secondary processing means, in response to said request, performs an equivalent of a snapshot copy of said at least a portion of said primary volume by performing a snapshot copy of a corresponding portion of said secondary volume.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for performing a backup copy operation of said primary volume to said secondary volume such that said secondary volume is a duplicate copy of said primary volume.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said primary processing means relays said request, only if said backup copy operation is not in progress.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said snapshot copy is stored in a tertiary remote volume.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said snapshot copy of said at least a portion of said secondary volume is stored in virtual memory of said secondary storage subsystem.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said primary storage subsystem includes a primary directory information which relates physical location of data on said primary volume to virtual addresses.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said primary directory information is a log-structured array format.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said secondary storage subsystem includes a secondary directory information which relates physical location of data on said secondary volume to virtual addresses.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein said secondary directory information is arranged in a log-structured array format.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein upon a completion of said snapshot copy, said secondary storage subsystem transmits a signal to said primary storage subsystem indicating completion of said snapshot copy operation, and said primary storage subsystem relays said signal to said requester.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said primary processing means verifies that said secondary volume is a duplicate copy of said primary volume by ensuring that said primary volume and said secondary volume are in a duplexed state.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
120 words
A method for performing a snapshot copy of a volume, comprising the steps of: receiving from a requester a request at a primary storage subsystem to perform a snapshot copy of at least a portion of a primary volume of said primary storage subsystem; determining if a secondary storage subsystem has a secondary volume that is a duplicate of said primary volume; relaying said request from said primary storage subsystem to said secondary storage subsystem, if said secondary volume is determined to be a duplicate of said primary volume; and generating an equivalent of a snapshot copy of said at least a portion of said primary volume by performing a snapshot copy on a corresponding portion of said secondary volume.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
120 words
A method for performing a snapshot copy of a volume, comprising the steps of: receiving from a requester a request at a primary storage subsystem to perform a snapshot copy of at least a portion of a primary volume of said primary storage subsystem; determining if a secondary storage subsystem has a secondary volume that is a duplicate of said primary volume; relaying said request from said primary storage subsystem to said secondary storage subsystem, if said secondary volume is determined to be a duplicate of said primary volume; and generating an equivalent of a snapshot copy of said at least a portion of said primary volume by performing a snapshot copy on a corresponding portion of said secondary volume.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method as recited in claim 12, wherein said primary storage subsystem includes means for performing a backup copy operation of said primary volume to said secondary volume, such that said secondary volume is a duplicate of said primary volume.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method as recited in claim 13, wherein said step of generating is performed if said backup copy operation is not in progress.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method as recited in claim 12, wherein said step of determining further comprises the step of ensuring that said primary volume and said secondary volume are in a duplexed state.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising, upon a completion of said step of generating, the steps of: transmitting a signal from said secondary storage subsystem to said primary storage subsystem indicating completion of said snapshot copy operation; and relaying said signal from said primary storage subsystem to said requester.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5210866A
Cited
US5241670A
Cited
US5379412A
Cited
US5375232A
Cited
US5487160A
Cited
US5555371A
Cited
US5574851A
Cited
WO1994025919A1
Cited
JPH08509565A
Cited
US5649152A
Cited
US5835953A
Cited
US5604862A
Cited
US5692155A
Cited
EP0784273A2
Cited
US5790773A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-10-10 | 2004-04-10 | 2004-10-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-10-10 | 2008-04-10 | 2008-10-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-10-10 | 2012-04-10 | 2012-10-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |