US6502205B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Asynchronous remote data mirroring system
Assignee: EMC Corp
•
Filing: 2000-11-10
•
Granted: 2002-12-31
•
Expires: 2020-11-10
Abstract
Abstract Two data storage systems are interconnected by a data link for remote mirroring of data. Each volume of data is configured as local, primary in a remotely mirrored volume pair, or secondary in a remotely mirrored volume pair. Normally, a host computer directly accesses either a local or a primary volume, and data written to a primary volume is automatically sent over the link to a corresponding secondary volume. Each remotely mirrored volume pair can operate in a selected synchronization mode including synchronous, semi-synchronous, adaptive copy-remote write pending, and adaptive copy-disk. Direct write access to a secondary volume is denied if a "sync required" attribute is set for the volume and the volume is not synchronized. If a "volume domino" mode is enabled for a remotely mirrored volume pair, access to a volume of the pair is denied when the other volume is inaccessible. In a "links domino" mode, access to all remotely mirrored volumes is denied when remote mirroring-is disrupted by an all-links failure. The domino modes can be used to initiate application-based recovery, for example, recovering a secondary data file using a secondary log file. In an active migration mode, host processing of a primary volume is concurrent with migration to a secondary volume. In an overwrite cache mode, remote write-pending data in cache can be overwritten. Write data for an entire host channel command word chain is bundled in one link transmission.
Inventors
- 👤 Moshe Yanai
- 👤 Natan Vishlitzky
- 👤 Bruno Alterescu
- 👤 Daniel Castel
- 👤 Gadi Shklarsky
- 👤 Yuval Ofek
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 06:17
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/07; G06F11/16; G06F11/20; G06F11/2053; G06F11/2056; G06F11/2071; G06F11/2066; G06F11/2074; G06F11/2079; G06F11/2082; G06F3/00; G06F3/06; G06F3/0601; G06F3/0602; G06F3/0608; G06F3/061; G06F3/0614; G06F3/0619; G06F3/0628; G06F3/0638; G06F3/064; G06F3/0646; G06F3/0647; G06F3/065; G06F3/0655; G06F3/0661; G06F3/0668; G06F3/067; G06F3/0671; G06F3/0683; G06F3/0689; H; H04; H04L; H04L67/00; H04L67/01; H04L67/10; H04L67/1095; H04L69/00; H04L69/40; H04L9/00; H04L9/40; G11; G11B; G11B20/00; G11B20/10; G11B20/12; G11B20/1217; H04L69/26; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99942
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
162 words
A system for automatically providing remote copy storage of data from a host computer, said system comprising: a first data storage system for coupling to the host computer for storing data from the host computer; and a second data storage system remotely coupled to the first data storage system for receiving a copy of the data from the first data storage system; wherein the first data storage system is programmed to transmit the data from the host computer to secondary storage in the second data storage system together with an indication that a primary storage device in the first data storage system is not available when the primary storage device in the fist data storage system is not available for storing the data from the host computer, and when the primary storage device in the first data storage system becomes available, the first data storage system automatically resynchronizes the primary storage device with the secondary storage in the second data storage system.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
162 words
A system for automatically providing remote copy storage of data from a host computer, said system comprising: a first data storage system for coupling to the host computer for storing data from the host computer; and a second data storage system remotely coupled to the first data storage system for receiving a copy of the data from the first data storage system; wherein the first data storage system is programmed to transmit the data from the host computer to secondary storage in the second data storage system together with an indication that a primary storage device in the first data storage system is not available when the primary storage device in the fist data storage system is not available for storing the data from the host computer, and when the primary storage device in the first data storage system becomes available, the first data storage system automatically resynchronizes the primary storage device with the secondary storage in the second data storage system.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
63 words
The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first data storage system is programmed to alert a user when the first data storage system cannot resynchronize the primary storage device with the secondary storage in the second data storage system due to invalidity of data in both the primary storage device and in the secondary storage in the second data storage system.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
142 words
A system for automatically providing remote copy storage of data from a host computer, said system comprising: a first data storage system for coupling to the host computer for storing data from the host computer; and a second data storage system remotely coupled to the first data storage system for receiving a copy of the data from the first data storage system; wherein the first data storage system is programmed to store the data from the host computer to primary storage in the first data storage system when a secondary storage device in the second data storage system is not available to store a remote copy of the data from the host computer, and when the secondary storage device becomes available, the first data storage system automatically resynchronizes the secondary storage device with the primary storage in the first data storage system.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
142 words
A system for automatically providing remote copy storage of data from a host computer, said system comprising: a first data storage system for coupling to the host computer for storing data from the host computer; and a second data storage system remotely coupled to the first data storage system for receiving a copy of the data from the first data storage system; wherein the first data storage system is programmed to store the data from the host computer to primary storage in the first data storage system when a secondary storage device in the second data storage system is not available to store a remote copy of the data from the host computer, and when the secondary storage device becomes available, the first data storage system automatically resynchronizes the secondary storage device with the primary storage in the first data storage system.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
64 words
The system ass claimed in claim 3 wherein the first data storage system is programmed to alert a user when the first data storage system cannot resynchronize the secondary storage device with the primary storaage in the first data storage system due to invalidity of data storage in both the secondary storage cevice and in the primary storage in the first data storage system.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
295 words
A system for maintaining substantially mirrored copies of data at geographically removed locations for recovery from a disaster, said system comprising: a first data storage system for coupling to a host computer for storing data from the host computer; the first data storage system being located at a first geographical location; and a second data storage system coupled to the first data storage system for receiving a copy of the data from the first data storage system, the second data storage system being located at a second geographical location, the second geographical location being geographically removed from the first geographic location; wherein the first data storage system is programmed to: (a) store the data from the host computer to primary storage in the first data storage system to create a primary copy of the data in the first data storage system; (b) maintain a list of the data to be transmitted from the first data storage system to the second data storage system for storage of the data to secondary storage in the second data storage system to create a secondary copy of the data in the second data storage system; (c) coordinate and control, without intervention from the host computer, transmission of the data from the first data storage system to the second data storage system; (d) update said list in response to acknowledgements from the secondary data storage system of receipt of the data transmitted from the first data storage system to the second data storage system; and (e) acknowledge to the host computer that the data from the host computer has been stored before the first data storage system has received a corresponding acknowledgement from the secondary data storage system of receipt of the data transmitted from the first data storage system.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
295 words
A system for maintaining substantially mirrored copies of data at geographically removed locations for recovery from a disaster, said system comprising: a first data storage system for coupling to a host computer for storing data from the host computer; the first data storage system being located at a first geographical location; and a second data storage system coupled to the first data storage system for receiving a copy of the data from the first data storage system, the second data storage system being located at a second geographical location, the second geographical location being geographically removed from the first geographic location; wherein the first data storage system is programmed to: (a) store the data from the host computer to primary storage in the first data storage system to create a primary copy of the data in the first data storage system; (b) maintain a list of the data to be transmitted from the first data storage system to the second data storage system for storage of the data to secondary storage in the second data storage system to create a secondary copy of the data in the second data storage system; (c) coordinate and control, without intervention from the host computer, transmission of the data from the first data storage system to the second data storage system; (d) update said list in response to acknowledgements from the secondary data storage system of receipt of the data transmitted from the first data storage system to the second data storage system; and (e) acknowledge to the host computer that the data from the host computer has been stored before the first data storage system has received a corresponding acknowledgement from the secondary data storage system of receipt of the data transmitted from the first data storage system.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
The system as claimed in claim 5 , which includes a data link from the first data storage system to the second data storage system dedicated to transmission of the data from the first data storage system to the second data storage system.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
89 words
The system as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the first data storage system is programmed to store the data from the host computer to the primary storage in the first data storage system when a secondary storage device in the second data storage system is not available to store a secondary copy of the data from the host computer, and when the secondary storage device becomes available, the first data storage system automatically resynchronizes the secondary storage device with the primary storage in the first data storage system.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
65 words
The system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the first data storage system is programmed to alert a user when the first data storage system cannot resynchronize the secondary storage device with the primary storage in the first data storage system due to invalidity of data storage in both the secondary storage device and in the primary storage in the first data storage system.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3866182A
Cited
US3588839A
Cited
US3835260A
Cited
US3771137A
Cited
US4020466A
Cited
US4150429A
Cited
US4057849A
Cited
US4161777A
Cited
US4084231A
Cited
US4094000A
Cited
US4124843A
Cited
US4204251A
Cited
US4342079A
Cited
GB2086625A
Cited
US4396984A
Cited
US4464713A
Cited
US4453215A
Cited
US4430727A
Cited
US4577272A
Cited
US4608688A
Cited
US4638424A
Cited
US4771375A
Cited
US4755928A
Cited
US4916605A
Cited
US4686620A
Cited
US4634100A
Cited
US4805106A
Cited
US4698808A
Cited
US4779189A
Cited
US4710870A
Cited
US4841475A
Cited
US4823333A
Cited
EP0239323A2
Cited
US4797750A
Cited
US4814592A
Cited
US5093787A
Cited
US4769764A
Cited
US4866611A
Cited
US4783834A
Cited
US4862411A
Cited
US4785472A
Cited
US4837580A
Cited
US4849978A
Cited
US5123099A
Cited
US5132787A
Cited
US5051887A
Cited
US5099485A
Cited
US5146605A
Cited
US5175839A
Cited
EP0323123B1
Cited
US5060185A
Cited
US5313664A
Cited
US4974156A
Cited
US5134711A
Cited
US5060142A
Cited
US5159671A
Cited
US5007053A
Cited
US4949187A
Cited
US5089958A
Cited
US5175837A
Cited
US5170471A
Cited
US5185864A
Cited
US5202887A
Cited
US5210865A
Cited
US4985695A
Cited
US5029199A
Cited
US5101492A
Cited
US5097439A
Cited
US5276867A
Cited
US5185884A
Cited
US5596706A
Cited
US5274645A
Cited
US5285451A
Cited
US5479654A
Cited
US5127048A
Cited
US5377342A
Cited
US5155845A
Cited
US5155814A
Cited
US5201053A
Cited
US5235690A
Cited
US5235692A
Cited
US5157770A
Cited
US5146576A
Cited
US5343477A
Cited
US5341493A
Cited
US5206939A
Cited
US5269011A
Cited
US5544347A
Cited
US5335352A
Cited
US5633999A
Cited
US5155835A
Cited
US5321826A
Cited
US5357509A
Cited
US5235601A
Cited
US5682396A
Cited
US5212772A
Cited
US5317731A
Cited
US5239659A
Cited
US5367698A
Cited
US5257144A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-12-30 | 2006-07-01 | 2006-12-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-12-30 | 2010-07-01 | 2010-12-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-12-30 | 2014-07-01 | 2014-12-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |