US6530035B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and system for managing storage systems containing redundancy data
Assignee: Oracle International Corp
•
Filing: 1998-10-23
•
Granted: 2003-03-04
•
Expires: 2018-10-23
Abstract
Abstract A system and method for managing storage from multiple data storage devices are disclosed. The system and method provide improved load balancing, reduction or elimination of fragmentation, improved redundancy schemes, and efficient changes in hardware configurations. Redundancy methods are employed to prevent loss of data from an occurrence of a multiple disk failure.
Inventors
- 👤 William Bridge
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 08:03
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/07; G06F11/08; G06F11/10; G06F11/1076; G06F11/16; G06F11/20; G06F11/2053; G06F11/2056; G06F11/2069; G06F11/2058
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 48
Claim 1
Independent Claim
144 words
A method for allocating redundant data in a storage system having a plurality of data storage devices, comprising: forming a first failure group, the first failure group comprising one or more data storage devices that collectively share a common failure condition affecting each of said one or more data storage devices in the first failure group; forming a second failure group, the second failure group comprising one or more data storage devices that collectively share a common failure condition affecting each of said one or more data storage devices in the second failure group; identifying a mirror partnership, the mirror partnership comprising a first data storage device from the first failure group and a second data storage device from the second failure group; allocating a piece of data to the first data storage device; and allocating redundancy data to the second data storage device.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
144 words
A method for allocating redundant data in a storage system having a plurality of data storage devices, comprising: forming a first failure group, the first failure group comprising one or more data storage devices that collectively share a common failure condition affecting each of said one or more data storage devices in the first failure group; forming a second failure group, the second failure group comprising one or more data storage devices that collectively share a common failure condition affecting each of said one or more data storage devices in the second failure group; identifying a mirror partnership, the mirror partnership comprising a first data storage device from the first failure group and a second data storage device from the second failure group; allocating a piece of data to the first data storage device; and allocating redundancy data to the second data storage device.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 in which the redundancy data is a mirror copy of the piece of data.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 in which the redundancy data comprises parity information.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 in which the first failure group comprises data storage devices that share a common hardware component.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 4 in which the data storage devices share a common disk controller.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 4 in which the data storage devices share a common power supply.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 4 in which the data storage devices share a common communications link.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 4 in which the common hardware component is one that may fail without the entire system failing.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising: forming at least one or more other failure groups, each the one or more other failure group comprising at least one data storage device; identifying additional mirror partnerships in which a data storage device has a plurality of mirror partners in a plurality of failure groups.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 9 in which the mirror partnerships are divided into one or more partnership categories.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 10 in which the one or more partnership categories including mirror only partnerships, the mirror only partnerships utilized to store mirrored data.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 10 in which the one or more partnership categories include parity only partnerships, the parity only partnerships utilized to store parity protected data.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 10 in which the one or more partnerships include full mirror partnerships, the full mirror partnerships utilized to store data protected by both mirroring and parity protection.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 in which the mirror partnerships are symmetric.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 in which each of the data storage devices in the second failure group share a common projected failure condition.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 in which allocating redundancy data to the second data storage device occurs prior to the act of allocating a piece of data to the first data storage device.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
171 words
A medium readable by a processor, the medium having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to execute a process to allocate redundant data in a storage system having a plurality of data storage devices by performing: forming a first failure group, the first failure group comprising one or more data storage devices that collectively share a common failure condition affecting each of said one or more data storage devices in the first failure group; forming a second failure group, the second failure group comprising one or more data storage devices that collectively share a common failure condition affecting each of said one or more data storage devices in the second failure group; identifying a mirror partnership, said mirror partnership comprising a primary data storage device from the first failure group and a secondary data storage device from the second failure group; allocating a piece of data to the primary data storage device; and allocating a redundancy data to the secondary storage device.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
171 words
A medium readable by a processor, the medium having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to execute a process to allocate redundant data in a storage system having a plurality of data storage devices by performing: forming a first failure group, the first failure group comprising one or more data storage devices that collectively share a common failure condition affecting each of said one or more data storage devices in the first failure group; forming a second failure group, the second failure group comprising one or more data storage devices that collectively share a common failure condition affecting each of said one or more data storage devices in the second failure group; identifying a mirror partnership, said mirror partnership comprising a primary data storage device from the first failure group and a secondary data storage device from the second failure group; allocating a piece of data to the primary data storage device; and allocating a redundancy data to the secondary storage device.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
145 words
A method for allocating data in a storage system, comprising: allocating a first mirror copy of a data item to a first data storage device, wherein the first data storage device is a member of a first failure group, the first failure group comprising one or more data storage devices that collectively share a common failure condition affecting each of said one or more data storage devices in the first failure group; allocating a second mirror copy of a data item to a second data storage device, wherein the second data storage device is a member of a second failure group, the second failure group comprising one or more data storage devices that collectively share a common failure condition affecting each of said one or more data storage devices in the second failure group; and allocating parity set information to said first data storage device.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
145 words
A method for allocating data in a storage system, comprising: allocating a first mirror copy of a data item to a first data storage device, wherein the first data storage device is a member of a first failure group, the first failure group comprising one or more data storage devices that collectively share a common failure condition affecting each of said one or more data storage devices in the first failure group; allocating a second mirror copy of a data item to a second data storage device, wherein the second data storage device is a member of a second failure group, the second failure group comprising one or more data storage devices that collectively share a common failure condition affecting each of said one or more data storage devices in the second failure group; and allocating parity set information to said first data storage device.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 18 , wherein said first mirror copy comprises an extent.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 19 , wherein the number of mirror copies allocated for said extent is determined on a per logical basis.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 18 , wherein said parity set information comprises parity data.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 21 , wherein said parity data comprises the exclusive OR of data in a parity set.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
176 words
A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for allocating data in a storage system, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to: allocate a first mirror copy of a data item to a first data storage device, wherein the first data storage device is a member of a first failure group, the first failure group comprising one or more data storage devices that collectively share a common failure condition affecting each of said one or more data storage devices in the first failure group; allocate a second mirror copy of a data item to a second data storage device, wherein the second data storage device is a member of a second failure group, the second failure group comprising one or more data storage devices that collectively share a common failure condition affecting each of said one or more data storage devices in the second failure group; and allocate a set of parity information to said first data storage device.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
176 words
A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for allocating data in a storage system, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to: allocate a first mirror copy of a data item to a first data storage device, wherein the first data storage device is a member of a first failure group, the first failure group comprising one or more data storage devices that collectively share a common failure condition affecting each of said one or more data storage devices in the first failure group; allocate a second mirror copy of a data item to a second data storage device, wherein the second data storage device is a member of a second failure group, the second failure group comprising one or more data storage devices that collectively share a common failure condition affecting each of said one or more data storage devices in the second failure group; and allocate a set of parity information to said first data storage device.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
15 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 23 , wherein said first mirror copy comprises an extent.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
24 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 23 , wherein the number of mirror copies allocated for said extent is determined on a per logical basis.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
15 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 23 , wherein said parity set information comprises parity data.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
21 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 23 , wherein said parity data comprises the exclusive OR of data in a parity set.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
173 words
A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for allocating redundant data in a storage system having a plurality of data storage devices, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to: form a first failure group, the first failure group comprising one or more data storage devices that collectively share a common failure condition affecting each of said one or more data storage devices in the first failure group; form a second failure group, the second failure group comprising one or more data storage devices that collectively share a common failure condition affecting each of said one or more data storage devices in the second failure group; identify a mirror partnership, the mirror partnership comprising a first data storage device from the first failure group and a second data storage device from the second failure group; allocate a piece of data to the first data storage device; and allocate redundancy data to the second data storage device.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
173 words
A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for allocating redundant data in a storage system having a plurality of data storage devices, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to: form a first failure group, the first failure group comprising one or more data storage devices that collectively share a common failure condition affecting each of said one or more data storage devices in the first failure group; form a second failure group, the second failure group comprising one or more data storage devices that collectively share a common failure condition affecting each of said one or more data storage devices in the second failure group; identify a mirror partnership, the mirror partnership comprising a first data storage device from the first failure group and a second data storage device from the second failure group; allocate a piece of data to the first data storage device; and allocate redundancy data to the second data storage device.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
20 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 28 in which the redundancy data is a mirror copy of the piece of data.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
14 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 28 in which the redundancy data comprises parity information.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
22 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 28 in which the first failure group comprises data storage devices that share a common hardware component.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
17 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 31 in which the data storage devices share a common disk controller.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
17 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 31 in which the data storage devices share a common power supply.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
17 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 31 in which the data storage devices share a common communications link.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
22 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 31 in which the common hardware component is one that may fail without the entire system failing.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
55 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 31 further comprising: forming at least one or more other failure groups, each the one or more other failure group comprising at least one data storage device; and identifying additional mirror partnerships in which a data storage device has a plurality of mirror partners in a plurality of failure groups.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
19 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 36 in which the mirror partnerships are divided into one or more partnership categories.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
27 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 27 in which the one or more partnership categories including mirror only partnerships, the mirror only partnerships utilized to store mirrored data.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
28 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 27 in which the one or more partnership categories include parity only partnerships, the parity only partnerships utilized to store parity protected data.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
32 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 27 in which the one or more partnerships include full mirror partnerships, the full mirror partnerships utilized to store data protected by both mirroring and parity protection.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
13 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 28 in which the mirror partnerships are symmetric.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
25 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 28 in which each of the data storage devices in the second failure group share a common projected failure condition.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
34 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 28 in which allocating redundancy data to the second data storage device occurs prior to the act of allocating a piece of data to the first data storage device.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-03-03 | 2006-09-02 | 2007-03-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-03-03 | 2010-09-02 | 2011-03-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-03-03 | 2014-09-02 | 2015-03-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |