US6694447B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and method for increasing application availability during a disaster fail-back
Assignee: Oracle America Inc
•
Filing: 2000-09-29
•
Granted: 2004-02-17
•
Expires: 2020-09-29
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides a method and apparatus for increasing availability of an application during fail-back from a secondary site to a primary site following a failure at the primary site. The method includes copying data from active storage volumes to secondary storage volumes of the secondary site while the application runs on the secondary site and updates the active storage volumes. Once the secondary storage volumes of the secondary site are updated, the data is re-synchronized from the secondary storage volumes of the secondary site to the primary storage volumes of the primary site. The steps of copying the data and resynchronizing the data are repeated for data updated by the application, during the resynchronization, until a time required to complete the resynchronization step for the updated data is within an acceptable downtime for the application. Once this step is complete, the application is failed-back to the primary site by bringing up the application at the primary site.
Inventors
- 👤 Judith G. Leach
- 👤 Philip J. Crane
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 01:27
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/07; G06F11/16; G06F11/20; G06F11/202; G06F11/2038; G06F11/2048; G06F11/2023; G06F11/2053; G06F11/2056; G06F11/2071; G06F11/2097; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99951; Y10S707/99952; Y10S707/99953
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
138 words
A method for increasing application availability during fail-back from a secondary site to a primary site following a failure at the primary site, the method comprising: copying data from active storage volumes to secondary storage volumes at the secondary site while the application runs on the secondary site and updates the active storage volumes; re-synchronizing data from the secondary storage volumes of the secondary site to primary storage volumes of the primary site; repeating the steps of copying and re-synchronizing for data updated by the application until a time required to complete re-synchronizing the updated data is within an acceptable downtime for the application; and failing-back to the primary site by bringing up the application at the primary site once the re-synchronization of the updated data is complete, such that availability of the of the application is increased.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
138 words
A method for increasing application availability during fail-back from a secondary site to a primary site following a failure at the primary site, the method comprising: copying data from active storage volumes to secondary storage volumes at the secondary site while the application runs on the secondary site and updates the active storage volumes; re-synchronizing data from the secondary storage volumes of the secondary site to primary storage volumes of the primary site; repeating the steps of copying and re-synchronizing for data updated by the application until a time required to complete re-synchronizing the updated data is within an acceptable downtime for the application; and failing-back to the primary site by bringing up the application at the primary site once the re-synchronization of the updated data is complete, such that availability of the of the application is increased.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
77 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein prior to the step of moving and prior to the failure at the primary site, the method further comprises: replicating data generated by the application while running on the primary site to the secondary storage volumes at the secondary site; generating a point-in-time image of data stored on the secondary storage volumes at the secondary site; and storing the point-in-time image into a point-in-time storage volume at the secondary site.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
122 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein prior to the step of moving, the method further comprises steps of: determining whether a point-in-time storage volume or the secondary storage volume at the secondary site contains a most current copy of the data on the primary storage volume at the primary site; when the secondary storage volumes contain the most current copy of the data on the primary storage volume of the primary site, updating the point-in-time storage volumes with the most current copy of the data; and failing-over to the secondary site by bringing up the application on the point-in-time storage volumes of the secondary site, such that the point-in-time storage volumes function as the active storage volumes of the secondary site.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
68 words
The method of claim 3 , wherein the updating further comprises: placing the secondary storage volumes into a logging mode; bringing up an application database on the active storage volumes; recovering the application database; and applying archive logs from the secondary storage volumes to the active storage volumes, such that the application database is synchronized with the data contained in the primary storage volumes prior to the failure.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein failing-back further comprises: terminating the application at the secondary site; performing a final re-synchronization of data from the secondary storage volumes of the secondary site to primary storage volumes of the primary site; and bringing the application online at the primary site.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein moving further comprises: quiescing the application for a specified period in order to generate a consistent and recoverable image of the active storage volumes prior to moving the data to the secondary storage volumes.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
158 words
An apparatus for increasing application availability during a disaster fail-back, the apparatus comprising: a primary site configured to run an application including a primary storage volume that contains data processed by the application; a secondary site including a secondary storage volume and a point-in-time storage volume, the secondary site configured to replicate the data contained in the primary storage volume to the secondary storage volume and generate a point-in-time image of data stored on the secondary storage volumes that is stored into the point-in-time storage volumes; and a fail-back procedure having a capability to fail-back from the secondary site to the primary site following a fail-over to the secondary site by bringing up the application at the primary site once data updated by the application while running at the secondary site is re-synchronized from the secondary storage volumes of the secondary site to the primary storage volumes of the primary site, thereby increasing application availability during disaster fail-back.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
158 words
An apparatus for increasing application availability during a disaster fail-back, the apparatus comprising: a primary site configured to run an application including a primary storage volume that contains data processed by the application; a secondary site including a secondary storage volume and a point-in-time storage volume, the secondary site configured to replicate the data contained in the primary storage volume to the secondary storage volume and generate a point-in-time image of data stored on the secondary storage volumes that is stored into the point-in-time storage volumes; and a fail-back procedure having a capability to fail-back from the secondary site to the primary site following a fail-over to the secondary site by bringing up the application at the primary site once data updated by the application while running at the secondary site is re-synchronized from the secondary storage volumes of the secondary site to the primary storage volumes of the primary site, thereby increasing application availability during disaster fail-back.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
73 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the primary site includes a web server; wherein the secondary site includes a backup web server; wherein the primary storage volume includes a file server system containing the data processed by the application while running on the web server; and wherein the secondary storage volume includes a backup file server system containing data replicated from the file server system of the web server at the primary site.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
85 words
The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the primary site comprises a network server and wherein: the primary storage volume further comprises an application database containing the data processed by the application while running on the network server; the secondary storage volume further comprises a backup application database containing data replicated from the application database of the primary site; and the point-in-time storage volume further comprises an image application database containing a snapshot of the data contained in the backup database of the primary site.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
60 words
The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising: a fail-over procedure having a capability to populate an active storage volume at the secondary site with data replicated from the primary storage volume of the primary site and bring-up the application on the active storage volume at the secondary site in response to detection of a failure of the primary site.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
67 words
The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising: a data replication procedure having a capability to replicate data generated by the application while running on the primary site to the secondary storage volumes at the secondary site, generate a point-in-time image of data stored on the secondary storage volumes at the secondary site and store the point-in-time image into the point-in-time storage volume at the secondary site.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
96 words
The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the fail-back procedure includes a capability to move data from active storage volumes to the secondary storage volumes at the secondary site while the application runs on the secondary site and updates the active storage volumes, re-synchronize data from the secondary storage volumes of the secondary site to the primary storage volumes of the primary site and bring-up the application at the primary site once the re-synchronization of data updated by the application while running at the secondary site is complete, such that availability of the application is increased.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
153 words
A computer readable storage medium containing programmed instructions that direct a computer to perform method for increasing application availability during fail-back from secondary site to a primary site following a failure at the primary site, the method comprising: moving data from active storage volumes to secondary storage volumes at the secondary site while the application runs on the secondary site and updates the active storage volumes; re-synchronizing data from the secondary storage volumes of the secondary site to primary storage volumes of the primary site; repeating the moving and the re-synchronizing instructions for data updated by the application until a time required to complete the re-synchronizing instruction for the updated data is within an acceptable downtime for the application; and failing-back to the primary site by bringing up the application at the primary site once the re-synchronization of the updated data is complete, such that availability of the of the application is increased.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
153 words
A computer readable storage medium containing programmed instructions that direct a computer to perform method for increasing application availability during fail-back from secondary site to a primary site following a failure at the primary site, the method comprising: moving data from active storage volumes to secondary storage volumes at the secondary site while the application runs on the secondary site and updates the active storage volumes; re-synchronizing data from the secondary storage volumes of the secondary site to primary storage volumes of the primary site; repeating the moving and the re-synchronizing instructions for data updated by the application until a time required to complete the re-synchronizing instruction for the updated data is within an acceptable downtime for the application; and failing-back to the primary site by bringing up the application at the primary site once the re-synchronization of the updated data is complete, such that availability of the of the application is increased.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
76 words
The computer readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein prior to moving and prior to the failure at the primary site, the method further comprises: replicating data generated by the application running on the primary site to the secondary storage volumes at the secondary site; generating a point-in-time image of data stored on the secondary storage volumes at the secondary site; and storing the point-in-time image into a point-in-time storage volume at the secondary site.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
120 words
The computer readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein prior to moving, the method further comprises: determining whether a point-in-time storage volume or the secondary storage volume at the secondary site contains a most current copy of the data on the primary storage volume at the primary site; when the secondary storage volumes contain the most current copy of the data on the primary storage volume of the primary site, updating the point-in-time storage volumes with the most current copy of the data; and failing-over to the secondary site by bringing up the application on the point-in-time storage volumes of the secondary site, such that the point-in-time storage volumes function as the active storage volumes of the secondary site.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
64 words
The computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein updating further comprises: placing the secondary storage volumes into logging mode; bringing up an application database on the point-in-time storage volumes; recovering the application database; and applying archive logs from the secondary storage volumes, such that the application database is synchronized with the data contained on the primary storage volumes prior to the failure.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
52 words
The computer readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein failing-back further comprises: terminating the application at the secondary site; performing a final re-synchronization of data at the secondary storage volumes of the secondary site to primary storage volumes of the primary site; and bringing the application online on the primary server.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
46 words
The computer readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein moving further comprises instructions of: quiescing the application for a specified period in order to generate a consistent and recoverable image of the active storage volumes prior to moving the data to the secondary storage volumes.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
168 words
An apparatus for increasing application availability during a disaster fail-back, the apparatus comprising: a web server configured to run an application including a file server system that contains data processed by the application; a back-up web server including a backup file server system and a point-in-time storage volume, the back-up web server configured to replicate the data contained in the file server system to the backup file server system and generate a point-in-time image of data stored on the backup file server systems that is stored into the point-in-time storage volumes; and a fail-back procedure having a capability to fail-back from the backup web server to the web server following a fail-over to the backup web server by bring up the application at the web server once data updated by the application while running at the backup web server is re-synchronized from the backup file server systems of the backup web server to the file server systems of the web server, thereby increasing application availability during disaster fail-back.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
168 words
An apparatus for increasing application availability during a disaster fail-back, the apparatus comprising: a web server configured to run an application including a file server system that contains data processed by the application; a back-up web server including a backup file server system and a point-in-time storage volume, the back-up web server configured to replicate the data contained in the file server system to the backup file server system and generate a point-in-time image of data stored on the backup file server systems that is stored into the point-in-time storage volumes; and a fail-back procedure having a capability to fail-back from the backup web server to the web server following a fail-over to the backup web server by bring up the application at the web server once data updated by the application while running at the backup web server is re-synchronized from the backup file server systems of the backup web server to the file server systems of the web server, thereby increasing application availability during disaster fail-back.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
86 words
The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the web server comprises a network server and wherein: the file server system further comprises an application database containing the data processed by the application while running on the network server; the backup file server system further comprises a backup application database containing data replicated from the application database of the web server; and the point-in-time storage volume further comprises an image application database containing a snapshot of the data contained in the backup database of the web server.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
62 words
The apparatus of claim 19 , further comprising: a fail-over procedure having a capability to populate an active storage volume at the backup web server with data replicated from the file server system of the web server and bring-up the application on the active storage volume at the backup web server in response to detection of a failure of the web server.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
71 words
The apparatus of claim 19 , further comprising: a data replication procedure having a capability to replicate data generated by the application while running on the web server to the secondary storage volumes at the backup web server, generate a point-in-time image of data stored on the backup file server systems at the backup web server and store the point-in-time image into the point-in-time storage volume at the backup web server.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
102 words
The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the fail-back procedure includes a capability to move data from active storage volumes to the backup file server systems at the backup web server while the application runs on the backup web server and updates the active storage volumes, re-synchronize data from the backup file server systems of the backup web server to the file server systems of the web server and bring-up the application at the web server once the re-synchronization of data updated by the application while running at the backup web server is complete, such that availability of the application is increased.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5555371A
Cited
US5592618A
Cited
US6549921B1
Cited
US6292905B1
Cited
US6363497B1
Cited
US6078932A
Cited
US6212531B1
Cited
US6223304B1
Cited
US6408310B1
Cited
US6516394B1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2007-02-16 | 2007-08-18 | 2008-02-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-02-16 | 2011-08-18 | 2012-02-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2015-02-16 | 2015-08-18 | 2016-02-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |