IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,473,776
Granted Patent B2
US 8,473,776 · App. 12/960,657 · Granted Jun 25, 2013

Virtual disk drive system and method

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,473,776
App. No.
12/960,657
Granted
Jun 25, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A disk drive system and method capable of dynamically allocating data is provided. The disk drive system may include a RAID subsystem having a pool of storage, for example a page pool of storage that maintains a free list of RAIDs, or a matrix of disk storage blocks that maintain a null list of RAIDs, and a disk manager having at least one disk storage system controller. The RAID subsystem and disk manager dynamically allocate data across the pool of storage and a plurality of disk drives based on RAID-to-disk mapping. The RAID subsystem and disk manager determine whether additional disk drives are required, and a notification is sent if the additional disk drives are required. Dynamic data allocation and data progression allow a user to acquire a disk drive later in time when it is needed. Dynamic data allocation also allows efficient data storage of snapshots/point-in-time copies of virtual volume pool of storage, instant data replay and data instant fusion for data backup, recovery etc., remote data storage, and data progression, etc.

Claims (39)

1. A method of data fusion, comprising the steps of:

generating at least one virtual volume of disk space from a plurality of data storage devices;

allocating the disk space of the at least one virtual volume;

writing data to the allocated disk space;

automatically generating a snapshot point-in-time-copy (PITC) for each of the at least one virtual volumes at predetermined time intervals, each snapshot PITC comprising a table of pointers to data pages, the pointers used to map the contents of the corresponding virtual volume as of the point in time the snapshot PITC was generated; and

storing an address index of each snapshot PITC such that each snapshot PITC of the at least one virtual volume can be instantly located via the stored address index.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein each snapshot PITC comprises a record of write operations to an associated virtual volume.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein each snapshot PITC comprises only the changes to the data in an associated virtual volume that have taken place since a previous snapshot PITC taken at a previous time interval.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of automatically generating a snapshot PITC for each of the at least one virtual volumes at predetermined time intervals includes automatically generating a snapshot PITC for each of the at least one virtual volumes at a user defined time interval.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the time intervals are in a range of every few minutes to every few hours.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the snapshot PITCs are stored at a local RAID subsystem.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the snapshot PITCs are stored at a remote RAID subsystem such that if a major system crash occurs, integrity of data is not affected, and the data can be instantly recovered.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating a snapshot PITC for at least one virtual volume upon user request.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating at least one parallel chain of snapshot PITCs for at least one virtual volume.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one parallel chain of snapshot PITCs for at least one virtual volume is generated upon user request.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising coalescing two or more snapshot PITCs for an associated virtual volume.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein automatically generating a snapshot PITC comprises committing the snapshot PITC as read-only.

13. A method of data fusion, comprising the steps of:

defining a default size of disk space of a data storage subsystem which forms a pool of storage;

automatically generating a snapshot point-in-time-copy (PITC) of the pool of storage at predetermined time intervals, the snapshot PITC comprising a table of pointers to data pages, the pointers used to map the contents of the pool of storage as of the point in time the snapshot PITC was generated; and

storing an address index of the snapshot PITC such that the snapshot PITC of the pool of storage can be instantly located via the stored address index.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the snapshot PITC comprises a record of write operations to the pool of storage.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the step of automatically generating a snapshot PITC for the pool of storage at predetermined time intervals includes automatically generating a snapshot PITC for the pool of storage at a user defined time interval.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the snapshot PITCs are stored at a remote data storage subsystem such that if a major system crash occurs, integrity of data is not affected, and the data can be instantly recovered.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising generating a snapshot PITC for the pool of storage upon user request.

18. The method of claim 13 , further comprising generating at least one parallel chain of snapshot PITCs for the pool of storage.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the at least one parallel chain of snapshot PITCs for the pool of storage is generated upon user request.

20. A disk drive system, capable of fusing data, comprising:

a data storage subsystem having a pool of storage;

at least one virtual volume of disk space from a plurality of data storage devices of the data storage subsystem; and

a disk manager having at least one disk storage system controller, the system controller automatically generating a snapshot point-in-time-copy (PITC) for each of the at least one virtual volumes at predetermined time intervals and storing an address index of each snapshot PITC in the associated virtual volume such that the snapshot PITC of the virtual volume can be instantly located via the stored address index;

wherein each snapshot PITC comprises a table of pointers to data pages, the pointers used to map the contents of the corresponding virtual volume as of the point in time the snapshot PITC was generated.

21. The disk drive system of claim 20 , wherein the data storage devices comprise RAID devices.

22. A disk drive system, capable of fusing data, comprising:

abstract means for generating at one least abstraction of disk space from a plurality of data storage devices;

allocating means for allocating the disk space of the at least one abstraction;

writing means for writing data to the allocated disk space;

fusing means for automatically generating a snapshot point-in-time-copy (PITC) for each of the at least one abstractions at predetermined time intervals, each snapshot PITC comprising a table of pointers to data pages, the pointers used to map the contents of the corresponding abstraction as of the point in time the snapshot PITC was generated; and

storing means for storing an address index of each snapshot PITC such that each snapshot PITC can be instantly located via the stored address index.

Assignments (15)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053546/0001) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 071642/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (045455/0001) Recorded May 20, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.); DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC CORPORATION (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MAGINATICS LLC); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MOZY, INC.); SCALEIO LLC
Reel/Frame 061753/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (040136/0001) Recorded Apr 26, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.); DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC CORPORATION (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MAGINATICS LLC); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MOZY, INC.); SCALEIO LLC
Reel/Frame 061324/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 3, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL, L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 058216/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 22, 2020
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053546/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 21, 2019
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049452/0223 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 21, 2016
From: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; SPANNING CLOUD APPS LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
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SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 21, 2016
From: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; SPANNING CLOUD APPS LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
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From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL SOFTWARE INC.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
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RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2016
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To: DELL MARKETING L.P.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; COMPELLANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 040065/0216 →
MERGER Recorded Mar 10, 2016
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PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded Jan 2, 2014
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From: DELL INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; BOOMI, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL USA L.P.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; GALE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
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PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (TERM LOAN) Recorded Jan 2, 2014
From: DELL INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; BOOMI, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL USA L.P.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; GALE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
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