IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,678,663
Granted Patent B1
US 10,678,663 · App. 14/672,577 · Granted Jun 9, 2020

Synchronizing storage devices outside of disabled write windows

Inventors: Satyendra Nath Sharma (Bangalore, IN); Shubhashish Mallik (Bangalore, IN); Manuel Rodriques (Sutton, MA); Alex Zorrilla (Northbridge, MA)
Assignee: EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
G06F11/2064G06F11/1446G06F11/1451G06F11/1466G06F11/1469G06F11/2069G06F11/2082G06F2201/84
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,678,663
App. No.
14/672,577
Filed
Mar 30, 2015
Granted
Jun 9, 2020
Kind
B1
Art Unit
2166
USPC
707/634
Abstract

Synchronizing storage devices outside of disabled write windows is described. A system receives, via a backup/restore application interface, a list of identifiers corresponding to source storage devices to be backed up. The system enables a target storage device to synchronize with a source storage device. The system sends, via the backup/restore application interface, a request to disable any write commands to the source storage devices corresponding to the list of identifiers. The system creates a snapshot of the source storage device. The system sends, via the backup/restore application interface, a request to enable any write commands to the source storage devices corresponding to the list of identifiers.

Claims (54)

1. A system for synchronizing storage devices outside of disabled write windows, the system comprising:

a processor-based application, which when executed on a computer, will cause the processor to:

identify, via a backup/restore application interface, each client which requires backup at a same point in time as a group, the group corresponding to a list of identifiers, the list of identifiers corresponding to a plurality of source storage devices;

receive, via the backup/restore application interface, the list of identifiers corresponding to the plurality of source storage devices to be backed up;

enable synchronization, prior to initiation of a disable write window, of a target storage device with a source storage device of the plurality of source storage devices;

determine whether another target storage device is available for another source storage device of the plurality of source storage devices;

remove an identifier corresponding to the other source storage device from the list of identifiers in response to a determination that the other target storage device is not available for the other source storage device;

send, via the backup/restore application interface, a request to initiate the disable write window in which any write commands to the plurality of source storage devices corresponding to the list of identifiers are disabled in response to a synchronization confirmation indicating the target storage device and the source storage device mirror each other;

create a snapshot of the source storage device during the disable write window initiated based on receipt of the synchronization confirmation; and

send, via the backup/restore application interface, a request to enable any write commands to the plurality of source storage devices corresponding to the list of identifiers.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor-based application further causes the processor to determine whether the target storage device is available for the source storage device; and wherein enabling the target storage device to synchronize with the source storage device is in response to a determination that the target storage device is available for the source storage device.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the processor-based application further causes the processor to remove an identifier corresponding to the source storage device from the list of identifiers in response to a determination that the target storage device is not available for the source storage device.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor-based application further causes the processor to determine whether the target storage device is synchronized with the source storage device; and remove an identifier corresponding to the source storage device from the list of identifiers in response to a determination that the target storage device is not synchronized with the source storage device.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor-based application further causes the processor to:

enable the other target storage device to synchronize with the other source storage device, prior to initiation of the disable write window, in response to a determination that the other target storage device is available for the other source storage device;

determine whether the other target storage device and the other source storage device mirror each other;

remove the identifier corresponding to the other source storage device from the list of identifiers in response to a synchronization determination indicating that the other target storage device and the other source storage device do not mirror each other; and

create another snapshot of the other source storage device.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor-based application further causes the processor to save data from the target storage device to an auxiliary storage device.

7. A computer-implemented method for synchronizing storage devices outside of disabled write windows, the method comprising:

identifying, via a backup/restore application interface, each client which requires backup at a same point in time as a group, the group corresponding to a list of identifiers, the list of identifiers corresponding to a plurality of source storage devices;

receiving, via the backup/restore application interface, the list of identifiers corresponding to the plurality of source storage devices to be backed up;

enabling synchronization, prior to initiation of a disable write window, of a target storage device with a source storage device of the plurality of source storage devices;

determining whether another target storage device is available for another source storage device of the plurality of source storage devices;

removing an identifier corresponding to the other source storage device from the list of identifiers in response to a determination that the other target storage device is not available for the other source storage device;

sending, via the backup/restore application interface, a request to initiate the disable write window in which any write commands to the plurality of source storage devices corresponding to the list of identifiers are disabled in response to a synchronization confirmation indicating the target storage device and the source storage device mirror each other;

creating a snapshot of the source storage device during the disable write window initiated based on receipt of the synchronization confirmation; and

sending, via the backup/restore application interface, a request to enable any write commands to the plurality of source storage devices corresponding to the list of identifiers.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises determining whether the target storage device is available for the source storage device; and wherein enabling the target storage device to synchronize with the source storage device is in response to a determination that the target storage device is available for the source storage device.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises removing an identifier corresponding to the source storage device from the list of identifiers in response to a determination that the target storage device is not available for the source storage device.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises determining whether the target storage device is synchronized with the source storage device; and removing an identifier corresponding to the source storage device from the list of identifiers in response to a determination that the target storage device is not synchronized with the source storage device.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises:

enabling the other target storage device to synchronize with the other source storage device, prior to initiation of the disable write window, in response to a determination that the other target storage device is available for the other source storage device;

determining whether the other target storage device and the other source storage device mirror each other;

removing the identifier corresponding to the other source storage device from the list of identifiers in response to a synchronization determination indicating that the other target storage device and the other source storage device do not mirror each other; and

creating another snapshot of the other source storage device.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises saving data from the target storage device to an auxiliary storage device.

13. A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having a computer-readable program code embodied therein to be executed by one or more processors, the program code including instructions to:

identify, via a backup/restore application interface, each client which requires backup at a same point in time as a group, the group corresponding to a list of identifiers, the list of identifiers corresponding to a plurality of source storage devices;

receive, via the backup/restore application interface, the list of identifiers corresponding to the plurality of source storage devices to be backed up;

enable synchronization, prior to initiation of a disable write window, of a target storage device with a source storage device of the plurality of source storage devices;

determine whether another target storage device is available for another source storage device of the plurality of source storage devices;

remove an identifier corresponding to the other source storage device from the list of identifiers in response to a determination that the other target storage device is not available for the other source storage device;

send, via the backup/restore application interface, a request to initiate the disable write window in which any write commands to the plurality of source storage devices corresponding to the list of identifiers are disabled in response to a synchronization confirmation indicating the target storage device and the source storage device mirror each other;

create a snapshot of the source storage device during the disable write window initiated based on receipt of the synchronization confirmation; and

send, via the backup/restore application interface, a request to enable any write commands to the plurality of source storage devices corresponding to the list of identifiers.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the program code further includes instructions to determine whether the target storage device is available for the source storage device; and to remove an identifier corresponding to the source storage device from the list of identifiers in response to a determination that the target storage device is not available for the source storage device; wherein enabling the target storage device to synchronize with the source storage device is in response to a determination that the target storage device is available for the source storage device.

15. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the program code further includes instructions to determine whether the target storage device is synchronized with the source storage device; and remove an identifier corresponding to the source storage device from the list of identifiers in response to a determination that the target storage device is not synchronized with the source storage device.

16. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the program code further includes instructions to:

enable the other target storage device to synchronize with the other source storage device, prior to initiation of the disable write window, in response to a determination that the other target storage device is available for the other source storage device;

determine whether the other target storage device and the other source storage device mirror each other;

remove the identifier corresponding to the other source storage device from the list of identifiers in response to a synchronization determination indicating that the other target storage device and the other source storage device do not mirror each other; and

create another snapshot of the other source storage device.

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor-based application further causes the processor to flush pending write commands, prior to initiation of the disable write window, to the plurality of source storage devices corresponding to the list of identifiers.

Assignments (10)
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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 29, 2016
From: EMC CORPORATION
To: EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 040203/0001 →
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
Reel/Frame 040136/0001 →
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
Reel/Frame 040134/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 17, 2015
From: SHARMA, SATYENDRA NATH; MALLIK, SHUBHASHISH; RODRIQUES, MANUEL; ZORRILLA, ALEX
To: EMC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 035433/0476 →
Cited By (11)
US 12,222,903 US 12,292,853 US 12,346,290 US 12,443,559 US 12,443,568 US 12,481,625 US 12,585,563 US 12,619,582 US 12,670,081 US 12,743,357 US 12,748,730