Granular instant import of replicated VTL cartridge into a backup catalog

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10171580-B2
Application number	US-201514697403-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 27, 2015
Priority date	Apr 27, 2015
Publication date	Jan 1, 2019
Grant date	Jan 1, 2019

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program product embodiments for cataloging data in a backup storage environment, by a processor device, are provided. In a storage system using tape library data replication between an originating site and one or more backup sites, data catalog data is replicated between the originating site and the backup site such that replicated data moved from the originating site to the backup site is placed into a catalog duplicative of the originating site.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for cataloging replicated data in a backup storage environment, by a processor device, comprising:
in a storage system using tape library data replication between an originating site and a backup site, replicating catalog data between the originating site and the backup site such that replicated data moved from the originating site to the backup site is placed into a catalog duplicative of the originating site to efficiently import, at the backup site, the replicated data transferred from the originating site; wherein upon completion of initially replicating a volume of a cartridge from the originating site to the backup site such that the volume nor any data thereof has been previously replicated from the originating site to the backup site, the replicated data therein the replicated volume is automatically, and without user intervention, imported into the duplicative catalog of the backup site when the cartridge is moved to an import/export (I/E) slot of the tape library of the backup site in lieu of manually importing the catalog data to the backup site by an administrator, thereby mitigating time spent performing the replication and importation during a disaster recovery (DR) scenario; and
synchronizing appending catalog data by performing each of:
backing up the volume of the cartridge at the originating site;
prior to commencing replication for the replicated data of the volume from the originating site to the backup site, ejecting a copy of the cartridge through a backup application at the backup site; wherein the ejection includes moving the cartridge to the I/E slot of the tape library at the backup site;
responsive to detecting the cartridge is in the I/E slot, automatically shelving the cartridge in the backup application at the backup site;
commencing the replication for the replicated data of the replicated volume from the originating site to the backup site;
subsequent to completing the replication, moving the cartridge back to the I/E slot at the backup site, wherein, upon moving the cartridge back to the I/E slot, the replicated volume is automatically imported into the duplicative catalog of the backup site.

2. The method of claim 1 , further including using an application programming interface (API) associated with the backup application to direct the data cataloging.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tape library data inclusive of the replicated data is stored in a virtual tape library (VTL).

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the replicated data is deduplicated data.

5. A system for cataloging replicated data in a backup storage environment, the system comprising:
a tape storage server operating at an originating site,
a tape storage server operating at a backup site, and
a processor device, controlling each storage server, wherein the processor device:
replicates catalog data between the originating site and the backup site such that replicated data moved from the originating site to the backup site is placed into a catalog duplicative of the originating site to efficiently import, at the backup site, the replicated data transferred from the originating site; wherein upon completion of initially replicating a volume of a cartridge from the originating site to the backup site such that the volume nor any data thereof has been previously replicated from the originating site to the backup site, the replicated data therein the replicated volume is automatically, and without user intervention, imported into the duplicative catalog of the backup site when the cartridge is moved to an import/export (I/E) slot of the tape library of the backup site in lieu of manually importing the catalog data to the backup site by an administrator, thereby mitigating time spent performing the replication and importation during a disaster recovery (DR) scenario; and
synchronizes appending catalog data by performing each of:
backing up the volume of the cartridge at the originating site;
prior to commencing replication for the replicated data of the volume from the originating site to the backup site, ejecting a copy of the cartridge through a backup application at the backup site; wherein the ejection includes moving the cartridge to the I/E slot of the tape library at the backup site;
responsive to detecting the cartridge is in the I/E slot, automatically shelving the cartridge in the backup application at the backup site;
commencing the replication for the replicated data of the replicated volume from the originating site to the backup site;
subsequent to completing the replication, moving the cartridge back to the I/E slot at the backup site, wherein, upon moving the cartridge back to the I/E slot, the replicated volume is automatically imported into the duplicative catalog of the backup site.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the processor device uses an application programming interface (API) associated with the backup application to direct the data cataloging.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the tape library data inclusive of the replicated data is stored in a virtual tape library (VTL).

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the replicated data is deduplicated data.

9. A computer program product for cataloging replicated data in a backup storage environment by a processor device, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:
an executable portion that, in a storage system using tape library data replication between an originating site and a backup site, replicates catalog data between the originating site and the backup site such that replicated data moved from the originating site to the backup site is placed into a catalog duplicative of the originating site to efficiently import, at the backup site, the replicated data transferred from the originating site; wherein upon completion of initially replicating a volume of a cartridge from the originating site to the backup site such that the volume nor any data thereof has been previously replicated from the originating site to the backup site, the replicated data therein the replicated volume is automatically, and without user intervention, imported into the duplicative catalog of the backup site when the cartridge is moved to an import/export (I/E) slot of the tape library of the backup site in lieu of manually importing the catalog data to the backup site by an administrator, thereby mitigating time spent performing the replication and importation during a disaster recovery (DR) scenario; and
an executable portion that synchronizes appending catalog data by performing each of:
backing up the volume of the cartridge at the originating site;
prior to commencing replication for the replicated data of the volume from the originating site to the backup site, ejecting a copy of the cartridge through a backup application at the backup site; wherein the ejection includes moving the cartridge to the I/E slot of the tape library at the backup site;
responsive to detecting the cartridge is in the I/E slot, automatically shelving the cartridge in the backup application at the backup site;
commencing the replication for the replicated data of the replicated volume from the originating site to the backup site;
subsequent to completing the replication, moving the cartridge back to the I/E slot at the backup site, wherein, upon moving the cartridge back to the I/E slot, the replicated volume is automatically imported into the duplicative catalog of the backup site.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 , further including an executable portion that uses an

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Bar Oren
• Dain Joseph W
• Drobchenko Elena

Classifications

• G06F3/0686

  Libraries, e.g. tape libraries, jukebox · CPC title

• H04L67/1097

  for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS] · CPC title

• H04L67/1095 Primary

  Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes · CPC title

• H04L69/40

  for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection (management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06) · CPC title

• G06F11/2097

  maintaining the standby controller/processing unit updated (initialisation or re-synchronisation thereof G06F11/1658 and subgroups) · CPC title