Indirect replication of a dataset

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11775392-B2
Application number	US-202117362183-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2021
Priority date	Dec 11, 2014
Publication date	Oct 3, 2023
Grant date	Oct 3, 2023

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer readable storage mediums for performing remote replication including receiving, by a target storage system, an indication that a dataset stored on a source storage system will be replicated to the target storage system; identifying, by the target storage system, portions of the dataset that are not already stored on the target storage system; and initiating, by the target storage system, replication of one or more of the portions of the dataset that are not already stored on the target storage system from a source other than the source storage system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, by a target storage system, an indication that a dataset stored on a source storage system will be replicated to the target storage system;
identifying, by the target storage system, portions of the dataset that are not already stored on the target storage system; and
initiating, by the target storage system, replication of one or more of the portions of the dataset that are not already stored on the target storage system from an additional source storage system other than the source storage system.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving, by the target storage system, a metadata identifier associated with the dataset.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising sending, from the target storage system to the source storage system, information describing portions of the dataset that are stored on the target storage system.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising receiving, from the source storage system and based on the information describing portions of the dataset that are stored on the target storage system, information describing portions of the dataset that are not stored on the target storage system.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising sending, from the target storage system to the additional source storage system, a request for one or more portions of the dataset, wherein the request is generated based on the information describing portions of the dataset that are not stored on the target storage system.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising receiving, by the target storage system from the additional source storage systems, the one or more portions of the dataset.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein initiating replication of one or more of the portions of the dataset that are not already stored on the target storage system from an additional source storage system other than the source storage system is carried out in response to a determination that the source storage system has become unavailable.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein initiating replication of one or more of the portions of the dataset that are not already stored on the target storage system from an additional source storage system other than the source storage system is carried out in response to a detecting an impending failure of the source storage system.

9. A storage system that includes a plurality of storage devices, the storage system including a computer processor and a computer memory that includes computer program instructions which, when executed by the computer processor, cause the storage system to carry out the steps of:
receiving an indication that a dataset stored on a source storage system will be replicated to the storage system;
identifying portions of the dataset that are not already stored on the storage system; and
initiating replication of one or more of the portions of the dataset that are not already stored on the storage system from an additional source storage system other than the source storage system.

10. The storage system of claim 9 further comprising computer program instructions which, when executed by the computer processor, cause the storage system to carry out the step of receiving a metadata identifier associated with the dataset.

11. The storage system of claim 9 further comprising computer program instructions which, when executed by the computer processor, cause the storage system to carry out the step of sending, from the target storage system to the source storage system, information describing portions of the dataset that are stored on the target storage system.

12. The storage system of claim 11 further comprising computer program instructions which, when executed by the computer processor, cause the storage system to carry out the step of receiving, from the source storage system and based on the information describing portions of the dataset that are stored on the target storage system, information describing portions of the dataset that are not stored on the target storage system.

13. The storage system of claim 12 further comprising computer program instructions which, when executed by the computer processor, cause the storage system to carry out the step of sending, from the target storage system to the additional source storage system, a request for one or more portions of the dataset, wherein the request is generated based on the information describing portions of the dataset that are not stored on the target storage system.

14. The storage system of claim 13 further comprising computer program instructions which, when executed by the computer processor, cause the storage system to carry out the steps of receiving, by the target storage system from the additional source storage systems, the one or more portions of the dataset.

15. The storage system of claim 9 wherein initiating replication of one or more of the portions of the dataset that are not already stored on the target storage system from an additional source storage system other than the source storage system is carried out in response to a determination that the source storage system has become unavailable.

16. The storage system of claim 9 wherein initiating replication of one or more of the portions of the dataset that are not already stored on the target storage system from an additional source storage system other than the source storage system is carried out in response to a detecting an impending failure of the source storage system.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing program instructions, wherein the program instructions are executable by a processor to:
receive an indication that a dataset stored on a source storage system will be replicated to the storage system;
identify portions of the dataset that are not already stored on the storage system; and
initiate replication of one or more of the portions of the dataset that are not already stored on the storage system from an additional source storage system other than the source storage system.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 17 , wherein the program instructions are further executable by a processor to send, from the target storage system to the source storage system, information describing portions of the dataset that are stored on the target storage system.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 18 , wherein the program instructions are further executable by a processor to receive, from the source storage system and based on the information describing portions of the dataset that are stored on the target storage system, information describing portions of the dataset that are not stored on the target storage system.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 19 , wherein the program instructions are further executable by a processor to send, from the target storage system to the additional source storage system, a request for one or more portions of the dataset, wherein the request is generated based on the information describing portions of the dataset that are not stored on the target storage system.

Assignees

• Pure Storage Inc

Inventors

• Borowiec Benjamin
• Hodgson Steve
• Miller Ethan L

Classifications

• G06F11/1451 Primary

  by selection of backup contents · CPC title

• G06F3/00

  Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements · CPC title

• G06F3/065

  Replication mechanisms · CPC title

• G06F3/067

  Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS] · CPC title

• G06F3/0619

  in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors · CPC title