Reducing data using a plurality of compression operations in a virtual tape library

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019286333-A1
Application number	US-201815923372-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 16, 2018
Priority date	Mar 16, 2018
Publication date	Sep 19, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments are provided for reducing data using a plurality of compression operations in a computing storage environment. A speed of data writing to a virtual tape device and an availability of one or more processor devices for the virtual tape device may be monitored. One or more requests may be received for writing data to the virtual tape device. Data to be written to the virtual tape device, corresponding to a selected number of the one or more requests for writing the data, may be compressed according to both the speed of data writing to the virtual tape device and the availability of one or more processor devices for the virtual tape device. The compressed data may be stored in the virtual tape device in record units. Non-compressed data may be compressed in the virtual tape device at a subsequent period of time (e.g., future time period).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method, by a processor, for reducing data using a plurality of compression operations in a computing storage environment, comprising:
monitoring both a speed of data writing to a virtual tape device and an availability of one or more processor devices for the virtual tape device; receiving one or more requests for writing data to the virtual tape device; compressing the data to be written to the virtual tape device corresponding to a selected number of the one or more requests for writing the data according to both the speed of data writing to the virtual tape device and the availability of one or more processor devices for the virtual tape device; and storing the compressed data in the virtual tape device in record units.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein storing the compressed data further includes adding an indicator to indicate that the data is compressed in a record header region of a corresponding record.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further including:
detecting non-compressed data that is stored in a record of the virtual tape device; and compressing the detected non-compressed data according to both the speed of data writing to the virtual tape device and the availability of one or more processor devices for the virtual tape device.

4 . The method according to claim 3 , further including creating a hole in a record by compressing the detected non-compressed data and converting the virtual tape device to a sparse file.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further including compressing non-compressed data upon completing the writing the data to the virtual tape device, upon determining an amount of Input/Output (I/O) operations to and from the virtual tape device is below a threshold value, according to the availability of one or more processor devices for the virtual tape device, or a combination thereof.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , further including compressing data corresponding to the selected number of the one or more requests for each N records, wherein N is a positive integer or a selected value.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , further including:
receiving one or more requests for reading data from the virtual tape device; determining whether the data is compressed and stored in records corresponding to the one or more requests for reading data; decompressing the compressed data in the records for the data that is determined to be compressed and stored; and sending the decompressed data to a requester.

8 . A system, for reducing data using a plurality of compression operations in a computing storage environment, comprising:
one or more processors with executable instructions that when executed cause the system to:
monitor both a speed of data writing to a virtual tape device and an availability of one or more processor devices for the virtual tape device;
receive one or more requests for writing data to the virtual tape device;
compress the data to be written to the virtual tape device corresponding to a selected number of the one or more requests for writing the data according to both the speed of data writing to the virtual tape device and the availability of one or more processor devices for the virtual tape device; and
store the compressed data in the virtual tape device in record units.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the executable instructions further add an indicator to indicate that the data is compressed in a record header region of a corresponding record.

10 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the executable instructions further:
detect non-compressed data that is stored in a record of the virtual tape device; and compress the detected non-compressed data according to both the speed of data writing to the virtual tape device and the availability of one or more processor devices for the virtual tape device.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the executable instructions further create a hole in a record by compressing the detected non-compressed data and converting the virtual tape device to a sparse file.

12 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the executable instructions further compress non-compressed data upon completing the writing the data to the virtual tape device, upon determining an amount of Input/Output (I/O) operations to and from the virtual tape device is below a threshold value, according to the availability of one or more processor devices for the virtual tape device, or a combination thereof.

13 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the executable instructions further compress data corresponding to the selected number of the one or more requests for each N records, wherein N is a positive integer or a selected value.

14 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the executable instructions further:
receive one or more requests for reading data from the virtual tape device; determine whether the data is compressed and stored in records corresponding to the one or more requests for reading data; decompress the compressed data in the records for the data that is determined to be compressed and stored; and send the decompressed data to a requester.

15 . A computer program product for, by one or more processors, reducing data using a plurality of compression operations in a computing storage environment, 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 monitors both a speed of data writing to a virtual tape device and an availability of one or more processor devices for the virtual tape device; an executable portion that receives one or more requests for writing data to the virtual tape device; an executable portion that compresses the data to be written to the virtual tape device corresponding to a selected number of the one or more requests for writing the data according to both the speed of data writing to the virtual tape device and the availability of one or more processor devices for the virtual tape device; and an executable portion that stores the compressed data in the virtual tape device in record units.

16 . The computer program product of claim 15 , further including an executable portion that adds an indicator to indicate that the data is compressed in a record header region of a corresponding record.

17 . The computer program product of claim 15 , further including an executable portion that:
detects non-compressed data that is stored in a record of the virtual tape device; compresses the detected non-compressed data according to both the speed of data writing to the virtual tape device and the availability of one or more processor devices for the virtual tape device; and creates a hole in a record by compressing the detected non-compressed data and converting the virtual tape device to a sparse file.

18 . The computer program product of claim 15 , further including an executable portion that compresses non-compressed data upon completing the writing the data to the virtual tape device, upon determining an amount of Input/Output (I/O) operations to and from the virtual tape device is below a threshold value, according to the availability of one or more processor devices for the virtual tape device, or a combination thereof.

19 . The computer program product of claim 15 , further including an executable portion that compresses data corresponding to the selected number of the one or more requests for each N recor

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Tsuda Takahiro
• Masuda Koichi
• Matsui Sosuke
• Nohta Takeshi
• Mitsuma Shinsuke
• Kawamura Kousei

Classifications

• G06F3/0608 Primary

  Saving storage space on storage systems · CPC title

• G06F3/0686

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

• G06F3/064

  Management of blocks · CPC title

• G06F3/0659

  Command handling arrangements, e.g. command buffers, queues, command scheduling · CPC title

• G06F3/0661

  Format or protocol conversion arrangements · CPC title