Backing up journal data to a memory of another node

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9367398-B1
Application number	US-201414228982-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 28, 2014
Priority date	Mar 28, 2014
Publication date	Jun 14, 2016
Grant date	Jun 14, 2016

Abstract

In one aspect, a method includes receiving and recording journal data at a client on a first server, providing the data to a journal component, transferring the journal data from the journal component to a reserve memory in a memory of a second server using a remote direct memory access (RDMA), after failure of the client, retrieving the journal data from the reserve memory using the RDMA and replacing the journal data lost from the failure of the client with the journal data from the reserve memory.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving a hash;
recording metadata of the hash as journal data at a D-module of a content addressable storage (CAS) array on a first server, wherein the D-module is coupled to a R-Module and a C-Module;
providing the journal data to a journal component on the D-Module;
transferring the journal data from the journal component to a reserve memory in a memory of a second server using a remote direct memory access (RDMA), wherein the second server does not have access to the reserve memory;
after failure of the D-module, retrieving the journal data from the reserve memory using the RDMA using the journal component without the D-Module being aware; and
replacing the journal data lost from the failure of the D-module with the journal data from the reserve memory.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein transferring the journal data from the journal component to a reserve memory comprises transferring the journal data to a reserve memory being at least one of a non-volatile random-access memory (NVRAM) or uninterruptible power supply (UPS) protected.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving journal data at a client on a first server comprises receiving journal data at a D module.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein transferring the journal data from the journal to a reserve memory in a memory of a second server using a remote direct memory access (RDMA) comprises transferring the journal data from the journal to the reserve memory without the second server being aware of the transferring of the journal data.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein transferring the journal data from the journal to a reserve memory in a memory of a second server using a remote direct memory access (RDMA) comprises transferring the journal data from the journal to a reserve memory without the second server being aware of the existence of the reserve memory.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving and recording journal data at a client on a first server comprises receiving and recording at least one of hash data, hash metadata, I/O metadata or data from a write I/O.

7. An apparatus, comprising:
electronic hardware circuitry configured to:
receive a hash; and
record metadata of the hash as journal data at a D-module of a content addressable storage (CAS) array on a first server, wherein the D-module is coupled to a R-Module and a C-Module;
provide the journal data to a journal component on the D-Module;
transfer the journal data from the journal component to a reserve memory in a memory of a second server using a remote direct memory access (RDMA), wherein the second server does not have access to the reserve memory;
after failure of the D-module, retrieve the journal data from the reserve memory using the RDMA using the journal component without the D-Module being aware; and
replace the journal data lost from the failure of the D-module with the journal data from the reserve memory.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the circuitry comprises at least one of a processor, a memory, a programmable logic device or a logic gate.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the circuitry configured to transfer the journal data from the journal component to a reserve memory comprises circuitry configured to transfer the journal data to a reserve memory being at least one of a non-volatile random-access memory (NVRAM) or uninterruptible power supply (UPS) protected.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the circuitry configured to receive journal data at a client on a first server comprises circuitry configured to receive journal data at a D module.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the circuitry configured to transfer the journal data from the journal to a reserve memory in a memory of a second server using a remote direct memory access (RDMA) comprises circuitry configured to transfer the journal data from the journal to the reserve memory without the second server being aware of the transferring of the journal data.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the circuitry configured to transfer the journal data from the journal to a reserve memory in a memory of a second server using a remote direct memory access (RDMA) comprises circuitry configured to transfer the journal data from the journal to a reserve memory without the second server being aware of the existence of the reserve memory.

13. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the circuitry configured to receive and record journal data at a client on a first server comprises circuitry configured to receive and record at least one of hash data, hash metadata, I/O metadata or data from a write I/O.

14. An article comprising:
a non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores computer-executable instructions, the instructions causing a machine to:
receive a hash;
record metadata of the hash as journal data at a D-module of a content addressable storage (CAS) array on a first server, wherein the D-module is coupled to a R-Module and a C-Module;
provide the journal data to a journal component on the D-Module;
transfer the journal data from the journal component to a reserve memory in a memory of a second server using a remote direct memory access (RDMA), wherein the second server does not have access to the reserve memory;
after failure of the D-module, retrieve the journal data from the reserve memory using the RDMA using the journal component without the D-Module being aware; and
replace the journal data lost from the failure of the D-module with the journal data from the reserve memory.

15. The article of claim 14 , wherein the instructions causing the machine to transfer the journal data from the journal component to a reserve memory comprises instructions causing the machine to transfer the journal data to a reserve memory being at least one of a non-volatile random-access memory (NVRAM) or uninterruptible power supply (UPS) protected.

16. The article of claim 14 , wherein the instructions causing the machine to receive journal data at a client on a first server comprises instructions causing the machine to receive journal data at a D module.

17. The article of claim 14 , wherein the instructions causing the machine to transfer the journal data from the journal to a reserve memory in a memory of a second server using a remote direct memory access (RDMA) comprises instructions causing the machine to transfer the journal data from the journal to the reserve memory without the second server being aware of the transferring of the journal data.

18. The article of claim 14 , wherein the instructions causing the machine to transfer the journal data from the journal to a reserve memory in a memory of a second server using a remote direct memory access (RDMA) comprises instructions causing the machine to transfer the journal data from the journal to a reserve memory without the second server being aware of the existence of the reserve memory.

19. The article of claim 14 , wherein the instructions causing the machine to receive and record journal data at a client on a first server comprises instructions causing the machine to receive and record at least one of hash data, hash metadata, I/O metadata or data from a write I/O.

Assignees

• Emc Corp

Inventors

• Ben-Moshe Tal
• Hallak Renen
• Luz Kobi
• Dorfman Eli

Classifications

• G06F11/2097

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

• G06F11/1666

  where the redundant component is memory or memory area · CPC title

• G06F11/1415 Primary

  at system level · CPC title

• G06F11/3433

  for load management (allocation of a server based on load conditions G06F9/505; load rebalancing G06F9/5083; redistributing the load in a network by a load balancer H04L67/1029) · CPC title

• G06F11/3034

  where the computing system component is a storage system, e.g. DASD based or network based (digital input from or digital output to record carriers G06F3/06; digital recording or reproducing G11B20/18; 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], H04L67/1097) · CPC title