Upgrading an engine when a scenario is running

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9923762-B1
Application number	US-201313965607-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Aug 13, 2013
Priority date	Aug 13, 2013
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

Abstract

A method includes receiving a request for modification of computer readable program code associated with a scenario being executed at a production server. The production server is configured to provide a computing service. Writing to a storage medium associated with the production server with respect to data specified by the protection scenario is suspended during the modification responsive to the request, such that synchronization of the data specified by the scenario is maintained between the production server and a standby server during the modification. Related systems and computer program products are also discussed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
receiving, by a processor, a request for modification of computer readable program code that provides a protection service for a production server, wherein the protection service protects data specified by a scenario via replication, and wherein the production server is configured to provide a client computing service that is distinct from the protection service for the production server;
suspending, by the processor, writing to a storage medium associated with the production server with respect to the data specified by the scenario in response to the receiving the request; and
performing, by the processor, a modification of the computer readable program code that provides the protection service for the production server, wherein synchronization of the data specified by the scenario is maintained between the storage medium associated with the production server and a different storage medium that is associated with a standby server during the modification of the computer readable program code that provides the protection service for the production server.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting a notification to proceed with the modification of the computer readable program code that provides the protection service for the production server in response to receiving the request;
receiving an indication of completion of the modification responsive to transmitting the notification;
capturing changes for the data specified by the scenario without writing the changes to the storage medium associated with the production server during the modification of the computer readable program code that provides the protection service for the production server; and
transferring the changes to the different storage medium that is associated with the standby server responsive to receiving the indication and independent of a synchronization operation for the data specified by the scenario after completion of the modification of the computer readable program code that provides the protection service for the production server.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein capturing the changes without writing the changes to the storage medium during the modification comprises:
tracking input/output (I/O) requests for the data specified by the scenario received during the modification of the computer readable program code that provides the protection service for the production server; and
executing the I/O requests responsive to receiving the indication of completion of the modification of the computer readable program code that provides the protection service for the production server.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein suspending the writing comprises:
providing an instruction to halt write operations to a storage area of the storage medium associated with the production server that includes the data specified by the scenario responsive to the request for modification; and
providing an instruction to resume the write operations to the storage area responsive to the indication of completion,
wherein the I/O requests are received between providing the instruction to halt and providing the instruction to resume the write operations.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein a duration of time between providing the instruction to halt and providing the instruction to resume the write operations is about one to two seconds.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the computer readable program code comprises an engine module, and wherein the modification comprises an update and/or upgrade to the engine module, the method further comprising:
saving a status of the data specified by the scenario or the engine module responsive to providing the instruction to halt the write operations to the storage area;
transmitting the notification to proceed with the modification responsive to saving the status; and
restoring the status of the data specified by the scenario or the engine module responsive to receiving the indication of completion of the modification.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising the following prior to restoring the status:
starting the engine module responsive to receiving the indication of completion of the modification; and
transmitting a notification to proceed with modification of a driver module associated with the scenario responsive to starting the engine module.

8. The method of claim 4 , wherein the data specified by the scenario corresponds to a file system of the production server, and wherein the I/O requests comprise file input/output events intended for the file system.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the modification of the computer readable program code that provides the protection service for the production server is performed without interruption of the client computing service, and wherein a synchronization operation for the data specified by the scenario is not performed between the storage medium associated with the production server and the different storage medium associated with the standby server responsive to the modification of the computer readable program code that provides the protection service for the production server.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
permitting writing to the storage medium associated with the production server with respect to data that is not specified by the scenario during the modification.

11. A computer program product, comprising:
a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied in the medium, the computer readable program code comprising:
computer readable program code to recognize a request for modification of computer readable program code that provides a protection service for a production server, wherein the protection service protects data specified by a scenario via replication from a storage medium associated with the production server to a different storage medium associated with a standby server, and wherein the production server is configured to provide a client computing service that is distinct from the protection service for the production server; and
computer readable program code to suspend writing to the storage medium associated with the production server with respect to the data specified by the scenario in response to recognizing the request; and
computer readable program code to perform a modification of the computer readable program code that provides the protection service for the production server such that synchronization of the data specified by the scenario is maintained between the production server and the standby server during the modification of the computer readable program code that provides the protection service for the production server.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 , further comprising:
computer readable program code to transmit a notification to proceed with the modification of the computer readable program code that provides the protection service for the production server, responsive to receipt of the request;
computer readable program code to receive an indication of completion of the modification responsive to transmission of the notification;
computer readable program code to capture changes for the data specified by the scenario without writing the changes to the storage medium associated with the production server during the modification of the computer readable program code that provides the protection service for the production server; and
computer readable program code to transfer the changes to the standby server responsive to the indication and independent of a synchronization operation for the data specified by the scenario aft

Assignees

• Ca Inc

Inventors

• Zhang Haiyang
• Wang Xiaopin
• Shuai Ran
• Yu Pengfei

Classifications

• H04L41/08 Primary

  Configuration management of networks or network elements (address allocation H04L61/50) · CPC title

• G06F8/65 Primary

  Updates (security arrangements therefor G06F21/57) · CPC title