GB2448353A - Tape file archive system with data movers - Google Patents

Tape file archive system with data movers Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2448353A
GB2448353A GB0707078A GB0707078A GB2448353A GB 2448353 A GB2448353 A GB 2448353A GB 0707078 A GB0707078 A GB 0707078A GB 0707078 A GB0707078 A GB 0707078A GB 2448353 A GB2448353 A GB 2448353A
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Prior art keywords
file
tape
files
archive
control
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Granted
Application number
GB0707078A
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GB0707078D0 (en
GB2448353B (en
Inventor
Mark Broadbent
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XENDATA Ltd
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XENDATA Ltd
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Filing date
Publication date
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Priority to GB0707078.2A priority Critical patent/GB2448353B/en
Publication of GB0707078D0 publication Critical patent/GB0707078D0/en
Publication of GB2448353A publication Critical patent/GB2448353A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2448353B publication Critical patent/GB2448353B/en
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • 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
    • G06F3/06—Digital input from, or digital output to, record carriers, e.g. RAID, emulated record carriers or networked record carriers
    • G06F3/0601—Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems
    • G06F3/0628—Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems making use of a particular technique
    • G06F3/0655—Vertical data movement, i.e. input-output transfer; data movement between one or more hosts and one or more storage devices
    • G06F3/0656—Data buffering arrangements
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F12/00—Accessing, addressing or allocating within memory systems or architectures
    • G06F12/02—Addressing or allocation; Relocation
    • G06F12/08—Addressing or allocation; Relocation in hierarchically structured memory systems, e.g. virtual memory systems
    • G06F12/0802—Addressing of a memory level in which the access to the desired data or data block requires associative addressing means, e.g. caches
    • G06F12/0866—Addressing of a memory level in which the access to the desired data or data block requires associative addressing means, e.g. caches for peripheral storage systems, e.g. disk cache
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F16/00—Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
    • G06F16/10—File systems; File servers
    • G06F16/11—File system administration, e.g. details of archiving or snapshots
    • G06F16/113—Details of archiving
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • 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
    • G06F3/06—Digital input from, or digital output to, record carriers, e.g. RAID, emulated record carriers or networked record carriers
    • G06F3/0601—Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems
    • G06F3/0602—Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems specifically adapted to achieve a particular effect
    • G06F3/0604—Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management
    • G06F3/0605—Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • 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
    • G06F3/06—Digital input from, or digital output to, record carriers, e.g. RAID, emulated record carriers or networked record carriers
    • G06F3/0601—Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems
    • G06F3/0602—Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems specifically adapted to achieve a particular effect
    • G06F3/061—Improving I/O performance
    • G06F3/0613—Improving I/O performance in relation to throughput
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • 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
    • G06F3/06—Digital input from, or digital output to, record carriers, e.g. RAID, emulated record carriers or networked record carriers
    • G06F3/0601—Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems
    • G06F3/0668—Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems adopting a particular infrastructure
    • G06F3/0671—In-line storage system
    • G06F3/0683—Plurality of storage devices
    • G06F3/0686—Libraries, e.g. tape libraries, jukebox
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B27/00—Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
    • G11B27/002—Programmed access in sequence to a plurality of record carriers or indexed parts, e.g. tracks, thereof, e.g. for editing
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B27/00—Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
    • G11B27/10—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
    • G11B27/11—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel by using information not detectable on the record carrier
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F2212/00—Indexing scheme relating to accessing, addressing or allocation within memory systems or architectures
    • G06F2212/21—Employing a record carrier using a specific recording technology
    • G06F2212/213—Tape storage
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F2212/00—Indexing scheme relating to accessing, addressing or allocation within memory systems or architectures
    • G06F2212/22—Employing cache memory using specific memory technology
    • G06F2212/224—Disk storage
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F2212/00—Indexing scheme relating to accessing, addressing or allocation within memory systems or architectures
    • G06F2212/46—Caching storage objects of specific type in disk cache
    • G06F2212/463—File
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B2220/00—Record carriers by type
    • G11B2220/40—Combinations of multiple record carriers
    • G11B2220/41—Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
  • Data Mining & Analysis (AREA)
  • Databases & Information Systems (AREA)
  • Library & Information Science (AREA)
  • Information Retrieval, Db Structures And Fs Structures Therefor (AREA)

Abstract

A file archiving system comprises a communication channel for carrying files, a tape library 21 for storing files and having a plurality of tape drives 23, a plurality of data movers 27 with respective tape drives 23 and each having a non-volatile or disc cache 27b. A control file server receives files for storage from a communication channel and writes the file to a selected tape via a selected drive via a selected data mover computer 27. The system can include a number of user networked computer terminals 18, (6) required to access the archive of files stored in a tape library 21. The control file server 25 can have a buffer RAM (25A). It becomes possible for the user of a terminal, wanting to archive a file, such as a video clip, simply to instruct the file to be written into the archive system as it would to a standard disk using a standard file system. The invention thereby provides a way to avoid the need for specialist software in the terminals as well as data bottlenecks caused by a magnetic disk cache that does not act as fast as the tape drives.

Description

A File Archiving System The present invention relates to file archiving
systems particularly those which utilise tape libraries.
Figure 1 illustrates schematically an example of a current tape-library file archiving system. The system includes a tape library 1 having a large number of tapes 2 located in respective slots, a plurality of tape drives 3 to read from and write to the tapes 2 and a robotic arm mechanism 4, to move the tapes to and from the drives 3.The archiving system further includes a controller 5 having a magnetic disk cache 5A.
The archiving system is connected, via a network NET to a number of user terminals *.. 10 6, which are typically personal computers. A user terminal 6 wanting to store a file, *.** such as a video clip, in the archive, sends the file to the controller 5. Once the file is *r' stored on the magnetic cache 5A, the control system 5 sends a message to the user terminal 6 indicating that the transfer is completed. The control system 5 decides where to store the file and instructs the mecbanical arm 4 to retrieve the required tape 2 and to load it into a drive 3. When the tape is in position, the controller S causes the file to be sent from the magnetic cache 5A to the appropriate tape drive 3 to be recorded onto the tape.
The cache 5A allows the archive to hold files (a) whilst it is waiting for a tape 2 to be loaded in a drive 3 and (b) in situations where a user 6 simultaneously or in quick succession, sends files to be written to more tapes than there are tape drives 3.
A magnetic cache is required for two reasons. Firstly, because it is non-volatile it can, in the event of power failure, be relied upon to securely store files which have been sent to the archive but have yet to be recorded onto tape. This is particularly important because, depending on the loading on the system, it can take anywhere from 10 seconds to 30 minutes before a tape drive becomes available for recording.
Secondly, magnetic disks have fast access times. This allows the archive to accept files from a user 6 without the unacceptable delays which would be incurred if the files were written straight to tape.
Although this system works well, it does have a limitation. Data cannot be read from the magnetic disk cache 5A as fast as it can be written onto a tape 2. The cache 5A behaves as a bottle neck', the effect being especially noticeable when multiple tape drives 3 are in a recording mode. The result is that each tape drive works far below its optimal capacity. This is a particular problem when it is wished to archive a large amount of material, such as that collected by a TV-station.
In an endeavour to cure the above problem, the inventor first considered employing an alternative system as shown schematically in Figure 2. In this arrangement, the * single controller 5 of Fig 1 is replaced by several servers 17 (which will be referred to S..
5'.. as "data movers") and a control server 15. 5S5S **..
: In this system, the control server 15 receives a request, via a network 16, from the user 18 to record a file onto the archive. The control server 15 then sends instructions * back to the user 18 directing it to send the files to a particular data mover 17. The * main disadvantage with this setup is that the file server of the archive and the user are *.....
* S not compatible. Thus, to make the system operational, it is necessary to install custom software into each program of the user terminal 18 that uses the archive. In practice this means that when the archiving system is installed, it is necessary to employ software technicians to install the custom software into each relevant program in each user terminal 18.
This present invention was conceived in an endeavour to create an archiving system which overcomes the aforementioned problems.
According to the invention there is provided a file archiving system comprising: (a) a communication channel for carrying files; (b) a tape library for storing the files and having a plurality of tape drives (c) a plurality of data moving mechanisms associated with respective tape drives and each having a non-volatile cache; and (d) a control file server connected to receive, from the communication channel, a file for storage and having means for causing the file to be written to a selected tape via a selected drive via a selected data moving mechanism.
Because the control file server is designed itself to receive the file for storage (unlike the file server 15 of the Fig 2 arrangement) user terminals are able to interface with the archive, and to more fully utilise the fast recording speeds of tape drives, without the need for their software to be custom modified.
In a preferred embodiment the control file server has a memory for recording metadata of the archived file and its physical location in the library and means for * using that stored information to identifr the physical location for storage of a *.* subsequent file. The system may also comprise a local communication channel S...
joining the data moving mechanisms to the file server. **.
Further preferred features include; a memory means in the control file system for :. acting as a buffer for the received files and a policy mechanism for making buffer act * asafilter.
S..... * S
It is further favourable that the memory mean in the control system is faster or equal in speed to the cache in the data moving mechanism.
In the accompanying drawings:-Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of a prior art tape library archiving system; Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of an initial proposal by the inventor for solving problems associated with the Fig I system; Figure 3 is a schematic representation of a tape library archiving system constructed in accordance with the invention; and Figure 4 is a more detailed schematic representation of the control system indicated generally in Figure 3.
Referring to Figs 3 and 4, the archiving system comprises a tape library 21, having tapes 22 located in respective slots, a plurality of tape drives 23 and a robotic arm 24 for moving the tapes 22 to and from the drives 23. The system also includes a control file server 25 and a number of computers 27 which will be referred to as "data movers" because their function is to move data rapidly between the control server 25 and the tapes.
Each data mover computer 27 comprises a processor 27A and a magnetic disk cache 27B. Each data mover 27 is permanently connected to one or more tape drives 23 and, via a local network connection to the control file server 25.
*...* Referring to Fig 4, the control file server 25 has random access memory which, * *** provides a very fast buffer RAM 25A.. The control file also contains a processor 25D and a magnetic hard drive 25E. The hard drive 25E contains: (a) information identifying and relating to all of the tapes 2 that are available; (b) metadata pertaining to each of the files that is stored in the archive; data identifying where each file is * currently stored and, if on a tape, the identity of that tape and the position on that tape p.....
* (c) policies that determine how files shall be archived.
A user of computer terminal 16 wanting to store a file, such as a video clip, into the archive, simply instructs a file to be written to the archive file system. The file system can be included as part of an operating system such as Windows ("Windows" is a Registered Trade Mark of Microsoft Corporation). Thus, the user communicates with the control file server as it would to a standard disk system using a file system allowing the user to create a file with a specific name in a specific directory; and to read a file in a selected directory; To the user 16, the operation appears substantially identical to the process when moving or copying a file between folders in a standard file system such as that employed in Windows .
The file is written from the user's computer into the buffer RAM 25A where it is held whilst the control system 25 decides to which data mover 27 the file should be sent.
Part of each file stored in the RAM 25A defines metadata which may include information relating to the status of the file and its path e.g. the location of the file as recorded by the standard file system. This data is stored at least primarily on the hard drive 25E.
Stored in the policy RAM 25B are a number of policies created by an administrator of the archive. Policies can be considered as rules used by the control server 25, to s... decide where to store incoming files. A policy might be to record particular files as 0*** duplicates on a number of different tapes, or to record one copy onto a group of tapes and not to retain the file on the magnetic disk cache 27B.
A software mechanism 25C, which will be referred to as the "policy applier" associates each file with appropriate rules defined by the policy stored at 25B. The control processor 25D looks at the hard drive 25E to identify what space is available and identifies the optimal tape based on space available and current activity of the tapes and the policies in the policy RAM 25Bstored on the hard drive 25E. The processor 25D also identifies the least busy data mover 27 and the least busy tape 23 drive associated with that data mover 27. In an alternative embodiment, the policies may be stored and accessed from the hard drive 25E.
Once a policy has been applied, the file is sent from the control system 25 via a local network to a particular data mover 27 where is it stored on the magnetic cache 27B with instructions including what drive 23 to use, what tape 2 to use and the priority of recording the file in relation to other operations e.g. an instruction that the file is to be stored on the magnetic disk cache on the data mover for one week after recording onto tape. The processor 25D also instructs the robotic control 24 to move the selected tape 22 to the selected drive 23 at a specified time, this specified time being calculated by the processor 25D depending on whether there is more than one file waiting, in the data mover's magnetic store, to be written to tape..
Once the transfer of the file to the data mover 27 is complete, the processor 278 of the data mover 27 sends a message to the processor 25D confirming: 1) when it has completed an instruction to write the file to a magnetic disk cache in the data mover; 2) when the file has been successfully written to a tape; and 3) when it has been successfully deleted from its disk cache.
* The processor 25D then updates the file metadata on the hard drive 25E and sends a confirmation message to the user program 6 saying that the file has been successfully ** S written (or deleted). From the perspective of the user of terminal 6, the writing * .*.
operation is complete and the file has been copied onto the archive. *
* The above description concerns a process of writing files to the archive or deleting *.* them. An analogous procedure occurs during a reading process. * .
To read a specified file, the user requests, from a computer 18, to reach the file by specifying the complete path to it including its name and directory (e.g. litaIylvenicegrand canal.mpg). Notably, this request does not contain the physical location of the file in the archive. That information is held of course in the control file server 25 but is invisible to the user.
The control file server identifies from its store of metadata 25E the physical location of the file. If the file is still in magnetic disk cache 27B on one of the data movers 27 it is read from that location. However, if it is only available from the tape, the control file server 25 instructs the robotic arm 24 to load the tape carrying the file into an available tape drive 23 and to read the file from the tape.
It will be appreciated that there are various other embodiments which will fall within the accompanying Claims. For example the magnetic caches 27A may be replaced with other non-volatile memory such as flash, and phase change (PRAM) memory and the user terminals 18 could be automated computing mechanisms instead of manually operated personal computers.
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DEFINITIONS
In this specification the following terms are defined as having the following meanings.
A "file" is a sequence of binary data including: metadata, that includes at least a name for the file; and an essence or body defining information to be stored or processed.
A "file system" is a set of rules defining: how files can be written, stored and read; constraints on how files can be named; allowable attributes within a file; and folder hierarchies.
S
* A "file server" is a computer that contains a file system and permits reading of files from and writing of files to the computer. **.
An "Operating system" is a set of programs that allows a computer to operate including allowing it to define a file system.

Claims (6)

  1. Claims I. A file archiving system comprising: (a) a communication
    channel for carrying files; (b) a tape library for storing the files and having a plurality of tape drives (c) a plurality of data moving mechanisms associated with respective tape drives and each having a non-volatile cache; and (d) a control file server connected to receive, from the communication channel, a file for storage and having means for causing the file to be written to a selected tape via a selected drive via a selected data moving mechanism.
  2. 2. A file archiving system according to Claim I in which the control file server has a memory for recording metadata of the archived file and its physical location in * the library and means for using that stored information to identify the physical location for storage of a subsequent file. *SSS
  3. 3. A file archiving system according to Claim 1 comprising a local communication channel joining the data moving mechanisms to the file server.
    S
    S *5.
  4. 4. A file archiving system according to Claim 1 comprising a memory means in the control file system for acting as a buffer for the received files.
  5. 5. A file archiving system according to Claim 1 comprising a policy mechanism for making buffer act as a filter.
  6. 6. A file archiving system according to Claim 4 in which the memory mean in the control system is faster or equal in speed to the cache in the data moving mechanism.
GB0707078.2A 2007-04-12 2007-04-12 A file archiving system Active GB2448353B (en)

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GB2448353A true GB2448353A (en) 2008-10-15
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Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2013073114A1 (en) 2011-11-18 2013-05-23 International Business Machines Corporation Reading files stored on a storage system
DE102013112368A1 (en) * 2013-11-11 2015-05-13 Fujitsu Technology Solutions Intellectual Property Gmbh Tape storage drive

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US6275953B1 (en) * 1997-09-26 2001-08-14 Emc Corporation Recovery from failure of a data processor in a network server
US20030061456A1 (en) * 1998-12-31 2003-03-27 Yuval Ofek Apparatus and methods for copying, backing up and restoring logical objects in a computer storage system by transferring blocks out of order or in parallel
US6549992B1 (en) * 1999-12-02 2003-04-15 Emc Corporation Computer data storage backup with tape overflow control of disk caching of backup data stream
US20040044834A1 (en) * 2002-08-29 2004-03-04 International Business Machines Corporation Method, system, and program for transferring data
US20040044852A1 (en) * 2002-08-29 2004-03-04 International Business Machines Corporation Method, system, and article of manufacture for returning physical volumes
US20050044316A1 (en) * 2003-04-03 2005-02-24 Rajiv Kottomtharayil System and method for dynamically sharing media in a computer network

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6275953B1 (en) * 1997-09-26 2001-08-14 Emc Corporation Recovery from failure of a data processor in a network server
US20030061456A1 (en) * 1998-12-31 2003-03-27 Yuval Ofek Apparatus and methods for copying, backing up and restoring logical objects in a computer storage system by transferring blocks out of order or in parallel
US6549992B1 (en) * 1999-12-02 2003-04-15 Emc Corporation Computer data storage backup with tape overflow control of disk caching of backup data stream
US20040044834A1 (en) * 2002-08-29 2004-03-04 International Business Machines Corporation Method, system, and program for transferring data
US20040044852A1 (en) * 2002-08-29 2004-03-04 International Business Machines Corporation Method, system, and article of manufacture for returning physical volumes
US20050044316A1 (en) * 2003-04-03 2005-02-24 Rajiv Kottomtharayil System and method for dynamically sharing media in a computer network

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2013073114A1 (en) 2011-11-18 2013-05-23 International Business Machines Corporation Reading files stored on a storage system
CN103917962A (en) * 2011-11-18 2014-07-09 国际商业机器公司 Reading files stored on a storage system
EP2780811A4 (en) * 2011-11-18 2015-07-15 Intellectual Business Machines Corp Reading files stored on a storage system
DE102013112368A1 (en) * 2013-11-11 2015-05-13 Fujitsu Technology Solutions Intellectual Property Gmbh Tape storage drive

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GB2448353B (en) 2012-02-29

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