Netapp, Inc.

Network Appliance, Inc.

Amol Chitre

Vikas Yadav

Raghu R Arur

Rimas Svarcas

Stephen Lee Manley

Rithin Kumar Shetty

David Brittain Bolen

Daniel Ting

David W Minnich

Guillermo Roa

Adarsh Seetharam

Embodiments of the present invention provide a mechanism for converting an existing mirror relationship between an original dataset at a source storage system and a copy of the original dataset at a destination system to a new mirror without discarding the existing copy of the original dataset and without transferring data to create a new dataset to replace the copy of the original dataset at the destination storage system. Rather, a directory structure (including file attributes) of the source storage system is transferred to the destination storage system and a comparison is made to identify file attributes at the destination system that match the transferred file attributes. If a match is found, a mapping between the matched file attributes is created. Subsequent updates to the to destination storage system can be done using a technique other than the one that was used to create a copy of the source dataset.

Mechanism for converting one type of mirror to another type of mirror on a storage system without transferring data

Embodiments of the present invention provide a mechanism for converting an existing mirror relationship between an original dataset at a source storage system and a copy of the original dataset at a destination system to a new mirror without discarding the existing copy of the original dataset and without transferring data to create a new dataset to replace the copy of the original dataset at the destination storage system. Rather, a directory structure (including file attributes) of the source storage system is transferred to the destination storage system and a comparison is made to identify file attributes at the destination system that match the transferred file attributes. If a match is found, a mapping between the matched file attributes is created. Subsequent updates to the destination storage system can be done using a technique other than the one that was used to create a copy of the source dataset.

Techniques introduced here swap logical unit meta-data of a logical unit without offlining the logical unit. In accordance with the techniques, a connection between a network storage controller and a host for the logical unit is maintained while meta-data of the logical unit are swapped with another logical unit available to the network storage controller. The swapping substitutes one logical unit for another without disconnecting the host. Advantageously, the host is not required to perform operations to re-establish a connection. Various software and hardware units can implement the techniques described herein.

Method and system for logical unit substitution

A system and method for fixing data inconsistency between an original dataset stored on a source storage server and a mirror of the original dataset stored on a destination storage server is provided. The method determines whether the mirror is consistent with the original dataset by comparing metadata describing the original dataset with metadata describing the mirror. If the mirror is inconsistent with the original dataset, corresponding block(s) of the original dataset is/are requested and received from the source storage server. The mirror is then fixed according to the received block(s).

Method and system for fixing a mirror of a dataset

A method and system for secure and reliable event data logging are disclosed. In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, event data is generated for events relating to backup, or archiving, operations. The event data is appended to the log file. However, during the operation to append the event data to the log file, the appending operation is monitored to determine whether the event logging operation is successful. If the event logging operation is unsuccessful, the event data is retained in memory until the event data can be successfully appended to the log file.

Method and system for secure and reliable event logging

A system and method for providing soft locks so applications can communicate their dependence upon PCPIs for a plurality of storage systems and applications. The soft locks, created and maintained by an application executing on one or more of the storage appliances, identify certain PCPIs that are to be retained by a storage appliance and its applications. An illustrative embodiment of this system and method is to use these soft locks to ensure that storage volume destinations along the cascaded chain of applications running on that or other storage systems retain the appropriate PCPI and state.

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Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Amol Chitre