Database backup system ensuring consistency between primary and mirrored backup database copies despite backup interruption

Abstract

A database management system ensures consistency between primary and mirrored backup copies of a database, despite occurrence of a suspending condition interrupting the normal process of mirroring the primary database. One or more primary controllers are provided, each having a data storage unit with multiple primary data storage devices. Multiple secondary controllers each have multiple associated secondary data storage devices, each secondary controller being coupled to one primary controller. One or more primary databases reside on the primary devices, with a corresponding number of secondary databases residing on the secondary devices. Each secondary database mirrors a corresponding primary database. Either a host, attached to a primary controller, or one of the primary controllers itself, maintains a map cross-referencing each primary and secondary database with the primary and secondary devices containing portions thereof. If a predefined “suspending condition” affecting data mirroring occurs, the host or primary controller consults its map to identify all primary and secondary devices affected by the condition. Then, each primary controller stops all ongoing and future read/writes with each of its affected primary devices. Each primary controller also directs each secondary controller having an affected secondary device to stop mirroring the primary databases stored on that device. Then, the primary controller starts intermediate change recording and resumes read/writes with its primary devices. When the suspending condition ends, each primary controller applies the appropriate logged changes to its secondary database(s) and then reactivates each secondary database.