PULL DATA REPLICATION MODEL

Abstract

A data storage system, device, and method are provided for replicating data between different data storage systems or appliances. More specifically, the present invention allows an initiating data storage device to pull data from a target data storage device. Thus, the storage device that is supplying the data can act as a target and does not require the additional software inherent in being an initiator.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram depicting components of an electronic data system incorporating a source data storage system and a remote data storage system in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a block diagram depicting components of a data storage system in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 2B is a block diagram depicting components of a data storage system in accordance with other embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 3A is a block diagram depicting components of a storage appliance in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 3B is a block diagram depicting components of a storage controller in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flow chart depicting aspects of a data replication process in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flow chart depicting aspects of a process for exchanging information between heterogeneous data storage systems in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 depicts an exemplary data structure of a response to a destination storage system's query command in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method of communicating between data storage devices, comprising: a first data storage system using a first communication protocol to communicate with a first set of devices;at least a second data storage system using a second communication protocol to communicate with a second set of devices;employing a bridge communication protocol that that is used by both the first and the at least a second data storage system; andthe first data storage system communicating with the at least a second data storage system via the bridge communication protocol.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: the first data storage system requesting capability information from the at least a second data storage system related to the second communication protocol;the at least a second data storage system sending capability information related to the second communication protocol to the first data storage system in response to the request of the first data storage system;the first data storage system receiving the capability information related to the second communication protocol from the at least a second data storage system; andadapting the bridge communication protocol such that the first data storage system is operable to communicate with the at least a second data storage system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein capability information comprises at least one of snapshot capabilities, remote data capabilities, storage volume naming capabilities, snapshot volume naming capabilities, storage volume mapping capabilities, and snapshot volume mapping capabilities.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the first data storage system utilizes the bridge communication protocol to request the capability information from the at least a second data storage system.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: the first and at least a second data storage systems advertising capability information of the communication protocol used by each respective data storage system; andthe bridge communication protocol altering such that the first data storage system is operable to communicate with the at least a second data storage system.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising a third initiator device querying the first and at least a second data storage system for their respective capability information.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising: updating at least one of the first and second communication protocols used by the first and at least a second data storage system; andupdating the bridge communication protocol to reflect the updates of the at least one of the first and second communication protocols.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data storage system is associated with a first vendor and the at least a second data storage system is associated with a second different vendor.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the bridge communication protocol is used by the first data storage system to request the at least a second data storage system to perform at least one of the following commands, (i) take a snapshot, (ii), make the snapshot viewable, (iii) map a snapshot to a Logical Unit Number (LUN), and (iv) provide delta data between two snapshots.

10. An electronic data system, comprising: first data storage means having a first set of communication capabilities that allow the first data storage means to communicate with a first set of devices;second data storage means having a second set of communication capabilities that allow the second data storage system to communicate with a second set of devices; andbridging means providing communication capabilities between the first and second data storage means.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first data storage means is operable to request capability information from the second data storage means related to the second set of communication capabilities, the second data storage means is operable to send capability information related to the second set of communication capabilities to the fist data storage means in response to the request, the first data storage means is then operable to receive the capability information related to the second set of communication capabilities and adapt the bridging means such that the first data storage means is operable to communicate with the second data storage means.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first data storage means utilizes the bridge communication protocol to request the capability information from the second data storage means.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein communication capabilities comprise at least one of snapshot capabilities, remote data capabilities, storage volume naming capabilities, snapshot volume-naming capabilities, storage volume mapping capabilities, and snapshot volume mapping capabilities.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein in response to the communication capabilities of at least one of the first and second storage means being updated, the bridging means is updated to reflect the updates of the communication capabilities of at least one of the first and second storage means.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the bridging means is used by the first data storage means to request the second data storage means to perform at least one of the following commands, (i) take a snapshot, (ii), make the snapshot viewable, and (iii) provide a list of Logical Data Block Addresses (LBAs) that contain data.

16. A device for use in conjunction with data storage, comprising: an interface for communicating with at least a first data storage system comprising a first set of communication capabilities that allow the first data storage system to communicate with a first set of devices; anda processor operable to employ a bridge communication protocol that allows a second data storage system to communicate with the first data storage system, wherein the second data storage system comprises a second set of communication capabilities that allow the second data storage system to communicate with a second set of devices.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the processor is further operable to generate a request for capability information from the first data storage system related to the first set of communication capabilities, and adapt the bridge communication protocol upon receipt of capability information such that the first data storage system is operable to communicate with the second data storage system.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein bridge communication protocol is utilized to request the capability information from the first data storage system.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein the bridge communication protocol is used by the first data storage system to request the second data storage system to perform at least one of the following commands, (i) take a snapshot, (ii), make the snapshot viewable, (iii) map a snapshot to a Logical Unit Number (LUN), and (iv) provide delta data between two specified snapshots.

20. The device of claim 16, wherein the bridge communication protocol is employed by at least one of a data storage device and storage applicance.