Patent Application
20110122527
1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to the field of storage cartridges. In particular, embodiments of the invention relate to storing and locating a self-describing storage cartridge.
2. Background of the Invention
Storage cartridges are a form of removable storage that store data for rapid access, long term data retention, and storage backup. Storage cartridges are generally first loaded into a tape drive to access the data stored in the storage cartridge. A tape drive is a device capable of accessing the data stored in the cartridge, write and/or read data from the cartridge and transfer the data to a computer, a host device, or other devices.
Storage management systems using storage cartridges are scalable, so that more cartridges may be added without adding more drives. Storage cartridges are also portable, so that they can move to and from storage sites and storage systems. Storage cartridges may have various physical cartridge architectures, including optical and magnetic media.
Storage cartridges may be stored remotely from a storage system. Storage cartridges are typically physically stored in repositories, such as storage libraries, storage containers, and storage shelves. Storage libraries are used to access, write and archive data stored on the storage cartridges. The storage libraries are typically robot operated and include storage cartridge drive devices configured to read and write data to and from the storage cartridges. For example, Automated Tape Libraries (ATL) are used to store and manage magnetic tape cartridges.
Data stored on a storage cartridge are generally managed by a storage system. Storage systems use storage management software to manage identification of a storage cartridge to locate a specific data subset. A storage cartridge may be identified with bar codes and labels, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and other means. The storage system may also manage and track location of storage cartridges within a storage library. However, access to data stored on storage cartridges can not be provided to the storage system without the storage cartridge being physically mounted in a drive.
Embodiments of the invention relate to storing and locating a self-describing storage cartridge. An aspect of the invention includes a system for storing and locating a self-describing storage cartridge. The system includes a storage cartridge. The storage cartridge includes a first storage module configured to store data objects. The storage cartridge further includes a second storage module configured to store an index describing the data objects stored on the first storage module. The storage cartridge further includes a connector coupled to the second storage module and configured to provide an external device with access to the second storage module.
Another aspect of the invention includes a method for storing and locating a self-describing storage cartridge. The method includes storing data objects on a first storage module of a storage cartridge. The method further includes storing an index on a second storage module describing the data objects stored on the first storage module. The method further includes providing a remote device with access to the second storage module.
These illustrative embodiments are mentioned not to limit or define the invention, but to provide examples to aid understanding thereof. Illustrative embodiments are discussed in the Detailed Description, and further description of the disclosure is provided there. Advantages offered by various embodiments of this disclosure may be further understood by examining this specification.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention are better understood when the following Detailed Description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The following description is made for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention and is not meant to limit the inventive concepts claimed herein. Further, particular features described herein can be used in combination with other described features in each of the various possible combinations and permutations. Unless otherwise specifically defined herein, all terms are to be given their broadest possible interpretation including meanings implied from the specification as well as meanings understood by those skilled in the art and/or as defined in dictionaries, treatises, etc. The description may disclose several preferred embodiments for file management in a shared file system. While the following description will be described in terms of such language for clarity and placing the invention in context, it should be kept in mind that the teachings herein may have broad application to all types of systems, devices and applications.
Embodiments of the invention relate to storing and locating a self-describing storage cartridge. There is need to reduce the cost of long term storage as the amount of digital media grows such that storage cartridges can be stored without the use of an automated robot operated library. However, knowing the location of storage cartridges or knowing the content stored on a storage cartridge is not possible with traditional storage cartridges without the use of an automated robot operated library. Furthermore, maintaining a catalogue on a server for long period of time (e.g., 10-100 years) is challenging as information technology (IT) changes quickly and databases need to be maintained and migrated to new systems as technology evolves. Moreover, whenever a storage cartridge is misplaced, it is difficult to locate the misplaced storage cartridge or know what data is stored on a storage cartridge with a missing label.
A self-describing storage cartridge contains a nonvolatile memory module for storing an index which describes the contents of the data objects stored on the storage cartridge. The invention further provides a repository for storing and locating the self-describing storage cartridges. The storage cartridge repository communicates with the self-describing storage cartridge and remote devices to provide the remote devices with access to the index containing indices and descriptors of the storage cartridge's data contents. The storage cartridge repository also has the ability to identify the location of the storage cartridge placed in any location in the repository or moved between archive locations without being lost or need to be placed in robot operated library to assist with the handling of storage cartridges.
The storage cartridge system 100 further includes a connector 106. The connector 106 is coupled to the second storage module 104 over a communication bus 108. The connector 106 is configured to write and read the file and data index on the second storage module 104. The connector 106 is further configured to provide access to the file and data index stored on the second storage module 104.
The connector 106 is a general electrical connector such as a conductive device for joining electrical circuits, according to a preferred embodiment. The connector 106 uses low contact resistance to provide conductivity. The connector 106 may be insulated to provide resistance to vibration, water, oil, and pressure, according to one embodiment. The connector 106 is configured to facilitate mating/unmating with a connector in a drive. The connector writes information to the file and data index stored on the second storage module 106 when the storage cartridge 100 is loaded in a drive and the plurality of data objects are being written to the first storage module 102. File system software (or application software) which writes the plurality of data objects (data content) to the first storage module 102 also writes the file and data index to the second storage module 104.
The connector 106 is embodied in a capacitive communication module, according to another embodiment. The connector 106 embodied in a capacitive communication module provides for contact between the storage cartridge 100 and other devices, including drives. The connector 106 embodied in a capacitive communication module can provide fast bidirectional communication to read and write the file and data index information stored on the second storage module 104.
The embodiments of the invention may be implemented using various designed storage cartridge devices. The storage cartridges may include a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, or a holographic storage device. Optical storage devices store data on an optically readable medium. Optical storage devices store data by making marks in a pattern that can be read back with the aid of light, including laser light. Magnetic storage devices use different patterns of magnetization in a magnetic material to store data. Magnetic storage is accessed using at least one read/write head. The data stored on the magnetic and optical storage devices can include audio data, visual data, application data and other data file formats. Holographic storage devices record data throughout the volume of the medium and are capable of recording multiple data images in the same area of the media using light at different angles.
The second storage module 104 comprises nonvolatile memory, according to the preferred embodiment. Nonvolatile memory is memory that can retain the stored information even when the memory is not powered. The file and data index on the second storage module 104 comprising nonvolatile memory can be accessed with or without loading the storage cartridge 100 into a drive.
The second storage module 104 stores indices and descriptors of the plurality of data objects stored on the first memory module 102 in a file and data index. The indices and descriptors may include various indices and descriptors for describing the plurality of data objects stored on the first memory module 102 in the file and data index. For example, the indices and descriptors may includes a file allocation table, a directory index, file metadata, and a file system index, various file-content indices, file previews, and key textual descriptions. The various indices and descriptors provide for search and browsing capabilities of the data content stored on the first memory module 102 described on the file and data index. The indices and descriptors also support previews of digital content such as thumbnails and video proxies, storyboards, transcripts, Material Exchange Format (MXF) information, EXIF information, and MPEG-7 metadata.
According to the preferred embodiment, the second storage module 104 uses a FAT16 standard as the format for storing the file and data index. When the second storage module 104 is accessed by a remote device, such as a computer, the file and data index provides for directory contents and file names to be viewed as if they are the actual files because of the standard way the file and data index is stored. The directory structure described on the second storage module 104 is an XML file, according to the preferred embodiment.
The communication module 302 is embodied in a radio-frequency communication module, according to the preferred embodiment. Radio frequency (RF) provides communication when an alternating current (AC) is applied to an RF circuit and an electromagnetic (EM) field is generated suitable for wireless communications. When an RF current is supplied to a connector, the RF current gives rise to an electromagnetic field that propagates through space.
The communication module 302 is embodied in a wireless local area network communication module, according to another embodiment. A wireless local area network (WLAN) uses spread-spectrum or Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) modulation technology to enable communication between devices in a limited area. A WLAN communication module provides the ability to move around within a WLAN coverage area and still be connected to the network. WLAN allows users to access the file and data index stored on the second storage module 104 from within the WLAN network.
The communication module 302 is embodied in a Bluetooth communication module, according to another embodiment. Bluetooth is a communication protocol for a short-range communication between devices. Bluetooth allows users to connect to a wide range of devices at one time without cables, and without actively initiating the connection. Bluetooth provides connectivity for close range devices. The Bluetooth communication module can provide remote and wireless access to the second storage media module 104 storing the file and data index of the plurality of data objects on the first storage module.
The storage cartridge repository 500 may be embodied in a robotic-operated automated library according to another embodiment. An automated library is a storage cartridge storage device which contains one or more storage cartridges, a number of slots to hold the storage cartridges and drives to mount the storage cartridges 10. A robot-operated automated library mechanically moves storage cartridges from storage locations inside the library to device drives.
Indexed information may be collected from new storage cartridges as the storage cartridges are placed in a storage cartridge repository 500 and stored in a storage management database. The indexed information may be removed from the storage management database when a storage cartridge is removed from the storage cartridge repository 500 or marked as absent as long as the storage cartridge is not present.
The storage cartridge repository 502 may be visible over a network as a network storage device, according to one embodiment. The storage cartridge repository 500 may be illustrated over a network as a storage area network (SAN) device. The storage cartridge repository 502 may be further illustrated over a network as a network attached storage (NAS) device. The storage cartridge repository further includes a microcomputer device to construct a unified file and data index comprising of all the indexes of all the storage cartridges stored by the storage cartridge repository 502, according to one embodiment. The microcomputer device is further configured to communicate the unified index to other devices on the network. The microcomputer device is further configured to control the communication between the repository and the plurality of storage cartridges stored in it.
The communication module 602 of the storage cartridge repository 502 may include a plurality of communication devices. The communication module 602 of the storage cartridge repository 502 is a wireless local area network communication module, according to a preferred embodiment. The communication module 602 of the storage cartridge repository 502 may further include a radio-frequency communication module, according to one embodiment. The communication module 602 of the storage cartridge repository 502 may further include a Bluetooth communication module, according to one embodiment. The communication module 602 of the storage cartridge repository 502 may further include a capacitive communication module, according to another embodiment.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
While certain exemplary embodiments have been described and shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such embodiments are merely illustrative of and not restrictive on the broad invention, and that this invention not be limited to the specific constructions and arrangements shown and described, since various other modifications may occur to those ordinarily skilled in the art.
