Tertiary Instant Virtual Copy Without Volume Suspension
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current disaster recovery systems require volume suspension to create tertiary instant virtual copies, which is time-consuming and results in older data being used in case of a disaster, exceeding the user's recovery point objective.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method that performs a consistent instant virtual copy operation on control volumes to pause data movers on a consistency group boundary, allowing data volumes to be copied via an instant virtual copy operation without volume suspension, thus creating a tertiary copy without interrupting mirroring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If volume suspension is used to create tertiary instant virtual copies, then data consistency is improved, but recovery time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by establishing consistency groups and freezing data movers before creating the tertiary copy. This ensures that all necessary consistency metadata is prepared in advance, allowing the copy operation to proceed without volume suspension while maintaining data consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces an intermediary mechanism using consistency group metadata and frozen data movers as mediators between the primary volume and tertiary copy. These intermediaries coordinate the copy operation to ensure consistency without requiring volume suspension, thus reducing recovery time while maintaining reliability.
2Manufacturing precision
If volume suspension is implemented to ensure data consistency, then manufacturing precision is improved, but productivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system prepares consistency groups and freezes data movers in advance before the copy operation begins. This preliminary preparation ensures that data consistency metadata is ready, allowing the actual copy to proceed at full speed without volume suspension interruptions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses instant virtual copy technology to create the tertiary copy without requiring traditional volume suspension methods. By copying metadata and using frozen data movers as intermediaries, the system achieves both precision and speed in the copy operation.
3Reliability
If traditional copy methods are used, then data consistency is maintained, but the time required for disaster recovery exceeds the recovery point objective
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by establishing consistency groups and freezing data movers before the disaster recovery operation. This ensures that consistency metadata is prepared in advance, allowing rapid recovery without exceeding the recovery point objective while maintaining data consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses frozen data movers and consistency group metadata as intermediaries to coordinate the disaster recovery process. These intermediaries enable fast recovery by pre-establishing the necessary consistency information, allowing the system to meet the recovery point objective while ensuring data consistency.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a techniques for copying data. It is determined that it is time to execute a quick copy command indicating one or more control volume pairs for which a freeze indicator is set to indicate that a freeze is to occur and one or more data volume pairs for which a freeze indicator is set to indicate that a freeze is not to occur. A consistent instant virtual copy operation is performed for each of the one or more control volume pairs for which the freeze indicator is set to indicate that the freeze is to occur. An instant virtual copy operation is performed for each of the one or more data volume pairs for which the freeze indicator is set to indicate that the freeze is not to occur.