Virtual Tape Volume Migration Engine for Filesystem Compatibility

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Migrating virtual tape volumes between different filesystems using existing methods is resource-intensive and time-consuming, often requiring significant mainframe processing and memory resources, and may involve incompatible or non-optimized data sets.

Innovation Solution

A virtual tape engine with a migration engine that automatically migrates virtual tape volumes between filesystems, modifying data sets as needed for compatibility, while keeping the source volume accessible and minimizing disruption, using a defined migration policy that specifies attributes like compression, encryption, and deduplication.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If traditional migration methods are used to migrate virtual tape volumes between filesystems, then migration can be completed, but the process is resource-intensive and time-consuming, requiring significant mainframe processing and memory resources

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemigration efficiencyVSAvoidmainframe resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a filesystem migration engine as an intermediary component that operates independently from the mainframe host. This migration engine acts as a mediator between the source and target filesystems, handling all migration operations without requiring mainframe processing or memory resources, thereby resolving the contradiction between migration efficiency and mainframe resource consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The migration system is designed to be self-service, where the migration engine autonomously manages the entire migration process including volume identification, data transfer, and filesystem compatibility handling. This eliminates the need for mainframe resources to be consumed during migration operations, improving productivity while reducing resource usage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Productivity

If traditional migration methods are used to migrate virtual tape volumes between filesystems, then migration can be completed, but the process is disruptive and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemigration speedVSAvoidmigration downtime

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The migration engine performs preliminary actions by continuously monitoring filesystem compatibility requirements and preparing migration configurations in advance. This allows volumes to be migrated as they become compatible with the target filesystem, rather than forcing disruptive batch migrations, thereby increasing migration speed while minimizing downtime

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements dynamic migration capabilities where the migration engine can adapt its operations based on real-time filesystem compatibility status. Volumes are migrated dynamically when source and target filesystems are compatible, allowing continuous operation without disruption and reducing overall migration time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If migration is performed between incompatible filesystems, then data can be transferred, but data sets may not be optimized for the target filesystem

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefilesystem compatibilityVSAvoiddata optimization

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The migration engine applies local quality by detecting specific filesystem compatibility characteristics between source and target filesystems and applying appropriate optimization transformations to data sets based on the target filesystem's requirements. This ensures data is optimized for the specific target filesystem while maintaining compatibility, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS10852981B2System for migrating virtual tape volumes between filesystems

Publication Date: 2020.12.01 EMC IP HLDG CO LLC

AI summary

A virtual tape engine migrates a virtual tape volume between filesystems. A source virtual tape volume is copied into the virtual tape engine, and a target virtual tape volume is generated. Data associated with the source virtual tape volume may be modified to generate the target virtual tape volume. For example, compression or encryption state may be modified. Migration may be triggered automatically in accordance with a migration policy. The source virtual tape volume remains accessible during migration.