Method for the acceleration and simplification of file system logging techniques using storage device snapshots

Patent 6877109 Issued on April 5, 2005. Estimated Expiration Date:

November 19, 2021. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

Transaction device driver technique for a journaling file system to ensure atomicity of write operations to a computer mass storage device
Patent #: 5778168
Issued on: 07/07/1998
Inventor: Fuller

Cluster-wide database system
Patent #: 6178519
Issued on: 01/23/2001
Inventor: Tucker

Method that allows I/O requests to run concurrently with a rollback from a snapshot in a drive array Patent #: 6591264
Issued on: 07/08/2003
Inventor: Humlicek

Inventors

Assignee

LSI Logic Corporation

Application

No. 10001889 filed on 11/19/2001

US Classes:

714/6, Redundant stored data accessed (e.g., duplicated data, error correction coded data, or other parity-type data)714/7Reconfiguration (e.g., adding a replacement storage component)

Examiners

Primary: Bonzo, Bryce P.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Suiter West PC LLO

International Class

G06F011/00

Abstract

This invention presents a method and system to emulate logging or journaling file systems by means of a snapshot mechanism. Use of the snapshot mechanism reduces the number of system bus calls during log or journal updates and recalls in case of file recovery. The snapshot mechanism is implemented in hardware to provide for speedy and reliable data transfers. Overall system performance thereby is improved with an average reduced number of calls to the system memory bus. The present invention offers a cost effective way of retrofitting existing file systems with a journaling or logging capability.