US Patent Application 17721580. SNAPSHOT MAPPING STRUCTURE CHARACTERIZING DATA DEPENDENCIES BETWEEN A STORAGE VOLUME AND ITS SNAPSHOTS simplified abstract
SNAPSHOT MAPPING STRUCTURE CHARACTERIZING DATA DEPENDENCIES BETWEEN A STORAGE VOLUME AND ITS SNAPSHOTS
Organization Name
Inventor(s)
Yosef Shatsky of Karnei Shomron (IL)
SNAPSHOT MAPPING STRUCTURE CHARACTERIZING DATA DEPENDENCIES BETWEEN A STORAGE VOLUME AND ITS SNAPSHOTS - A simplified explanation of the abstract
- This abstract for appeared for US patent application number 17721580 Titled 'SNAPSHOT MAPPING STRUCTURE CHARACTERIZING DATA DEPENDENCIES BETWEEN A STORAGE VOLUME AND ITS SNAPSHOTS'
Simplified Explanation
This abstract describes an apparatus that includes a processing device. The processing device maintains a snapshot mapping structure for a storage volume, which represents the relationship between the storage volume and its snapshots. The structure is organized in a tree-like structure to show the data dependencies between the storage volume and its snapshots.
Each object in the snapshot mapping structure represents either the storage volume or one of its snapshots. These objects contain a dynamic bitmap, which is a type of data structure that indicates whether the object contains new data at different positions relative to its ancestor objects in the tree structure.
The processing device is designed to detect operations that are directed to either the storage volume or one of its snapshots. It then parses the snapshot mapping structure to identify the objects that need to be used for processing these operations. The processing device utilizes the dynamic bitmaps of the identified objects to efficiently process the operations.
In simpler terms, this apparatus keeps track of the relationship between a storage volume and its snapshots. It uses a tree-like structure to represent this relationship and each object in the structure has a dynamic bitmap to indicate if it contains new data. The processing device can detect and process operations on the storage volume or its snapshots by using the information in the snapshot mapping structure.
Original Abstract Submitted
An apparatus comprises a processing device configured to maintain a snapshot mapping structure for a storage volume. The snapshot mapping structure comprises objects representing the storage volume and snapshots thereof. The objects are organized in a tree structure representing data dependencies between the storage volume and its snapshots. Each of the objects comprises a dynamic bitmap indicating whether that object contains new data for different offset positions relative to its ancestor objects in the tree structure. The processing device is further configured to detect operations directed to a specified one of the storage volume or one of its snapshots, to parse the snapshot mapping structure to identify objects to utilize for processing the operations, and to processing the operations utilizing the dynamic bitmaps of the identified objects.
