Techniques for migrating to a thinly-provisioned logical disk without writing zero blocks
US10037157B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 22, 2016 |
| Grant date | Jul 31, 2018 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 5, 2037 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F3/0689
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Techniques are provided for implementing a zero detection feature in the middle of a I/O driver stack that is able to function properly on migration of a thickly-provisioned logical disk to a thinly-provisioned logical disk. This may be accomplished by creating the destination thinly-provisioned logical disk with a Zero Detect mode that is initially set to active upon a migration. The zero detection feature implemented in the middle of the I/O driver stack is configured to require any writes to a logical disk to be buffered when that logical disk is in active Zero Detect mode, and to automatically apply zero detection to such writes to prevent writing entire blocks of zeroes. The Zero Detect mode may then be set to passive upon completion of the migration, allowing zero detection to be applied only to select write operations in the normal course of operation.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.