Patent · US Expired

Method of maintaining a plurality of snapshots, server apparatus and storage apparatus

US7237076B2 · kind B2 · utility

42Cited by
15References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 29, 2003
Grant dateJun 26, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 7, 2024

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S707/99954
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Snapshots are implemented by combining original data in a place where an operational volume has been updated with data in a place where the operational volume has not been updated. A snapshot management table maintains a value indicating that update has not been conducted, or a storage place of original data, for each of combinations of blocks in the operational volume and the snapshots. If there is a snapshot in which update has not been conducted in a update place at the time of update, then original data is copied and the snapshot management table is updated. The copied original data is managed by a difference block management table, which has a value indicating whether respective snapshots are referencing the data. If a snapshot is deleted, then the value indicating that the snapshot is referencing is altered in all entries in the difference block management table.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.