Efficient Replication Based On Dataset Versioning

Abstract

Synchronizing snapshots between storage systems, including: receiving, from a source storage system, an identification of a snapshot to be replicated to a destination storage system, wherein the source storage system and the destination storage system are of different types; identifying, from hint information stored on the destination storage system, a most recent version of the snapshot that is stored on the destination storage system; issuing, to the source storage system, a request for an identification of the differences between the snapshot to be replicated to the destination storage system and the most recent version of the snapshot that is stored on the destination storage system; receiving, from the source storage system, the identification of the differences; and issuing a request to transfer, from the source storage system to the destination storage system, data associated with the differences.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 storing, at a target storage system, information to distinguish between a first version of a dataset stored at the target storage system and a second version of the dataset to be replicated to the target storage system;   based on the information stored at the target storage system, determining differences between the first version and the second version; and   replicating the differences to the target storage system instead of the second version.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the dataset to be replicated is stored on a source storage system that adheres to a first storage architecture and wherein the target storage system adheres to a second storage architecture. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 creating a new volume on the target storage system; 
 storing, in the new volume on the target storage system, data associated with the differences; 
 creating, on the target storage system, a dataset of the new volume; and 
 deleting the new volume. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising issuing, to the target storage system, a request to store hint information associated with data transferred from a source storage system to the target storage system. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising issuing, to a source storage system that is storing the dataset to be replicated, a request to delete a stored dataset. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising comparing the second version of the dataset to be replicated to the target storage system and the first version of the dataset that is stored on the target storage system. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein at least one of a source storage system or the target storage system is embodied as a cloud-based storage system. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus comprising a computer processor, a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory having disposed within it computer program instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the apparatus to carry out the steps of:
 storing, at a target storage system, information to distinguish between a first version of a dataset stored at the target storage system and a second version of the dataset to be replicated to the target storage system;   based on the information stored at the target storage system, determining differences between the first version and the second version; and   replicating the differences to the target storage system instead of the second version.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the dataset to be replicated is stored on a source storage system that adheres to a first storage architecture and wherein the target storage system adheres to a second storage architecture. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8  further comprising computer program instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the apparatus to carry out the steps of:
 creating a new volume on the target storage system; 
 storing, in the new volume on the target storage system, data associated with the differences; 
 creating, on the target storage system, a dataset of the new volume; and 
 deleting the new volume. 
 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8  further comprising computer program instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the apparatus to carry out the step of issuing, to the target storage system, a request to store hint information associated with data transferred from a source storage system to the target storage system. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 8  further comprising computer program instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the apparatus to carry out the step of issuing, to a source storage system that is storing the dataset to be replicated, a request to delete a stored dataset. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 8  further comprising computer program instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the apparatus to carry out the step of comparing the dataset to be replicated to the target storage system and the version of the dataset that is stored on the target storage system. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 8  further comprising computer program instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the apparatus to carry out the step of receiving a configuration file that includes information describing a source storage system, information describing the target storage system, and information describing a schedule for synchronizing datasets between the source storage system and the target storage system. 
     
     
         15 . A computer program product disposed upon a computer readable medium, the computer program product comprising computer program instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to carry out the steps of:
 storing, at a target storage system, information to distinguish between a first version of a dataset stored at the target storage system and a second version of the dataset to be replicated to the target storage system;   based on the information stored at the target storage system, determining differences between the first version and the second version; and   replicating the differences to the target storage system instead of the second version.   
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 15  wherein the dataset to be replicated is stored on a source storage system that adheres to a first storage architecture and wherein the target storage system adheres to a second storage architecture. 
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 15  further comprising computer program instructions that, when executed, cause the computer to carry out the steps of:
 creating a new volume on the target storage system; 
 storing, in the new volume on the target storage system, data associated with the differences; 
 creating, on the target storage system, a dataset of the new volume; and 
 deleting the new volume. 
 
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 15  further comprising computer program instructions that, when executed, cause the computer to carry out the step of issuing, to the target storage system, a request to store hint information associated with data transferred from a source storage system to the target storage system. 
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 15  further comprising computer program instructions that, when executed, cause the computer to carry out the step of issuing, to a source storage system that is storing the dataset to be replicated, a request to delete a stored dataset. 
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 15  further comprising computer program instructions that, when executed, cause the computer to carry out the step of receiving a configuration file that includes information describing a source storage system, information describing the target storage system, and information describing a schedule for synchronizing datasets between the source storage system and the target storage system.