CA1312950C

CA1312950C - Method of managing data in a data storage hierarchy and a data storage hierarchy therefor

Info

Publication number: CA1312950C
Application number: CA000589396A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Connie Mae Clark; Warren Bruce Harding; Horace Tin Sze Tang
Original assignee: International Business Machines Corp
Current assignee: International Business Machines Corp
Priority date: 1988-05-05
Filing date: 1989-01-27
Publication date: 1993-01-19
Anticipated expiration: 2010-01-19
Also published as: JPH0551928B2; DE68920196D1; ES2065987T3; EP0341037B1; BR8902096A; EP0341037A2; EP0341037A3; DE68920196T2; US4987533A; JPH01319821A

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A method for managing data in a data storage hierarchy, and a data storage hierarchy suitable therefor, is disclosed.
The data storage hierarchy includes an optical library and separate manually operated shelf storage. The optical library includes at least one optical disk drive and a plurality of storage cells for the storage of optical disks.
The optical library also includes automatic means for transferring optical disks from the storage cells to the optical disk drives in the library. The host processor, upon determining that particular data is required to be stored in the optical library, first checks to determine if the optical disks in the optical library currently have the capacity for the storage of such data. If the capacity exists in the optical library there is no problem and the data is stored therein. If the optical library does not have the required capacity, or if the system operator so requires, the optical disk in the optical library which has least recently been mounted on an optical disk drive therein is destaged from the optical library to the manually operated shelf storage. Another disk may then be fed into the optical library for the storage of the data required therein.

Description

~ 3 ~

1 METHOD OF MANAGING DATA IN A DATA STORAGE HI~RARCHY

4 Back~round of the Invention ~ Field of the Invention 8 This invention relates to a method for managing data in a g data storage hierarchy and a hierarchy employing such a method~ More particularly, the method relates to destaging 11 operations in a data storage hierarchy.

13 Description of the Related Art 1~ It is desirable to store computer data in such a manner that 1~ it be immediately available when required. Fast access to 17 data can be achieved by using a very large high speed data 18 storage device. However, the price of data storage increase~
1~ as both the speed and capacity of the data storage device ~ increases. Therefore, high speed memories are typically of 21 a relatively small capacity, whi~h is often exceeded by the ~2 amount of data required to be stored for a given applica-tion~ When a given application requires data storage a~caeding that of high speed memory, it becomes impractical to rely on a single low speed, high capacity data storage ~6 device because access time to the data becomes prohibitively 27 large.

The access time to data may be improved by employing a data storage hierarchy in place of a single data storage device.

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1 A data storage hierarchy consists of multiple levels of data 2 storage devices. The hi~hest level, or first level, is 3 typically the smallest, fastest, and most expensive form of 4 data storage. The size of data storage increases and the speed and cost of data storage typically decreases as the 6 level of storage in the hierarchy also decreases. Examples 7 of data storage devices employed in hierarchies include:
8 semiconductor device main and cache memory, magnetic tape g drives, magnetic drums, magnetic disk drives, and optical disk drives. These devices may be used in a variety of 11 combinations and levels to create a data storage hierarchy.
12 In addition, a level of the data storage hierarchy may be 13 col~prised of a magnetic tape, magnetic disk, or optical disk 14 library. A library, or mass storage system, includes one or more data storage devices, a plurality of storage cells, and 16 a mechanism for automatically transferring data storage i7 media between the storage cells and the storage devices.

18 For example, an optical disk library could include one or 1~ more optical disk drives, a plurality of storage cells for storing optical disks, and mechanized means for transferring ~1 the disks between the storage ce'lls and the optical disk 2~ drives. The existence of libraries is well known, as ~3 evidenced by an article to Dorrell and Mecklenburg. (Mass - 24 Storage Device, IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Vol. 15, ~5 No. 9, Feb. 1973, pp. 2943-45.) s ~6 Typically, a system including a data storage hierarchy is ~8 programmed such that all data contained therein are inltial-ly stored in the highest level of the hierarchy. Over time, according to rules programmed into the hierarchy, data are * Registered Trade Mark ;

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1 transferred between different levels of the hierarchy to 2 meet the system storage and access needs. I~hen the host 3 processor requires particular data, ~he location of the data 4 in the hierarchy is first determined. If the data required is stored in the highest level of the hierarchy, the data is fi retrieved and used. If the data is not stored in the 7 highest level of the hierarchy, it can be retrieved for use 8 directly from its present location, if possible, or first g transferred to the highest level of the hierarchy and then retrieved from that level. The movement of data from a 11 relatively low level of the hierarchy to a relatively high 12 lavel of the hierarchy is known as "staging". r~he data is 1~ ~t~ed so as to permit the system rapid access to the data 14 as required in the future. Since data that has recently bean used is often likely to be used again shortly there-1~ after, the presence of the data in the highest level of the 17 hierarchy increases the overall speed of the system. The 1~ ability to directly access the data at a lower level of the 19 hierarchy depends on the system connections and type of data ~0 stora~e devices at each level. The data that is accessed 21 from a lower level of the hierar~hy is typically determined ~ to be relatively unlikely to be accessed frequently.

common problem in data storage hierarchies is the relative a5 size of each level of the hierarchy. The high cost of high speed memory re~uires that the size of the highest or higher levels of the hierarchy be limited. As a result, although data storage hierarchies nevertheless improve the speed of ~9 data access over single data storage devices, the capacity of the highest levels of the hierarchy can ~e exceeded. Use ~ 3 ~

1 of the highest levels of the data storaye hierarchy can be ~ optimized by prioritizing the storage of data at each level.
3 For example, the system may be designed such that data is 4 rated according to its likelihood of use and the level at which it is generally stored is determined thereby. In 6 addition, data may be transferred from relatively higher 7 levels of the hierarchy to relatively lower levels of the ~ hierarchy, as it becomes accessed less frequently over time.
g The movement of data from a relatively higher level of the hierarchy to a relatively lower level of the hierarchy is 11 known as "destaging". As with staging, destaging may be 12 pxioritized according to the frequency of use of particular 1~ data. Data not likely to be accessed frequently can be 1~ ~estaged to a relatively low level of the hierarchy for archival purposes.
1~ .
17 The destaging of data may be used for several purposes. As 1~ previously mentioned, data may be destaged as it ages and 19 becomes less likely to be accessed. In addition, there is always the risk that the capacity of the relatively higher 21 levals of the hierarchy can be e~_eeded, despite the afore~
~ mentioned prioritization of the storage of data at each 2~ leval of the hierarchy. When the system requires a staging 2~ or dastagin~ operation to be performed such that data is to ~ransferred to a level of the hierarchy for which the stoxa~e capacity has been exceeded, data in that level must ~ixst be desta~ed to create storage availability for the ~ data desired to be staged or destaged. Thus, system optimi-29 zation requires management techniques for both the staging and destaging of data.

13~2~

1 Techniques for efficiently destaging data in a data s~orage 2 hierarchy are known. The simplest destaging technique 3 includes random choice of the data to be destaged, as 4 disclosed in U.S. Patent 3,588,839. It is also known to choose data for destaging on a first-in first-out (FIFO) 6 basis. See, for example, Boland, L.J., Buffer Store 7 Replacement Control, IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin Vol.
8 ll, No. 12, May 1969, pp. 1738-39, Kinard, et al., Data Move g Optimi~ation in Mass Storage Systems, IBlvl Technical Disclo-sure Bulletin VQ1. 21, No. 6, Nov. 1978, pp. 2246-49, May, ll C.M., Management Technique for Memory Hierarchies, IBM
l~ Technical Disclosure Bulletin Vol. 24, No. lA, June 1981, 13 pp. 333-335. It is also known to stage data in a manner 14 such that the number of destaging operations is minimized.
lS This may be accomplished by staging data in large units, as 16 opposed to merely the exact data currently required to be 17 staged on the theory that data stored physically or logical-18 ly nearby data currently requiring access is more likely to 19 be accessed in the future than data stored elsewhere in the ~ hierarchy. By staging a larger unit of data than actually 21 required, the need to stage agail. in the future is eliminated.
22 Since only a single staging operation is required, what ~tharwise would have been two separate destaging operations ~ra e~iciently combined into a single destaging operation.
ample unit used in such a staging and destaging technique would be a complete track of a magnetic storage disk.
~7 28 The least recently used (LRU) technique is another known for the destaging of data in a data storage hierarchy. For example, U.S. Patents 4,020,466 and 4,077j059 disclose a ~3~?J~ ~

1 system in which data to be destaged is determined by the 2 time at which the data stored was last accessed. Only data 3 which has been accessed since it was stored at its current 4 level of the hierarchy can be destaged, such destagin~
performed beginning with the data least recently accessed.
6 Similar systems are shown in U.S. Patents 4,530,054 and 7 4,~63,~24. ~odifications of the least recently used 8 destaging technique are known. For example, U.S. Patent g 4,636,946 discloses first determining the least recently used data for destaging, and then destaging along with that 11 data other data having certain characteristics in common 12 therewith. The common characteristics may be, for example, 13 storage in the same physical or logical location of the ~ level of the hierarchy. sy destaging multiple records at one time, staging and destaging operations are minimized.
1~
17 Several problems are associated with the least recently used 18 destaging technique. First, the technique is complex in 19 that both the time of entry of the data in the current level 0 o~ the hierarchy and the time of access of the data must be ~1 available. Also, where the size of the data records to be destaged is typically quite larger than the amount of data which can be interpreted by the host processor at any given time, the host processor may be tied up during a long series o~ destaging operations. If the hierarchy includes a ~6 wxite-once recording media for archival purposes, destaging will not eliminate the data from the upper levels of the hi2rarchy. Such archival purposes include the storage of ~9 data not likely to be frequently accessed, such as business records. Finally, in hierarchies including a library, the ~ 3 ~

1 likelihood of future access to data may not correlate 2 particularly well to the time of recent accesses or even to 3 the time of entry of the data into the library.

Summary of the Invention 7 In view of the foregoing, it is the principal object of this ~ invention to improve methods for managing data in data g storage hierarchies and data storage hierarchies therefor.

11 Another object of the invention is an improved method of 1~ destaging data in a data storage hierarchy and a data 13 ~torage hierarchy therefor.

These and other objects are accomplished by a data storage 16 hierarchy including an optical library and separate manually 1~ operated shelf storage for optical media. The optical 18 library includes at least one optical disk drive and a 19 plurality of storage cells for the storage of optical disksO
The optical library also includes automatic means for ~1 transferring optical disks from'~he storage cells to the ~ optical disk drives in the library. The host processor, 23 upon determining that particular data is required to be stor~d in the optical library, first checks to see if the 2~ optical disks in the optical library currently have the c~p~city for the storage of such data. If the capacity 77 e~ists in the optical library there is no problem, and the ~8 data is stored therein. If the optical library does not 2g have the required capacity, then the optical disk in the optical library which has least recently been mounted on an , ~3 ~ 2~

1 optical disk drive therein - irrespective of host processor 2 accesses to the mounted disk - is destaged from the optical 3 library to the manually operated shelf storage. Another 4 disk may then be fed into the optical library for the storage of the data required therein.

7 The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of 8 the invention will be apparent from the following more g particular description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

12 ~rief Description of the Draw ng 14 Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a data storage hierarchy according to the invention.

17 Description of the Preferred Embodiment 19 A data storage hierarchy according to the invention will now be described with reference to Figure 1. The data storage ~1 hierarchy includes three levels ~f data storage. The ~2 different levels of data storage are generally associated 23 with different degrees of data storage capacity and differ-?d ~nt access times. The lower the level of the hierarchy the higher the data storage capacity of that level and typical-~ , the slower the access time to the data stored in that 27 level. The first level of data storage is magnetic direct access storage devices (DASD) 10. The precise number of ~9 magnetic disk drives or magnetic disks operable thereon in the hierarchy is not significant with respect to the ~ 3 ~ e~ ~

1 invention. The second level of data storage in the hierar-~ chy is optical library 20. Optical library 20 includes 3 optical disk drives 21 and 22, storage cells 23 for storing 4 optical disks therein, and control 24 for automatically transferring optical disks between optical disk drives 21 6 and 22 and storage cells 23~ Write-once, read-many (WORM) 7 optical libraries are commercially available, the details ~ and operation of which are known to one of skill in the art.
g For example, control 24 typically includes an automated robot capable of indexing between different storage cells so ll as to locate a particular cell and thereby enable said robot , 12 to exchange optical disks between storage cells 23 and 13 optical disk drives 21 and 22. The third level of data l~ storage in the hierarchy is represented by optical disk shelf storage 30. Optical disk shel~ storage 30 is simply l~ shelf storage arranged in an indexed fashion such that 17 optical disks may be placed in storage or retrieved from 18 storage manually. Thus, a system operator can manually l9 transIer optical disks between optical library 20 and optical disk shelf storage 30. Also, new or "scratch" disks ~l ~ay be inserted into optical libLary 20 without first being 2~ stored in optical disk shel~ storage 30. Of further signif-icance is optical disk drive 40 which is a stand alone unit 2~ ~isting separate and apart from optical library 20. The optical disks stored in optical library 20 or optical media sh~l~ storage 30 are compatible with optical disk drive 40.
Th~ optical disks are all of such type, for example, WORM
~8 optical disks, that reading and writing may be accomplished by optical disk drive 40 or optical disk drives 21 and 22.
Optical disk drive 40 is in a sense in the same level of the ~3~2~

1 data storage hierarchy as optical library 20 because a disk 2 mounted on optical disk drive 40 or either of optical disk 3 drives 21 and 22 potentially has the same characteristic 4 access time. However, an optical disk stored in storage cells 23 of optical library 20 can be mounted and accessed 6 more quickly (by automation) than an optical disk existing in optical disk shelf storage 30.

g In the present embodiment, the optical disks used in both optical library 20 and optical disk shelf storage 30 are ll WOR~ disks. Optical library 20 and optical disk shelf 12 ~torage 30 are shown connected in Figure 1 by a dotted line 13 to indicate the ability to manually transfer disks there-14 b~tween. Likewise, the dotted line between optical disk shelf storage 30 and stand alone optical disk drive 40 l~ represents the ability to manually transfer disks there-17 bet~een. Each of the aforementioned items in the data l~ storage hierarchy is connected to host processor 50. The l~ number of host processors or optical disk drives in the ~ various levels of the storage hierarchy are not critical to 21 the present invention. Host processor 50 includes buffer memory 51 used for temporarily storing data as required.

2~ Data catalog 60 stores information relevant to the location -~ o~ data stored in the hierarchy.

The purpose of the data storage hierarchy is to accept data 27 (hereinafter referred to in units known as "objects") at '. 28 input 99 to host processor 50 and store such objects in a r ~9 prioritized manner according to the relative age and the likelihood of future access of each object. The objects can .

~ TU988007 10 ~s ~3~2~

1 exist simultaneously at one or more of buffer memory 51, 2 DASD 10, optical library 20, optical disk shel~ storage 30 3 or optical disk drive 40. The objects are stored on the ~ optical disks in fixed block architecture. The entire side of an optical disk comprises a "volume"~ Therefore, each 6 optical disk includes two volumes. Each optical disk volume 7 contains data formatted in a particular manner. Although 8 the exact storage format of each volume is not significant g to the invention, the optical disks of the present embodi-ment store data in a spiral track of sequential sectors.
ll The initial sectors contain data for labeling the individual , 12 volume, the next series of sectors contain the volume table 13 of contents (VTOC), and the remaining sectors on the disk l~ store the actual data objects. The VTOC includes a list of ` the object names and the first sector on the disk storing 16 all or part of each object.

18 The magnetic disks used in DASD 10 may also be formatted in l~ a manner known to one of skill in the art. Such format ~ includes at least a volume table for optical disks. The 21 volume table contains a list of'the volume labels and 2~ certain information associated with each volume, such as 2~ whether the volume exists in optical disk library 20 or 2~ optical disk shelf storage 30, the date such disk was last mounted on optical disk drives 21 or 22, if located in the 26 li~rary-the exact location in optical disk storage cells 23, 27 and if located in optical disk shelf storage 30 the shelf ~8 location.
~9 i ~ 3 ~

1 Data catalog 60 contains an array of information determining ~ where an object is stored in the data storage hierarchy and 3 specifications for determining when such object is to be 4 moved from one hierarchy level to another. Data catalo~ 60 is organi~ed by object name. Associated with each object ~ name in the list is the following: the date the object was 7 received by host processor 50, a storage class indicating in ~ which levels of the hierarchy the object is located, the g volume and sector in optical library 20, if any, in which the object is stored, the volume and sector of optical disk 11 shelr storage 30, if any, in which the objec~ is stored, and , 1~ ~ ~anagement class. The management class includes informa-13 ~ion about each object determining whether backup storage, 1~ such as in optical disk shelf storage 30, is required in addition to storage in optical library 20 when the data 16 catalog entry for each object is to be deleted and when each 17 object is to be destaged due to its age in the hierarchy 18 from optical library 20 to optical disk storage shelf 30.
19 The storage and management class information is determined upon entrance of an object into the hierarchy, but may be 21 changed at a later time. Data dQtalog 60 may be physically 2~ located in any rewriteable, random-access recording medium, such as DASD 10. However, Ior the purpose of clarity, data cat~log 60 is shown as a distinct logical entity in Figuxe 1.

~6 The aforementioned embodiment allows for the movement of an ~8 object from one level of the hierarchy to another without ~9 losing track of such object. rn addition, when an object is received in host processor 50 which is required to be stored 13~2~

1 in optical library 20, and none of the optical disks -then in 2 optical library 20 have the capacity for storage of the 3 object, host processor 50 can command the destaging of an 4 entire optical disk from optical library 20 to optical disk shelf storage 30. An optical disk from outside of the ~ hierarchy, or from optical disk shelf storage 30 can then be 7 placed in optical disk library 20 to store the required 8 object therein. The optical disk least recently mounted on ~ optical disk drives 21 and 22, irrespective of accesses by host processor 20 to a mounted optical disk, is chosen for 11 destaging, as determined by the information in the volume ~2 ~able stored in DASD 10. Destaging is possible to create 13 st~ra~e space in optical library 20 for objects newly input 14 into host processor 50, and for objects to be staged or d~staged from another level of the data storage hierarchy 1~ (for e~ample DASD 10 or optical disk shelf storage 30).

~ lethod of Operation 1~
~ Again with reference to Figure 1, the operation of the data ?l stora~e hierarchy of the inventiQn will now be described.
Th~ following description of operation includes the storage data, the retrieval of data, and the management of data should storage or retrieval require data migration between ~5 di~erent levels of the hierarchy.
2~
27 The storage of data within the hierarchy begins with the input of an object 99 at host processor 50. Processor 50 ~9 performs any data translation required by the hierarchy and then stores the object in buf~er memory 51. At such time, 1 host processor 50 creates an entry in data catalog 60, as 2 designated by the operator or predisposed rules. Based on 3 the information in the data catalog, such as storage class 4 and management class, host processor 50 commands the placement of the object in the proper location for storage 6 in the hierarchy. In a typical object storage scenario host 7 processor 50 would begin by copying the object from buffer 8 memory 51 into DASD 10, updating any catalogs or tables as g necessary, and deleting the object from buffer memory 51.
The initial transfer of an object from buffer memory 51 to 11 DASD 10, or any other designated level of the data storage 12 hierarchy, may be batched with other ob~ects so as to ~3 minimize the time in which the system is dedicated to data l~ mi-3ration. That is, host processor 50 may defer data migration until an off peak load time.

17 The object now stored in DASD 10 may be rapidly accessed, if 18 ~ necessary by a system user. Host processor 50 will periodi-19 cally examine data catalog 60 to determine those objects ~a having a management class indicating that migration is 21 necessary. At a prescribed time host processor 50 commands ~2 the movement of such objects. In the case of the object which has been stored in DASD 10, it most likely will then ~aad to bè moved to either or both optical library 20 or ~5 optical disk shelf storage 30. It is also possible, however, 26 that the object will simply be designated for deletion from DASD lO and from data catalog 60. If the object is to be ~8 destaged to optical library 20 or optical disk shelf storage ~9 30, host processor 50 determines from the volume table on DASD lO which volumes have available storage space. Host ~3~2~

1 processor 50 then commands the mounting of the volumes 2 chosen to receive the object upon optical disk drives 21, 22 3 or 40 and store the object therein. Simultaneously, host 4 processor 50 updates the storage class in the appropriate entry of data catalog 60 to reflect the new location of the ~ object, and the appropriate entries in the volume table 7 stored on DASD 10 to reflect any updated information required 8 therein. For example, the volume table in DASD 10 needs to g be updated to reflect the fact that the volume upon which the object was stored had more recently been mounted than ll the date then existing in the table. In addition, if the l~ volume was ~hen demounted from an optical disk drive and 13 placed into a different location within storage cells 23 or l~ ~ptical disk storage shelf 30 the volume table would also 1~ re~uire updating. Similar procedures are followed for 16 moving objects from optical library 20 to optical disk shelf 17 storage 30 or for deleting objects from the hierarchy l~ altogether. Each time that information is stored on an l~ optical disk the VTOC on the disk would also require 0 ~pdating.

~1 '.
~2 The retrieval of information from storage in the hierarchy 23 be~ins again with an input by the system to host processor ~l 5~ ~lost processor 50 then examines data catalog 60 to datermine where the particular object requested is located.
Ho5t processor 50, having determined where such object is located, goes to the respective level of the data storage ~8 hierarchy and retrieves the object. Upon copying the object 29 into buffer memory 51, host processor 50 then also updates the appropriate entries in the volume table on DASD 10 or , ;

~3 ~

1 data catalog 60, as necessary. For example, if the object 2 were retrieved from a volume in optical library 20 and the 3 volume required mounting for retrieval of the object, then 4 the volume table requires update of the date last mounted.
It is also possible that host processor 50, having deter-6 mined that the object is likely to be accessed frequently in 7 the future, requires the object to be staged to a higher ~ level in the data storage hierarchy. Host processor 50 then g stages the object from one level of storage in the hierarchy to another and again updates the volume table on DASD 10 and 11 data catalog 60, as necessary. The need for such staging 12 may be quite infrequent, depending upon the type of data to 13 b~ stored in the hierarchy. For example, in a hierarchy 1~ ~esigned to store documents for archival purposes, the likelihood of ever requiring access to any single document 16 may be so slim that staging the data would be of little or 17 no benefit. In addition, the type of storage at each level 18 in the hierarchy may also affect one's likelihood to stage 19 data. For example, a data storage hierarchy having an optical library and an optical disk shelf storage which 21 include WORM disks, staging data from the optical disk shelf ~ storage to the optical library would be impractical because 23 the objects cannot be erased from the WO~ disks. Thus, ?~ requent data staging would unnecessarily fill the disks to capacity. In addition, stand alone optical disk drives, 26 once a disk from the optical disk shelf storage has been mounted therein, are of approximately the same access speed ~8 a~ the optical disk drives in the optical l.ibrary. Thus, ~9 the staging of data between certain hierarchy levels may be of little value.

~3~2~

1 At any time an object is to be stored in optical library 20, 2 a problem may arise with respect to the availability of 3 storage space on a volume existing in such library. The ~ object may be data having just arrived at input 99 to host processor 50 for storage in the storage hierarchy, or it may 6 be data being destaged from DASD 10 to optical library 20, 7 or it may be data being staged from optical dis]c shelf 8 storage 30 to optical library 20. If optical library 20 g lacks the available storage space required to store the incoming object, or if the system operator so requires, a 11 dis~ ~rom optical library 20 is selected to be destaged to 12 optical disk shelf storage 30. At such time, host processor 13 50 e~amines the volume table existing in DASD 10 to deter-1~ mine the disk which has least recently been mounted on optical disk drives 21 or 22. For each disk, both volumes 16 thereon are examined. The most recent data of mounting for 17 either volume is then used to determine the least recently 18 mounted disk. Host processor 50 then issues a command to 19 have the chosen disk destaged from optical library 20 to ~0 optical disk shelf storage 30. In addition, host processor ~1 50 commands that a scratch disk be inserted into optical ~2 library 20 or that a disk from optlcal disk storage shelf 30 be ~taged into optical library 20. When the new disk is 2~ inserted into optical library 20, host processor 50 will ~ommand the disk to be mounted on optical disk drive 21 or ~ nd the object be stored therein. In association there-27 with, host processor 50 will update the VTOC, volume table 28 or. DASD 10, and data catalog 60 to reflect the new status of the hierarchy.

~L3~2~3 1 Logic errors may cause the least recently mounted optlcal ~ disk chosen for destaging to be mounted, or appear to be 3 mounted, on optical disk drive 21 or 22. If the optical 4 disk in optical library 20 chosen for destaging is at that time mounted on optical disk drive 21 or 22, host processor ~ 50 will abort the destaging operation and signal for system 7 operator assistance. In an alternative embodiment, host 8 processor 50 commands that such disk first be demounted from g its respective optical disk drive and then destaged from optical library 20 to optical disk shelf s~orage 30. If the 11 disk to be demounted cannot be because it is in use, or if 1~ tha system cannot locate the disk to be destaged, the 13 command from host processor 50 is aborted. The command is 14 then reissued after first having selected the next least recently mounted volume for destaging.

1~ The aforementioned destaging technique is simple in that 1~ only the date of most recent mounting must be maintained in l~ the volume table on DASD 10 for each volume. In addition, 2~ host processor 50 is not kept busy transferring data between ~1 different levels of the hierarchy during destaging. Since it is possible that the order of recent mounting and recent accass of each volume (or object therein) will dif~er, the æimple least recently mounted destaging technique described h~rein results in more efficient operation of the hierarchy.
I W~R~l optical disks are used in the hierarchy, the inabil-ity to physically erase objects ~rom the disk makes the ~8 least recently mounted destaging technique by far the most ~9 practical. The aforementioned technique is compatible with the operation of truly archival data storage hierarchies in .

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1 which objects are normally transferred during their lifetime 2 from DASD 10 to both optical library 20 and optical disk 3 shelf storage 30 as primary storage and backup storage 4 respectively.

6 While the invention has been described with respect to a 7 preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those 8 skilled in the art that various changes in detail may be g made therein without departing from the spirit, scope, and teaching of the invention. For example, the number of 11 levels existing in the data storage hierarchy is not con-1~ sidered to be significant to the instant invention. Accord-13 in~ly, the invention herein disclosed is to be limited only 14 as specified in the following claims.

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~3 ~6 , 29

Claims

1. A data storage hierarchy connected to a host processor wherein a system operator monitors commands from said host processor comprising:
a data storage media library connected to the host processor, said data storage media library including data storage media, a device for writing data to and reading data from data storage media mounted thereon, a plurality of media storage cells, and means for transferring said data storage media between said device and said media storage cells;
other data storage media storage means for receiving data storage media from said data storage media library, the data storage being transferred by said system operator;
and said host processor identifying the least recently mounted data storage medium and commanding the transfer, from said data storage media library to said other data storage media storage means, only of the data storage medium least recently mounted on said device;
whereby if the data storage media library does not have the required storage capacity, the data storage medium in the library which was least recently mounted is removed from the library and another data storage medium may then be inserted.

2. The data storage hierarchy of claim 1 wherein:
said data storage media library includes a plurality of said devices for writing data to and reading data from data storage media mounted thereon; and said means in the host processor commands the transfer, from the data storage media library to said other data storage media storage means, only of the data storage medium least recently mounted on any one of said devices.

3. The data storage hierarchy of claim 1 further comprising means for writing data to and reading data from data storage media outside of said data storage media library, said means for writing and reading data connected to the host processor.

4. A data storage hierarchy connected to a host processor wherein a system operator monitors commands from said host processor comprising:
an optical storage media library connected to the host processor, said optical storage media library including optical recording media, a device for writing data to and reading data from optical recording media mounted thereon, a plurality of media storage cells, and means for transferring said optical recording media between said device and said media storage cells;
an optical storage media shelf for receiving optical recording media from said optical storage media library, the optical recording media being transferred by said system operator;
and the host processor identifying the least recently mounted optical recording media and commanding the transfer, from said optical storage media library to said optical storage media shelf, of the first optical recording medium least recently mounted on said device;
whereby if the optical storage media library does not have the required storage capacity, the optical recording medium in the optical storage media library which was least recently mounted is removed from the library and another optical recording medium may then be inserted.

5. The data storage hierarchy of claim 4 wherein: said data storage media library includes a plurality of devices for writing data to and reading data from optical recording media mounted thereon; and said means in the host processor commands the transfer, from the data storage media library to the data storage media shelf, of the first optical recording medium least recently mounted on any one of said devices.

6. The data storage hierarchy of claim 4 further comprising means for writing data to and reading data from optical storage media outside of said optical storage media library, said means for writing and reading data connected to the host processor.

7. A data storage hierarchy connected to a host processor wherein a system operator monitors commands from the host processor comprising:
an optical disk library connected to the host processor, said optical disk library including write-once optical disks, an optical disk drive for writing data to and reading data from optical, disks mounted thereon, a plurality of optical disk storage cells, and means for transferring said optical disks between said optical disk drive and said optical disk storage cells;
an optical disk shelf for receiving optical disks from said optical disk library, the optical disks being transferred by the system operator; and the host processor identifying the least recently mounted optical disks and commanding the movement, from the optical disk library to the optical disk shelf, of the first optical disk least recently mounted on said optical disk drive in said optical disk library;
whereby if the optical disk library does not have the required storage capacity, the optical disk in the optical disk library which was least recently mounted is removed from the optical disk library and another optical disk may then be inserted.

8. The data storage hierarchy of claim 7 wherein:
said optical disk library includes a plurality of optical disk drives for writing data to and reading data from optical disks mounted thereon; and said means in the host processor commands the transfer, from the optical disk library to the optical, disk shelf, of the first optical disk least recently mounted on any one of said optical disk drives in said optical disk library.

9. The data storage hierarchy of claim 7 further comprising a magnetic storage device connected to the host processor.

10. The data storage hierarchy of claim 8 further comprising a magnetic storage device connected to the host processor.

11. The data storage hierarchy of claim 7 further comprising an optical disk drive outside of said optical disk library for writing data to and reading data from optical disks mounted thereon, said optical disk drive outside of said optical disk library connected to the host processor.

12. The data storage hierarchy of claim 8 further comprising an optical disk drive outside of said optical disk library for writing data to and reading data from optical disks mounted thereon, said optical disk drive outside of said optical disk library connected to the host processor.

13. A method for destaging data in a data storage hierarchy connected to a host processor wherein the host processor issues commands to a system operator, and having a data storage media library and other data storage media storage means, the data storage media library connected to said host processor and including data storage media, a plurality of devices for writing data to and reading data from data storage media mounted thereon, a plurality of media storage cells, and means for transferring the data storage media between the devices and the media storage cells, the other data storage media storage means capable of receiving data storage media from said data storage media library, comprising the machine-executed steps of:
determining which data storage medium in the data storage media library has least recently been mounted upon any one of the devices; and commanding the system operator to transfer, from the data storage media library to the other data storage media storage means, of the first data storage medium least recently mounted on any one of the devices;
whereby if the data storage media library does not have the required storage capacity, the data storage medium in the library which was least recently mounted is removed from the library and another data storage medium may then be inserted.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising, prior to said step of commanding the transfer, the machine-executed step of:

determining whether the data storage medium in the data storage media library which has least recently been mounted upon any one of the devices is currently mounted upon one of the devices; and if so commanding the demount of the first data storage medium in the data storage media library which has least recently been mounted upon any one of the devices.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the machine-executed steps of:
determining whether the command to demount the first data storage medium in the data storage media library which has least recently been mounted upon any one of the devices has successfully been completed; and if not commanding the transfer, from the data storage media library to the data storage media shelf, of the first data storage medium next least recently mounted on any one of the devices.