Data Replication method and apparatus

Abstract

A data storage system, device, and method are provided for replicating data between different data storage systems or appliances. More specifically, the present invention affords communications between heterogeneous data storage systems that potential employ different communication protocols. A bridging communication protocol is utilized by one or both storage systems in order to accommodate different communication protocols. Alternatively, a storage appliance connecting the data storage systems may employ the bridging communication protocol.

1 . A method of communicating between data storage devices, comprising:
 advertising, by a source data storage system, a first capability information related to a first protocol used by the source data storage system to communicate with a first set of devices; and   adapting a bridge communication protocol based on the advertising by the source data storage system such that the source data storage system is operable to provide messages to a remote data storage system.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 advertising, by the remote data storage system, a second capability information related to a second protocol used by the remote data storage system to communicate with a second set of devices.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 adapting the bridge communication protocol based on the advertising by the remote data storage system such that the remote data storage system is operable to provide messages to the source data storage system.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the first and second capability information comprises at least one of snapshot capabilities, remote data capabilities, storage volume naming capabilities, snapshot volume naming capabilities, storage volume mapping capabilities, and snapshot volume mapping capabilities. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising an initiator device querying the source and remote data storage systems for their respective capability information. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bridge communication protocol is employed by at least one of a data storage device and a storage appliance. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 updating at least one of the first communication protocol used by the source data storage system and the second communication protocol used by the remote data system; and   updating the bridge communication protocol to reflect the updating of the at least one of the first and second communication protocols.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the source data storage system is associated with a first vendor and the remote data storage system is associated with a second different vendor. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bridge communication protocol is used by the source data storage system to request the remote data storage system to perform at least one of the following commands, (i) take a snapshot, (ii), make the snapshot viewable, (iii) map a snapshot to a Logical Unit Number (LUN), and (iv) provide delta data between two snapshots. 
     
     
         10 . An electronic data system, comprising:
 a first data storage means having a first set of communication capabilities that allow the first data storage means to communicate with a first set of devices;   a first advertising means used by the first data storage means to communicate a first information related to the first set of communication capabilities;   a second data storage means having a second set of communication capabilities that allow the second data storage system to communicate with a second set of devices;   a second advertising means used by the second data storage means to communicate a second information related to the second set of communication capabilities; and   a bridging means for communication between the first and second data storage systems.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the first data storage means is operable to advertise the first information related to the first set of communication capabilities, and the second data storage means is operable to adapt the bridging means in response to the advertising such that the first data storage means is operable to provide messages to the second data storage means. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the second data storage means is operable to advertise the second information related to the second set of communication capabilities, and the first data storage means is operable to adapt the bridging means in response to the advertising such that the second data storage means is operable to provide messages to the first data storage means. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein one or more of the first and second sets of communication capabilities comprise at least one of snapshot capabilities, remote data capabilities, storage volume naming capabilities, snapshot volume-naming capabilities, storage volume mapping capabilities, and snapshot volume mapping capabilities. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the bridging means is capable of being updated to reflect one or more of the first and second sets of communication capabilities being updated. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein first data storage means is capable of using the bridging means to request the second data storage means to perform at least one of the following commands, (i) take a snapshot, (ii), make the snapshot viewable, and (iii) provide a list of Logical Data Block Addresses (LBAs) that contain data. 
     
     
         16 . A method of communicating between data storage devices, comprising:
 a first data storage system using a first communication protocol to communicate with a first set of devices;   at least a second data storage system using a second communication protocol to communicate with a second set of devices;   employing a bridge communication protocol that that is used by both the first and the at least a second data storage system;   the first data storage system communicating with the at least a second data storage system via the bridge communication protocol;   the first and at least a second data storage systems advertising capability information of the communication protocol used by each respective data storage system; and   the bridge communication protocol altering such that the first data storage system is operable to communicate with the at least a second data storage system.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising a third initiator device querying the first and at least a second data storage system for their respective capability information. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 updating at least one of the first and second communication protocols used by the first and at least a second data storage system; and   updating the bridge communication protocol to reflect the updates of the at least one of the first and second communication protocols.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first data storage system is associated with a first vendor and the at least a second data storage system is associated with a second different vendor. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the bridge communication protocol is used by the first data storage system to request the at least a second data storage system to perform at least one of the following commands, (i) take a snapshot, (ii), make the snapshot viewable, (iii) map a snapshot to a Logical Unit Number (LUN), and (iv) provide delta data between two snapshots.