Methods for Implementation of an Active Archive in an Archiving System and Managing the Data in the Active Archive

Abstract

According to the disclosure, a unique and novel archiving system that provides one or more application layer partitions to archive data is disclosed. Embodiments include an active archive including a fixed storage. The active archive can create application layer partitions that associate the application layer partitions with portions of the fixed storage. Each application layer partition, in embodiments, has a separate set of controls that allow for customized storage of different data within a single archiving system. Further, embodiments of methods for ensuring storage capacity in the active archive and the application layer partitions within the active archive is also disclosed.

1 . A method, executable in a computer system, for ensuring available storage in an active archive, the method comprising:
 storing archival data into the active archive;   determining if currently stored data crosses a high occupancy mark (HOM);   if the currently stored data crosses the HOM, creating a stub file in the active archive; and   if the currently stored data does not cross the HOM, storing more archival data into the active archive.   
     
     
         2 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 in response to creating the stub file, determining if the currently stored data crosses a low occupancy mark (LOM);   if the currently stored data crosses the LOM, stopping file stubbing; and   if the currently stored data does not cross the LOM, creating a second stub file in the active archive.   
     
     
         3 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the HOM is an active archive HOM. 
     
     
         4 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the determining if currently stored data crosses a HOM comprises determining if currently stored data in an application layer partition crosses an application layer partition HOM. 
     
     
         5 . The method as defined in  claim 4 , wherein creating a stub file in the active archive comprises: if the currently stored data in the application layer partition crosses the application layer partition HOM, creating a stub file in the application layer partition; and if the currently stored data in the application layer partition does not cross the application layer partition HOM, storing more archival data in the application layer partition. 
     
     
         6 . The method as defined in  claim 5 , further comprising:
 in response to creating the stub file, determining if the currently stored data crosses an application layer partition low occupancy mark (LOM);   if the currently stored data crosses the application layer partition LOM, stopping file stubbing; and   if the currently stored data does not cross the application layer partition LOM, creating a second stub file in the application layer partition.   
     
     
         7 . The method as defined in  claim 4 , wherein determining if currently stored data in an application layer partition crosses an application layer partition HOM comprises:
 determining a retrieval rate for each application layer partition; and   adjusting, for at least one application layer partition, one of a group consisting of an application layer partition capacity, an application layer partition HOM and an application layer partition low occupancy mark (LOM).   
     
     
         8 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the determining if currently stored data crosses a HOM comprises:
 determining if currently stored data in an application layer partition crosses an application layer partition HOM;   if the currently stored data in the application layer partition does not cross the application layer partition HOM, storing more archival data;   if the currently stored data in the application layer partition crosses the application layer partition HOM, determining if currently stored data in the active archive crosses an active archive HOM;   if currently stored data in the active archive does not cross the active archive HOM, storing more archival data;   if currently stored data in the active archive crosses the active archive HOM, determining which application layer partition has crossed the application layer partition HOM; and   creating the stub file in the application layer partition that has crossed the application layer partition HOM.   
     
     
         9 . The method as defined in  claim 8 , in response to creating the stub file,
 determining if the currently stored data crosses an active archive low occupancy mark (LOM);   if the currently stored data crosses the active archive LOM, stopping file stubbing; and   if the currently stored data does not cross the active archive LOM, creating a second stub file in the application layer partition.   
     
     
         10 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein creating the stub file comprises:
 reading metadata for one or more files in the active archive;   comparing a date, from the metadata, for when the one or more files were stored in the active archive;   determining an oldest date for when one of the files was stored in the active archive; and   creating the stub file for the file with the oldest date for when the file was stored in the active archive.   
     
     
         11 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein creating the stub file comprises:
 reading metadata for one or more files in the active archive;   comparing a date, from the metadata, for when the one or more files was accessed in the active archive;   determining an oldest date for when one of the files was accessed in the active archive; and   creating the stub file for the file with the oldest date for when the file was accessed in the active archive.   
     
     
         12 . A method, executable in a computer system, for ensuring available storage in an active archive, the method comprising:
 storing archival data into the active archive, the active archive including:
 an active archive high occupancy mark (HOM), the active archive HOM being a first percentage of a total storage capacity of the active archive; and 
 an active archive low occupancy mark (LOM), the active archive LOM being a second percentage of the total storage capacity of the active archive; 
   determining if currently stored data crosses the HOM;   if the currently stored data crosses the HOM, creating a stub file in the active archive, wherein one or more files in the active archive are stubbed, and wherein stubbing of files stops when the current data stored crosses over the active archive LOM; and   if the currently stored data does not cross the HOM, storing more archival data into the active archive.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the active archive HOM is crossed over when a percentage of the storage capacity used by the currently stored data is more than the first percentage of the active archive HOM. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the active archive LOM is crossed over when a percentage of the storage capacity used by the currently stored data is not more than the second percentage of the active archive LOM. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein creating a stub file comprises eliminating a least a portion of data from the one or more files that are stubbed in the active archive, and replacing the data that is eliminated with the stub file. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising storing a copy of the data that is replaced with the stub file in the active archive, wherein the copy of the data is stored on a removable drive array. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising partitioning the removable drive array to include one or more application layer partitions, and partitioning the active archive to mirror the application layer partitions of the removable drive array. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein each application layer partition includes:
 an application layer partition HOM, the application layer partition HOM being a first percentage of total storage capacity of the application layer partition, wherein the one or more files in the active archive are stubbed if current data stored in the application layer partition crosses over the application layer partition HOM; and   an application layer partition LOM, the application layer partition LOM being a second percentage of the total storage capacity of the application layer partition, wherein the stubbing of files stops when the current data stored in the application layer partition crosses over the application layer partition LOM.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 receiving the archival data from one or more application servers;   determining on which application layer partition to store the archival data; and   applying one or more controls to the archival data, wherein:
 each application layer partition has a separate set of controls for customized storage of different types of the archival data in different application layer partitions with different controls; and 
 all archival data stored in any one of the application layer partitions has the same controls. 
   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein each of the application servers accesses only one of the application layer partitions, and cannot send data to others of the application layer partitions.