Datacenter Workflow Automation Scenarios Using Virtual Databases

摘要

Information from multiple databases is retrieved and stored on a database storage system. Multiple point-in-time copies are obtained for each database. A point-in-time copy retrieves data changed in the database since the retrieval of a previous point-in-time copy. A virtual database (VDB) is created by creating a set of files in the data storage system. Each file in the set of files created for a VDB is linked to the database blocks on the database storage system associated with a point-in-time copy of the source database. The set of files associated with the VDB are mounted on a database server allowing the database server to read from and write to the set of files. Workflows based on VDBs allow various usage scenarios based on databases to be implemented efficiently, for example, testing and development, backup and recovery, and data warehouse building.

主权项

1. A method for refreshing a virtual database, the method comprising:
receiving, by a storage system, database blocks for different point-in-time copies of a source database; storing, by a storage system, point in time copies of the source database, wherein a point-in-time copy shares one or more stored database blocks with one or more other point-in time-copies; creating a virtual database comprising database blocks based on a first point-in-time copy of the source database stored on the storage system, the virtual database sharing one or more database blocks with other virtual databases of the storage system; receiving a request to refresh the virtual database; and responsive to receiving the request to refresh the virtual database, refreshing the virtual database comprising:
identifying a latest point-in-time copy representing a recent point-in-time copy of the source database stored in the storage system, andupdating the virtual database to use database blocks of the latest point-in-time copy.