Managing unvirtualized data pages in real storage

Claim 2

In a computing system implementing a virtual memory system having real memory storage frames for storing virtual pages of data and an auxiliary storage system comprising auxiliary storage slots for storing copies of corresponding virtual pages, wherein I/O mechanisms are employed for effectuating transfer of data between said auxiliary and real storage, a method for managing storage of unvirtualized dataset pages destined for auxiliary storage, said method comprising the steps of: a) moving data from a virtual window in an address space to a virtual input/output (VIO) dataset allocated for storage in a frame in real memory, b) maintaining a pageable frame queue associated with the address space that owns the VIO dataset; c) generating a page frame table entry associated with said VIO dataset page and queuing said page frame table entry to said pageable frame queue; and, d) indicating said frame as including unvirtualized data and one of: marking said page frame table entry for the VIO dataset page as unchanged if there is another copy of the VIO dataset page resides on said auxiliary storage, or marking said frame as changed if the VIO dataset page in said real memory is the only copy, whereby said unvirtualized data is efficiently accessible without employing said I/O mechanisms.

Claim 3

The method for managing storage of unvirtualized dataset pages as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said dataset is to be kept in said real storage, the moving step comprising copying said dataset to a frame in real storage.

Claim 4

The method for managing storage of unvirtualized dataset pages as claimed in claim 2 , further including the step of retrieving data for input to a virtual storage window for processing, said retrieving step including copying data from said real storage frame that represents the VIO dataset page into the corresponding frame that backs the virtual window page.

Claim 5

The method for managing storage of unvirtualized dataset pages as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said page frame table entry includes an entry comprising a logical page identifier (LPID) that represents a particular VIO dataset.

Claim 6

The method for managing storage of unvirtualized dataset pages as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said page frame table entry includes a logical slot identifier that represents a particular VIO dataset that exists in auxiliary storage.

Claim 7

The method for managing storage of unvirtualized dataset pages as claimed in claim 4 , further comprising the step of tracking current locations of VIO dataset pages by maintaining a table indexable by a LPID for the VIO dataset page.

Claim 8

The method for managing storage of unvirtualized dataset pages as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising the step of exchanging contents of a VIO dataset frame with a new frame in said real storage when the VIO dataset page occupies a type of frame that the system needs, whereby the new location in real storage for the VIO dataset data is recorded in said indexable table.

Claim 9

A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for managing storage of unvirtualized dataset pages destined for auxiliary storage in a computing system implementing a virtual memory system having real memory storage frames for storing virtual pages of data and an auxiliary storage system comprising auxiliary storage slots for storing copies of corresponding virtual pages, wherein I/O mechanisms are employed for effectuating transfer of data between said auxiliary and real storage, the method steps comprising: a) moving data from a virtual window in an address space to a virtual input/output (VIO) dataset allocated for storage in a frame in real memory, b) maintaining a pageable frame queue associated with the address space that owns the VIO dataset; c) generating a page frame table entry associated with said VIO dataset page and queuing said page frame table entry to said pageable frame queue; and, d) indicating said frame as including unvirtualized data and one of: marking said page frame table entry for the VIO dataset page as unchanged if there is another copy of the VIO dataset page resides on said auxiliary storage, or marking said frame table entry as changed if the VIO dataset page in said real memory is the only copy, whereby said unvirtualized data is efficiently accessible without employing said I/O mechanisms.

Claim 10

A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for managing storage of unvirtualized dataset pages destined for auxiliary storage in a computing system implementing a virtual memory system having real memory storage frames for storing virtual pages of data and an auxiliary storage system comprising auxiliary storage slots for storing copies of corresponding virtual pages, wherein I/O mechanisms are employed for effectuating transfer of data between said auxiliary and real storage, the method steps comprising: a) moving data from a virtual window in an address space to a virtual input/output (VIO) dataset allocated for storage in a frame in real memory, b) maintaining a pageable frame queue associated with the address space that owns the VIO dataset; c) generating a page frame table entry associated with said VIO dataset page and queuing said page frame table entry to said pageable frame queue; and, d) indicating said frame as including unvirtualized data and one of: marking said page frame table entry for the VIO dataset page as unchanged if there is another copy of the VIO dataset page resides on said auxiliary storage, or marking said frame table entry as changed if the VIO dataset page in said real memory is the only copy, whereby said unvirtualized data is efficiently accessible without employing said I/O mechanisms.

Claim 11

The program storage device readable by machine as claimed in claim 8 , wherein said dataset is to be kept in said real storage, the moving step comprising copying said dataset to a frame in real storage.

Claim 12

The program storage device readable by machine as claimed in claim 9 , further including the step of retrieving data for input to a virtual storage window for processing, said retrieving step including copying data from said real storage frame that represents the VIO dataset page into the corresponding frame that backs the virtual window page.

Claim 13

The program storage device readable by machine as claimed in claim 9 , wherein said page frame table entry includes a logical page identifier (LPID) that represents a particular VIO dataset.

Claim 14

The program storage device readable by machine as claimed in claim 9 , wherein said page frame table entry includes a logical slot identifier that represents a particular VIO dataset that exists in auxiliary storage.

Claim 15

The program storage device readable by machine as claimed in claim 11 , further comprising the step of tracking current locations of VIO dataset pages by maintaining a table indexable by a LPID for the VIO dataset page.

Claim 16

The program storage device readable by machine as claimed in claim 13 , further comprising the step of exchanging contents of a VIO dataset frame with a new frame in said real storage when the VIO dataset page occupies a type of frame that the system needs, whereby the new location in real storage for the VIO dataset data is recorded in said indexable table.

Claim 19

The system for managing storage of unvirtualized dataset pages as claimed in claim 15 , further including mechanism for copying said VIO dataset data to a frame in real storage.

Claim 20

The system for managing storage of unvirtualized dataset pages as claimed in claim 16 , wherein said copying mechanism further copies data from a real storage frame that represents the VIO dataset page into the corresponding frame that backs the virtual window page so that data for input to a virtual storage window is available for processing.

Claim 21

The system for managing storage of unvirtualized dataset pages as claimed in claim 16 , wherein said page frame table entry includes a logical page identifier (LPID) that represents a particular VIO dataset.

Claim 22

The method for managing storage of unvirtualized dataset pages as claimed in claim 16 , wherein said page frame table entry includes a logical slot identifier that represents a particular VIO dataset that exists in auxiliary storage.

Claim 23

The system for managing storage of unvirtualized dataset pages as claimed in claim 18 , further comprising mechanism for tracking current locations of VIO dataset pages by maintaining a table indexable by a LPID for the VIO dataset page.

Claim 24

The system for managing storage of unvirtualized dataset pages as claimed in claim 20 , further comprising a mechanism for exchanging contents of a VIO dataset frame with a new frame in said real storage when the VIO dataset page occupies a type of frame that the computing system needs, and recording the new location in real storage for the VIO dataset data in said indexable table.