Adaptive Incremental Backup with Dynamic Data File Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing database backup systems require full backup operations to be repeated even when only incremental changes occur, leading to inefficiencies in managing data file additions and deletions since the last backup.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for adaptively updating incremental backups using dynamic data file detection, which allows data files added or deleted since the last full backup to be automatically included or removed during incremental backup operations without necessitating a full backup, by employing a client protection agent and a backup storage system that utilizes deduplicated data and content recipes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If full backup operations are repeated even when only incremental changes occur, then data protection reliability is maintained, but backup time and storage efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The backup system dynamically adjusts between full and incremental backup operations based on detected data file changes. The protection agent monitors file system changes and determines whether to perform a full backup or an incremental backup, making the backup strategy adaptive rather than static. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining reliability through appropriate backup selection while reducing unnecessary backup time consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the protection agent detects data file changes (additions, deletions, modifications) and uses this information to determine the appropriate backup operation. The feedback loop continuously monitors the file system and adjusts backup behavior accordingly, ensuring reliability is maintained only when necessary while optimizing backup time efficiency.
2Reliability
If full backup operations are repeated even when only incremental changes occur, then complete data protection is ensured, but storage efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and identifies specific data files that have changed (added, deleted, or modified) and performs backup operations only on these extracted change sets rather than backing up the entire database. This is achieved through file system change detection and incremental backup mechanisms that isolate and protect only the necessary data portions, improving storage efficiency while maintaining complete data protection for changed files.
Solution Approach 2:
The system discards the notion of always performing full backups and instead uses incremental backups that capture only changes. The protection agent identifies deleted files and removes them from backup sets, while recovering and protecting only the necessary changed data files. This approach maintains data protection reliability while significantly improving storage efficiency by eliminating redundant backup of unchanged data.
3Ease of operation
If incremental backup operations do not account for data file deletions, then backup operation simplicity is maintained, but backup data accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The protection agent performs self-service by automatically detecting data file deletions through file system monitoring and independently adjusting the incremental backup operation to exclude deleted files. This self-service mechanism maintains backup operation simplicity while improving backup data accuracy, as the system autonomously handles the complexity of change detection without requiring manual intervention or complex user configurations.
4Productivity
If dynamic data file detection is implemented, then backup efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protection agent acts as an intermediary between the file system and the backup system. It monitors file system changes, identifies added, deleted, and modified files, and communicates this information to the backup operation. This intermediary approach improves backup efficiency by enabling precise incremental backups while managing system complexity by centralizing the detection logic in a dedicated component rather than distributing it throughout the entire backup infrastructure.
Data Source
AI summary
In general, the invention relates to a method for performing backup operations. The method includes generating a full backup of a user asset at a first point in time, generating an incremental backup after the full backup is generated, applying the incremental backup to the full backup to generate a second full backup, obtaining a distinct data files subset associated with the second full backup, and deleting the distinct data files subset from the second full backup to obtain a third full backup.