Application recovery configuration validation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Performing a full failover procedure for virtual machines to test backup and recovery systems consumes significant processing resources and bandwidth, necessitating a more efficient method to validate failover procedures without full resource utilization.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a subset of test procedures for a subset of virtual machines, including network and storage configuration testing, to generate a success metric indicating the functionality of backup and recovery procedures without full failover execution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a full failover procedure is performed to test backup and recovery systems, then the reliability of backup and recovery procedures is validated, but the processing resources and bandwidth consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The failover procedure is divided into multiple discrete validation steps, each testing a specific aspect (network configuration, storage capacity, virtual machine booting). This segmentation allows selective execution of only the necessary validation steps rather than performing a complete failover, thereby reducing resource consumption while maintaining validation effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of executing the complete failover procedure, the system performs partial validation actions sufficient to confirm backup and recovery functionality. The validation stops once the necessary confidence is achieved, avoiding unnecessary resource expenditure associated with full failover execution.
2Reliability
If a full failover procedure is executed for testing, then confidence in failover functionality is achieved, but the time required for validation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The validation process is segmented into independent checks (network connectivity, storage availability, VM restoration) that can be executed in parallel or sequential order based on dependencies. This segmentation enables faster validation by avoiding sequential execution of all failover steps and allowing early termination once critical validations pass.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs partial validation actions that provide sufficient confidence in failover functionality without completing the entire failover procedure. This partial action approach reduces validation time while maintaining adequate reliability assurance.
Data Source
AI summary
A storage appliance may be configured to perform a method to evaluate a failover procedure. The method may include receiving a trigger indication to perform a test failover procedure for a plurality of virtual machines and identifying, based on receiving the trigger indication, a set of procedures for performing a full failover procedure on a target system based at least in part on a recovery configuration for the plurality of virtual machines. The method may include selecting a subset of test procedures of the set of procedures, causing execution on the target system of the subset of test procedures on a subset of virtual machines of the plurality of virtual machines, and calculating, based at least in part on the execution of the subset of test procedures on the subset of virtual machines, a success metric associated with the full failover procedure for the plurality of virtual machines.