Unified Archive Copy Creation with Single Instancing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current data storage and archiving systems face challenges in efficiently creating and managing archive copies, leading to high costs and resource usage, particularly in complying with document retention regulations and quickly accessing data, due to the accumulation of redundant data and the complexity of legal discovery processes.

Innovation Solution

The system creates archive copies by single instancing and encrypting data, indexing content during transfer, and employing a collaborative document management system to facilitate secure and efficient data retrieval, reducing redundant data storage and improving search capabilities across heterogeneous systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If data is archived in traditional backup systems, then data retention compliance is achieved, but storage costs and resource usage increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata retention complianceVSAvoidstorage costs
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines backup operations and archiving operations into a single unified process. The backup system directly creates archive-quality copies during the backup process itself, eliminating the need for separate archiving systems and reducing overall storage infrastructure requirements while maintaining compliance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The backup system is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: creating recovery copies for short-term restoration and archive copies for long-term retention in a single operation. This multi-functionality reduces the need for dedicated archiving infrastructure and lowers storage costs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Loss of information

If all archive files are searched to find requested data, then complete data discovery is achieved, but retrieval time increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata discovery completenessVSAvoiddata retrieval time
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary indexing of archive data during the backup and archiving process. Metadata and search indexes are created in advance, allowing the search system to quickly locate requested data without scanning entire archive files, thus reducing retrieval time while maintaining complete discoverability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If redundant data is stored in archives, then data recovery reliability is improved, but storage efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata recovery reliabilityVSAvoidstorage efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies different quality levels of redundancy to different data based on its recovery requirements. Critical data receives full redundancy for high reliability, while less critical data uses reduced redundancy, optimizing the balance between recovery reliability and storage efficiency across the entire archive.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

4Quantity of substance

If traditional backup systems are used, then data copying is achieved, but system complexity and resource usage increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata copying capabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges backup and archiving functionalities into a single integrated system that operates through one unified process. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate backup systems and archiving systems, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining full data copying capability for both recovery and archival purposes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS8909881B2Systems and methods for creating copies of data, such as archive copies
Publication Date: 2014.12.09 COMMVAULT SYSTEMS INC
  • US8909881B2 patent drawing
  • US8909881B2 patent drawing
  • US8909881B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A system and method of creating archive copies of data sets is described. In some examples, the system creates an archive copy from an original data set. In some examples, the system creates an archive copy when creating a recovery copy for a data set. In some examples, the system creates a copy without redundant data, and then encrypts the data set.