Backup Client Agent Cloud Centralization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current data backup systems face challenges such as high processing overhead on clients, the need for local configuration and control of backup clients, especially in large enterprises, and the inability to centrally manage and track backup client configurations and statistics.
Innovation Solution
A backup client agent that operates in a cloud-based environment, allowing for centralized control and configuration, processing of data before transmission, and interaction with cloud services for efficient backup and restore operations, utilizing appliances for compression and deduplication, and providing unique IDs for each client to track configurations and statistics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If backup client performs significant data processing before backup, then backup data quality is improved, but client processing overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the data processing functions (compression, deduplication, encryption) from the backup client and relocates them to the backup server. This allows the client to simply send raw data while the server performs the intensive processing, thus improving backup data quality without increasing client processing overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The backup server acts as an intermediary between the client and storage node. It receives raw data from the client, performs necessary processing (compression, deduplication, encryption), and then stores the processed data. This intermediary approach maintains data quality while offloading processing burden from the client.
2Ease of operation
If backup client is controlled locally, then backup configuration is simple, but centralized management in large enterprises becomes problematic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a new dimension of control by implementing a hierarchical management structure. Local backup clients maintain simple operation, while a central management system (operating in a different administrative dimension) can remotely configure and monitor multiple clients. This resolves the contradiction by allowing both local simplicity and centralized control to coexist.
Solution Approach 2:
The backup server is designed with universal functionality to serve multiple clients with different requirements. It can handle individual local configurations while also supporting centralized enterprise-wide management policies, making it adaptable to both small and large enterprise environments.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple clients are deployed in large enterprises, then backup coverage is improved, but local configuration and control at each client becomes burdensome
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the management function into two parts: local backup agents that perform simple backup operations, and a central management system that handles configuration and monitoring. This segmentation allows multiple clients to be deployed across the enterprise while administrative tasks are consolidated at the central level, reducing the burden on local administrators.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where backup agents report status and statistics to the central management system. This allows administrators to monitor and configure multiple clients remotely based on real-time feedback, reducing the need for manual local configuration and lowering administrative burden while maintaining broad backup coverage.
Data Source
AI summary
In one example, a method includes receiving, by a cloud service, a register call for authorization to access one or more other cloud services, and the register call is received from a backup client agent and includes a registration code, and registering, by the cloud service, the backup client agent. The cloud services implements an authentication process that includes evaluating the registration code, and when the backup client agent is not authenticated, access by the backup client agent to one or more of the other cloud services is prevented, and when the backup client agent is authenticated, a token is transmitted to the backup client agent.