Backup Client Pre-Processing for Resource-Aware File System Scheduling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional backup methods for large-scale file systems in high-performance computing environments face inefficiencies due to prolonged backup times, resource bottlenecks, and network limitations, especially in deeply nested directory structures, leading to suboptimal performance and extended backup windows.
Innovation Solution
A system that employs depth-restricted directory searches, intelligent backup job creation, dynamic resource-aware dispatching, and multi-path network utilization to optimize backup operations, adapting to real-time conditions and maximizing resource utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional backup clients scan through the entire file system to identify files for backup, then all files can be detected for backup, but the scanning process becomes extremely time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the file system traversal into depth-limited phases, dividing the backup process into multiple passes that progressively explore directories to a controlled depth rather than scanning the entire file system in one exhaustive operation. This reduces the time for each individual backup operation while still achieving comprehensive file identification over multiple passes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial action by performing depth-restricted scans that don't immediately process the entire file system. Instead, each backup operation focuses on a subset of files within a certain depth limit, allowing the system to make progress on identifiable files while deferring deeper directory exploration to subsequent operations.
2Device complexity
If conventional backup systems use a single network path to transfer data, then network infrastructure requirements are lower, but network bandwidth becomes a bottleneck extending backup times
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from single-dimensional (single network path) to multi-dimensional (multiple network paths) data transfer. By utilizing multiple network interfaces and paths simultaneously, the system increases total network bandwidth capacity for backup operations without requiring any single network path to be excessively complex or high-capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple network paths into a unified backup transfer operation, aggregating the bandwidth capacity of several network interfaces to achieve higher overall data transfer rates. This merging of network resources allows parallel data streams to be transmitted simultaneously, dramatically improving backup speed.
3Productivity
If backup clients load extensive file system metadata into memory for faster processing, then processing speed improves, but memory constraints cause backup failures in large environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments metadata loading into depth-limited portions, loading only the metadata necessary for the current depth-restricted scan phase into memory. This prevents the entire file system metadata from being loaded simultaneously, keeping memory usage within available constraints while still enabling efficient processing of the current backup scope.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial metadata loading by only loading metadata for directories and files within the current depth restriction scope rather than loading all metadata. This partial action approach loads sufficient metadata to accomplish the current backup task without exceeding memory capacity, deferring loading of deeper directory metadata to subsequent operations.
Data Source
AI summary
Certain aspects of the disclosure provide a method for performing backup operations in a computing environment. The method may include: performing a depth-restricted find operation on a file system to identify directories for backup; generating a list of potential backup jobs by analyzing the identified directories and determining a backup type for each directory; sorting the list of potential backup jobs based on at least one of criticality, file size, or historical backup performance; randomizing the sorted list of backup jobs while maintaining critical job ordering requirements; determining resource requirements for each backup job, including memory usage, CPU utilization, and network bandwidth consumption; creating a backup schedule by matching backup jobs to available system resources; and executing the backup jobs according to the backup schedule, while dynamically adjusting the schedule based on real-time resource availability.