Backup System Handling Compressed Data via Chunk Headers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional backup systems are inefficient in handling compressed data, as they require decompression to be usable, which undermines the purpose of compression in reducing resource consumption, and are often unfamiliar with various compression methods, leading to increased network bandwidth and storage capacity usage.
Innovation Solution
The system organizes data into self-contained datastreams with chunk headers that store information about data manipulation techniques, allowing backup applications to process compressed data without decompression and enabling efficient storage and restoration of compressed data across multiple formats.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If compressed data is decompressed to be usable by backup applications, then the data becomes accessible and processable, but network bandwidth and storage capacity consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments data into fixed-size chunks and processes them independently. Each chunk is handled separately through compression, deduplication, and storage operations, allowing the system to work with compressed data in manageable units without requiring full decompression. This segmentation enables efficient processing while maintaining data compression benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces chunk headers as an intermediary structure that contains metadata about compressed data chunks. These headers enable backup applications to understand and process compressed data without decompression by providing information about chunk boundaries, sizes, and relationships. The intermediary structure allows direct manipulation of compressed data while maintaining accessibility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If backup applications are designed to handle multiple compression methods, then versatility improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts compression method identification and handling logic into separate, modular components. By isolating the complexity of supporting multiple compression methods into dedicated modules or libraries, the main backup application remains simple while still achieving versatility. Each compression method can be handled by its own specialized component.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal chunk header structure and processing framework that works with multiple compression methods through a common interface. The standardized chunk format and metadata structure allow different compression algorithms to be supported without requiring separate processing paths, achieving multi-functionality through a unified design.
3Quantity of substance
If data is compressed to reduce storage capacity consumption, then storage efficiency improves, but backup application compatibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces chunk headers as an intermediary layer between compressed data and backup applications. These headers contain metadata that enables applications to understand and work with compressed data without decompression. The intermediary structure preserves storage efficiency while improving application compatibility by providing a standardized interface for accessing compressed data properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary organization of compressed data into standardized chunks with metadata headers before storage. This preliminary structuring ensures that compressed data is ready for efficient retrieval and processing by backup applications, maintaining both storage efficiency and application compatibility without requiring decompression during backup operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for efficiently backing up information are disclosed. In some embodiments, this comprises receiving data and analyzing the data. In some embodiments, the data may be manipulated. In some embodiments, the data may come from multiple sources. Chunk headers, data chunks and chunk maps are then created based on analyzing the data. Chunk headers store the data manipulation technique of the data chunk. In some embodiments, chunk headers store the size of the manipulated and un-manipulated data chunks. The chunk headers, data chunks and chunk maps are then organized into a datastream. The datastream is then stored in a storage device. In some embodiments, the received data may be discarded. In some embodiments, a chunk header is associated with a data chunk.