Backup Dependency Graph for Interactive Policy Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current backup systems face inefficiencies in data storage reliability due to misconfigured backup policies, leading to either insufficient backups for restoration or excessive resource utilization, as they fail to efficiently visualize and reconfigure policies to meet data integrity goals.
Innovation Solution
A method that generates a dependency graph to visualize backup policies and interactions, allowing users to update policies interactively, thereby optimizing backup schedules and resource usage through a graphical user interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If backup policies are configured without visualization tools, then resource utilization may be excessive, but policy configuration and verification becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a graphical user interface (GUI) as an intermediary between the backup system and the user. The GUI visualizes backup policies, dependency graphs, and restoration requirements, allowing users to easily configure and verify policies without directly managing complex backup parameters. This intermediary layer simplifies policy configuration while enabling users to identify and correct misconfigurations that would lead to excessive resource utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms by displaying visual representations of backup policies and their effects. The GUI shows dependency graphs that illustrate how backup policies affect restoration capabilities, providing immediate feedback to users about policy configurations. This feedback loop allows users to adjust policies to achieve optimal resource utilization while maintaining adequate restoration points.
2Reliability
If backup policies are configured without visualization, then resource usage may be optimized, but data integrity goals cannot be effectively verified
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs visual indicators including color-coded elements in the graphical user interface to represent different aspects of backup policies and their effects on data integrity. The dependency graph uses visual distinctions to show relationships between backups and restoration requirements, making it easy to verify whether backup policies meet data integrity goals without complex analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transforms complex backup policy verification from an abstract, multi-dimensional problem into a two-dimensional visual representation. By displaying dependency graphs and policy effects in graphical form, the system enables users to verify data integrity requirements across multiple dimensions (backup frequency, retention periods, dependency relationships) simultaneously, rather than analyzing each parameter separately.
3Productivity
If interactive policy updates are enabled, then policy optimization becomes easier, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service capabilities that allow users to directly interact with and modify backup policies through the graphical interface. Users can update policies by interacting with visual elements in the dependency graph, and the system automatically processes these changes without requiring complex configuration procedures. This self-service approach improves productivity by enabling rapid policy optimization while the system manages the underlying complexity automatically.
Data Source
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AI summary
A backup agent for orchestrating backups of production hosts includes a persistent storage that stores backup policies and a backup manager that obtains a backup analysis request for a virtual machine hosted by the production hosts; generate a dependency graph based on: backups associated with the virtual machines, and the backup policies associated with the backups; and displays a graphical user interface, using the dependency graph, including user interactive markers based on the backups and dependency indicators interconnecting the user interactive markers. While the graphical user interface is displayed, the backup manager obtains a potential backup policy update based on a user interaction with one of the user interactive markers. After obtaining the potential backup policy update, the backup manager updates the graphical user interface to reflect the potential backup policy update. After updating the graphical user interface, the backup manager initiates generation of the backup.