Backup Application Metadata Reconciliation via State Synchronization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In large-scale IT environments, backup applications often become unsynchronized due to errors or network issues, leading to inconsistencies in metadata and configuration data, which can disrupt data protection and recovery processes.
Innovation Solution
A process is implemented to reconcile the state information of backup applications by comparing and updating metadata and configuration data between virtual backup appliances and central backup applications, ensuring consistency through periodic or dynamic synchronization protocols.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple backup applications are used to manage different data sets, then data protection coverage is improved, but synchronization consistency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where backup applications periodically exchange state information and metadata through a synchronization protocol. The system detects inconsistencies between backup applications and automatically triggers reconciliation processes, ensuring that all applications maintain consistent views of the data protection state across the network.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a centralized coordination mechanism that acts as an intermediary between multiple backup applications. This mediator collects state information from all backup applications, reconciles inconsistencies, and distributes updated state information back to the applications, thereby maintaining synchronization without requiring direct peer-to-peer communication between all applications.
2Ease of operation
If backup applications operate independently, then operational autonomy is improved, but metadata consistency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic synchronization cycles where backup applications autonomously exchange state information at predetermined intervals. This periodic action allows applications to maintain independent operation between synchronization events while ensuring metadata consistency is restored periodically, balancing operational autonomy with consistency requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs preliminary actions by having backup applications prepare and validate state information before exchanging it with other applications. This pre-validation ensures that only consistent and accurate metadata is propagated across the system, preventing inconsistency propagation while maintaining operational independence.
3Reliability
If synchronization is performed frequently, then consistency is improved, but system overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements partial synchronization by having backup applications exchange only the specific state information and metadata that has changed since the last synchronization, rather than performing complete state exchanges. This reduces the communication overhead and processing requirements while maintaining consistency for the critical portions of the state information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic synchronization intervals that adjust based on system conditions, such as network load, changes in data protection state, and inconsistency detection. This dynamic approach allows the system to perform more frequent synchronization when inconsistencies are detected and less frequent synchronization when the system is stable, optimizing the balance between consistency and overhead.
Data Source
AI summary
Reconciling data is disclosed. It is determined whether a state of a first backup application is consistent with a state of a second backup application. In the event the state of the first backup application is not consistent with the state of the second backup application, the state of the first backup application is updated to be consistent with the state of the second backup application.