Backup Object Layout Discovery via Journal Cache

Solution Overview

Problem

Legacy data object layout discovery processes are slow and occur during every backup window, leading to increased backup time and potential failure in meeting aggressive Service Level Agreements (SLAs), which negatively impacts customer experience.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a discovery engine that caches and retrieves object layouts outside of the backup window, using a journal cache to store previously parsed layouts and only updating when changes occur, thereby decoupling the discovery process from the backup window.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If legacy discovery processes parse the data object during every backup window, then the object layout information is obtained, but the backup time is significantly increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveobject layout discovery accuracyVSAvoidbackup window time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs object layout discovery in advance by parsing the data object before the backup window begins. The discovered layout information is stored and reused during subsequent backup operations, eliminating the need to re-parse the data object during each backup window while maintaining accurate layout information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the discovery process parses the data object during every backup window, then current layout information is ensured, but the Service Level Agreement requirements are not met

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelayout information accuracyVSAvoidbackup operation speed

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs object layout discovery in advance by parsing the data object before the backup window begins. The discovered layout information is stored and reused during subsequent backup operations, eliminating the need to re-parse the data object during each backup window while maintaining accurate layout information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If parsing is performed during every backup window, then up-to-date object layout is obtained, but customer experience is negatively impacted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveobject layout currencyVSAvoidcustomer experience

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs object layout discovery in advance by parsing the data object before the backup window begins. The discovered layout information is stored and reused during subsequent backup operations, eliminating the need to re-parse the data object during each backup window while maintaining accurate layout information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10282254B1Object layout discovery outside of backup windows

Publication Date: 2019.05.07 EMC IP HLDG CO LLC

AI summary

Object layout discovery outside of backup windows is described. A system receives, from a backup/restore application, a request to discover an object layout for a data object by parsing the data object. The system determines whether the object layout is stored in layout storage. The system sends, to the backup/restore application, the object layout stored in the layout storage in response to a determination that the object layout is stored in the layout storage.