Backup File Recovery Using Parallel Data Streams

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing backup and restore processes are inefficient when recovering backup files from multiple data sources, as they typically recover data from a single data stream, leading to prolonged restoration times for data objects to a previous state.

Innovation Solution

A system that determines if multiple data sources store their own copies of a backup file and allocates portions of the file to corresponding data streams, allowing concurrent recovery from multiple data sources, thereby accelerating the recovery process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If backup files are recovered from a single data stream, then the recovery process is simple to implement, but the restoration time is prolonged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverecovery speedVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The backup file recovery process is segmented into multiple parallel data streams, where different portions of the backup file are recovered simultaneously from multiple data sources. This segmentation enables concurrent recovery operations, significantly improving recovery speed while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular stream handling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple data streams are merged into a single recovered backup file. The system combines the parallel recovery operations from multiple data sources into one cohesive output, achieving fast recovery without requiring complex coordination between streams through the use of a stream coordinator that manages the merging process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Loss of time

If multiple data sources are used for backup file recovery, then the recovery speed increases, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverestoration timeVSAvoiddata source management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-identifying multiple suitable data sources that contain the required backup file portions before the recovery process begins. This advance preparation reduces the complexity during actual recovery, as the system already has a ready list of data sources to query, eliminating the need for complex real-time source selection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

A stream coordinator acts as an intermediary between multiple data sources and the recovery process. This mediator component simplifies the system architecture by centralizing the management of multiple data sources, handling the coordination and communication logic in one place, and presenting a unified interface to the recovery operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If concurrent recovery from multiple data streams is implemented, then productivity improves, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring recovery status increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverecovery throughputVSAvoidrecovery status monitoring

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The stream coordinator implements feedback mechanisms that continuously monitor the status of each parallel data stream and report back to the coordination logic. This feedback system tracks recovery progress, detects completion status, and handles errors in real-time, making it easy to monitor the overall recovery status despite the concurrent nature of multiple streams.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces complex mechanical coordination of multiple recovery streams with a software-based stream coordinator that uses logical control and data flow management. This substitution of mechanical/physical coordination with software-based logical control simplifies the detection and measurement of recovery status through programmable status tracking and reporting mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS10691557B1Backup file recovery from multiple data sources

Publication Date: 2020.06.23 EMC IP HLDG CO LLC

AI summary

Backup file recovery from multiple data sources is described. A system determines whether each of multiple data sources stores a corresponding copy of a backup file associated with a data object, in response to receiving a request to recover the backup file associated with the data object. The system allocates multiple portions of the backup file to corresponding multiple data streams, if each of the multiple data sources stores the corresponding copy of the backup file associated with the data object. The system recovers the backup file by concurrently recovering the multiple data streams from the corresponding multiple data sources.