Backup System Using Shadow Copy Snapshots for Consistent Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current data backup systems face challenges in efficiently backing up large volumes of data, particularly with active applications and operating systems, as they often skip open files and fail to preserve the state of the system, leading to inconsistencies and system failures during recovery.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a method of creating a virtual volume by temporarily freezing operations, allowing for the capture of open files and ensuring a consistent state during backup, using backup groupings to identify and restore components as logical units, and utilizing shadow copy services to generate snapshots for comprehensive data backup and recovery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional backup systems are used to back up large volumes of data, then backup capacity is increased, but backup speed and data availability during backup deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The backup system segments data into multiple volumes and processes them in parallel. The backup application divides the backup operation into separate tasks for different volumes, allowing simultaneous backup of multiple data segments without requiring sequential processing, thereby maintaining high backup capacity while improving overall backup speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from single-threaded sequential backup to multi-threaded parallel backup operations. By utilizing multiple threads and processing channels simultaneously, the system adds a dimensional aspect to the backup process, enabling concurrent data transfer across multiple volumes and significantly improving backup productivity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional backup systems back up open files, then file backup capability is improved, but data consistency and reliability deteriorate due to skipped files
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by taking snapshots of volumes before backup operations begin. These snapshots capture the state of open files at a specific point in time, ensuring that even files that are open during backup are reliably captured. The snapshot mechanism prevents file skipping and ensures data consistency by recording the file state before any changes occur during the backup process.
3Adaptability or versatility
If operating systems are backed up as partial file systems, then backup flexibility is improved, but system state preservation and recovery reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the backup of the operating system file system with the backup of application data and configuration files. By combining these elements into a unified backup set that represents the complete system state, the system ensures that recovery can restore the entire system consistently. The backup application tracks dependencies between OS components, applications, and data to maintain system integrity during backup and recovery operations.
4Manufacturing precision
If volumes are taken offline for backup, then backup completeness is improved, but service availability and operational continuity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables continuous backup operations while volumes remain online and accessible. The backup application reads data from online volumes without interrupting normal read-write operations, allowing backup to proceed continuously in the background. This maintains both backup completeness and service availability, as users can continue to access and modify data while it is being backed up.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces snapshot mechanisms as an intermediary between the backup process and the online volume. The snapshot creates a consistent point-in-time copy that can be backed up without affecting the original online volume. This intermediary layer allows complete backup of the volume state while the volume remains fully operational, preventing any interruption to service availability.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for recovering data from a backup copy and for backing up data. When a recovery operation is initiated, recovery items are selected from backup groupings of the client. The recovery items can include backup groupings, writers, and writer components. After the recovery items are selected, backed up metadata for each selected writer is retrieved from the backed up data. The backed up metadata is then queried to identify the restore method of the writer. The data of the client is then recovered by implementing the restore method included in the backed up metadata of the writer. During a backup operation, some of the backup groupings, as well as the content of the backup groupings, can be individually selected for backup. In both backup and recovery, a visual indication may be provided to identify individual selectability.