Bit String Journal for Continuous Data Consistency Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current data protection systems lack effective methods for continuous and thorough consistency verification of replicated data, relying on inefficient methods like the 'boot test' that require generating a working machine and do not guarantee data identity at a specific point in time.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system that uses a journal to store data and metadata of write operations, allowing for concurrent consistency verification by comparing bit strings that uniquely identify chunks of data, enabling continuous online verification without the need to generate a working machine.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the boot test method is used to verify consistency of replicated data, then the verification process can detect major failures, but it requires generating a working machine which is inefficient and does not guarantee complete data identity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses bit strings (copies of data chunks) stored in the journal to represent the protected storage system state at specific time points. Instead of booting a recovered virtual machine to verify data, the system directly compares bit strings from the journal with corresponding bit strings from the target disk, achieving efficient consistency verification without requiring a working machine generation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the essential verification element (bit string) from the complex boot process. By storing bit strings in the journal alongside metadata including time stamps, the system separates the verification data from the operational system, enabling direct comparison with target disk data without needing to reconstruct or boot a virtual machine.
2Measurement precision
If the boot test method is used, then verification can be performed, but it cannot provide continuous online verification and requires file system level operations rather than raw data level
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the storage system into manageable chunks and represents each chunk with a bit string. The journal stores these bit strings with associated metadata including time stamps. This segmentation enables the system to perform continuous online verification at the raw data level by comparing individual chunk bit strings between the protected storage system and target disk without requiring file system operations or system booting.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for verifying consistency of data in a recovery system may include a target disk configured to store a replica of a protected storage system from before a time window and a journal including data and metadata of write operations to the protected storage system that occurred during the time window. The verification may include storing in the journal a first bit string that uniquely identifies a selected chunk of the protected storage system from a specified time point, and when the specified time point goes past the limit of the time window, comparing the first bit string with a second bit string that uniquely identifies a corresponding chunk that is stored in the target disk.