Block-Level Backup Duplication via Metadata Preprocessing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current data duplication methods are inefficient due to file-by-file duplication, metadata updating bottlenecks, and storage device repositioning, leading to slow data transfer and increased overhead, especially when dealing with fragmented storage systems and multiple images.
Innovation Solution
A backup application preprocesses metadata to determine optimal block-level duplication strategies, updating catalog metadata to ensure data accessibility and reduce duplication time by copying data block-by-block while maintaining metadata integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If data is duplicated file-by-file from source storage medium to target storage medium, then data can be copied with metadata tracking, but duplication speed is slow due to frequent metadata updates and file system overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the duplication process into two distinct phases: a preprocessing phase that analyzes metadata and determines optimal block boundaries, and a duplication phase that copies data block-by-block without file system overhead. This segmentation eliminates the bottleneck of updating metadata after each file copy by performing all metadata analysis beforehand.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary actions by preprocessing the metadata before duplication begins. The system analyzes the source storage medium's metadata to identify optimal block boundaries and data locations in advance, creating a duplication plan that guides the subsequent block-level copying process without requiring runtime metadata updates.
2Productivity
If storage devices reposition after reading each image or file, then data can be accessed sequentially, but repositioning operations waste time and increase overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables continuous data transfer by reading data in continuous blocks from the source storage medium and writing to the target storage medium without interruption. The preprocessing phase identifies contiguous blocks that can be read and written sequentially, eliminating the repositioning operations that occur with file-by-file copying.
3Productivity
If block level replication is performed without updating catalog metadata, then duplication speed increases, but backup application cannot access or restore data from secondary storage medium
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary metadata analysis to map source data blocks to target data blocks before duplication begins. This pre-computed metadata is stored in the catalog, enabling the backup application to locate and restore data from the secondary storage medium without requiring slow runtime metadata updates during the duplication process.
Data Source
AI summary
A system, method, and medium for performing data duplication from a first storage device to a second storage device at a block level. A backup application processes metadata prior to replicating the data to determine the best method for performing the duplication operation. Several images may be selected for duplication, and instead of copying the images one at a time, the backup application copies data from the first storage device to the second storage device block-by-block. The catalog metadata may be updated so that the backup application may be made aware of the new copy of data. The replicated data may be accessed for future restore operations such that individual files may be retrieved from the replicated data by the backup application.