Block-Level Deduplication for Data Transfer Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data deduplication systems face inefficiencies due to the discrepancy between the granularity of data chunks used for deduplication and other storage optimizations, leading to unnecessary data transfer and storage of entire chunks when only a few blocks are modified.
Innovation Solution
Implementing block-level deduplication methods that allow clients to send only modified blocks with associated information to the deduplication server, enabling efficient storage and reducing data transfer by using a client block-level deduplication module and a corresponding server module to manage and update the deduplicated data store.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If entire chunks of data are sent to the deduplication server, then data deduplication can be performed, but unnecessary data transfer occurs when only a few blocks are modified
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides data into blocks and introduces block-level deduplication that operates independently on each block within a chunk. When blocks are modified, only those specific blocks are sent to the server rather than the entire chunk, reducing unnecessary data transfer while maintaining deduplication functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of transferring complete chunks when modifications occur, the system performs partial action by sending only the modified blocks along with their locations. This selective transfer approach reduces data transmission overhead while still enabling the server to update the deduplicated data store accurately.
2Reliability
If entire chunks are stored in the deduplicated data store, then deduplication is maintained, but storage space is wasted when only a few blocks changed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the storage approach by maintaining block-level granularity in the deduplicated data store. Each block is tracked independently with versioning, allowing the system to store only the changed blocks rather than replacing entire chunks, thus reducing storage space consumption while preserving deduplication integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system discards the need to store complete chunk versions and instead recovers only the modified blocks. By storing changes at the block level and associating them with location information, the system recovers storage space that would otherwise be consumed by redundant full chunk copies.
3Loss of energy
If block-level deduplication is implemented, then data transfer is reduced, but system complexity increases due to tracking modified blocks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-establishing a mapping between blocks and chunks, and pre-configuring the system to track block modification status. This allows the system to efficiently identify and transfer only modified blocks without requiring complex real-time analysis during data transfer operations.
Data Source
AI summary
Various systems and methods can perform block-level deduplication. For example, one method involves sending a chunk of data to a deduplication server for storage in a deduplicated data store. The chunk of data includes multiple blocks. Subsequent to sending the chunk of data to the deduplication server, the method detects that at least one of the blocks has been modified. In response, the method sends associated information as well as the modified blocks, which include at least one but fewer than all of the blocks in the chunk, to the deduplication server. The associated information identifies a location of the included blocks within the chunk of data. The method can be performed by a computing device implementing a deduplication client.