Block Storage to Object Cloud Backup via Data Objects
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional data backup techniques are inadequate for bridging the incompatibilities between block-based devices and object storage systems, limiting the use of low-cost, high-capacity cloud storage services for data preservation and restoration.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that convert block storage device data into data objects, using a backup service to divide the storage device into data extents, compress and encrypt them, and transmit them to an object storage service with unique naming and metadata for efficient and secure storage, allowing for incremental backups and pruning of outdated recovery points.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional data backup techniques are used to maintain a backup repository service at a second physical site, then data reliability is improved, but the cost and complexity of maintaining physical infrastructure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a backup service as an intermediary layer between the block storage device and object storage service. This service handles protocol conversion, data object generation, and metadata management, allowing backup functionality without requiring a full physical backup infrastructure at a second site.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates data objects that are logical copies of block storage data, storing them in object storage format. These copied data objects maintain the necessary recovery information through metadata while utilizing the object storage service's existing infrastructure rather than requiring duplicate physical hardware.
2Quantity of substance
If object storage service is used for data backup, then storage cost is reduced, but the ability to perform block-level backup operations deteriorates due to protocol incompatibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms data from block-level parameters to object-level parameters by generating data objects with metadata. This parameter transformation allows the data to be stored in object storage format while preserving the ability to perform block-level backup operations through the backup service's protocol conversion capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The backup service acts as an intermediary that translates between block storage protocols and object storage protocols. It converts block storage data into data objects with appropriate metadata, enabling object storage services to be used for block-level backup operations despite protocol incompatibilities.
3Loss of time
If incremental backup is implemented to reduce data transmission, then backup time is reduced, but the complexity of tracking and managing changed data blocks increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the changed data blocks from the block storage device and creates data objects only for those specific blocks. By taking out and processing only the modified portions rather than entire data sets, incremental backup is achieved while the backup service manages the tracking complexity through its data object generation process.
Data Source
AI summary
A system, method, and computer program product for a block-based backing up a storage device to an object storage service is provided. This includes the generation of a data object that encapsulates a data of a data extent. The data extent covers a block address range of the storage device. The data object is named with a base name that represents a logical block address (LBA) of the data extent. The base name is appended with an identifier that deterministically identifies a recovery point that the data object is associated with. The base name combined with the identifier represents a data object name for the data object. The named data object is then transmitted to the object storage service for backup of the data extent. At an initial backup, the full storage device is copied. In incremental backups afterwards, only those data extents that changed are backed up.