Change-Based Metadata Tracking for Backup Discovery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing asset backup management systems face inefficiencies due to the repeated transmission of redundant metadata during backup discovery operations, straining both central coordination point and client device resources.

Innovation Solution

Implementing change-based metadata tracking (CBMT) to identify and transmit only metadata deltas between current and previous asset metadata, optimizing backup and backup discovery operations by eliminating redundant data transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If complete asset metadata is transmitted during every backup discovery operation, then backup discovery completeness is improved, but network bandwidth consumption and resource utilization deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebackup discovery completenessVSAvoidnetwork bandwidth consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the changed portions (deltas) of asset metadata from the complete metadata set. Instead of transmitting all asset metadata during backup discovery operations, the system identifies and transmits only the specific metadata elements that have changed since the last backup, thereby reducing network bandwidth consumption while maintaining backup discovery completeness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the asset metadata into multiple versions (previous version and current version) and further segments the transmission content into unchanged portions and changed portions (deltas). This segmentation allows the system to transmit only the necessary changed portions during backup discovery operations, optimizing both information completeness and resource efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Manufacturing precision

If complete asset metadata is transmitted during every backup operation, then backup accuracy is improved, but processing time and resource utilization deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebackup accuracyVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the changed metadata portions (deltas) between previous and current asset metadata versions. By transmitting and processing only these changed portions rather than complete metadata, the system maintains backup accuracy for changed elements while significantly reducing processing time and resource utilization during backup operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by transmitting and processing only the necessary subset of metadata (the changed portions) rather than the complete metadata set. This partial transmission approach maintains sufficient backup accuracy for identifying and backing up changed assets while reducing overall processing time and resource consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Loss of information

If redundant metadata transmission is performed during backup discovery, then comprehensive asset tracking is improved, but resource utilization deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveasset tracking completenessVSAvoidresource utilization

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and transmits only the metadata deltas (changes) between asset metadata versions during backup discovery operations. This extraction approach eliminates redundant transmission of unchanged metadata while maintaining comprehensive asset tracking capability, thereby improving resource utilization without sacrificing tracking completeness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent discards the redundant unchanged portions of metadata by comparing current metadata with previous metadata versions and identifying only the changed portions. The unchanged metadata is effectively discarded from transmission, while the changed portions are recovered and transmitted for backup discovery, optimizing resource utilization while maintaining tracking completeness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Data Source

PatentUS11243843B2Method and system for optimizing backup and backup discovery operations using change based metadata tracking (CBMT)

Publication Date: 2022.02.08 EMC IP HLDG CO LLC

AI summary

A method and system for optimizing backup and backup discovery operations using change based metadata tracking (CBMT). Specifically, the disclosed method and system entail eliminating the storage and subsequent transmission of redundant asset metadata information to a central coordination point during backup discovery operations, which may strain central coordination point resources, as well as client device resources. Accordingly, rather than re-sharing the same asset metadata information every time a backup discovery initiates, the client device tracks, maintains, and transmits only changes in asset metadata, thereby conserving resource utilization.