Continuous Data Protection Recovery via Alternate Change Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Continuous data protection systems face challenges in recording data changes during system upgrades or when operating on different operating systems, leading to data protection blackouts, which can disrupt system uptime and require resource-intensive brute force scanning to recover missed changes.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an alternate change-tracking mechanism, such as a file change log, to identify and update the continuous data protection system with missed changes, thereby recovering from blackouts without disrupting system operations and minimizing resource consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the continuous data protection system is upgraded or a different operating system is loaded, then the system can be maintained or updated, but the change tracking function becomes disabled and data changes are not captured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (file system logging or alternative tracking system) that continues to operate during periods when the primary continuous data protection system is disabled. This intermediary captures data changes that would otherwise be missed during system upgrades or operating system transitions, ensuring no data changes are lost while allowing the main system to be updated.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by establishing alternative tracking mechanisms before the primary system is disabled. File system logging is activated in advance to capture changes during the blackout period, ensuring that when the main system resumes, it can recover the complete data change history without gaps.
2Reliability
If system reboot is required for continuous data protection system upgrade, then data change tracking reliability is maintained, but system uptime is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system activates alternative tracking mechanisms (file system logging, journaling) before the planned maintenance window. This preliminary action ensures that data changes are captured continuously without interruption, allowing the system to maintain full protection coverage even during reboots and upgrades, thereby eliminating the need to sacrifice uptime for reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary logging system serves as a bridge during system unavailability. This mediator continues to record data changes in the absence of the primary continuous protection system, allowing the system to undergo necessary reboots and upgrades while maintaining data change capture capability, thus preserving both reliability and uptime.
3Reliability
If brute force scanning is used to discover missed data changes, then complete data recovery is achieved, but system resources are unduly burdened and recovery time is extended
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of scanning all data to discover changes, the system uses pre-existing copies of change information stored in file system logs, journals, or alternative tracking mechanisms. These copies contain the exact change information needed, allowing rapid recovery without the computational burden of brute force scanning, thus achieving complete data recovery with minimal resource consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary change tracking through alternative mechanisms during the blackout period. This preliminary action creates a ready-made record of all data changes, eliminating the need for resource-intensive post-recovery scanning. The changes are already identified and recorded, enabling efficient and immediate restoration of data protection continuity.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method for recovering from continuous-data-protection blackouts may include identifying a continuous data protection system configured to copy each change made to a set of data. The computer-implemented method may also include identifying a set of changes made to the set of data but missed by the continuous data protection system. The computer-implemented method may further include identifying an alternate change-tracking system that tracks changes made to the set of data. The computer-implemented method may additionally include updating the continuous data protection system with the missed set of changes as tracked by the alternate change-tracking system. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.