Cloud Snapshot Shipping Dynamic Resizing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cloud snapshot shipping systems face challenges in performing dynamic storage group resizing operations concurrently with snapshot transmission, which can interfere with data access and lead to data overruns or application corruption.

Innovation Solution

The cloud tethering subsystem allows dynamic storage group resizing operations, such as adding, removing, or resizing volumes, while snapshots are being shipped to the cloud by maintaining information about snapshot sizes and ensuring that resizing operations do not exceed the snapshot size, thus preventing interference with cloud snapshot shipping.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If dynamic storage group resizing operations are performed on the application production storage group after snapshot creation, then storage flexibility and adaptability are improved, but data consistency and reliability deteriorate due to potential data overruns or application corruption

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage flexibilityVSAvoiddata consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the storage group into snapshot portions and current portions, allowing independent management. The snapshot portion is locked to prevent resizing operations during snapshot shipping, while the current portion can be resized. This segmentation enables storage flexibility without compromising snapshot data consistency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system takes preliminary action by creating a consistent snapshot of the storage group before allowing resizing operations. The snapshot is locked and protected from subsequent resizing operations, preventing data overruns or corruption. This preliminary snapshot creation establishes a safe baseline that maintains data consistency while enabling future flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

2Reliability

If the storage group size is fixed at snapshot creation time, then data consistency is maintained, but storage adaptability and flexibility are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata consistencyVSAvoidstorage flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements dynamic storage group resizing by separating the storage group into snapshot and current portions. The snapshot portion maintains a fixed size for data consistency, while the current portion can be dynamically resized. This dynamic approach allows the storage group to adapt to changing requirements without compromising the consistency of existing snapshots.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary action by creating a locked snapshot of the storage group before allowing resizing operations. This snapshot serves as a consistent baseline that is preserved unchanged, while subsequent resizing operations affect only the current portion of the storage group, maintaining both consistency and flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If resizing operations are performed during snapshot shipping, then storage flexibility is improved, but the complexity of managing concurrent operations increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage flexibilityVSAvoidoperation management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the storage group into snapshot and current portions with distinct management rules. The snapshot portion is locked and excluded from resizing operations during shipping, while the current portion can be resized. This clear segmentation simplifies the management of concurrent operations by establishing well-defined boundaries and access rules.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary mechanism (the snapshot lock) that mediates between snapshot shipping operations and resizing operations. The lock acts as a coordinator that prevents conflicting operations on the snapshot portion while allowing resizing on the current portion, reducing the complexity of managing concurrent operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11567898B2Dynamic storage group resizing during cloud snapshot shipping

Publication Date: 2023.01.31 EMC IP HLDG CO LLC

AI summary

A cloud tethering subsystem is configured to ship snapshots of an application production storage group to a cloud repository. Dynamic storage group resizing operations are allowed on the application production storage group after creation of a snapshot and before transmission of the snapshot to the cloud, or while the snapshot is accessing data of the application production storage group in connection with shipping the snapshot to the cloud. Example dynamic storage group resizing operations include adding one or more volumes to the application production storage group, removing one or more volumes from the application production storage group, and resizing one or more of the volumes of the application production storage group. The cloud tethering subsystem maintains information about the size of the snapshot at the time of creation and uses the snapshot size to prevent dynamic storage group resizing operations from interfering with cloud snapshot shipping operations.