Cloud Storage Gateway Open Standard File System Interface

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current backup/restore applications rely on proprietary interfaces to manage backup files in cloud storage, limiting flexibility and interoperability, as they tightly couple with cloud storage gateways and prevent independent management by the gateway.

Innovation Solution

Implementing an open standard file system interface allows backup/restore applications to instruct cloud storage gateways to create directories, files, and write metadata, enabling the gateway to manage backup files without proprietary interfaces, including creating virtual synthetic full images by merging incremental and full backup files.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If proprietary interfaces are used to manage backup files in cloud storage, then backup/restore applications can perform backup operations, but flexibility and interoperability are limited and vendor lock-in occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebackup operation reliabilityVSAvoidvendor flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The cloud storage gateway implements a universal file system interface (NFS, SMB, or CIFS) that allows multiple backup/restore applications from different vendors to interact with the gateway through a common standard interface. This enables the gateway to perform backup management tasks independently without requiring proprietary interfaces, thereby achieving vendor flexibility while maintaining reliable backup operations through standardized protocols

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of operation

If proprietary interfaces are used, then backup files can be managed by backup/restore applications, but cloud storage gateways cannot perform backup management tasks independently

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebackup file management capabilityVSAvoidgateway autonomous management

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

The cloud storage gateway is equipped with the capability to perform backup management tasks independently through the standard file system interface. The gateway can automatically create virtual synthetic full images by merging incremental and full backup files without requiring instructions from proprietary backup/restore applications. This self-service capability enables the gateway to autonomously manage backup files while maintaining ease of operation through standard interfaces

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If standard file system interface is implemented, then cloud storage gateways can manage backup files independently and create virtual synthetic full images, but requires support for multiple file system protocols

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinterface interoperabilityVSAvoidfile system protocol support

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cloud storage gateway acts as an intermediary between backup/restore applications and cloud storage, implementing a standard file system interface that mediates all interactions. The gateway handles multiple file system protocols (NFS, SMB, CIFS) through a unified implementation, translating various protocol requests into internal operations. This intermediary approach enables interface interoperability while managing protocol complexity within the gateway itself

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10387381B1Data management using an open standard file system interface to a storage gateway

Publication Date: 2019.08.20 EMC IP HLDG CO LLC

AI summary

Data management using an open standard file system interface to a storage gateway is described. A system uses an open standard file system interface to instruct a storage gateway to create a directory, create a file for the directory, write information to the file, and store, based on the information written to the file, data to storage associated with the storage gateway.