Consistency Group Snapshot Mechanism for Non-Disruptive Storage Replication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional data protection systems face challenges in minimizing downtime during recovery and keeping pace with high data transaction rates, leading to potential production site shutdowns due to the overhead of journaling processes.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method for consistent snapshots in a replication environment using a splitter to split I/O operations, record them in a journal, and roll them back to a common point in time without disrupting production, enabling non-disruptive and scalable snapshot taking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If journaling is used to enable continuous data protection and rollback to any point in time, then data protection capability is improved, but the overhead of journaling causes the backup site to fall behind at high data transaction rates, eventually forcing production site shutdown
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the journaling process by implementing consistency groups that divide the backup target into multiple independent units. Each consistency group can be journaled independently, allowing the system to handle high data transaction rates without requiring the entire backup system to keep pace with every transaction. This segmentation prevents the backup site from becoming a bottleneck that forces production shutdowns.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-establishing consistency groups and pre-allocating journal resources before high-volume data transactions occur. This allows the system to be prepared in advance to handle transaction bursts without falling behind, maintaining both data protection capability and productivity during peak transaction periods.
2Reliability
If snapshots are taken across multiple storage arrays to enable comprehensive data protection, then data protection coverage is improved, but the process requires production pause and increases complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal consistency group mechanism that can manage snapshots across multiple storage arrays simultaneously through a single interface. This multi-functionality allows comprehensive data protection coverage without increasing operational complexity, as the same consistency group framework handles snapshots across different arrays uniformly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces consistency groups as an intermediary layer between the production site and multiple storage arrays. This mediator abstracts the complexity of coordinating snapshots across multiple arrays, allowing comprehensive data protection to be achieved without directly managing the complexity of each individual array's snapshot process.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the backup site processes every data transaction to maintain real-time synchronization, then data consistency is improved, but the backup site cannot keep pace with high transaction rates, causing system shutdown
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data consistency requirement by implementing consistency groups that maintain consistency at the group level rather than requiring every individual transaction to be processed immediately. This allows the backup site to maintain data consistency for committed transactions within consistency groups while accepting and buffering uncommitted transactions, enabling the system to keep pace with high transaction rates without shutdowns.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, system, and program product for implementing consistent snapshots in a replication environment, the replication environment having a production site having a splitter, and a storage media the method comprising, selecting a set of media from the storage medium, creating a consistency group of the selected set of storage media, creating a journal at the production site, splitting I/O to the consistency group, and recording the split I/O in the journal.