Consistent Data Retrieval in Multi-Site Computing Infrastructure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cloud computing models lack flexibility in separating application and data locations, and are inflexible regarding disaster recovery, requiring entire data volumes to be copied to recovery sites before application execution can resume after a failure.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for consistent data retrieval that involves creating a consistency point of data in both primary and backup storage, allowing for unplanned migration of applications to a secondary site in case of local hardware failure, where data is transferred from backup storage to the secondary site for continued application execution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the entire data volume is copied to the recovery site before application execution can resume, then data consistency is ensured, but the time required for disaster recovery increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by continuously replicating data to a backup storage location before failure occurs. A consistency point is pre-established in both primary and backup storage, so that when failure happens, the application can immediately resume from the pre-prepared consistent state without waiting for complete data copying.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts only the necessary data from the consistency point rather than copying the entire data volume. By identifying and transferring only the data changes since the consistency point, the system minimizes data transfer time while ensuring consistency, separating the essential recovery data from the complete dataset.
2Productivity
If data is stored locally at each data site, then application performance is improved, but flexibility in application migration and disaster recovery is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The backup storage acts as an intermediary between the primary data storage and the recovery site. It maintains a consistency point that mediates the data transfer process, allowing the application to be migrated or recovered at different sites while ensuring data consistency, thus bridging the gap between local performance and migration flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The data is segmented into two parts: the primary data stored locally for performance-critical operations, and the consistency point data stored in backup storage for migration and recovery purposes. This segmentation allows the system to maintain local performance while enabling flexible migration by having a separate, manageable data portion ready for transfer.
3Reliability
If data is replicated to backup storage, then disaster recovery capability is improved, but the complexity of data management increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically establishing consistency points and pre-replicating data to backup storage without requiring complex real-time coordination during failure events. This preliminary preparation simplifies the actual disaster recovery process, reducing the apparent complexity during critical moments.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses copying to create a consistency point in backup storage that mirrors the state of primary storage at a specific moment. This copying mechanism provides a simple, reliable way to ensure data consistency without requiring complex synchronization protocols, making the backup process more manageable despite the added redundancy.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the invention relate to dynamic application migration in a shared pool of configurable computer resources with disaster recovery support. Write operations are executed by an application at a first data site. Data is generated and stored in first data storage local to the first data site. The stored data is replicated from the first data storage to a backup data storage, and a consistency point of the data is created in both the first data storage and the backup data storage. In response to a local hardware failure at the first data site, an unplanned migration protocol is initialized to migrate the application to a second data site remote from the first data site, which includes re-launching the application at the second data site. Data is transferred from the backup data storage to the second data storage local to the second data site from the consistency point.