Database Point-in-Time Restore Without Live Standby
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Solution Overview
Problem
Database management systems face challenges in maintaining high availability and reliability due to the costs and resource consumption associated with standby database nodes, which are often underutilized and incur licensing fees even when not actively used.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a point-in-time restoration capability that replicates transaction and configuration data between operating environments, allowing for the restoration of a database instance to a specific point in time without the need for a live backup instance, thereby reducing the technical and monetary costs of maintaining a standby node.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a standby database node is maintained as a mirror of the primary node to ensure high availability and reliability, then system reliability is improved, but computing capacity consumption and licensing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by continuously replicating transaction data from the primary database to a backup storage location before any failure occurs. This allows the system to have restoration capability prepared in advance without maintaining an active standby database node, thus achieving reliability improvement without continuous computing capacity consumption for standby operations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by creating a backup database instance from replicated transaction data stored in a backup operating environment. Instead of maintaining a live mirror, the system creates copies of necessary data and configuration only when restoration is needed, eliminating the need for continuous computational resources dedicated to standby node operation
2Reliability
If a standby database node is maintained as a mirror of the primary node to ensure high availability and reliability, then system reliability is improved, but licensing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by using disposable backup instances that are created only when restoration is needed and terminated after use. Instead of maintaining expensive licensed standby databases continuously, the system creates temporary backup instances from replicated data only when failure occurs or restoration is required, significantly reducing licensing cost losses while maintaining reliability
3Adaptability or versatility
If transaction data is replicated to a backup operating environment for point-in-time restoration, then restoration flexibility is improved, but data replication and storage overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies extraction by separating the backup database instance from the primary operating environment and placing it in a distinct backup operating environment. Only necessary transaction data and configuration information are extracted and replicated to the backup environment, minimizing data overhead while maximizing restoration flexibility across different locations and scenarios
Data Source
AI summary
A system responds to a request to enable a restoration capability for a first database instance of a first operating environment. The system stores, in the first operating environment, transaction data for the first database instance and data indicative of aspects of the configuration of the first operating environment on which the first database instance is dependent. The transaction data and configuration data are replicated to a second environment. In response to a request to restore the first database instance, a second operating environment is configured according to the replicated configuration data, and the data is restored to a second database instance, in the second operating environment, based on the replicated transaction data.