Database Backup Recovery via Intermediate Server Redo Streaming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Legacy database backup techniques result in significant downtime and data loss due to latency in capturing and transmitting redo log changes across geographically distributed systems, failing to achieve zero or near-zero loss database backup and recovery.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method that involves continuous streaming of database redo data from a production server to a recovery server through an intermediate server with low-latency communication, allowing for real-time replication and storage of redo log entries, thereby reducing latency and ensuring data integrity during backup and recovery processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If synchronous redo log capture is implemented at a remote site, then data loss is reduced, but communication latency substantially impacts production system throughput
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediate server positioned between the production database and the remote recovery site. This intermediary captures redo logs locally with minimal latency and then transmits them to the remote site, resolving the contradiction by decoupling the low-latency capture requirement from the high-latency transmission requirement. The intermediate server acts as a buffer that maintains both speed and reliability.
2Reliability
If periodic snapshots are taken and redo logs are transmitted continuously, then data loss is reduced, but restore operations require suspension of database services causing downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary actions by continuously capturing and transmitting redo logs in advance before any failure occurs. The recovery site maintains an up-to-date copy of both snapshots and redo logs, so when a failure happens, the restore operation can begin immediately without needing to suspend services for data collection. The system prepares everything needed for recovery beforehand.
3Productivity
If redo log entries are transmitted asynchronously to reduce latency, then throughput is improved, but data loss increases due to in-flight transactions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data transmission process into two distinct phases: (1) local capture and buffering of redo logs at the intermediate server, and (2) transmission to the remote recovery site. This segmentation allows the first phase to operate at high speed with minimal latency while the second phase can be optimized for reliability. The intermediate server's buffer acts as a decoupling mechanism that resolves the throughput-reliability tradeoff.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, system and computer program product for low loss database backup and recovery. The method commences by transmitting, by a first server to a third server, a copy of a database snapshot backup, the transmitting commencing at a first time. Then capturing, by the first server, a stream of database redo data, the capturing commencing before or upon transmitting the database snapshot backup, and continuing until a third time. The stream of database redo data is received by an intermediate server after which the intermediate server transmits the stream of database redo data to the third server. Now, the third server has the database snapshot backups and the database redo data. The third server can send to a fourth server all or portion of the database redo data to be applied to the copy of the database snapshot backup restored there to create a restored database.