Disk Array Controller for Incremental Data Backup
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing volume of data to be stored in Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) has led to a substantial increase in backup time, and existing technologies that support advanced copy functions require destination disks with the same storage capacity as the source, resulting in high costs, especially when backing up multiple HDDs.
Innovation Solution
A controller that extracts and copies only updated data from a source medium to a destination medium with logically equivalent but physically smaller storage capacity, using a method that searches for free space and copies data sequentially from the head address of this space, thereby reducing the need for equivalent storage capacity in the destination medium.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the entire source data is transferred from source disk to destination disk using conventional advanced copy function, then data backup reliability is improved, but storage capacity cost increases because destination disk must have same capacity as source disk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the updated data portion from the source disk and copies it to the destination disk, rather than copying the entire source data. This is achieved by identifying the update region in the source disk and selectively copying only that region to the destination disk, thereby reducing the required destination disk capacity while maintaining backup reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by copying only the necessary updated data portion rather than the complete data set. The controller determines the update region boundaries and copies only that partial region to the destination disk, avoiding the excessive action of copying entire source data when only changes are needed for backup.
2Quantity of substance
If destination disk capacity is reduced to lower costs, then storage capacity cost decreases, but copying efficiency deteriorates because data must be searched and extracted from source disk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by first determining the update region in the source disk before copying. The controller identifies which data regions have been updated and prepares the copy operation accordingly, searching for free space in the destination disk and calculating the precise copy range in advance, thereby optimizing the copying process.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller uses feedback information about data updates to guide the copying process. By monitoring which data regions are updated and using this feedback to determine the copy scope, the system efficiently identifies only the necessary data to transfer, improving copying efficiency despite the additional search and extraction operations required.
3Quantity of substance
If only updated data is copied to reduce destination disk capacity requirements, then storage capacity cost decreases, but copying time increases due to data search and extraction operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains continuity of useful action by performing the data search, extraction, and copying operations in a continuous, integrated manner. The controller seamlessly determines update regions, searches for free space in the destination disk, and executes the copy operation without interruption, thereby minimizing the time loss that would otherwise result from multiple separate operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A disk array device includes a controller that sets a session pertaining to a copy source disk and a copy destination disk, and without copying the entire data that is recorded in the copy source disk to the copy destination disk, copies to the copy destination disk only the data that is recorded in a data space for writing. Further, if data for reading does not exist in the copy destination disk, the controller searches data from the copy source disk and transfers the searched data to a host computer.