Disk-to-disk database log backup with traffic separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional storage systems face challenges in efficiently managing and recovering database logs, particularly due to limited online redo log sizes and the risk of data loss when running in no-archive mode, which can lead to time-consuming recovery processes and potential data unrecoverability.
Innovation Solution
An archived log backup solution is implemented using Web services to perform disk-to-disk backups from a primary storage location to a secondary storage location, allowing for structured recovery of database logs without network traffic burden, and enabling point-in-time recovery and reduced manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If online redo log size is reduced to enable faster database startup during recovery, then recovery speed is improved, but the risk of data loss increases because smaller logs may be overwritten before archiving
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the archiving function from the online redo log system by implementing a separate archiving process that copies redo logs to a remote archive log destination before they are overwritten. This extraction allows the online redo log to remain small for fast recovery while ensuring data is preserved elsewhere.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary archiving mechanism that acts as a mediator between the online redo log and the recovery process. The archive log destination serves as an intermediate storage that preserves log data before it would otherwise be overwritten, enabling both fast recovery and data safety.
2Ease of operation
If the database runs in no-archive mode to simplify operations, then ease of operation is improved, but data loss risk increases because logs are overwritten without being saved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service archiving where the database system automatically performs the archiving of redo logs to a remote destination without requiring manual intervention. This maintains operational simplicity while ensuring data is preserved for recovery.
3Reliability
If manual archiving of online redo log is implemented to ensure data safety, then data recoverability is improved, but device complexity and manual intervention requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements automated archiving where the database system automatically copies redo logs to the archive log destination based on configured parameters, eliminating the need for manual archiving operations while ensuring data recoverability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal archiving mechanism that works with the existing database architecture and can be configured for different archiving policies. The same infrastructure supports both fast recovery (small online logs) and data safety (archived logs) simultaneously.
4Speed
If disk-to-disk backup is implemented instead of network-based backup, then backup speed is improved, but the need for separate backup infrastructure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the backup functionality directly into the database architecture by using the database's existing I/O channels and storage management capabilities. The archive log destination is integrated with the database's storage subsystem, eliminating the need for separate backup hardware while achieving fast backup speeds.
Data Source
AI summary
An archived log backup solution is introduced to perform backups of archived database logs from a primary storage location towards a secondary storage location on disk-to-disk basis. The backed up archived logs are organized on the secondary in such a way that allows recovering a database from these logs by directly mounting the secondary storage location to a host where the archived logs are needed in order to perform a recovery. In addition, the archived log backup solution is implemented in such a way that backup network traffic is separated from the servers and their network.