Dynamic Active Persistence Recovery Quorum for Distributed Data Grids

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Solution Overview

Problem

In distributed data grids, conventional quorum policies require manual configuration by administrators and do not adapt to changes in cluster membership, leading to potential overloading of storage members during recovery, which can result in data loss or system instability.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a dynamic active persistence recovery quorum policy that automatically configures and modifies recovery requirements based on real-time cluster membership data, ensuring that recovery only commences when sufficient storage members are available, thus preventing overloading and ensuring graceful partition recovery.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional quorum policies are used with manual configuration, then system setup is simple and straightforward, but the system cannot adapt to changes in cluster membership leading to storage member overloading

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to cluster membership changesVSAvoidquorum policy configuration complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically determines quorum requirements and configures recovery policies without administrator intervention. The persistence coordinator dynamically calculates the number of storage members needed based on real-time cluster membership, eliminating manual configuration while adapting to cluster changes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The quorum policy transitions from static manual configuration to dynamic automatic adjustment. The system continuously monitors cluster membership and adjusts the number of required storage members for recovery accordingly, ensuring adaptability without requiring reconfiguration by administrators.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If recovery commences immediately after failure, then data recovery speed is maximized, but storage members may be overloaded causing system instability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata recovery speedVSAvoidsystem stability during recovery

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary determination of the appropriate number of storage members needed for recovery before actually commencing the recovery process. This preliminary calculation ensures that recovery starts only when sufficient storage members are available, preventing overloading while maintaining efficient recovery speed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from cluster membership information to dynamically adjust recovery parameters. The persistence coordinator monitors the available storage members and uses this feedback to determine when the quorum requirement is satisfied, ensuring recovery proceeds only under stable conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Extent of automation

If manual quorum configuration is used, then initial setup is straightforward, but the system requires continuous administrator intervention for cluster changes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomatic quorum configurationVSAvoidtime for administrator intervention

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The persistence coordinator automatically determines quorum requirements and updates recovery policies in response to cluster membership changes without requiring administrator intervention. This self-service mechanism eliminates the time loss associated with manual reconfiguration while maintaining accurate quorum settings.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Reliability

If recovery is delayed to ensure sufficient storage members are available, then storage member overloading is prevented, but recovery time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprevention of storage member overloadingVSAvoidrecovery time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10769019B2System and method for data recovery in a distributed data computing environment implementing active persistence

Publication Date: 2020.09.08 ORACLE INT CORP

AI summary

A system and method for automatic recovery of actively persisted data in a distributed data grid. A dynamic active recovery quorum function determines the number of cluster storage members that must be available before recovery starts. The use of the dynamic active recovery quorum allows time for a cluster to start and ensures that partitions can be recovered gracefully without overloading too few storage members. The dynamic active recovery quorum function automatically configures the recovery quorum based on a predefined algorithm and data collected about cluster membership during cluster operation prior to the catastrophic failure or shut down for planned maintenance.