Dynamic Data Segment Boundary Adjustment for Backup Redundancy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data archival and backup systems face inefficiencies when handling large data objects, particularly in identifying and storing unique segments of files like MSOutlook .pst files, as they often require re-backup of unchanged data due to fixed segment sizing and alignment issues.
Innovation Solution
A system that generates candidate segments with adjustable sizes, compares boundary parameters and checksums to identify matching segments, and consolidates segments to maintain optimal storage efficiency, allowing for flexible alignment and reduced data redundancy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If fixed segment sizing and alignment is used for data segmentation, then device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but data redundancy increases and storage efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic segment boundaries that can shift positions based on content similarity detection. Instead of fixed segment sizes and positions, the system allows segments to be repositioned and resized to optimize matching with backup segments, thereby reducing data redundancy while maintaining operational simplicity through automated boundary adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes segment parameters (size, position, boundaries) dynamically based on content analysis. By modifying these parameters to achieve better matching with existing backup segments, the system reduces the amount of redundant data that needs to be stored, directly addressing the contradiction between ease of operation and data redundancy.
2Measurement precision
If candidate segments are generated with offset positions to handle data shifts, then measurement precision is improved for identifying unique segments, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the data object into multiple candidate segments with different offset positions. By segmenting the comparison process into multiple offset trials, the system achieves precise identification of unique segments while managing complexity through structured division of the comparison task into manageable sub-comparisons.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs partial comparisons by testing a limited range of offset positions rather than all possible positions. This partial action approach achieves sufficient measurement precision for identifying unique segments while avoiding the excessive complexity of exhaustive comparison across all possible offsets.
3Manufacturing precision
If semantic analysis is performed to calculate boundary parameters, then manufacturing precision is improved for segment identification, but use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs semantic analysis and boundary parameter calculation as preliminary actions during the initial segmentation phase. By completing these computationally intensive tasks before the main backup operation, the system achieves high precision in segment identification while managing energy consumption by front-loading the computational work rather than performing it repeatedly during comparison operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A data backup system can be operable to determine whether to send a data file segment to backup storage. The data backup system can comprise a comparator operable to compare a boundary parameter of a candidate segment proposed for sending to backup storage to a boundary parameter of a previously stored segment to determine whether the candidate segment potentially corresponds to the previously stored segment. The data backup system can also comprise a comparator operable, if it is determined that the candidate segment potentially corresponds to the previously stored segment, to compare a checksum value for the candidate segment to a checksum value for the previously stored segment to determine whether the candidate segment has previously been stored to the second location. A storage engine can be provided to send to backup storage a segment determined not to have previously been stored. Thereby a single instance store can be implemented whereby a modified segment can be identified and a segment boundary adjusted to avoid re-storage of previously stored data.