Failover Cluster Application Transparent Availability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing failover cluster technologies require application downtime and manual storage resource dependency changes for disaster recovery, leading to extended downtime due to the need for physical disk resource mapping changes after the application is moved to a new location.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for automatically configuring an application to run on a new site before coming online, allowing seamless failover and failback by modifying the cluster physical disk resource to physical data store mapping and maintaining cluster-wide replication state, enabling automatic role switching and resource adjustments based on availability and connectivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If synchronous block replication is used in a failover cluster environment, then data replication between sites is achieved, but application downtime and manual storage resource dependency changes are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the cluster physical disk resource to physical data store mapping before the application is moved to the new location. This preliminary action ensures that storage resources are already configured and ready when the application fails over, eliminating the need for manual changes after application migration and reducing application downtime.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically performs the storage resource dependency changes without requiring manual intervention. The failover cluster service automatically updates the mapping between physical disk resources and physical data stores when a failover event occurs, enabling self-service automation of the disaster recovery workflow.
2Adaptability or versatility
If physical disk resource to physical data store mapping changes are made after application move, then storage resource dependency is updated, but extended application downtime results
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs the storage resource mapping changes before the application is brought back up on the new location. By preparing the storage infrastructure in advance, the system ensures that when the application fails over, it can immediately access the required data stores without waiting for configuration changes, thus reducing downtime.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of updating storage resource dependencies after the application has been moved (the traditional approach), the patent inverts the sequence by updating the mapping before the application move. This reversal of the operational sequence eliminates the downtime that would otherwise be required for post-migration configuration.
3Ease of manufacture
If manual storage resource dependency changes are performed, then storage configuration is updated, but automation level decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The failover cluster service automatically performs the storage resource dependency changes without requiring manual administrator intervention. When a failover event occurs, the system self-manages the updating of physical disk resource to physical data store mappings, eliminating manual steps and increasing automation of the disaster recovery workflow.
Solution Approach 2:
The system monitors the state of the failover cluster and automatically triggers storage resource mapping updates based on detected failover events. This feedback mechanism ensures that storage configuration changes are performed automatically in response to actual system conditions, increasing automation while maintaining configuration accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a system and method for automatically moving an application from one site to another site in the event of a disaster. Prior to coming back online the application is configured with information to allow it to run on the new site without having to perform the configuration actions after the application has come online. This enables a seamless experience to the user of the application while also reducing the associated downtime for the application.