File Backup and Restoration Within Service Boundary

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current network-based file hosting and collaboration services face challenges in efficiently restoring files compromised by events like ransomware attacks, as they require third-party backup services, increasing restoration time and management overhead, and exposing files to security risks due to external data transmission.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a system that backs up and restores files within the service boundary using a metadata database and a binary large object (blob) store, where file metadata is mutable and content is immutable, reducing the need for third-party services and enhancing security by limiting data exposure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If third-party backup service is used to export and store file versions externally, then file backup capability is provided, but restoration time increases and productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefile backup capabilityVSAvoidrestoration speed

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the backup service with the file hosting service by storing file versions within the same service boundary. The file hosting service directly stores and manages multiple versions of files without requiring external third-party backup services, enabling rapid restoration by simply retrieving previous versions from internal storage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by automatically creating and storing multiple versions of files within the service boundary as files are uploaded or modified. These versions are pre-stored in the file hosting service's storage infrastructure, ready for immediate retrieval and restoration without requiring external communication during restoration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If third-party backup service is used for file exportation and importation, then file versioning is achieved, but management overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefile versioningVSAvoidmanagement overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines file versioning functionality directly within the file hosting service. The service automatically manages multiple file versions using its existing metadata and storage infrastructure, eliminating the need for separate third-party backup services and their associated access control configurations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The file hosting service performs self-service by automatically creating, storing, and managing file versions without requiring external backup services. The service uses its own authentication and access control mechanisms to protect file versions, eliminating the need for tenants to configure additional security settings for backup operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If files are communicated to third-party backup service via public networks, then backup functionality is provided, but security exposure increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebackup functionalityVSAvoidsecurity risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges backup functionality within the service boundary, storing file versions in the same secure environment as the original files. All operations occur through internal service mechanisms without external communication, eliminating security risks associated with public network transmission to third-party services.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Reliability

If third-party backup service is used for file restoration, then file recovery capability is provided, but restoration time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefile recovery capabilityVSAvoidrestoration time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines file recovery capability within the file hosting service by storing multiple file versions internally. Restoration is achieved by retrieving previous versions from the service's own storage infrastructure without requiring communication with external third-party services, significantly reducing restoration time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-storing multiple file versions within the service boundary as files are uploaded or modified. When restoration is needed, the system can immediately retrieve the required version from internal storage without waiting for data transfer from external backup services.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12197296B1Optimizing the backup and restoration of files within a service

Publication Date: 2025.01.14 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

The system described herein provides the ability to efficiently back up and restore files within a service, such as a network-based file hosting service or a collaboration service. The system is configured to improve file restoration (may also be referred to as recovery) that occurs in response to an event (may also be referred to as an incident) that compromises a tenant device on which the files reside, thereby preventing access to the files or corrupting the files that are available to the tenant. An example of an event includes a ransomware attack. The described system utilizes a set of defined resources within a boundary to back up tenant files and restore the files. The resources include a metadata database and a blob store. The system combines mutable metadata with immutable content objects within the service to provide faster restoration than the conventional approach.