File Restoration Using Journal and Target Disk Replicas
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current data protection systems face challenges in efficiently restoring files from a recovery system to a specific point in time, particularly in object-based storage systems, where managing metadata and content entries across a journal and target disk is complex, leading to inefficiencies in fail-over and file recovery processes.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize a journal and target disk to generate replicas of files by creating a table of content mapping files to their locations, using region-locators to identify last write operations, and combining data from both storage components to produce accurate file replicas at specified time points, thereby enabling efficient file restoration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a journal and target disk are used to store data and metadata of write operations, then file restoration precision to a specific point in time is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The storage system is segmented into two distinct components: a journal for storing data and metadata of write operations, and a target disk for storing replica data. This segmentation allows precise tracking of write operations in the journal while maintaining a stable replica on the target disk, enabling accurate file restoration to specific time points without requiring a completely complex unified system.
Solution Approach 2:
The journal acts as an intermediary between the protected storage system and the target disk. It captures and stores metadata of write operations, serving as a bridge that enables precise tracking of data changes. This intermediary structure allows the system to achieve high restoration precision by referencing journal entries without requiring direct complex interactions between all system components.
2Productivity
If a table of content mapping files to locations is generated from the journal and target disk, then file location extraction efficiency is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
A table of content is pre-generated and maintained in the journal, mapping files to their locations on the target disk. This preliminary action ensures that when file restoration is needed, the system can quickly extract file locations from the pre-existing table without performing time-consuming searches or analysis during the restoration process itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The journal maintains its own table of content structure that automatically tracks file locations as write operations occur. This self-service mechanism allows the journal to provide location information directly without requiring external processing or complex queries, improving extraction efficiency while minimizing additional processing time.
3Manufacturing precision
If region-locators are used to identify last write operations in the journal, then data restoration accuracy is improved, but storage overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
Region-locators are extracted and maintained within the journal structure itself, specifically tracking the last write operation for each region or block. By taking out only the essential location information needed for restoration accuracy and storing it compactly in the journal, the system achieves high restoration accuracy without requiring excessive storage overhead for redundant data copies.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for generating replicas of a file of a protected storage system from protected data in a recovery system. The method including protecting data in a recovery system including a target disk configured to store a replica of the protected storage system from a before a time window and a journal including data and metadata of write operations to the protected storage system that occurred during the time window, obtaining a request to restore a file and an indication of a specified time point from which the file should be restored, generating a replica of a table of content of a file system of the protected storage system from the journal and the target disk, extracting location of the file from the table of content, and generating a replica of the file from the journal and the target disk, using the extracted file location.