File System Journal Summarizing Backup Operations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional backup systems are inefficient as they recopy files even if only metadata or access control list changes are made, leading to unnecessary resource consumption and costs, as they mark files as changed due to actions like viewing, moving, or renaming, even if the file content remains unchanged.
Innovation Solution
A method that summarizes file system operations using a hierarchical tree algorithm, logging changes in a journal and parsing them to determine actual file and directory changes, allowing only specific changes to be recorded and backed up, avoiding the recopying of unchanged file content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional backup systems copy every file marked as changed, then backup completeness is ensured, but processing resources and time are unnecessarily wasted recopying unchanged file content
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the file change detection process into two distinct parts: metadata change detection and content change detection. By separating these functions, the system can identify which files have actual content changes versus which only have metadata changes, allowing selective backup of only the necessary files and avoiding unnecessary recopying of unchanged content.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a content change detection mechanism as an intermediary between the file system journal and the backup process. This intermediary verifies actual content changes by comparing file content hashes or using content-aware detection methods, filtering out false positives from metadata-only changes before files are marked for backup.
2Reliability
If backup systems recopy entire files when marked as changed, then data integrity is maintained, but storage resources and processing costs increase unnecessarily
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by performing content change detection on only those files that have metadata changes, rather than checking all files. This selective approach reduces the overall processing energy consumption while still maintaining data integrity for files that actually changed, avoiding the excessive action of recopying all files marked as changed.
3Measurement precision
If files are marked as changed due to metadata operations like viewing or moving, then change tracking is comprehensive, but backup operations become inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments change detection into metadata change detection and content change detection. This segmentation allows the system to accurately track all types of changes (maintaining measurement precision) while simultaneously identifying which changes actually require backup, thereby improving backup operation speed by avoiding unnecessary copies.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of assuming all metadata changes indicate content changes and backing up accordingly, the patent inverts the logic by assuming metadata changes do NOT indicate content changes unless verified. This inversion reduces unnecessary backup operations while maintaining accurate change tracking through content verification when needed.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments include methods, apparatus, and systems for summarizing file system operations with a file system journal. One embodiment includes a method that stores journal operations for files in a journal file system into a hierarchical tree. The method then summarizes changes made to the files in the hierarchical tree to determine which files require being read and backed up due to changes to content and which files have change but do not require being read and backed up.