Format-Specific Synthetic Full Backup Generation Across File Servers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data storage management systems face challenges in generating synthetic full backup copies in a format specific to the file server due to differences in how file servers format, arrange, index, and retrieve data, making it difficult to modify or generate backup copies across different makes and models.
Innovation Solution
An improved system that identifies the format of full backup copies and generates another full backup copy in the same format, using components like storage manager, data agents, and media agents to create format-specific synthetic full backup copies, reducing resource consumption and load on the production environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If synthetic full backup copies are generated from existing backup files, then resource consumption is reduced and load on production environment is lighter, but format compatibility issues arise due to different backup formats used by various file servers
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the format parameter of backup copies by detecting the source file server's backup format and transforming the synthetic backup into that specific format. This allows the backup system to adapt to different file server formats while maintaining the resource efficiency of synthetic backups.
Solution Approach 2:
The backup system dynamically adjusts its behavior based on the detected format of the source backup files. By identifying the specific backup format used by different file servers, the system can generate synthetic backups that are compatible with the target format requirements, resolving the adaptability issue.
2Adaptability or versatility
If backup copies are generated in a unified format, then format compatibility is improved, but the ability to leverage format-specific features and protocols of different file servers is lost
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a single unified format, the system changes the format parameter to match the specific requirements of each file server type. This allows backup copies to be generated in format-specific ways that optimize for each file server's protocols and features while maintaining overall system compatibility.
3Adaptability or versatility
If file-server-created backup copies are directly used, then format-specific features are preserved, but modification and generation of new backup copies becomes difficult due to format differences
Solution Approach 1:
The backup system acts as an intermediary that receives backup copies in various file server-specific formats, detects their format characteristics, and transforms them into a unified format that can be easily modified and processed. This mediator approach simplifies the complexity of working with multiple formats.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the format parameter of the backup copies to a standardized representation, making modification and generation operations simpler while preserving the essential format-specific features through parameter transformation rather than direct manipulation of complex format structures.
Data Source
AI summary
Certain embodiments described herein relate to an improved synthetic full backup image generation system. In some embodiments, one or more components in an information management system can identify a file-server-created backup copy in a particular backup format of a plurality of backup formats, determine structure information associated with the particular backup format, and generate a synthetic full backup copy according to the structure information, where the synthetic full backup copy is also in the particular backup format identical to that of the file-server-created backup copy.