Headstart Restore Volume Boot Record Invalidation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current backup and restore methods are inefficient, leading to prolonged downtime when restoring data from backups, especially for large volumes, as they require shutting down systems and can take hours or days to transfer data, and cannot perform restores while the source volume is still operational.
Innovation Solution
The method involves invalidating the boot segment of a target volume's boot record, storing headstart restore information, writing backup data to the volume, removing the information, and revalidating the boot segment, allowing for a restore process to begin while the backup is ongoing, reducing downtime by enabling incremental and synthetic backup creation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional backup and restore methods are used, then data can be restored from backups, but the system must be shut down and downtime is prolonged (hours or days for large volumes)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by creating a restore-capable volume (second volume) in advance while the source system is still operational. The boot segment is invalidated to prevent mounting, but the volume structure is prepared and data transfer begins before the source becomes unavailable. This allows the restore process to start ahead of time, reducing downtime when the source volume needs to be restored.
2Productivity
If the source volume remains operational during backup, then system availability is maintained, but the restore process cannot begin until the backup is complete
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by initializing the target volume structure and starting data transfer while the source volume remains operational. The boot segment invalidation allows the target volume to be prepared without mounting conflicts, enabling restore准备工作 to proceed concurrently with normal source system operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an intermediary mechanism by introducing a target volume with an invalidated boot segment as a intermediate storage structure. This intermediary allows data to be transferred from the operational source volume to a prepared restore target, decoupling the source system availability from the restore process initiation.
3Loss of time
If the boot segment is invalidated to enable restore operations, then restore can begin early, but the volume cannot be mounted or accessed normally
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by selectively invalidating only the boot segment of the volume boot record while leaving the rest of the volume structure intact. This localized modification prevents the entire volume from being mounted (which would conflict with restore operations) while preserving the data structure and enabling restore functionality. The boot segment is the specific local area modified to achieve the desired behavior.
Data Source
AI summary
Headstart restore of a first volume to a second volume. In one example embodiment, a method for headstart restore of a first volume to a second volume may include invalidating, on disk, a boot segment of a volume boot record of the second volume, storing headstart restore information in the second volume, while the boot segment of the volume boot record of the second volume remains invalidated, writing data from one or more backups of the first volume to a data segment of the second volume, removing the headstart restore information from the second volume, and revalidating, on disk, the boot segment of the volume boot record of the second volume.