Horizontal File Stacking for Deduplication Retention Locking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data backup systems face inefficiencies when retention locking large namespaces, requiring significant computing resources and time due to the need to read, write, and enumerate millions of files, which can lead to namespace management issues and application quiescence during the copying process.
Innovation Solution
The method involves generating snapshots of a shared protection namespace, creating point-in-time copies, and stacking individual files into horizontal files with a flat structure, allowing for efficient retention locking by reducing the number of files that need to be processed, thereby minimizing computing resource usage and application downtime.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual files are copied to another namespace and retention locked one by one, then data protection is achieved, but computing resources and time are excessively consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges millions of individual files into a single horizontal file structure, where all files are stacked together with their metadata. This consolidation allows the retention lock to be applied to the entire namespace at once rather than enumerating and locking each file individually, dramatically reducing computing resource consumption while maintaining data protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the namespace into a hierarchical structure with a root horizontal file containing stacked files, intermediate horizontal files for organizing subsets of files, and leaf horizontal files for individual files. This segmentation enables efficient enumeration and locking by processing at the horizontal file level rather than individual file level.
2Reliability
If files are copied to another physical namespace for retention locking, then data integrity is maintained, but application quiescence occurs during copying
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a copy of the namespace structure in the backup storage device, organizing files into horizontal files with a flat structure. This copy operation is performed efficiently by stacking files rather than copying them individually, maintaining data integrity while minimizing the time the application must remain quiesced.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary organization of files into horizontal file structures during the backup process, so that when retention locking is needed, the files are already consolidated and ready for efficient locking without requiring additional application quiescence time.
3Reliability
If the entire namespace is enumerated for retention locking, then all files are protected, but computing resources are depleted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges all file metadata and data into a consolidated horizontal file structure, allowing the retention lock mechanism to operate on the namespace as a whole rather than enumerating each file individually. This reduces computing resource usage from O(n) where n is the number of files to O(1) for the locking operation itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces horizontal files as an intermediary structure between individual files and the retention lock mechanism. These horizontal files serve as containers that group stacked files, enabling the lock to be applied to the namespace through the horizontal file structure without directly enumerating individual files.
4Reliability
If millions of files are processed individually, then data protection coverage is complete, but namespace management becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges millions of individual file management operations into a unified horizontal file structure where files are stacked and organized by intermediate horizontal files. This simplifies namespace management by providing a flat, consistent interface for retention locking regardless of the underlying number of individual files.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the namespace organization from a traditional hierarchical directory structure to a flat horizontal file structure with multiple dimensions of organization (root horizontal files, intermediate horizontal files, and leaf horizontal files). This dimensional reorganization simplifies management operations while maintaining complete protection coverage.
Data Source
AI summary
One example method includes generating first and second snapshots of a shared protection namespace of a backup storage device. The first snapshot includes a first working frozen copy of an active namespace and the second snapshot includes a second work working frozen copy of the active namespace. First and second point-in-time copies of the first and second working frozen copies are generated in the shared protection namespace. The first point-in-time copy includes first files extracted from the first working frozen copy and that are stacked in at least one first horizontal file. The second point-in-time copy includes the second files included in the second working frozen copy that are stacked in at least one second horizontal file. A retention lock is applied to the at least one first and second horizontal files.