Host Computer Disaster Recovery via Persistent Bootstrap Backup
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing computer system recovery methods, particularly in the context of anti-virus software failures, are unreliable and cumbersome, often resulting in catastrophic failures due to faulty pattern files or updates, with current solutions like quarantining files or using System Restore being inefficient and user-unfriendly.
Innovation Solution
A host computer disaster recovery system that identifies and saves critical resources during the bootstrap phase, monitors changes, and backs up these resources, allowing for a reliable and user-friendly recovery by restoring them from persistent storage in case of a failure, using kernel drivers and backup engines to manage file and registry modifications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If files are quarantined instead of deleted permanently, then file information is saved, but the file cannot be accessed or restored if the host computer has failed catastrophically
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by saving critical resources to persistent storage during the bootstrap phase before failures occur. The backup engine continuously monitors and saves critical resources (files, registry keys, drivers) to a dedicated persistent storage location, ensuring they are available for recovery even after catastrophic host computer failures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces persistent storage as an intermediary between the host computer and the saved critical resources. This intermediary storage mechanism decouples the availability of critical resources from the host computer's operational state, allowing resources to be stored independently and retrieved during recovery without requiring the failed host system.
2Reliability
If the Microsoft operating system System Restore function is used to recover the computer system, then recovery is possible, but the user must be knowledgeable about the computer and the entire process takes a great deal of time
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically identifying critical resources, monitoring their changes, and saving them to persistent storage without requiring user intervention. During recovery, the system automatically retrieves and restores these resources, eliminating the need for users to manually navigate through complex restore points or understand detailed system configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The backup engine performs preliminary actions during normal operation by continuously monitoring and saving critical resources to persistent storage. This pre-prepared backup infrastructure eliminates the need for users to manually create restore points or understand system configuration during recovery events.
3Reliability
If the Microsoft operating system System Restore function is used to recover the computer system, then recovery is possible, but the restore point may have been set several days previously and the entire process takes a great deal of time
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by saving critical resources to persistent storage during the bootstrap phase and continuously monitoring changes. This ensures that the most recent state of critical resources is always available for immediate recovery, eliminating the delay inherent in System Restore's several-day-old restore points.
Solution Approach 2:
The backup engine operates continuously, continuously monitoring and saving critical resources to persistent storage. This continuous operation ensures that critical resources are always up-to-date and ready for immediate recovery, eliminating the time loss associated with waiting for System Restore to process old restore points.
Data Source
AI summary
Critical resources are identified within a computer system such as operating system files, drivers, modules and registry keys that are used to bootstrap the computer. During a successful bootstrap, these resources are saved into persistent storage during the bootstrap phase. Changes to critical resources are monitored and these resources are backed up if they are changed. Upon computer system failure, steps of identifying the type of failure and an analysis of its root cause are optionally performed. A user is presented with a bootstrap menu and critical resources necessary to bootstrap the computer are retrieved from persistent storage and saved into their appropriate locations. A successful bootstrap is then performed of the computer system in order to recover from the failure.