Immutable Unique Identifiers for Database Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing data protection systems face challenges in efficiently managing and protecting assets like databases, especially when database identifiers change, leading to data loss and unavailability.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of immutable unique identifiers for assets, which are generated based on asset attributes and remain unchanged throughout the asset's lifetime, allowing for effective protection and management of assets across system changes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If database identifiers are updated to reflect changes in protection policies or system updates, then the system becomes more adaptable to new requirements, but existing asset protection associations are broken leading to data loss and unavailability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to protection policy changesVSAvoiddata availability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the identifier system into two distinct parts: immutable unique identifiers that permanently identify assets, and mutable database identifiers that reflect current protection policies. This segmentation allows the system to adapt to policy changes while maintaining reliable asset identification and protection associations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If database identifiers change with protection policy updates, then the system can reflect current protection status, but copies created before the update are no longer associated with the asset

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereflection of current protection statusVSAvoidloss of asset copy associations

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by assigning immutable unique identifiers to assets before any protection policy changes occur. These identifiers serve as permanent anchors that pre-establish reliable associations between assets and their protection status, ensuring that copies remain correctly associated even as protection policies evolve.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If the system uses mutable database identifiers to track protection policies, then policy changes are easily reflected, but asset protection continuity is broken during system updates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of policy updatesVSAvoidprotection continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces immutable unique identifiers as intermediaries between assets and protection policies. These intermediaries enable easy policy updates through mutable database identifiers while simultaneously maintaining reliable protection continuity through the permanent association established by the immutable identifiers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS12321239B2Managing database protection after updating the data manager to utilize immutable unique identifiers

Publication Date: 2025.06.03 DELL PROD LP

AI summary

In general, the technology relates to A method for managing databases, the method includes receiving a database identifier (DID) for a database, generating, using the DID, a unique identifier (UID) for the database, making a first determination that the UID does not exist in any agent service records, based on the first determination, making a second determination that at least one backup copy of the database exists, based on the second determination: creating an agent service record that comprises the UID and a tag, wherein a value of the tag is DIRTY, initiating copy discovery of the database, and receiving a notification that the copy discovery has been completed, wherein after the notification, requests from a data manager comprising the UID are permitted to be provided to an agent, wherein the request a backup request or request for copy discovery.