Incremental Backup Restoration Using Allocated Storage Indicators
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current system backup technologies relying on incremental backups face inefficiencies and data integrity issues due to long backup chains, which can lead to corruption and increased restoration time and memory requirements.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a method that sets allocated electronic storage indicators to compare with prior backups in reverse chronological order, using data structures like bitmaps and run lists to identify and restore only necessary backups, thereby reducing the backup chain length and ensuring data integrity by adding increments to incremental backups.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If incremental backups are used without periodic full backups, then backup time and storage requirements are reduced, but data integrity risk increases due to potential corruption in backup chains
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing integrity validation of backup data before using it for restoration. The system validates backup chains proactively to detect corruption before it affects restoration operations, allowing the use of incremental backups while mitigating data integrity risks through pre-checks of backup consistency and completeness
2Adaptability or versatility
If a long backup chain is used for restoration, then incremental backups can be used without periodic full backups, but restoration time and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary backup data needed for restoration by identifying and validating specific segments of the backup chain. Instead of processing the entire long backup chain, the system extracts and validates only the critical portions required for successful restoration, significantly reducing restoration time and processing requirements while maintaining backup strategy flexibility
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms that monitor backup chain integrity and provide real-time information about backup validity. This feedback allows the restoration system to quickly identify which backup segments are usable and which are corrupted, enabling faster restoration decisions and reducing overall restoration time by avoiding processing of invalid backup portions
3Quantity of substance
If incremental backups are used, then storage requirements are reduced compared to full backups, but the risk of corruption persisting through the backup chain increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the potential harm of backup chain corruption into a beneficial validation process. By implementing integrity validation that actively detects corruption in incremental backups, the system transforms the risk factor into a protective mechanism that identifies and isolates corrupted segments before they can affect restoration, allowing efficient incremental backup storage while mitigating corruption risks
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for providing incremental backup restoration are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a computer implemented method for providing incremental backup restoration comprising setting one or more allocated electronic storage indicators each indicating an allocated portion of electronic storage, comparing the one or more allocated electronic storage indicators with one or more prior backups in reverse chronological order starting from a most recent backup and proceeding until all of the one or more allocated electronic storage indicators have been identified in the one or more prior backups, and restoring the one or more prior backups corresponding to the one or more allocated electronic storage indicators.