Application-Level I/O Splitter for Continuous Data Replication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional data protection systems, such as tape backup drives and data replication systems, face challenges including system shutdown during backups, limited recovery points, and lengthy data recovery processes, which hinder continuous data protection and minimize downtime during disasters.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a splitter at the production site that intercepts logical level commands, creates a replica, and transmits it to a replication site, using a five-state journaling process for efficient data replication and rollback capabilities, allowing for near-instantaneous recovery to any specified point in time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If tape backup drives are used for data protection, then data can be stored periodically, but the system must shut down during backup and recovery takes a long time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous data replication that operates in the background before any disaster occurs, maintaining up-to-date copies of production data at remote sites. This preliminary action ensures that when a disaster strikes, recovery can immediately begin with minimal downtime, eliminating the need for system shutdown during backup operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates and maintains continuous copies of production site data at remote replication sites. By implementing real-time data copying through journaling mechanisms, the system ensures that recovered data is immediately available at the remote site without requiring the production system to shut down, thus maintaining system availability while ensuring data protection.
2Reliability
If daily tape backups are performed, then data protection is achieved, but recovery points are limited to daily intervals resulting in hours of data loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous data replication that operates without interruption, continuously capturing and transmitting data changes from the production site to the remote site. This continuous action ensures that every data change is recorded and can be recovered, eliminating the daily backup intervals that cause hours of data loss and enabling recovery to any specific point in time.
3Reliability
If conventional data replication is used, then data can be replicated to secondary storage, but the recovery process itself takes a long time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-replicates all data to remote sites continuously before any disaster occurs, so that when recovery is needed, the data is already available at the remote location. This preliminary preparation eliminates the lengthy data transfer time that plagues conventional replication systems, enabling immediate recovery without time-consuming data movement.
4Reliability
If continuous data protection with journaling is implemented, then recovery to any point in time is enabled, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a journaling mechanism as an intermediary layer between the production file system and the replication process. This journal captures all data changes in a structured format that can be easily replayed for recovery to any point in time. The journal acts as a mediator that simplifies the recovery process while maintaining continuous protection, managing the complexity through standardized logging procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
Example embodiments of the present invention relate to a method, an apparatus and a computer-program product for replicating logical level commands. The method comprises intercepting a logical level command at a splitter at a production site and creating a replica of the logical level command at the production site. The replica of the logical level command is then transmitted from the production site to a replication site.