OS-Independent File Exclusion via iSCSI Differencing Disks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing backup systems lack an OS-independent method for excluding files from backups, particularly in block-based backup systems where not all volume managers provide snapshotting capabilities, leading to platform-specific implementations.

Innovation Solution

The method involves using the iSCSI protocol to create snapshots and differencing disks, allowing for the exclusion of files based on predefined or user-specified lists, and utilizing native OS APIs to manage the exclusion process, ensuring compatibility across different operating systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If snapshotting capabilities are used to exclude files from backup, then file exclusion functionality is achieved, but platform compatibility deteriorates because not all volume managers provide snapshotting capabilities

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefile exclusion functionalityVSAvoidplatform compatibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary differencing disk that acts as a mediator between the backup system and the volume manager. Instead of directly relying on volume manager snapshotting capabilities, the system creates a differencing disk that captures changes, allowing file exclusion to work across different platforms and volume managers that may not natively support the required snapshotting operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If platform-specific implementations are used for exclude list, then snapshotting functionality is optimized for each platform, but system complexity increases due to multiple implementation versions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesnapshotting functionalityVSAvoidimplementation versions

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal differencing disk mechanism that can function across multiple platforms and backup systems. The differencing disk approach is designed to be platform-agnostic, allowing the same file exclusion logic to work on different operating systems and with different volume managers, thereby reducing the need for multiple platform-specific implementations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If entire save set is backed up, then completeness is ensured, but storage efficiency deteriorates due to inclusion of trivial data

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebackup completenessVSAvoidstorage efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts unwanted files from the backup process by using the differencing disk to identify and exclude specific files based on predefined criteria. The system monitors changes to the differencing disk and selectively excludes certain files from being included in the final backup image, thereby removing trivial data while maintaining backup completeness for important files.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS10585757B1Authorization-based file exclusion technique for block-based storage

Publication Date: 2020.03.10 EMC IP HLDG CO LLC

AI summary

One embodiment is related to a method for excluding files from a backup image file during a backup operation, comprising: determining files to be excluded from the backup image; taking a first snapshot of a source volume; exposing an iSCSI (Internet Small Computer System Interface) disk with the first snapshot being a target; deleting files to be excluded from the exposed iSCSI disk; taking a second snapshot of the exposed iSCSI disk; and streaming the second snapshot of the exposed iSCSI disk to create a save set in a virtual disk file on a backup medium.