Item-Level Restoration from Image Backups via Virtualization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional data backup and recovery methods require application item-level processing, leading to slower backup performance, larger backup files with redundant data, and unreliable recoverability verification, as they often necessitate full extraction and manual testing, which is time-consuming and resource-intensive, making it impractical to regularly verify the recoverability of image-level backups.
Innovation Solution
The system enables direct restoration and verification of application-level items from image-level backups without prior incremental restorations, using existing APIs and virtual storage to access data within image-level backups, eliminating the need for full extraction and manual configuration, and allowing automated backup verification using standard APIs and virtualization technologies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If conventional item backup techniques are used to enable item-level restoration, then data availability for restoration is improved, but backup performance deteriorates and backup file size increases due to redundant data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges image-level backup and item-level backup into a single unified process. The backup agent performs both types of backup simultaneously, capturing the complete image and extracting individual application items in one operation, thereby eliminating redundant data and improving backup performance while ensuring data availability for both full restoration and item-level recovery
Solution Approach 2:
The backup system is designed to serve multiple functions: it performs image-level backup for complete system restoration, item-level backup for selective data recovery, and automatic verification of backup integrity. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate backup processes and reduces overall backup time and storage requirements
2Loss of information
If conventional item backup techniques are used to enable item-level restoration, then data availability for restoration is improved, but backup file size increases due to redundant data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges image-level backup and item-level backup into a single unified process. The backup agent performs both types of backup simultaneously, capturing the complete image and extracting individual application items in one operation, thereby eliminating redundant data and improving backup performance while ensuring data availability for both full restoration and item-level recovery
3Ease of operation
If reverse-engineering of proprietary binary storage format is used for item-level restoration, then restoration capability is achieved, but reliability deteriorates due to undocumented APIs and proprietary structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses official vendor-provided copying mechanisms and documented APIs to access and restore application items from the backup image. Instead of reverse-engineering proprietary formats, the solution leverages legitimate interfaces provided by the backup software vendor, ensuring reliable and supported restoration operations that remain functional across software updates
4Reliability
If full extraction of image-level backup is performed for verification, then recoverability verification is achieved, but time and system resources increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs partial verification by randomly selecting and restoring a subset of application items from the backup image rather than extracting and verifying the entire backup. This partial action approach provides sufficient confidence in backup recoverability while dramatically reducing verification time and system resource requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary verification during the backup process itself by automatically testing the restoration of selected items immediately after backup completion. This preliminary action ensures backup validity is confirmed before the backup is closed, eliminating the need for time-consuming separate verification operations
5Ease of operation
If full extraction of image-level backup is performed for verification, then backup contents can be read, but disk space and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the specific application items needed for verification or restoration from the compressed backup image, rather than extracting the entire backup contents. This selective extraction approach maintains accessibility to required data while minimizing disk space requirements during verification and restoration operations
6Quantity of substance
If deduplication is applied to decrease backup file size, then storage efficiency is improved, but restoration time increases due to non-native format
Solution Approach 1:
The backup system merges deduplication compression with native format preservation by implementing deduplication at the block level while maintaining the overall backup structure in a format optimized for rapid restoration. This allows the system to achieve small backup file sizes through deduplication while preserving fast restoration capabilities through format optimization
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and methods for item-level restoration from and verification of an image level backup without fully extracting it. The method receives backup parameters and selection of an image level backup to restore or verify and initializes virtual storage. The method attaches the virtual storage to a hypervisor to launch a virtual machine (VM) to test and restore data objects. The method stores VM virtual disk data changes resulting from restoration and verification in a changes storage. The method optionally reconfigures VMs to use an isolated network. The method optionally uses a routing appliance to provide access to VMs running in the isolated network from a production network. The method determines if the VM operating system (OS) is able to start using restored copies of selected data objects and tests applications associated with selected data objects. The method displays restoration and test results in an interface and automatically delivers the results.