Journal Logger for Continuous Data Recovery Between Backups

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional backup systems lose data created after the last scheduled backup, making it difficult to recover information between scheduled backups efficiently.

Innovation Solution

Implementing an interceptor that continuously monitors input/output operations from user applications, generates meta-information packets for significant events, and uses a distributor to route this information to a journal logger for storage and management, enabling efficient data protection and recovery between scheduled backups.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional scheduled backup systems are used, then system simplicity is maintained, but data loss occurs between backups

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata recovery capabilityVSAvoidbackup system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by continuously capturing and storing data changes in a journal before scheduled backups occur. This continuous journaling creates intermediate recovery points that allow data recovery between scheduled backups, resolving the contradiction by preparing recovery capability in advance without requiring complex continuous backup infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

A journal logger acts as an intermediary component between the file system and backup system. It captures data changes and stores them in a journal, serving as a bridge that enables data recovery between scheduled backups without requiring the entire backup system to operate continuously, thus improving reliability while maintaining relative system simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of information

If continuous data monitoring is implemented, then data loss is minimized, but system resource consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata loss between backupsVSAvoidsystem resource consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts only the essential data change information and stores it in a compact journal format, rather than continuously monitoring and backing up all data. By taking out only the necessary change metadata and critical data portions, the system minimizes data loss while reducing the computational overhead and resource consumption associated with continuous monitoring.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements partial monitoring by focusing on capturing data changes in the journal rather than continuously copying all data. This partial action approach captures sufficient information for recovery between backups without the excessive resource consumption of full continuous backup, achieving an optimal balance between data protection and resource usage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Reliability

If all data changes are captured and stored, then complete data recovery is possible, but storage space consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata recovery completenessVSAvoidstorage space requirement
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates a journal as a compact copy of data changes rather than storing full data replicas. The journal contains metadata and essential change information that enables complete data recovery when combined with the latest backup, significantly reducing storage space requirements while maintaining recovery completeness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The system discards redundant full data copies and keeps only the essential change information in the journal. When recovery is needed, the system recovers data by applying journal entries to the base backup, thereby achieving complete recovery capability with minimal storage space consumption by discarding unnecessary duplicate data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Data Source

PatentUS9454440B2Versatile information management
Publication Date: 2016.09.27 EMC IP HLDG CO LLC
  • US9454440B2 patent drawing
  • US9454440B2 patent drawing
  • US9454440B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A method for information management comprises intercepting an output from an application; distributing packets according to a routing scheme, wherein the packets are associated with the output, and wherein distributing the packets may occur when the application is associated with a first operating system, and may also occur when the application is associated with a second operating system; and storing the packets.