Large Database Backup Decentralization Across Multi-Cloud Storage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing database backup solutions face challenges in maintaining database availability and continuity across multiple cloud environments due to interruptions, platform dependencies, and lack of transparency in backup transactions, leading to performance degradation or outage.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a backup poller and decentralizer system that monitors database backup operations and health checks storage targets, allowing backup transactions to be decentralized across different cloud environments, eliminating storage platform dependencies and ensuring transaction continuity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If database backup operations are centralized on single storage targets, then backup management is simplified, but system availability and continuity are reduced due to interruptions and platform dependencies

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebackup management complexityVSAvoiddatabase availability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the centralized backup system into a distributed architecture with multiple independent backup agents deployed across different cloud environments. Each agent independently manages backup operations for its designated storage target, eliminating the single point of failure while maintaining manageable complexity through modular design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a backup metadata database as an intermediary layer that coordinates between backup agents and storage targets. This metadata database tracks backup status, health checks, and transaction information across distributed environments, enabling centralized monitoring without centralized control, thus improving reliability while keeping management simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of manufacture

If backup operations depend on single storage platform, then integration is simplified, but adaptability across hybrid cloud environments is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveintegration simplicityVSAvoidcloud environment adaptability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal backup agent architecture that can operate across multiple cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP, private clouds) by implementing platform-agnostic interfaces. The backup agents use standardized protocols to interact with different storage targets, enabling the system to adapt to various cloud environments without requiring platform-specific integration complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs configuration parameters and metadata standards that can be dynamically adjusted to accommodate different cloud environments. The backup metadata database stores environment-specific parameters while maintaining a consistent operational framework, allowing the system to adapt to hybrid cloud architectures without sacrificing integration simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Loss of information

If backup transactions are monitored centrally, then oversight is improved, but transparency and health check reliability are reduced due to single point of failure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebackup transaction visibilityVSAvoidhealth check reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements local health check capabilities at each backup agent and storage target level, enabling distributed monitoring that maintains visibility into local backup transactions while avoiding the single point of failure associated with centralized monitoring. Each component performs self-diagnosis and reports status through the metadata database, ensuring continuous visibility and high reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent establishes feedback loops where backup agents continuously monitor storage target health and report status to the metadata database, which in turn provides feedback to administrators and triggers automated responses. This distributed feedback mechanism ensures comprehensive transaction visibility while maintaining system reliability through localized monitoring and reporting.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

4Ease of operation

If third-party backup tools are used, then backup functionality is provided, but system dependencies and potential outages increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebackup functionalityVSAvoidsystem independence
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements self-service backup capabilities where the database system performs its own backup operations through integrated agents and metadata management. This eliminates dependency on external third-party tools while maintaining ease of operation through automated backup processes, health checks, and recovery procedures built into the database system itself.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges backup functionality directly into the database system architecture by integrating backup agents, metadata management, and recovery procedures with the core database operations. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate third-party tools, reducing system dependencies while maintaining operational simplicity through unified backup management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS20250284596A1Optimizing large database backup transactions across multi substate cloud environments for improved database systems availability
Publication Date: 2025.09.11 SALESFORCE INC
  • US20250284596A1 patent drawing
  • US20250284596A1 patent drawing
  • US20250284596A1 patent drawing

AI summary

Disclosed are some implementations of systems, apparatus, methods and computer program products for optimizing database backup transactions. A backup poller in a private subnet tracks a database backup operation and detects a failure of the database backup operation. More particularly, the backup poller detects that a failure occurred at a specific point in the database backup operation. The backup poller instructs a backup decentralizer in a public subnet to continue the database backup operation from the specific point. The backup decentralizer monitors a health of a plurality of service providers and selects a service provider of the plurality of service providers based on the health of the service provider. The backup decentralizer continues the backup operation from the specific point using the selected service provider.