Live Data Conversion in Distributed Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing distributed data object systems face challenges in efficiently converting data objects from one format to another while remaining live and available, and in migrating data objects between systems while maintaining consistency and minimizing downtime.
Innovation Solution
The techniques involve creating a copy of data objects in the target format without locking the source data object for the entire conversion process, using signature comparisons to determine additional data needed, and employing long-lived processes for efficient migration, ensuring eventual consistency and allowing read and write access during conversion and migration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If data objects are locked for the entire conversion process, then data consistency is ensured, but system availability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The conversion process is divided into multiple phases: initial copy phase without locking, verification phase with locking, and completion phase. This segmentation allows the system to maintain availability during copying while ensuring consistency during verification, resolving the contradiction between data consistency and system availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The data object is copied to the target format before locking the source object. This preliminary action ensures that the conversion work is completed in advance, allowing the system to maintain availability during the copying process while minimizing the locking duration to only what is necessary for verification.
2Manufacturing precision
If the DDOS is taken offline for conversion, then data consistency is ensured, but productivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The conversion operation is segmented into background copying tasks and foreground verification tasks. The copying occurs in the background without taking the system offline, maintaining productivity, while verification ensures consistency without prolonged downtime.
Solution Approach 2:
A target data object serves as an intermediary during the conversion process. The source object remains locked only briefly for verification, while the target object accumulates the converted data in the background, allowing the system to remain operational throughout the conversion process.
3Productivity
If locking is minimized for rapid conversion, then productivity is improved, but data consistency becomes harder to ensure
Solution Approach 1:
The conversion process is divided into an unlocked copying phase that maximizes productivity and a locked verification phase that ensures consistency. This segmentation allows rapid conversion while maintaining data integrity through targeted verification at critical points.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses signature comparison as feedback to verify data consistency after conversion. This feedback mechanism ensures that even with minimized locking, the converted data objects maintain consistency with the source, resolving the contradiction between conversion speed and consistency assurance.
Data Source
AI summary
A system converts the data of data objects stored in a DDOS from one data format to another while the system is live and available to process requests for access to the data objects being converted. This process does not require taking the DDOS offline and also does not require locking a data object for the entire conversion of the data object.