Logical Volume Snapshot Triggered by Data Change Threshold

Solution Overview

Problem

Snapshot-based data replication systems often create redundant snapshots and experience inefficiencies due to unpredictable data changes, leading to increased storage space consumption and performance issues, as they typically rely on timing schedules rather than actual data modifications.

Innovation Solution

A method that monitors data requests and changes in a logical volume, determining if a preestablished amount of data has been modified since the last snapshot, and captures a new snapshot only when this threshold is met, thereby avoiding redundant snapshots and optimizing resource usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If snapshots are taken based on timing schedules, then data retention is maintained, but redundant snapshots are created and storage space is wasted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata retentionVSAvoidstorage space consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the snapshot triggering parameter from time-based to data-change-amount-based. Instead of taking snapshots at fixed time intervals, the system monitors the amount of data changed since the last snapshot and triggers a snapshot only when the change exceeds a predetermined threshold. This parameter change eliminates redundant snapshots while ensuring data retention is maintained.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the system continuously monitors data changes and uses this information to dynamically adjust snapshot creation. The monitoring component tracks the amount of data modified, and this feedback determines whether a snapshot should be taken. This closed-loop control prevents redundant snapshots by base de cisions on actual data state rather than fixed schedules.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If snapshots are taken frequently to ensure data retention, then data loss is minimized, but system processing overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata retentionVSAvoidsystem processing overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the snapshot triggering parameter from time-based to data-change-amount-based. Instead of taking snapshots at fixed time intervals, the system monitors the amount of data changed since the last snapshot and triggers a snapshot only when the change exceeds a predetermined threshold. This parameter change eliminates redundant snapshots while ensuring data retention is maintained.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the system continuously monitors data changes and uses this information to dynamically adjust snapshot creation. The monitoring component tracks the amount of data modified, and this feedback determines whether a snapshot should be taken. This closed-loop control prevents redundant snapshots by base de cisions on actual data state rather than fixed schedules.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Ease of manufacture

If snapshots are taken based on fixed intervals, then implementation is simple, but network latency increases due to unnecessary data transfer

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimplementation simplicityVSAvoidnetwork latency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the snapshot triggering parameter from time-based to data-change-amount-based. Instead of taking snapshots at fixed time intervals, the system monitors the amount of data changed since the last snapshot and triggers a snapshot only when the change exceeds a predetermined threshold. This parameter change eliminates redundant snapshots while ensuring data retention is maintained.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the system continuously monitors data changes and uses this information to dynamically adjust snapshot creation. The monitoring component tracks the amount of data modified, and this feedback determines whether a snapshot should be taken. This closed-loop control prevents redundant snapshots by base de cisions on actual data state rather than fixed schedules.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS11513899B2Selectively capturing snapshots of volumes based on modified capacity

Publication Date: 2022.11.29 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION

AI summary

A computer-implemented method, according to one embodiment, includes: monitoring data requests that are performed on a logical volume in memory at a source location, and tracking changes that are made to data in the logical volume as a result of performing the data requests. A determination is made as to whether a preestablished amount of the data in the logical volume has been changed as a result of performing the data requests since a previous snapshot of the logical volume was captured. Moreover, in response to determining that a preestablished amount of the data in the logical volume has been changed as a result of performing the data requests since a previous snapshot of the logical volume was captured, a new snapshot of the logical volume is captured.