Metadata Virtual Hard Drive Backup for Storage Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data backup systems require significant storage capacity for both active and backup data, leading to increased costs and reduced utilization of data storage resources, as they often necessitate storing backup data locally and duplicating it for recovery purposes.
Innovation Solution
The use of metadata virtual hard drives (VHDs) and differential VHDs allows for efficient backup by transmitting only the changes since the last backup, reducing the need for local storage of full backup VHDs and enabling single-instance machine-independent backup, where multiple systems can recover files from a single remotely stored backup.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If full backup VHDs are stored locally for each computer system, then data recovery reliability is improved, but storage costs and storage capacity requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple computer systems share a single remotely stored backup VHD, merging their backup storage requirements into one common resource. The metadata VHD enables multiple systems to reference and recover from the same backup storage location, eliminating the need for each system to maintain separate full backup copies.
Solution Approach 2:
The metadata VHD acts as an intermediary between computer systems and the remote backup VHD. It contains references and indexing information that enables systems to locate and recover specific files from the remote backup without needing local copies of the entire backup data.
2Reliability
If full backup VHDs are transmitted to remote storage, then data security is improved, but transmission time and network bandwidth consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
Only essential metadata information is extracted and transmitted to remote storage, rather than transmitting complete backup VHD data. The metadata VHD contains minimal reference information needed to locate and recover files, dramatically reducing transmission time and network bandwidth requirements while maintaining security through remote storage.
3Productivity
If entire backup VHDs are downloaded for file recovery, then file recovery completeness is ensured, but recovery time and network bandwidth consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The metadata VHD enables extraction and recovery of only specific individual files or file portions from the remote backup VHD, rather than requiring download of the entire backup VHD. This selective recovery capability maintains complete file recovery while dramatically reducing recovery time and network bandwidth consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The backup system is segmented into two components: a small metadata VHD stored locally for quick file location and identification, and a large backup VHD stored remotely containing the actual file data. This segmentation enables efficient file recovery by allowing systems to query the local metadata and retrieve only needed files from remote storage.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods and systems are disclosed for backup using a metadata virtual hard drive (VHD) and a differential VHD. A particular system includes a memory device that stores files and a backup agent configured to detect changes to the files. The system includes a translation module configured to translate the detected changes into VHD formatted changes and a VHD module configured to write the VHD formatted changes to a metadata VHD stored at the memory device. The VHD module is also configured to generate a differential VHD based on the metadata VHD. A network interface at the system is configured to transmit the metadata VHD and the differential VHD to a remote storage device.