Mountable Container Backups for Selective File Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current data backup methods require significant computing resources and storage due to the complexity and volume of data, making it inefficient to perform full and incremental backups of large datasets, especially in scenarios where only specific files need to be backed up.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a mountable container system that allows for full and incremental backups of files by creating a virtual disk format (VHD/VHDx) which enables selective backup of individual files, conserving resources by backing up only changed blocks and allowing for synthetic full backups, thereby optimizing network bandwidth and storage usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If full backup of entire volume is performed, then data completeness is ensured, but computing resources and storage bandwidth are excessively consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The backup system segments the volume into individual file-level components, allowing selective backup of only necessary files rather than backing up the entire volume. This is achieved through file-level metadata tracking and selective data block identification, which divides the backup process into manageable file units that can be independently processed and restored.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts and tracks only the specific data blocks that have changed since the last backup, separating these changed blocks from the rest of the volume data. This extraction process uses metadata tracking to identify only the necessary portions of data that need to be backed up, eliminating unnecessary data transfer and storage consumption.
2Use of energy by moving object
If selective backup of individual files is performed, then resource consumption is reduced, but recovery complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple incremental backup sets with the base backup set to reconstruct complete file versions during recovery. By maintaining metadata that tracks data block locations across multiple backup sets, the recovery process automatically combines the necessary blocks from different backup sets to restore complete files, simplifying the user-facing recovery operation despite the underlying complexity of distributed storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a metadata layer that acts as an intermediary between the selective file backup process and the recovery operation. This metadata tracks data block locations, file structures, and backup set relationships, enabling the recovery system to automatically locate and assemble required files without requiring complex manual reconstruction processes.
3Productivity
If incremental backup of changed blocks is performed, then backup speed is improved, but data consistency may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by creating consistent snapshots of the volume before initiating incremental backup operations. These snapshots capture the state of all files at a specific point in time, ensuring that even though data blocks are being changed during the backup process, the backup itself remains consistent with respect to the snapshot state. This preliminary snapshotting prevents partial or inconsistent file backups.
4Ease of operation
If mountable container format is used for backup, then recovery accessibility is improved, but storage overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The backup system creates mountable container formats that serve multiple functions: they can be mounted as virtual drives for direct file access, used for incremental backup operations, and serve as portable backup sets that can be transferred between systems. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate backup and recovery systems, eliminating redundant storage overhead while maintaining ease of access.
Data Source
AI summary
A file stored in a volume on a client is backed up in a mountable format by creating on the client a template virtual volume that corresponds to the volume in which the file is stored. A set of file extents occupied by the file is identified. A file extent in a backup stream is identified. If the file extent is not within the set of file extents, the template virtual volume is accessed to backup a data block associated with the virtual volume. If the file extent is within the set of file extents, the file is accessed to backup a data block of the file.