Network Backup Data Distribution via Priority-Based Device Segmentation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network systems lack a reliable mechanism for restoring shared information to its original state after repeated updates, especially when storage capacity is limited, making it difficult to revert to previous versions of shared data.
Innovation Solution
A network system where devices are assigned ordinal ranks, with a master device managing shared data and general devices storing backup data, allowing for efficient distribution and storage of backup data across multiple devices, enabling reliable restoration of shared data to previous states without overloading any device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple backup files are saved and accumulated without overwriting on each update, then the ability to restore information to previous states is improved, but the storage capacity requirement increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the backup storage function across multiple devices in the network. Each device stores backup information, and the master device coordinates the backup process. This segmentation allows the system to maintain multiple backup versions without requiring any single device to have sufficient storage capacity to hold all backups, thus resolving the contradiction between restoration capability and storage capacity requirement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the backup storage function across multiple devices rather than concentrating it on a single device. The master device and general devices work together to distribute backup information, effectively combining the storage capacity of multiple devices to achieve reliable restoration capability without overloading any single device.
2Device complexity
If backup information is stored on a single device, then the backup mechanism is simple, but the storage capacity becomes a bottleneck for restoration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the backup storage function across multiple devices. The master device stores backup information and coordinates the backup process, while general devices also store backup information. This segmentation distributes the storage burden and enhances restoration capability without significantly increasing the complexity of the backup mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes multiple devices universal in their backup storage capability. Both the master device and general devices can store and provide backup information, creating a multi-functional backup system that enhances reliability without requiring a single specialized storage device.
3Device complexity
If the master device stores all backup data, then data management is centralized and simple, but the master device becomes overloaded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data storage load by having both the master device and general devices store backup information. The master device manages the backup process and coordinates restoration, while general devices store backup data locally. This segmentation reduces the storage load on the master device while maintaining centralized management simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces general devices as intermediaries in the backup storage system. These general devices act as intermediaries that store backup information and can provide it to the master device when needed for restoration, thereby reducing the direct storage burden on the master device while maintaining efficient data management.
Data Source
AI summary
In a network system including a plurality of devices connected to a network, a master device supplies general devices with shared data to be shared by the devices in the system. On each update of the shared data, the master device generates backup data (the shared data before the backup) and successively transmits a backup instruction to all the devices managed thereby, starting from a device of the lowest priority in the system. Each of the devices successively receiving the backup instruction acquires the backup data from a device having an immediately higher priority than itself. By the above operation, reliable backup of the shared data (enabling restoration of the shared data to that of several times ago after the update is repeated several times) is realized without overloading any device in the system even when the storage capacity of each device for storing the backup data is relatively small.