Non-Relational Metadata Backup Without Application Quiescence
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data management systems struggle with backing up non-relational metadata without quiescing database applications, leading to unrecoverable backups if the metadata becomes corrupt or inaccessible.
Innovation Solution
The system periodically obtains full backups of metadata and incremental changes, maintaining near-continuous backups without quiescing applications by using change logs and synchronized timestamps to ensure ordered storage, allowing recovery to any point-in-time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the system obtains frequent backups of non-relational metadata without quiescing database applications, then the reliability and recoverability of metadata backups is improved, but the complexity of managing consistent backups while applications continue to execute increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a metadata backup manager as an intermediary component that coordinates between the running database applications and the backup storage system. This manager captures metadata changes, manages change logs, and orchestrates the backup process without requiring application quiescence, thereby resolving the contradiction between maintaining reliability and managing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by maintaining change logs that track metadata modifications before actual backups are needed. By pre-capturing and organizing metadata changes in change logs with timestamps, the system prepares backup data in advance, making the actual backup process simpler and more reliable without application interruption
2Productivity
If the system uses change logs and synchronized timestamps to maintain near-continuous backups without quiescing applications, then the productivity and continuity of data management operations is improved, but the precision of maintaining ordered storage and consistency of metadata backups becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms through synchronized timestamps that provide continuous information about the state and ordering of metadata changes. The timestamp synchronization system continuously monitors and adjusts timing information to ensure that changes are recorded in the correct chronological order, maintaining consistency while enabling continuous backups without application quiescence
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of timestamp synchronization to ensure ordered storage of metadata changes. By using synchronized timestamps as a key parameter for ordering changes in change logs, the system maintains precision in metadata backup consistency while allowing continuous operation and high productivity
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and devices for data management are described. A data management system (DMS) may copy, at a first time, metadata from a first storage location to a second storage location. The metadata may be stored in a non-relational storage format and may include information associated with backup data stored at the DMS. The DMS may execute applications to obtain second backup data. The applications may generate additional metadata associated with the second backup data after the first time. The DMS may store, in a temporary storage location, incremental metadata changes associated with changes to the metadata since the first time based on the additional metadata generated by the applications. The DMS may copy, at a second time, the incremental metadata changes from the temporary storage location to the second storage location. The incremental metadata changes may be stored with a timestamp that indicates the second time.