Object Store Gateway for Block I/O Data Replication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing copy data systems lack the capability to read or write from object data stores, which are cost-effective for long-term data retention and offer hierarchical data organization, limiting their integration with block I/O based replication methods.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that enables interactions between applications and remotely located object stores by converting file system data into objects, using a cloud formatting engine to create virtual disks and manage metadata, allowing for service level agreements to schedule data replication and retrieval, and providing near-instant access to data stored in object stores.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If block I/O is used for data replication, then data can be replicated to remote target, but the system cannot read or write from object data stores
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an object store gateway as an intermediary component that sits between the block I/O copy data system and the object data store. This gateway translates block I/O operations into object store operations, enabling the existing block-based replication infrastructure to interact with object stores without requiring complete system redesign. The gateway acts as a mediator that handles protocol translation and data format conversion.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes operational parameters by switching between block I/O mode for replication operations and object access mode for storage operations. The object store gateway adjusts data representation parameters, converting block-based data structures into object-based structures with metadata, and vice versa for read operations. This parameter transformation enables compatibility across different storage paradigms.
2Reliability
If object stores are used for long-term data retention, then cost-effective storage is achieved, but near-instant access is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments data access operations into two distinct pathways: full data retrieval from object stores for long-term retention, and incremental change data capture for fast access. By segmenting the data lifecycle into archival portions (in object stores) and active portions (in local storage), the system achieves both cost-effective long-term retention and fast access to recent changes without requiring complete data duplication.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-caching frequently accessed data blocks in local storage before they are needed for rapid access. The incremental change data capture mechanism proactively monitors and stores changes, so when retrieval is needed, only the changed portions need to be fetched rather than entire datasets. This preliminary preparation reduces access latency while maintaining object store as the primary long-term repository.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods of enabling a service level agreement to specify interactions between an application and a remotely located object store that manages data as objects. A computing device receives data associated with a request to write application data to an object store according to a schedule, wherein the data is file system data. The computing device creates a snapshot associated with the requested application at a snapshot pool, and transmits instructions to a cloud formatting engine to create a virtual disk at a storage pool associated with an object store. The computing device copies the snapshot from the snapshot pool to the virtual disk, the snapshot comprising file system data and transmits instructions to the cloud formatting engine to convert the data associated with the first snapshot into an object, and move the object from the virtual disk to the object store.