Orchestration API for Storage Replication and Provisioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current data protection systems face challenges in maintaining continuous data protection by keeping pace with high data transaction rates at production sites, leading to potential shutdowns due to backlog of un-logged transactions at backup sites, and require manual, inflexible procedures for storage provisioning and protection.
Innovation Solution
An orchestration API is used to automate the creation and management of replicated storage volumes across heterogeneous technologies, enabling parallel processing and dynamic adaptation to changing data transaction rates, and simplifying the configuration of data protection environments through a unified management platform.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If data replication is implemented to protect production site data, then data protection capability is improved, but system complexity increases due to multiple components and configurations required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple data protection functions (replication, journaling, provisioning, management) into a single integrated data protection appliance. This consolidation reduces system complexity by eliminating the need to manage separate systems for each function while maintaining comprehensive data protection capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The data protection appliance is designed to perform multiple functions including data replication, journaling, storage provisioning, and system management through a unified interface. This multi-functionality allows a single system to address various data protection needs without requiring multiple specialized components.
2Manufacturing precision
If continuous data protection with journaling is implemented, then recovery precision to any point in time is improved, but processing overhead increases causing backup site to fall behind production site transactions
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring replication relationships and journaling structures before data protection is needed. The orchestration API automatically sets up the necessary components and parameters in advance, allowing the system to handle high transaction rates without delays during critical operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an orchestration API as an intermediary layer that manages the complex interactions between production site, backup site, and journaling mechanisms. This intermediary automates the coordination of data transactions and journal entries, reducing the processing overhead burden on the backup site while maintaining precise recovery capabilities.
3Device complexity
If manual procedures are used for storage provisioning and protection configuration, then system simplicity is maintained, but time consumption and operational overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service capabilities through automated orchestration that performs storage provisioning and protection configuration without manual intervention. The orchestration API automatically discovers available resources, configures replication relationships, and manages journaling settings, allowing the system to provision storage and establish protection quickly and efficiently.
Solution Approach 2:
The orchestration API performs preliminary actions by automatically discovering and cataloging available storage resources and system capabilities before provisioning is needed. This pre-discovery and preconfiguration enable rapid deployment of data protection without manual configuration steps.
Data Source
AI summary
A system, method, and computer program product for storage provisioning in a data storage environment comprising protecting, through an orchestration API, a source volume at a source site by setting the source volume to be replicated to a target volume at a target site through the use of a replication appliance; wherein the API is enabled to create network zones between the source site and the target site for replication from the source site to the target site and wherein the network zone is configured to include the replication appliance; wherein the API is enabled to mask storage devices used to store data on the source volume and the target volume.