Persistent Memory Copy-on-Write Live Backup
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data backup mechanisms for high-capacity, high-speed persistent memory systems are not application-agnostic and require significant system resources, making them unsuitable for future computing platforms with large capacity PMEM, as they often necessitate application-specific functionality and CPU intervention, leading to slow data backup processes.
Innovation Solution
A computing system with a memory manager utilizing a copy-on-write mechanism and a backup manager that journals and merges data in persistent memory, allowing for live backup of virtual machines without interrupting system operations, by marking physical memory pages as read-only during the backup process and re-mapping them for data integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If existing data backup mechanisms are used for PMEM systems, then data backup capability is provided, but the backup process requires CPU intervention and application-specific functionality, making it slow and resource-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The memory manager automatically performs backup operations through copy-on-write mechanisms without requiring CPU intervention or application-specific functionality. The system services its own backup needs by intercepting memory access requests and redirecting writes to backup storage transparently
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional block I/O-based backup mechanisms with a memory management-level approach using copy-on-write page tables. This substitution eliminates the need for CPU-intensive block device operations and enables faster, more efficient backup at the memory abstraction layer
2Loss of time
If traditional backup methods are used, then data can be backed up, but the backup process interrupts system operations and takes hours to complete
Solution Approach 1:
The backup process operates continuously without interrupting system operations. The memory manager handles backup requests transparently during normal system operation, allowing applications to run uninterrupted while data is progressively backed up through copy-on-write mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary backup actions by maintaining copy-on-write page tables that automatically capture changes before they occur. This preliminary preparation enables rapid incremental backups without requiring system interruption, as the backup infrastructure is already in place and actively tracking changes
3Reliability
If live backup is implemented without copy-on-write, then system availability is maintained, but data integrity cannot be ensured during the backup process
Solution Approach 1:
The memory manager acts as an intermediary between applications and physical memory, using copy-on-write page tables to ensure data integrity. When applications write to memory, the memory manager intercepts these requests and creates copies, ensuring that backup data remains consistent and intact without blocking application operations
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the access parameters of memory pages dynamically during backup operations. Pages are marked as read-only in the original configuration and read-write in the copy configuration, allowing simultaneous read access for backup integrity and write access for application performance without conflict
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatuses, methods and storage medium associated with computing that include usage and backup of persistent memory are disclosed herein. In embodiments, an apparatus for computing may comprise one or more processors and persistent memory to host operation of one or more virtual machines; and one or more page tables to store a plurality of mappings to map a plurality of virtual memory pages of a virtualization of the persistent memory of the one or more virtual machines to a plurality of physical memory pages of the persistent memory allocated to the one or more virtual machines. The apparatus may further include a memory manager to manage accesses of the persistent memory that includes a copy-on-write mechanism to service write instructions that address virtual memory pages mapped to physical memory pages that are marked as read-only. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.