Point in Time Blob Restore via Change Log
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Solution Overview
Problem
In cloud storage systems, users face challenges in understanding and reverting changes to data objects due to the lack of contextual information provided by timestamps, which makes it difficult to restore data to a specific point in time without accessing and analyzing storage files line-by-line.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for point-in-time blob restore, which involves receiving a request to restore a blob range to a specific point in time, blocking read and write operations, determining changed blobs using a change log or deleted blob store, and performing the restore operation when feasible, leveraging features like soft delete and lifecycle management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If users access storage files line-by-line to locate object identifiers and view timestamp information, then they can obtain detailed information about data objects, but the operation complexity and time consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts timestamp information and contextual metadata from storage files and presents it in a dedicated summary view, allowing users to see object identifiers, timestamps, and change information without accessing the actual file contents line-by-line
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary interface that mediates between the storage files and users, presenting processed information (timestamps, object identifiers, change summaries) without requiring users to directly examine the raw file contents
2Reliability
If cloud storage systems replicate data across datacenters for protection, then data safety and reliability improve, but the complexity of managing and restoring data across distributed locations increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates and manages copies of timestamp information and object metadata in a centralized location, allowing users to view and restore data without directly managing the complex distributed replication across multiple datacenters
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a mediation layer that handles the complexity of cross-datacenter data restoration, automatically managing which copies to retrieve and how to restore data to previous states without requiring users to understand the underlying replication architecture
3Ease of repair
If users restore individual blobs manually by accessing change logs, then data restoration capability is provided, but the computational resource consumption and time required increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-processes and stores timestamp information and object metadata in an easily accessible format, so when restoration is needed, the system can quickly identify which blobs to restore without performing complex analysis operations at restoration time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent allows users to restore specific blob ranges by selecting start and end timestamps, segmenting the restoration operation into manageable portions rather than requiring restoration of entire storage containers or all changed objects
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein is a system method for point in time blob restore. In response to receipt of a request to restore a particular blob range to a particular point in time, read and/or write operations on the particular blob range requested to be restored are blocked. Blob(s) in the particular blob range which have changed since the particular point in time are determined based, at least in part, upon information stored in a change log and/or a deleted blob store. A determination is made as to whether the requested restore operation can be performed, for example, based upon a restoration policy. When it is determined that the requested restore operation can be performed, blob(s) determined to have changed since the particular point in time based, at least in part, upon information stored in the change log and/or the deleted blob store are restored.