Three-Phase Quorum Backup for Network Device Configuration Consistency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current network management systems lack sufficient application-consistent data protection for network equipment devices such as switches, routers, and firewalls, leading to potential mismatches and loss of network connectivity due to inconsistent configurations across devices from different vendors and models.
Innovation Solution
A data protection networking device (DPND) system that applies application-consistent backup techniques to network equipment devices using their unique interfaces, such as Telnet, SSH, and REST APIs, and a three-phase full quorum method to ensure all devices are in a consistent state before backup, utilizing a DPND coordinator to manage and synchronize configurations across multiple network partitions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional application-based backup methods are used on network devices, then backup speed and simplicity are improved, but configuration consistency across multiple devices cannot be guaranteed
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by quiescing network devices before backup to prevent configuration changes during the backup process. This ensures that the configuration data captured is consistent across all devices in the network partition, resolving the contradiction between fast backup and configuration consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms through commit checks that verify whether configuration changes have been persisted to non-volatile storage. This feedback loop ensures that backup operations capture consistent states across multiple devices, maintaining reliability while enabling efficient backup processes.
2Loss of information
If system-wide backups are performed on network devices, then all configuration data is captured, but inconsistent states are captured if changes occur during backup
Solution Approach 1:
The system quiesces network devices before performing system-wide backups to prevent configuration changes during the backup process. This preliminary action ensures that all configuration data is captured in a consistent state across the entire network, resolving the contradiction between completeness and consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies different backup strategies to different devices based on their individual states and requirements. By tailoring the backup approach to each device's local conditions while maintaining overall coordination, the system achieves both complete data capture and state consistency across the network partition.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple network devices from different vendors are backed up simultaneously, then network-wide protection is achieved, but device heterogeneity complicates the backup process
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a universal backup framework that can handle multiple network devices from different vendors through a common interface. The coordinator manages diverse devices using standardized protocols while adapting to vendor-specific characteristics, achieving network-wide protection without proportionally increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The backup coordinator acts as an intermediary between the backup management system and heterogeneous network devices. It translates diverse vendor-specific protocols into a unified backup process, enabling multi-vendor support while containing complexity within the coordinator layer rather than propagating it throughout the entire system.
4Productivity
If configuration changes are allowed during backup, then network operations continue normally, but backup consistency is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system quiesces network devices before backup operations to prevent configuration changes during the backup process. This preliminary action temporarily suspends network operations on the devices being backed up, ensuring backup consistency while minimizing impact on overall network productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic backup operations with defined quiesce and resume cycles. By alternating between quiescing devices for consistent backups and resuming normal operations, the system achieves periodic snapshots of network state that maintain both backup consistency and overall network availability over time.
Data Source
AI summary
A three-phase full quorum commit method enabling backing up of network devices that do not offer direct hooks in order to have application consistent protection. Devices are verified to be ready to perform a backup, and a condition of reaching and maintaining a full quorum of devices within a maximum time period is required before the system can be backed up. The three phase backup process reduces the chance of changes to network devices from corrupting consistency among the saved states of the different and disparate network devices. Multiple devices of different makes and models participate together as a unified backup as a network partition and all devices are verified as being in a ready state. The device configuration data is moved from device memory to local disk, and can then be tiered to secondary storage.