Reference-Based Synthetic Backup Creation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional backup systems face inefficiencies in managing long chains of incremental backups, leading to storage and restoration challenges, as they often require maintaining all backups in the chain until none are needed, and synthetic backup creation involves significant processing.
Innovation Solution
The method involves creating reference-based synthetic backups by identifying and aggregating fingerprints or references from full and incremental backups to represent data changes, allowing for the deletion of older backups and efficient restoration without moving extensive data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional incremental backup chains are maintained, then data restoration reliability is ensured, but storage space consumption increases and restoration complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple incremental backup chains into a single synthetic full backup by merging reference information from different backup points. This consolidation reduces the total number of backup files stored while maintaining the ability to restore data from any point in time, thereby reducing storage space consumption without compromising restoration reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of storing complete duplicate backup data, the system creates synthetic full backups by copying and aggregating reference information (pointers, indices, metadata) from existing incremental backups. This reference-based approach dramatically reduces storage requirements while preserving restoration capability, as the synthetic backup contains only the structural references needed to reconstruct data rather than the actual data blocks.
2Device complexity
If synthetic backups are created by moving data between backups, then backup chain length is reduced, but processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical process of physically moving and copying large volumes of backup data with a reference-based information aggregation system. Instead of transferring actual data blocks between backup files, the system aggregates metadata, indices, and reference pointers that describe the data structure. This substitution of data movement with reference manipulation dramatically reduces processing time and computational resource requirements while achieving the same goal of shortening backup chain complexity.
3Reliability
If all incremental backups are retained for restoration, then restoration completeness is ensured, but ease of operation deteriorates due to manual management requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service automation where the backup management system automatically creates synthetic full backups, aggregates reference information, and maintains the backup catalog without requiring manual administrator intervention. The system autonomously manages the complexity of coordinating multiple incremental backups and synthesizing them into unified restore points, thereby improving ease of operation while ensuring restoration completeness through automated reference aggregation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by proactively creating synthetic full backups at scheduled intervals before they are needed for restoration. This advance preparation consolidates reference information from multiple incremental backups into unified restore points in advance, eliminating the need for manual chain assembly during restoration operations and improving both ease of operation and restoration completeness.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method for creating reference-based synthetic backups. The method may include identifying a first set of references that identify data of a first backup. The first backup may represent at least a portion of a data set at a first time. The method may also include identifying a second set of references that identify data of a second backup. The second backup may represent changes made to the data set between the first time and a second time. The method may further include creating a synthetic backup that represents at least a portion of the data set at the second time by aggregating one or more references from the first set of references and one or more references from the second set of references. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.