Service Broker for Cloud Storage Data Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Managing and protecting data for stateful applications in a cloud native environment is cumbersome due to the dynamism of containerized virtual computing, short release cycles, and the need for developers to understand low-level storage and data protection systems, leading to administrative overhead and complexity.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing the Open Service Broker API to provide a unified storage and data protection service as a single managed offering, abstracting lower-level details and allowing developers to request storage and data protection using abstract terms like 'gold', 'silver', or 'bronze' classes, thereby simplifying the management of stateful workloads in a Kubernetes environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If developers directly manage storage and data protection in cloud native environments, then data protection reliability is improved, but system complexity and administrative overhead increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a service broker as an intermediary layer between cloud native applications and underlying storage systems. The broker abstracts complex storage and data protection operations, allowing applications to request protection services without directly managing the complexity of snapshot generation, backup policies, and storage lifecycle management. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining data protection reliability through automated broker-managed processes while reducing application-level complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The service broker implements self-service mechanisms by automatically generating snapshots, applying data protection policies, and managing backup workflows without requiring manual developer intervention. The broker monitors application state changes and autonomously executes protection operations, thereby maintaining high data protection reliability while eliminating the administrative overhead that would otherwise burden developers.
2Manufacturing precision
If developers manage low-level storage details, then storage control precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to required understanding of complex storage systems
Solution Approach 1:
The service broker acts as an intermediary that translates high-level application storage requests into precise low-level storage operations. Applications can specify simple requirements (e.g., protection level, retention period) without needing to understand underlying storage mechanics. The broker handles the translation and execution, ensuring precise storage control while maintaining ease of operation for developers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the storage management system into distinct functional layers: the service broker layer handling high-level policy management and the storage provider layer handling low-level operations. This segmentation allows developers to interact with the simplified broker interface while precise control is maintained at the storage provider level, resolving the contradiction between control precision and ease of operation.
3Reliability
If comprehensive data protection policies are implemented, then data protection reliability is improved, but administrative overhead increases due to policy management complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The service broker implements self-service automation for policy management, automatically generating snapshots according to defined policies, monitoring backup completion, and managing retention schedules. Comprehensive data protection policies can be implemented without proportional increases in administrative overhead because the broker autonomously executes and monitors all protection operations, eliminating manual intervention requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The service broker incorporates feedback mechanisms that monitor the state of protected data and automatically adjust protection operations. The broker receives feedback from storage providers about snapshot status, backup completion, and policy compliance, then autonomously makes adjustments to maintain optimal data protection. This feedback loop ensures comprehensive protection while minimizing administrative overhead by eliminating the need for manual policy monitoring and adjustment.
Data Source
AI summary
Classes of storage are associated with data protection policies. The storage classes are mapped to storage providers and the storage providers are connected to a backup storage server. A service broker advertises to stateful workloads in a cloud native environment a service catalog listing the storage classes. The service broker receives a request from a stateful workload for a class of storage. A storage provider having storage of the storage class is instructed to provision a volume. A response to the request includes an identification of the volume to allow the stateful workload to persist data on the volume. The storage provider is instructed to generate snapshots of the volume according to a data protection policy associated with the storage class. Backups of the snapshots to the backup storage server are conducted according to the data protection policy.