Snapshot Difference Transmission During Communication Fractures

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for managing snapshots in application environments fail to synchronize data effectively during communication fractures between application systems, leading to incomplete data synchronization and reliability issues.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that identify snapshots created during communication fractures, calculate differences between successive snapshots, and transmit these differences from the first application system to the second application system once communication is resumed, ensuring chronological synchronization and efficient data management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If data synchronization is performed continuously between application systems, then data reliability is improved, but network bandwidth consumption increases and system performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata reliabilityVSAvoidnetwork bandwidth consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the changed data blocks from the source application system and transmits them to the target system, rather than synchronizing entire datasets. This is achieved by comparing data block checksums or timestamps to identify modifications, then selectively transmitting only those specific changed blocks, significantly reducing network bandwidth consumption while maintaining data reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments data into smaller blocks and processes them individually for synchronization. By dividing the data storage into discrete blocks and synchronizing them separately, the system can efficiently identify and transmit only the modified portions, reducing overall network traffic while ensuring complete data reliability across distributed systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Speed

If snapshot data is transmitted during communication fracture, then data synchronization speed is improved, but data consistency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata synchronization speedVSAvoiddata consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary actions by buffering snapshot data locally during communication fractures and only transmitting it after communication is restored. This ensures that data is synchronized as quickly as possible once the network is available, while maintaining consistency by preventing transmission during unstable communication states.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback mechanisms to monitor communication status and dynamically adjust data transmission timing. By continuously checking whether communication channels are stable and reliable, the system determines the optimal moment to transmit snapshot data, ensuring both speed and consistency by avoiding transmission during fracture states.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Loss of information

If all snapshot data is transmitted immediately upon communication restoration, then data completeness is improved, but network bandwidth consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata completenessVSAvoidnetwork bandwidth consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and transmits only the snapshot data that was generated during the communication fracture period, rather than retransmitting all snapshot data. By identifying and selecting only the specific data blocks that are missing or outdated at the target system, the patent achieves complete data synchronization while minimizing network bandwidth consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS11386043B2Method, device, and computer program product for managing snapshot in application environment

Publication Date: 2022.07.12 EMC IP HLDG CO LLC

AI summary

Techniques manage snapshots in an application environment. The application environment includes a first application system and a second application system. A group of snapshots of the first application system are identified in a fracture state where synchronous communication between the first application system and the second application system is paused. A group of snapshot differences between two successive snapshots in the group of snapshots are obtained, the group of snapshots being arranged in chronological order that the group of snapshots are generated. The group of snapshot differences are transmitted from the first application system to the second application system in response to determining the synchronous communication between the first application system and the second application system is resumed. Accordingly, snapshots in the application environment can be managed more effectively, and further data synchronization between the first application system and the second application system may be realized.