Continuous Replication via Snapshot Differences
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional data protection systems face challenges in maintaining continuous data protection, particularly in keeping pace with high data transaction rates at production sites without causing downtime or data backlog, due to the overhead of journaling processes.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system for continuous replication in a virtual environment that recovers a volume by receiving differences between previous and current points in time using an API, and uses these differences to restore replication at a secondary site, enabling efficient data recovery and minimizing downtime.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If journaling is used to enable continuous data protection and point-in-time recovery, then data protection capability is improved, but system overhead increases and may cause production site shutdown at high transaction rates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses snapshots as point-in-time copies of production data that can be replicated to backup sites. Instead of using complex journaling mechanisms that track every data change, the system creates periodic snapshot copies and replicates them, providing data protection with minimal overhead on production systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by creating snapshots at scheduled intervals before potential disasters occur. These pre-created snapshots are then replicated to backup sites, enabling rapid recovery without needing to process historical data changes during recovery operations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If journaling is implemented to enable rollback to any specified point in time, then recovery flexibility is improved, but system complexity and overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements recovery flexibility through periodic snapshot copies rather than continuous journaling. Each snapshot represents a point-in-time copy that can be restored, providing adaptability for recovery to various time points without the complexity of maintaining detailed change journals.
3Reliability
If continuous data protection is implemented with journaling, then point-in-time recovery is enabled, but backup site performance degrades at high transaction rates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses periodic snapshot creation and replication instead of continuous data protection journaling. Snapshots are created at scheduled intervals and replicated to backup sites, reducing the continuous overhead on backup systems while maintaining the ability to recover to any snapshot point in time.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer implemented method, computer program product, and system for continuous replication in a virtual environment comprising recovering, replication of, a volume on a first site after the crash of the first site, receiving, using an API, the differences between a previous point in time of the first volume and the current point in time of the first volume wherein the volume is being replicated to a second site, and using the determined differences to restore replication of the first volume of the replication site at the second site.