Snapshot Management via Quiesce Instructions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current distributed storage and computation systems lack an efficient method to create and manage snapshots of databases, making it difficult to revert to previous states without risking critical data corruption during testing or changes.
Innovation Solution
The system introduces a method where a storage manager coordinates snapshot creation by transmitting quiesce instructions to compute nodes, allowing for the suppression of write requests, and then creates a new snapshot by finalizing segments and processing subsequent I/O operations using the new snapshot, enabling efficient snapshot management and rollback capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If snapshots are created in a distributed storage system, then data recovery capability is improved, but data integrity may deteriorate due to potential corruption during snapshot creation
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by sending quiesce instructions to compute nodes before creating snapshots. This pauses write operations temporarily, ensuring data is in a stable state before snapshot creation begins, thereby preventing corruption during the process
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (quiesce instruction coordination) between compute nodes and storage nodes. The compute nodes receive quiesce instructions and suppress writes, acting as intermediaries to ensure data stability before snapshots are taken by storage nodes
2Manufacturing precision
If write requests are suppressed during snapshot creation, then snapshot consistency is improved, but system productivity deteriorates due to paused write operations
Solution Approach 1:
Write suppression is applied preliminarily and temporarily only during the critical snapshot creation window. The quiesce instructions are sent before snapshot creation and lifted afterward, minimizing the impact on overall productivity while ensuring consistency during the snapshot process
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses periodic snapshot creation rather than continuous snapshotting. Write operations are suppressed periodically during snapshot events and resume normally between snapshots, maintaining high productivity while achieving consistency periodically
Data Source
AI summary
A new snapshot of a storage volume is created by instructing computing nodes to suppress write requests. Once pending write requests from the computing nodes are completed, storage nodes create a new snapshot for the storage volume by allocating a new segment to the new snapshot and finalizes and performs garbage collection with respect to segments allocated to the previous snapshot. Subsequent write requests to the storage volume are then performed on the segments allocated to the new snapshot. An orchestration layer implements a multi-role application that is provisioned with virtualized storage and computation resources. A snapshot of the application may be created and used to rollback or clone the application. Containers may be loaded with data structures for encrypted and/or authenticated communication. Failed storage volumes maybe detected and repaired. Repopulating repaired volumes may be managed by an application or a storage manager implementing a virtualized storage system.