Snapshot Range Filters for Backup Data Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing complexity and volume of data require efficient methods for data management, particularly for accessing reliable data backup and fast data recovery in case of failure, as well as data portability across locations and platforms.
Innovation Solution
The method involves receiving a request to read data within a specified range from a backup file that stores base and incremental snapshots, looking up the specified range in range filters corresponding to snapshots, and reading the requested data from the looked-up range in the backup file.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If traditional snapshot search methods are used without range filters, then all snapshots must be accessed to retrieve data, but this results in increased access time and reduced read performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-computing and storing range filter data structures during the backup process. These range filters are built in advance to enable rapid determination of whether specific data ranges exist in snapshots, eliminating the need to access all snapshots during recovery operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces range filters as an intermediary data structure between the backup snapshots and the search query. This intermediary layer allows the system to quickly determine data presence without directly accessing the underlying snapshot files, thereby reducing access time and improving read performance.
2Reliability
If all snapshots are accessed to ensure data is found, then data reliability is improved, but device complexity and storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential information about data range presence from the snapshots and stores it separately in range filter data structures. This extraction allows the system to determine data availability without accessing the actual snapshot files, reducing system complexity while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a simplified copy of the snapshot data in the form of range filters, which contain only the essential information about data range presence. This copy enables rapid queries without requiring access to the full snapshot files, reducing complexity while preserving data reliability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If comprehensive snapshot data is stored to ensure complete data recovery, then data portability is improved, but storage space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a compact copy of the snapshot metadata in the form of range filters, which use minimal storage space compared to the actual snapshot data. This copy enables efficient data location and portability operations without requiring proportional storage space.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by storing detailed range information only where needed in the range filter data structures, rather than duplicating entire snapshot files. This selective storage approach maintains data portability capabilities while significantly reducing storage space requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
In some examples, a method comprises: receiving a request to read data within a specified range from a backup file storing at least one base snapshot and at least one incremental snapshot; looking up the specified range in range filters from the backup file, the range filters corresponding to snapshots stored in the backup file and each range filter comprising bits indicating whether data exists at respective ranges within the snapshot corresponding to the respective range filter; and in response to the looking up, reading the requested data from the looked-up range in the backup file.