Snapshot Storage Data Integrity Verification via Physical Extent Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge of verifying data integrity across multiple copies stored across different storage entities is complex due to increasing data volumes and time constraints, especially when periodic full backups and frequent incremental backups are required, often leading to unnecessary verification of entire storage volumes despite only a smaller proportion of data being user-specific.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves mounting a snapshot storage volume representing a snapshot of the primary storage volume, querying for actual data blocks, translating their locations using physical extent mappings and volume block addressing, and performing integrity verification based on snapshot storage volume blocks read from the snapshot storage volume, which are then compared to corresponding backup copy blocks for integrity validation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If periodic full backups and frequent incremental backups are performed, then data protection coverage is improved, but verification time and computational resources increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the verification process into segments by identifying and verifying only the specific data blocks that constitute actual user data within the snapshot storage volume, rather than verifying the entire storage volume. This segmentation approach maintains comprehensive data protection coverage while significantly reducing verification time and computational resources by focusing only on relevant data portions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and identifies actual user data blocks from the snapshot storage volume using physical extent mappings and volume block addressing. By separating and extracting only the user-specific data blocks from the entire storage volume, the system performs verification only on necessary data portions, reducing unnecessary verification overhead while maintaining complete data protection.
2Reliability
If entire storage volumes are verified periodically, then data integrity is ensured, but processing efficiency decreases due to large data volumes
Solution Approach 1:
The verification process is segmented to target only specific user data blocks within the snapshot storage volume. By using physical extent mappings to identify and segment actual user data from the entire storage volume, the system ensures data integrity for all user data while improving verification efficiency by processing only relevant blocks rather than the complete volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by performing verification only on the subset of data blocks that represent actual user data, rather than verifying the entire storage volume. This partial verification approach maintains data integrity for all user data while significantly improving processing efficiency by avoiding unnecessary verification of non-user data portions.
3Measurement precision
If snapshot storage volume blocks are read and compared for verification, then verification accuracy is improved, but data access complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces physical extent mappings as an intermediary mechanism that translates logical data block identifiers into actual physical locations within the snapshot storage volume. This intermediary layer simplifies data access by providing a systematic mapping approach, reducing access complexity while maintaining verification accuracy through precise block identification and comparison.
Data Source
AI summary
In some examples, data integrity verification may include obtaining, from an application for which data is stored in a primary storage volume, an identification of data blocks of the primary storage volume that are stored for the application in a snapshot storage volume that represents a snapshot of data stored in the primary storage volume. The identification may include references to locations of the data blocks in the primary storage volume. Using physical extent mappings and volume block addressing, the identified locations of the data blocks in the primary storage volume may be translated to locations of snapshot storage volume blocks of the snapshot storage volume. Based on the snapshot storage volume blocks that are read from the snapshot storage volume, integrity of corresponding backup copy blocks stored in a backup copy for backup of the primary storage volume may be verified.