Snapshot Version Control Selective Data Merging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional snapshot techniques in computing systems do not effectively identify and merge differences between snapshots and active file systems, limiting their ability to restore corrupted or lost data efficiently.
Innovation Solution
The described techniques allow for the identification and selective merging of differences between a file system and its snapshot, enabling users to cherry-pick or merge all differences from the snapshot to the active file system or vice versa, by comparing file management data structures and updating file entries, pointers, and metadata.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional snapshot techniques are used to backup file system data, then data recovery capability is provided, but the ability to efficiently identify and merge differences between snapshots and active file systems is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the file system data into three distinct categories: unchanged data (present in both active file system and snapshot), deleted data (present in active but not in snapshot), and restored data (present in snapshot but not in active). This segmentation is achieved through bitwise operations on data maps that track the presence of data blocks. By dividing the recovery process into these segments, the system efficiently identifies only the specific portions of data that need to be merged, rather than processing entire file systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the state parameters of data blocks by using bitwise operations (AND, OR, NOT) on data map bitstrings to transform the identification process. The data maps store binary states indicating presence or absence of data blocks, and bitwise operations efficiently compute the intersection, difference, and complement sets. This parameter transformation approach enables rapid identification of deleted and restored data blocks without requiring full data comparison.
2Reliability
If complete file system snapshots are taken for backup, then comprehensive data protection is achieved, but storage space consumption and restoration complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary difference information from complete file system snapshots by maintaining separate data maps that track data block presence. Instead of managing and comparing entire snapshot copies, the system extracts and stores only the metadata indicating which data blocks exist in the snapshot versus the active file system. This extraction approach simplifies snapshot management while preserving comprehensive data protection capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs partial action by focusing only on identifying and merging the specific data blocks that differ between the snapshot and active file system, rather than processing the entire file system. The bitwise operations on data maps enable the system to perform exactly the necessary amount of work - no more, no less - by precisely calculating which data blocks need to be restored based on the computed difference sets.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and computer program products are included for providing snapshot version control. A method includes creating a snapshot corresponding to a file system at a first point in time. After creating the snapshot, a file management data structure of the file system is modified corresponding to a file creation, deletion, or modification. The modified file management data structure is compared to the snapshot to identify differences between the snapshot and the file management data structure. A user may select one or more of the identified differences for merging the selected differences from the snapshot to the file management data structure or from the file management data structure to the snapshot.