Sparse File Hot Archive for Pluggable Database Storage
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current database restoration methods for multitenant systems face challenges in minimizing storage footprint, managing complex data transfers, and ensuring durability and reusability of restoration content, especially when dealing with large datasets and frequent data corruption.
Innovation Solution
The use of sparse files to create a hot archive of a pluggable database within a container database, allowing for efficient cloning, archiving, and recovery while minimizing storage usage and automating repetitive tasks through copy-on-write semantics and metadata management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional database restoration methods are used for multitenant systems, then complete database copies can be restored, but storage footprint becomes large and management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The database file is segmented into multiple extents, where only the extents containing changed data blocks are copied to the backup location. This segmentation allows incremental backups rather than complete database copies, significantly reducing storage requirements while maintaining restoration capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of copying entire database files, the system copies only specific extents containing modified data blocks. The copying mechanism uses extent maps and change tracking to identify and replicate only the necessary portions, reducing storage footprint while preserving restoration ability.
2Reliability
If traditional database restoration methods are used for multitenant systems, then complete database copies can be restored, but data transfer and management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The backup system automatically tracks changed data blocks and manages extent copying without manual intervention. Change tracking mechanisms and extent maps enable the system to self-manage which data portions require backup, reducing administrative complexity while ensuring complete restoration capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by tracking and identifying changed data blocks before backup operations. Extent maps are pre-generated to show which extents contain modified data, allowing the backup process to proceed efficiently with only necessary data transfers rather than complete database copies.
3Quantity of substance
If sparse files are used to create hot archives of pluggable databases, then storage footprint is minimized and automation is improved, but storage management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Sparse files are used to create a thin, flexible representation of the database backup that only occupies storage space for actual data blocks. The sparse file structure allows the backup to grow dynamically as data is added while minimizing initial storage allocation, effectively managing storage resources without manual intervention.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are provided for using a sparse file to create a hot archive of a pluggable database of a container database. In an embodiment and while a source pluggable database is in service, a source database server creates a clone of the source pluggable database. Also while the source pluggable database is in service, the source database server creates an archive of the source pluggable database that is based on the clone. Eventually, a need arises to consume the archive. A target database server (which may also be the source database server) creates a target pluggable database based on the archive.