Self-service Restore Snapshot Replication for Virtualized File Servers
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Solution Overview
Problem
During disaster recovery, disaster recovery locations may not receive replication of additional snapshots related to a file server, limiting recovery capabilities when only replication snapshots are used.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that include receiving a replication snapshot at a disaster recovery location, identifying additional snapshots such as self-service restore (SSR) snapshots, and extracting these for use by another instance at the disaster recovery location based on associated tags, ensuring comprehensive snapshot management and replication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If only replication snapshots are used for disaster recovery, then the disaster recovery location receives replicated data, but recovery capabilities are limited and cannot access additional snapshots like SSR snapshots
Solution Approach 1:
The system makes the disaster recovery location universally capable of accessing multiple types of snapshots (replication snapshots, SSR snapshots, backup snapshots) rather than being limited to a single type. The file server at the disaster recovery location can serve multiple recovery purposes using the same infrastructure, enhancing both reliability and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the snapshot access capability by creating separate file server instances at the disaster recovery location - one for replication snapshots and another for additional snapshots like SSR snapshots. This segmentation allows each instance to be optimized for specific recovery scenarios while collectively providing comprehensive disaster recovery capabilities.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional snapshots are replicated to the disaster recovery location, then comprehensive recovery capabilities are enabled, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service mechanisms where the file server at the disaster recovery location automatically identifies, extracts, and serves additional snapshots based on tags and metadata. The system autonomously manages the complexity of replicating and organizing multiple snapshot types without requiring manual intervention, thus enabling comprehensive recovery options while keeping operational complexity manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary file server instance at the disaster recovery location that acts as a mediator between the stored snapshots and users. This intermediary handles the complexity of managing multiple snapshot types, providing a simplified interface for users to access appropriate snapshots based on their recovery needs.
3Reliability
If multiple types of snapshots are stored at the disaster recovery location, then data integrity and comprehensive recovery are maintained, but storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses copying to create file server instances at the disaster recovery location that replicate the functionality of the primary file server. Rather than storing all possible snapshot types in full redundancy, the system copies the necessary snapshot data and creates virtualized file server instances that can serve multiple recovery scenarios, thereby maintaining data integrity while optimizing storage utilization.
Data Source
AI summary
Examples of systems described herein provide for share-level disaster recovery on, for example, virtualized file servers by enabling additional snapshots, including self-service recovery (SSR) snapshot migration in addition to replication snapshot migration to a disaster recovery location. In examples, a disaster recovery location may receive a replication of a share of a file system, the snapshot configured for recovery of the share at the disaster recovery location. The replication snapshot may include one or more additional snapshots, each taken since a time of a previous replication snapshot. At least one of the one or more additional snapshots may include an SSR snapshot, identifiable based at least on a tag associated with a process used to create the SSR snapshot at a primary location. The at least one additional snapshot may be extracted for use by another instance of the process at the disaster recovery location.