Storage Array Snapshots for Continuous Data Protection Rollback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional data protection systems face challenges in maintaining continuous data protection, particularly in keeping pace with high data transaction rates at production sites without slowing down the production site, leading to potential shutdowns and data loss during disasters.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that enable rolling back volumes in a highly available storage array to a selected point in time, allowing for the creation of a storage array snapshot, and enabling user access, using a data protection agent and appliance to manage I/Os and replication direction, thereby maintaining data integrity and availability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If journaling is used to enable continuous data protection and rollback capability, then data recovery flexibility is improved, but system overhead increases and may force production site shutdown
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a storage array snapshot as an intermediary mechanism between the production site and the continuous data protection system. The snapshot captures the state of volumes at a selected point in time without requiring the production site to slow down or shut down. This intermediary allows the system to provide rollback capability while maintaining production continuity, resolving the contradiction between data recovery flexibility and production productivity.
2Reliability
If the backup site processes all data transactions to keep pace with the production site, then data synchronization is improved, but the production site must slow down due to overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by creating a storage array snapshot at a selected point in time before any rollback operation is needed. This snapshot is created in advance without interrupting or slowing down the production site's data transactions. When rollback is needed, the pre-created snapshot can be immediately applied, eliminating the need for the production site to slow down during the rollback process itself.
3Loss of information
If the system forces the production site to shut down to prevent backlog at the backup site, then data loss is minimized, but downtime increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses copying by creating a storage array snapshot that is a copy of the volumes at a selected point in time. This snapshot can be used for rollback operations without affecting the production site's operation. The copying mechanism allows the system to provide data protection and rollback capability without forcing the production site to shut down, thus minimizing both data loss and downtime.
Data Source
AI summary
In one aspect, a method includes providing a continuous data protection system comprising a data protection appliance, a splitter and source volumes on a source side that are replicated to target volumes of a storage array on a target side by using a journal of write transactions; and enabling, in an image access mode, a rolling back of the target volumes on the target side from a first point in time to a selected point in time so that the target volumes contain data for the selected point in time. The selected point in time is earlier than the first point in time and the rolling back includes undoing write transactions in the journal subsequent to the selected point in time; enabling generation of a virtual snapshot of the target volumes for the selected point in time after rolling back the target volumes to the selected point in time; and enabling a user to access the virtual snapshot in the storage array at the selected point in time.