Storage Array Snapshots for Virtual Machine Backup
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Solution Overview
Problem
Virtualization environments face performance penalties and challenges in snapshotting virtual machines due to the need for hypervisors to maintain virtual disks in a frozen state, which hinders data updates and increases system downtime.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an integrated data management and storage system that leverages storage array snapshots to reduce the time hypervisors must keep virtual disks frozen by capturing changed data blocks from storage arrays without requiring continuous hypervisor intervention, using proxy virtual machines to transfer data efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the hypervisor maintains virtual disks in a frozen state during snapshot operations, then data consistency is ensured, but system performance deteriorates and downtime increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the snapshot creation process into two independent parts: the storage array handles disk freezing and snapshot capture, while the hypervisor handles only metadata collection and data block identification. This segmentation allows the hypervisor to minimize virtual disk freezing time, improving system performance while the storage array ensures data consistency through its native snapshot capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the storage array acts as a mediator between the hypervisor and the virtual disks. The storage array's snapshot functionality serves as the intermediary that actually performs the data freezing and capture, releasing the hypervisor from this burden and allowing it to maintain virtual disks frozen for minimal time while still ensuring consistency through coordination with the storage array.
2Measurement precision
If the hypervisor continuously monitors and transfers data blocks during snapshot operations, then snapshot accuracy is maintained, but system downtime increases
Solution Approach 1:
The storage array performs preliminary actions by creating the snapshot and identifying changed data blocks before the hypervisor needs to intervene. The array provides change block tracking information to the hypervisor, allowing the hypervisor to efficiently transfer only the necessary data blocks without continuous monitoring, thus maintaining snapshot accuracy while reducing downtime.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of continuous hypervisor monitoring and data transfer with an automated information technology system. The storage array uses change block tracking mechanisms to automatically identify and flag changed data blocks, providing this information to the hypervisor. This substitution eliminates the need for continuous hypervisor intervention, maintaining snapshot accuracy through automated tracking while significantly reducing system downtime.
3Productivity
If more storage capacity is allocated for backup operations, then data transfer efficiency improves, but storage costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by transferring only the changed data blocks identified by the storage array's change block tracking, rather than transferring entire virtual disk images. This selective transfer approach improves data transfer efficiency by focusing resources on only the necessary data portions, reducing the storage capacity required for backup operations while maintaining high productivity through targeted data movement.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for improving the performance of a primary system that is running one or more virtual machines and capturing snapshots of the one or more virtual machines over time are described. The performance penalty on the primary system when a hypervisor running the one or more virtual machines is used to capture the snapshots of the one or more virtual machines may be reduced by leveraging storage array snapshots to reduce the amount of time that the hypervisor must freeze virtual disks of the one or more virtual machines. In this case, changed block tracking information for changed data blocks associated with the snapshots may be acquired from the hypervisor and the changed data blocks themselves may be pulled from the storage array snapshots without requiring the hypervisor to keep the virtual disks of the one or more virtual machines in a frozen state.