Storage Management Computer Virtual Volume Backup
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current backup management technologies for virtualized computer systems fail to recognize changes in virtual volume assignments, leading to inefficiencies in data backup and restoration, particularly when differential backups are attempted across different logical volumes.
Innovation Solution
A management computer system that stores configuration information mapping virtual volumes to logical volumes and maintains backup history, allowing it to determine if a logical volume has changed and perform differential backups accordingly, ensuring seamless backup and restoration across logical volumes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the logical volume assignment to virtual volume is changed to satisfy performance profile requirements, then the performance requirement is improved, but the backup management reliability deteriorates because the backup device cannot recognize the assignment change
Solution Approach 1:
The storage management computer continuously monitors and tracks the assignment relationship between virtual volumes and logical volumes. When a reassignment occurs, the system detects this change through feedback mechanisms and automatically updates the backup management information, ensuring the backup device always has accurate knowledge of current volume assignments without manual intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The storage management computer acts as an intermediary between the virtualization system and the backup management device. It maintains and manages the assignment information of virtual volumes to logical volumes, translating and communicating this information to the backup device, thereby bridging the information gap that causes backup management failures
2Loss of energy
If differential backup is attempted across different logical volumes after reassignment, then the backup capacity efficiency is improved, but the backup operation fails because the system recognizes them as different management targets
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback mechanisms to track the identity and assignment history of virtual volumes across logical volume changes. By maintaining continuous information about volume relationships, the system can recognize that a virtual volume remains the same management target even when its underlying logical volume changes, enabling successful differential backups
Solution Approach 2:
The storage management computer serves as an intermediary that maintains the mapping relationship between virtual volumes and logical volumes. This intermediary preserves the identity information of virtual volumes, allowing the backup device to correctly identify and perform differential backups across logical volume transitions without treating them as completely different targets
3Adaptability or versatility
If the virtual volume assignment is switched to satisfy changing performance profiles, then the system flexibility is improved, but the backup management complexity increases due to tracking requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The storage management computer performs multiple functions: it manages virtual volume assignments to satisfy performance profiles, tracks assignment changes over time, and provides this information to backup management systems. This multi-functional approach consolidates what would otherwise be separate complex systems into a single coordinated platform
Solution Approach 2:
The storage management computer acts as an intermediary layer that abstracts the complexity of volume assignment tracking from the backup management system. By centralizing the tracking function in this intermediary, the system reduces overall complexity rather than increasing it, as the intermediary handles all tracking logic in one location
Data Source
AI summary
A management computer stores, in a memory, configuration information which indicates, by mapping, a virtual volume recognized by a host computer and a logical volume provided by a storage apparatus, and backup history information which manages a data backup history on a per virtual volume basis. Upon receiving a data backup request designating a virtual volume, the CPU of the management computer refers to the configuration information and acquires information of the logical volume mapped with the designated virtual volume. The CPU additionally refers to the backup history information and determines whether the logical volume currently mapped with the virtual volume coincides with the logical volume associated with the stored history. When it is determined that the mapped logical volume differs from the logical volume associated with the stored history, the CPU performs control to implement a differential backup between the logical volumes.