Storage System Backup Mechanism for Instant Restore
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current data backup methods are inefficient, requiring large storage space and being time-consuming due to frequent duplication and saving of data, and fail to recover data stored after the last backup operation.
Innovation Solution
A data backup system utilizing a primary and secondary storage drive, where data is written to the primary drive during backup mode, and data written to allocated blocks is redirected to the secondary drive, allowing for efficient storage and recovery without duplication, and enabling instantaneous system restore by disregarding mapping tables during restore operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If data is frequently copied and saved for backup, then data recovery reliability is improved, but storage space consumption increases and backup time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a backup mechanism where data written to allocated blocks during backup mode is automatically copied to a backup storage drive. This creates redundant copies of critical data without requiring manual intervention, ensuring recovery reliability while optimizing storage utilization through automated block-level copying.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary backup actions by identifying allocated blocks before they are needed for recovery. The backup process proactively copies data to the backup drive in advance, so that when recovery is needed, the data is already available, eliminating the need for time-consuming on-demand copying.
2Reliability
If data is frequently copied and saved for backup, then data recovery reliability is improved, but backup time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The backup operation runs continuously in the background without interrupting normal system operations. The controller monitor continuously monitors for allocated blocks and performs copying operations seamlessly, ensuring that backup is an ongoing process rather than a discrete time-consuming event, thus maintaining reliability while minimizing perceived backup time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system skips unnecessary copying operations by identifying only allocated blocks that require backup. Instead of copying entire storage volumes or unallocated spaces, the system rapidly processes only the necessary data blocks, rushing through the backup process efficiently while maintaining complete coverage of protectable data.
3Measurement precision
If mapping tables are used to track allocated blocks during backup, then data recovery accuracy is improved, but system restore speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The mapping tables are populated in advance during the backup process, recording all allocated blocks before recovery is initiated. This preliminary tracking ensures that when restore is needed, the system already has an accurate map of what needs to be recovered, eliminating the need for time-consuming analysis during the restore operation itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The mapping table information is copied and stored as part of the backup metadata. This creates a redundant record of block allocations that can be quickly referenced during recovery without requiring recalculation or reanalysis, thus maintaining high recovery accuracy while enabling fast restore operations through pre-computed mapping data.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present subject matter relates to storage systems. In an example method, a write request is received from a computing device in a data backup mode (402). Data associated with the write request is written to a primary storage drive of a storage system when the write request is for an unallocated block of the primary storage drive (404). The data associated with the write request is written to a secondary storage drive of the storage system when the write request is for an allocated block of the primary storage drive (406).