Stripe-Aware Extent Metadata for Off-Host Backup Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing backup systems face performance degradation due to the need to transmit large amounts of extent data over local area networks when backing up striped volumes, leading to increased backup times and network resource consumption.
Innovation Solution
Generating stripe-aware extent metadata that treats striped data as a single entity rather than separate extents, allowing for efficient off-host backups by reducing the amount of data transmitted over the network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If extent data is transmitted over the local area network to enable file-level backup operations on striped volumes, then the backup system can perform file-level backup operations, but network performance degrades and backup time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential metadata information needed for file-level backup operations from the full extent data, transmitting only this condensed information over the network rather than the complete extent data set. This selective extraction maintains backup functionality while minimizing network load.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of the traditional approach where the backup system requests and receives comprehensive extent data from the host, the patent inverts the process by having the host proactively send only the necessary metadata about striped volumes. This reversal eliminates the need for the backup system to process and filter large amounts of unnecessary extent information.
2Measurement precision
If the host system sends complete extent data to the backup system for mapping files to data blocks, then accurate file mapping is achieved, but the volume of data transmitted over the network increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the critical metadata elements required for file-to-block mapping from the complete extent data structure. This includes essential information such as volume identifiers, stripe parameters, and mapping relationships, while excluding redundant extent information that does not contribute to the mapping function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the data transmission model by changing the parameters being transmitted from comprehensive extent data to condensed metadata with specific key-value pairs. This parameter transformation maintains the precision needed for file mapping while dramatically reducing the data volume transmitted over the network.
3Loss of information
If traditional extent metadata is used for striped volumes, then complete data mapping information is provided, but the backup time and network resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and transmits only the metadata information essential for data mapping in striped volume environments, eliminating the transmission of redundant extent information. This selective metadata transmission preserves complete mapping capability while reducing network resource consumption and backup time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the host system prepare and send the necessary metadata information about striped volumes before the backup operation begins. This pre-positioning of essential mapping information eliminates the need for time-consuming data retrieval and processing during the actual backup process.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method for off-host backups may include identifying a striped volume of data on which to perform an off-host backup. The computer-implemented method may also include generating stripe-aware extent metadata for the off-host backup operation. The computer-implemented method may further include performing the off-host backup operation using the stripe-aware extent metadata. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.