Stub-Based Data Sharing for NAS-CAS Capacity Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for data management in NAS and CAS devices face challenges in efficiently sharing data between bases without wasting capacity, while ensuring security and reducing loads on the CAS device, particularly due to cumbersome data sharing processes and the need to inhibit other bases from accessing certain files.
Innovation Solution
A data management system that uses backup data to create a shared file system by restoring only permitted stubs and files, allowing automatic updates and maintaining access even if the WAN connection is lost, and allowing users to freely set which files or directories are shared or not, thereby preventing unnecessary storage and load on the CAS device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If data is shared by storing files in a shared directory accessible by multiple bases, then data sharing is enabled, but storage capacity is wasted and CAS device load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses stubs (symbolic links) instead of actual file copies. When data is shared between bases, only stubs referencing the original data are created in the shared directory, not duplicate file contents. This allows multiple bases to access the same data through stubs without wasting storage capacity on redundant copies.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a stub as an intermediary between the shared directory and actual data files. The stub acts as a reference or pointer that enables access to data without requiring the data to be physically copied or stored multiple times, thus reducing CAS device load and storage waste.
2Reliability
If all data in CAS device is backed up, then data protection is ensured, but backup time and storage capacity are wasted on archive data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and identifies stub data from the backup process. Instead of backing up all data uniformly, the system detects stubs and handles them differently - backing up only the stub metadata rather than the actual large data files they reference. This significantly reduces backup time and storage usage while maintaining data protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the backup parameter for stub data versus regular data. Stubs are backed up with different parameters (only metadata) compared to actual data files (full content), allowing efficient backup that protects data while avoiding redundant backup of archived content already protected elsewhere.
3Reliability
If TENANT function is used to limit file reads/writes to specific bases, then security is improved, but file presence cannot be hidden from other bases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different access control qualities to different locations. The shared directory uses TENANT-based access control for security, while the actual data files referenced by stubs use ACL (Access Control List) permissions. This local differentiation allows stubs to be visible in the shared directory for sharing purposes while the actual data files remain hidden and protected from unauthorized bases.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the file system into two distinct parts: the shared directory containing stubs (visible to multiple bases for access purposes) and the actual data files (hidden and protected). This segmentation allows stubs to provide visibility and access control while the actual data files remain concealed and secure, using different permission mechanisms for each segment.
4Volume of stationary object
If data is migrated from NAS to CAS device, then NAS capacity is reduced, but stub management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the shared directory multi-functional. It serves both as a data sharing mechanism (providing access to stubs for multiple bases) and as a namespace integration point (using GNS to unify the view of stubs and data files). This universality simplifies stub management by combining multiple functions into a single directory structure rather than requiring separate management systems.
Data Source
AI summary
An ACL, a setting table, and backup data are used to create an inter-base data sharing file system at a base permitted to share data. This enables data to be shared by bases. In a process for restoring backup data, with reference to the ACL and the setting table, a data management computer system determines whether or not each restore destination base is permitted to share data, and executes a restore process only on restore destination bases permitted to share data.