Union Mount Filesystem Backup via Data Layer Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current data backup and restoration systems in information handling systems, such as hyper-converged infrastructure, are complex and require significant manual intervention, making them inefficient and resource-intensive.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a union mount filesystem that combines operating system and application data into a single filesystem, allowing for a data-layer-only backup by copying a single file, thereby simplifying the backup and restore processes while minimizing the need for manual intervention and resource usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional backup systems are used to backup all data including operating system and application data, then complete system restoration is possible, but backup complexity and resource requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The backup system segments data into two distinct layers: the base system layer (operating system, binaries, configuration files) and the data layer (application data, user files, databases). This segmentation allows selective backup of only the data layer, reducing backup complexity while maintaining restoration capability through the union mount filesystem structure that preserves both layers separately.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and isolates the data layer from the base system layer, storing application data and user files in a separate location that can be independently backed up. This extraction eliminates the need to backup the entire system, reducing resource requirements while the union mount filesystem ensures the separated data can be seamlessly integrated during restoration.
2Reliability
If traditional backup systems backup all data including operating system and application data, then complete system restoration is possible, but time and storage resources increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the filesystem into base system and data layer components, the system enables targeted backup of only the volatile data layer. This segmentation reduces backup time proportionally to the size difference between the entire system and the data layer, while the union mount structure ensures restoration integrity by maintaining proper layer relationships.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies partial action by backing up only the necessary data layer portion rather than the entire system. This partial backup approach achieves sufficient restoration capability for data recovery scenarios without the excessive time and storage costs of full system backups, since the base system remains intact.
3Productivity
If union mount filesystem is used to separate base system and data layer, then backup efficiency improves, but filesystem complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The union mount filesystem acts as an intermediary layer that combines the base system filesystem and data layer filesystem into a unified view for applications. This intermediary mechanism enables efficient selective backup of the data layer while presenting a transparent, standard filesystem interface to users and applications, hiding the underlying complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The union mount filesystem provides multi-functionality by simultaneously serving as a unified filesystem for normal operations and as a mechanism for efficient selective backup. It enables both complete system access and targeted data layer backup, reducing backup efficiency requirements while the standardized interface minimizes the perceived filesystem complexity for end users.
4Loss of energy
If union mount filesystem is used to separate base system and data layer, then network bandwidth usage during backup decreases, but implementation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Segmentation of the filesystem into base system and data layer enables local backup of the data layer without network transmission. This reduces network bandwidth consumption to minimal levels (only for metadata or incremental changes), while the union mount implementation provides a standardized interface that manages the segmentation complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses simple copying mechanisms to backup the data layer, leveraging the union mount filesystem's structure to create direct copies without complex network protocols or data transformation. This copying approach minimizes network bandwidth usage while the union mount layer abstracts the filesystem complexity, presenting a simple copy operation to the backup software.
Data Source
AI summary
An information handling system may include at least one processor and a memory. The information handling system may be configured to store a first set of data comprising an operating system in a first location; store a second set of data comprising application data in a second location; expose the first and second sets of data in a combined union mount filesystem; and create a backup of the second set of data, but not the first set of data, by creating a copy of the second location.