Virtual Data Files for Rapid Unstructured Data Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data storage and backup solutions incur high costs and extended recovery downtimes due to inefficient handling of inactive unstructured data, particularly during disasters or ransomware attacks, leading to prolonged access delays and opportunity costs.
Innovation Solution
Implementing Virtual Data Files (VDFs) that serve as pointers to unstructured data, allowing rapid restoration of system functionality by transferring VDFs to a replacement storage before actual data files, and prioritizing data transfer based on user requests.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional backup solutions store all unstructured data (active and inactive) on high-cost storage, then data protection is ensured, but storage costs and recovery time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments unstructured data into active and inactive categories, storing them differently. Active data remains on high-performance storage for immediate access, while inactive data is stored on lower-cost storage media. This segmentation allows rapid recovery of critical active data while reducing overall storage costs and recovery time for disaster scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-processing unstructured data to identify and separate active from inactive data before a disaster occurs. Virtual data files are created and stored in advance on cost-effective storage media, so that when recovery is needed, only the essential active data needs to be restored from high-cost storage, dramatically reducing recovery time.
2Reliability
If all unstructured data is stored on high-cost storage and backup solutions, then data security is maintained, but storage costs increase by up to 90%
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different storage qualities to different data types. Active unstructured data that requires frequent access and high security is stored on expensive high-performance storage, while inactive data is stored on lower-cost storage media. This differentiated approach maintains security for critical data while reducing overall storage costs by up to 90% for the inactive portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates virtual data files that are copies or representations of the original unstructured data. These virtual files are stored on cost-effective storage media and can be restored when needed, reducing the need to maintain expensive physical copies of all data while still ensuring data security and recoverability.
3Reliability
If complete data restoration is performed during disaster recovery, then data availability is restored, but recovery downtime extends due to the time needed to restore inactive data
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary classification and separation of active and inactive data before disasters occur. Virtual data files are prepared in advance on fast storage, so during recovery, only the essential active data needs to be restored immediately to restore data availability, while inactive data can be restored later without impacting recovery speed or business continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts inactive data from the critical recovery path by storing it separately on lower-cost storage media. During disaster recovery, only active data is restored from high-performance storage, eliminating the time-consuming restoration of inactive data and dramatically improving recovery speed and productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
A data management system includes: a transceiver; a memory; and a processor communicatively coupled to the transceiver and the memory and configured to: receive, via the transceiver, a copy data request for unstructured data; access, via the transceiver in response to the copy data request, a plurality of backed-up files of unstructured data stored in a first data storage device; send, in response to the copy data request, a plurality of Virtual Data Files (VDFs) to a second data storage device, the processor being configured to respond to receipt of information from each of the plurality of VDFs to retrieve a respective backed-up file of unstructured data of the plurality of backed-up files of unstructured data stored in the first data storage device.