Virtual Disk Image Backup for Small Business Continuity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Small businesses face significant challenges in maintaining cost-effective data backup and recovery systems due to the high expenses of redundant hardware, software licenses, and staffing costs, leading to insufficient and unreliable backup methods that can result in data loss and business interruptions.
Innovation Solution
A data recovery system that regularly updates a backup disk image of a primary computer system, storing it on a local or remote device, using incremental or differential updates to maintain a near-real-time backup, allowing for quick restoration of the primary system through a virtual server, reducing the need for multiple software licenses and minimizing business disruption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fully functional, synchronized backup system is maintained at a secondary site, then business continuity is ensured, but the cost of hardware, software licenses, and staffing becomes prohibitively expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the primary system's disk image and stores it on a backup device. This virtual copy can be activated to replace the primary system in case of failure, providing business continuity without requiring a fully functional physical backup system with identical hardware and software licenses.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/physical backup system with a virtualized solution. Instead of maintaining a physical backup server with identical hardware and software, the system uses virtual disk images that can be rapidly deployed and activated, substituting physical infrastructure with virtualized data representations.
2Speed
If incremental or differential updates are used to maintain backup, then update frequency and near-real-time recovery is achieved, but the complexity of managing update processes increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic backup operations where the backup device regularly captures and updates disk images from the primary system at scheduled intervals. This periodic action ensures near-real-time backup capability while automating the process to manage complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The backup device preliminarily captures and stores disk images before they are needed for recovery. By maintaining updated copies in advance, the system enables rapid restoration without requiring complex real-time synchronization during failure events.
3Device complexity
If tape backup systems or basic remote data storage are used, then cost is reduced, but data loss and business interruption risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates accurate virtual copies of the primary system's disk image and stores them on a backup device that can be rapidly activated. This provides more reliable recovery capability than basic tape systems while avoiding the high costs of fully synchronized backup systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The backup device is configured to automatically receive and store disk images from the primary system without requiring manual intervention. This automated self-service approach reduces operational complexity and staffing requirements while maintaining reliable backup capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
A backup image generator can create a primary image and periodic delta images of all or part of a primary server. The images can be sent to a network attached storage device and one or more remote storage servers. In the event of a failure of the primary server, an updated primary image may be used to provide an up-to-date version of the primary system at a backup or other system. As a result, the primary data storage may be timely backed-up, recovered and restored with the possibility of providing server and business continuity in the event of a failure.