Virtual Disk Mapping for Continuous Backup
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional data protection systems, such as tape backup drives, require system shutdown during backup operations, limit recovery points in time, and have lengthy data recovery processes, which are inefficient for modern data-intensive organizations.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for mapping a Virtual Machine (VM) drive to underlying storage by locating and comparing disk signatures or volume serial numbers, enabling efficient data replication and recovery without system shutdowns, using tools like VMWare VDDK or VI SDK to identify and manage VMFS files.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional tape backup systems are used, then data protection is achieved, but system shutdown is required during backup operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a copy of the virtual machine's disk data to a backup location without requiring system shutdown. The mapping system identifies and copies virtual disk files (VMDK) while the VM remains operational, allowing continuous data protection while maintaining system availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a backup interface and mapping system as an intermediary between the virtual machine and backup storage. This intermediary layer enables data capture and backup operations without interrupting the VM's operational state, resolving the contradiction between data protection and system availability.
2Reliability
If daily backup operations are performed, then data protection is maintained, but several hours of data loss occur during disasters
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous or near-continuous backup operations that capture data changes as they occur, rather than relying on periodic daily backups. This preliminary and ongoing action ensures that minimal data is lost in disaster scenarios, as the backup is continuously synchronized with the production system.
Solution Approach 2:
The backup system operates continuously or at frequent intervals, maintaining an ongoing backup process that continuously protects data. This continuous action eliminates the gaps between daily backups, ensuring that even recent data changes are protected and can be recovered if needed.
3Reliability
If conventional backup systems are used, then data protection is achieved, but the data recovery process takes a long time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the backup and recovery process into manageable components: virtual disk identification, file mapping, data extraction, and restoration. This segmentation allows for efficient processing and enables selective recovery of specific virtual disks or partitions, significantly reducing overall recovery time compared to conventional full-system backup approaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains ready-to-restore copies of virtual disk files in the backup location. When recovery is needed, these pre-copied files can be quickly restored and mounted, eliminating the need for lengthy backup-then-restore processes and enabling rapid system recovery.
4Measurement precision
If virtual machine file system files are mapped using conventional methods, then storage identification is achieved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a backup interface as an intermediary that automatically performs the complex task of mapping virtual disk signatures to VMFS files. This intermediary handles the complexity of signature comparison, file identification, and path construction, presenting a simple interface to users while managing the underlying complexity automatically.
Solution Approach 2:
The mapping system performs self-service by automatically identifying virtual disks through their signatures, locating corresponding VMFS files, and creating mappings without requiring manual intervention. The system autonomously completes the complex identification and mapping processes, reducing user burden despite the inherent complexity of the tasks.
Data Source
AI summary
A system, computer program product, and computer implemented method for mapping a Virtual machine (VM) drive to underlying storage, the method comprising locating a signature for a disk mounted to a VM, finding one or more files storage on a storage medium representing the virtual machine file system (VMFS) for a hypervisor that is running the VM, finding a portion of the one or more files on the storage medium that contains the signature, mapping the found portion of the one or more files to be the disk of the VM.