Virtual Storage Snapshot for Rapid Data Restoration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for restoring computing systems from data corruption or crashes are time-consuming and disruptive, requiring significant downtime due to the need for full or partial data backups and restoration, which is inefficient and can result in substantial losses, especially for mission-critical applications.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilizes virtual storage by combining a read-only portion of main storage with temporary storage, redirecting write requests to temporary storage, and allowing for rapid restoration to a previous state by merging temporary storage with the read-only portion, enabling minimal downtime and efficient data protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional backup and restoration procedures are used, then data protection is achieved, but system downtime increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a snapshot of the storage medium at a specific point in time before potential corruption occurs. This preliminary action captures the valid state of the storage medium, allowing rapid restoration without needing to perform time-consuming backup and restoration procedures when corruption is detected.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy (snapshot) of the storage medium's state at a specific point in time. This copy is stored separately and can be rapidly restored to the storage medium when corruption is detected, eliminating the need for lengthy conventional backup restoration processes.
2Reliability
If full backup of entire local drive is performed, then complete data protection is achieved, but transfer time and network bandwidth consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the backup process by creating a snapshot that captures only the necessary state information of the storage medium at a specific point in time, rather than performing a complete full backup of the entire drive. This segmentation reduces the amount of data that needs to be transferred and stored.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs a partial backup action by creating a snapshot of the storage medium state rather than a complete full backup. This partial action is sufficient for restoration purposes and significantly reduces transfer time and network bandwidth consumption compared to full backups.
3Ease of repair
If conventional backup procedures are used, then data restoration capability is provided, but server operations are disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates snapshots at predetermined points in time when the storage medium is known to be in a valid state, before potential corruption occurs. This preliminary action ensures that restoration capability is available without disrupting server operations, as the snapshot creation occurs in the background or at scheduled intervals.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (snapshot) that preserves the state of the storage medium without interfering with normal server operations. The snapshot acts as a mediator that enables restoration capability while allowing the server to continue operating uninterrupted.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of and system for protecting a disk drive or other data storage includes mounting a virtual storage that combines a READ-only portion of a volume of the main storage and a full access temporary storage located on the same data storage, wherein the READ-only portion represents a protected area of the volume of the main storage; generating a bitmap for blocks of the virtual storage; redirecting virtual storage write requests to the temporary storage; marking, in the bitmap, blocks of the virtual storage corresponding to blocks of the temporary storage that are being written to; redirecting, to the READ-only portion, read requests for unmarked blocks; redirecting, to the temporary storage, read requests for marked blocks; upon an acceptance of a state of the virtual storage, merging the temporary storage with unmarked blocks of the READ-only portion of the volume of the main storage, to form an integral storage; and upon a rejection of a state of the virtual storage, terminating the redirecting. Optionally, data in the temporary storage can be archived.