VM Backup Replication via Format Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Replicating and backing up virtual machines (VMs) can overburden the production client device, and using robust hypervisors for production VMs is costly, while target client devices may not require the same features, leading to unnecessary expenses.
Innovation Solution
An information management system that converts VM data and memory into a common proprietary format for storage, allowing replication to occur from backups rather than real-time data, reducing resource consumption and enabling VMs to run on different hypervisors, and implementing incremental backups to minimize data transfer during replication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If VM replication and backup operations are performed on the production client device, then data protection and fault tolerance are improved, but the resource burden and I/O events on the production client device increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the backup and replication operations from the production client device and performs them on separate target client devices. The production client device only needs to provide initial VM data, while subsequent backup and replication operations are handled independently by target devices, reducing the resource burden and I/O events on the production device.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary backup of VM data to target client devices before replication is needed. This allows the system to have backup copies ready in advance, so that when replication is required, the target devices can use these pre-existing backups rather than requiring real-time data access from the production device, thereby reducing ongoing resource burden.
2Reliability
If robust hypervisors are used for production VMs, then feature set and reliability are improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different quality levels of hypervisors to different locations in the system. The production client device uses a robust hypervisor with full feature sets, while target client devices can use simpler, less expensive hypervisors since they only need to run replicated VMs and perform backup operations, not provide full production capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates copies of VMs on target client devices that can run with simpler hypervisors. These copied VMs inherit the operational capabilities needed for backup and replication purposes, allowing the system to use cheaper hypervisor solutions on target devices while maintaining the robust hypervisor only where absolutely necessary for production workloads.
3Stability of the object's composition
If full VM data is replicated in real-time, then data consistency is improved, but data transfer volume and network bandwidth consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic backup operations instead of continuous real-time replication. Backup operations are performed at scheduled intervals, transferring only the data that has changed since the last backup. This periodic approach maintains adequate data consistency for most use cases while dramatically reducing the volume of data transferred compared to continuous real-time synchronization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs partial replication by transferring only the portions of VM data that have changed since the last backup operation, rather than replicating the entire VM data set each time. This selective transfer of only necessary data portions reduces network bandwidth consumption and data transfer volume while maintaining sufficient data consistency.
Data Source
AI summary
An information management system according to certain aspects configured to implement VM backup and replication operations that reduce the amount of resources and the cost typically associated with such operations. The system can initiate backups of VM data (e.g., persistent data or data written to a virtual disk, such as application data, data saved by an application running on the VM, etc.) and VM memory (e.g., non-persistent data) of a VM. The system can convert the VM data into another format before storage in a secondary storage device occurs. Rather than replicating the VM based on data provided by the production client device, the information management system can initiate VM replication using the backup stored in the secondary storage device. The backup data can be converted into a format associated with the hypervisor that is to run the VM on the target client device before replication to the target client device occurs.