Virtual Machine Data Recovery via Placeholder Disk and File Extent Map
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for recovering data from virtual machines are inefficient, leading to suboptimal use of computing resources and potential performance issues due to the need to restore entire backups, even when only specific data is required.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the generation of a placeholder disk, a template virtual machine, and an application-based virtual disk, where a file extent map is used to populate the disk with only the necessary data, allowing for efficient data recovery by replacing the placeholder disk with a populated application-based virtual disk and migrating the template virtual machine.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If entire backups are restored to recover specific data, then data recovery is achieved, but computing resources are wasted and performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the specific data blocks needed for recovery from the backup by generating a file extent map that identifies precise locations of required data. Instead of restoring entire backups, the system extracts and populates only the necessary portions of the virtual disk, thereby recovering specific application data while minimizing computing resource consumption.
2Reliability
If entire backups are restored to recover specific data, then data recovery is achieved, but recovery time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the backup restoration process into distinct components: generating a file extent map to identify specific data blocks, creating a placeholder virtual disk, and selectively populating only the required portions from the backup. This segmentation allows the system to recover only necessary data blocks rather than processing entire backups, significantly reducing recovery time while ensuring data integrity.
3Productivity
If placeholder disk is replaced with populated application-based virtual disk, then resource utilization improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a placeholder virtual disk as an intermediary component that initially points to backup data and is later replaced with a populated application-based virtual disk containing only the necessary data blocks. This intermediary mechanism simplifies the overall system by providing a clear replacement pathway that improves resource utilization while managing complexity through a structured two-stage process.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for recovering data includes obtaining a recovery request for application data, identifying a backup associated with the recovery request, generating a placeholder disk associated with the backup, generating a template virtual machine associated with the placeholder disk, generating an application-based virtual disk based on the placeholder disk, generating a file extent map based on the recovery request, populating the application-based virtual disk using the backup, the placeholder disk, and the file extent map to obtain a populated application-based virtual disk, replacing the placeholder disk with the populated application-based virtual disk, and after replacing the placeholder disk with the populated application-based virtual disk, initiating a migration of the template virtual machine.