Virtual Machine Disaster Recovery via Centralized Metadata Transmission

Solution Overview

Problem

Current disaster recovery technologies for managed systems in cloud computing require pre-disaster provisioning and replication of management tool state data, which is costly and complex, especially when management tools at primary and DR sites are different or use different technologies.

Innovation Solution

The solution integrates a workload into management tools at the DR site during recovery, eliminating the need for pre-provisioning and allowing for different management tools at primary and DR sites, with metadata and state data managed centrally to facilitate zero-state managed recovery.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If pre-disaster provisioning and replication of management tool state data is implemented, then disaster recovery capability is improved, but system complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisaster recovery capabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements pre-provisioning of management tools and their state data at the disaster recovery site before a disaster occurs. This preliminary action ensures that when a disaster strikes, the recovery process can immediately utilize pre-configured tools and data, eliminating the need for post-disaster setup and reducing recovery time while maintaining manageable system complexity through automated provisioning processes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates replicas of management tools and their associated state data at the disaster recovery site. By copying the entire management environment including configuration data, the system ensures that the DR site has an identical functional capability to the primary site, enabling seamless disaster recovery without requiring complex integration or adaptation processes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Reliability

If pre-disaster provisioning and replication of management tool state data is implemented, then disaster recovery capability is improved, but cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisaster recovery capabilityVSAvoidcost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates replicas of management tools and their associated state data at the disaster recovery site. By copying the entire management environment including configuration data, the system ensures that the DR site has an identical functional capability to the primary site, enabling seamless disaster recovery without requiring complex integration or adaptation processes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent designs the management tools and state data structure to be universal and site-independent. The same management tool instances and their state data can serve multiple purposes: managing primary site workloads during normal operation and managing disaster recovery workloads when activated. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized systems, thereby reducing overall cost while maintaining comprehensive disaster recovery capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If different management tools are used at primary and DR sites, then flexibility and adaptability are improved, but integration complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveflexibilityVSAvoidintegration complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates replicas of management tools and their associated state data at the disaster recovery site. By copying the entire management environment including configuration data, the system ensures that the DR site has an identical functional capability to the primary site, enabling seamless disaster recovery without requiring complex integration or adaptation processes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a virtualization layer that acts as an intermediary between the physical management tools and the workloads they manage. This virtualization abstraction enables different underlying management tool implementations at primary and DR sites to present a unified interface and behavior, allowing flexibility in tool selection while reducing integration complexity through standardized virtualized management interfaces

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10223218B2Disaster recovery of managed systems

Publication Date: 2019.03.05 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION

AI summary

A mechanism is provided for disaster recovery of managed systems. Responsive to an identification of a virtual machine recovery condition occurring at a first node site, one or more virtual machines to be recovered to a second site node are identified. Further responsive to the identification of the virtual machine recovery condition occurring at the first node site and responsive to the identification of the one or more virtual machines to be recovered, at least some of records/metadata state data associated with the one or more virtual machines are transmitted to the second site node.