Virtual Machine File Retrieval via Staging VM Translation

Solution Overview

Problem

Restoring individual files from a virtual machine snapshot is time-consuming and costly due to the need to restore the entire disk snapshot, which incurs unnecessary data transfer and processing costs.

Innovation Solution

A data management server determines the internal file address of the requested file within the client virtual machine's file system and sets up a staging virtual machine to translate this address to an external file address used by the data store, allowing for the retrieval of only the requested file without restoring the entire virtual machine.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the entire disk snapshot is restored to retrieve individual files, then file recovery is achieved, but data transfer time and processing costs increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefile recovery capabilityVSAvoiddata transfer time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the necessary file information (file path, size, modification time) from the snapshot metadata stored in the data store, rather than extracting the entire disk snapshot. This allows the system to retrieve individual files efficiently by using the metadata index to locate files without transferring unnecessary data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a data management server as an intermediary between the client and the data store. This server maintains an index of file paths, sizes, and modification times for files stored in the data store, enabling efficient file location and retrieval without requiring access to the entire disk snapshot.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the entire disk snapshot is restored to retrieve individual files, then file recovery is achieved, but data transfer costs increase unnecessarily

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefile recovery capabilityVSAvoiddata transfer cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the necessary file information (file path, size, modification time) from the snapshot metadata stored in the data store, rather than extracting the entire disk snapshot. This allows the system to retrieve individual files efficiently by using the metadata index to locate files without transferring unnecessary data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a data management server as an intermediary between the client and the data store. This server maintains an index of file paths, sizes, and modification times for files stored in the data store, enabling efficient file location and retrieval without requiring access to the entire disk snapshot.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the entire disk snapshot is restored, then all files are available for retrieval, but processing requirements and time consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefile availabilityVSAvoidretrieval speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a data management server as an intermediary between the client and the data store. This server maintains an index of file paths, sizes, and modification times for files stored in the data store, enabling efficient file location and retrieval without requiring access to the entire disk snapshot.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the disk snapshot into individual file entries within the metadata index, allowing the system to access and retrieve only specific files rather than processing the entire snapshot. This segmentation enables parallel processing and selective retrieval, significantly improving retrieval speed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS11720450B2Virtual machine file retrieval from data store

Publication Date: 2023.08.08 DRUVA INC

AI summary

A system includes a data management server and a data store. The data store uses an external file system to store data block of a client virtual machine. The client virtual machine uses an internal file system. The data management server comprises a proxy agent and a staging virtual machine. In response to receiving a request to retrieve a file indexed by the client virtual machine, the proxy agent imports data of the internal file system to a staging virtual machine. The proxy agent determines an internal file address that corresponds to the requested file. The staging virtual machine translates the internal file address to an external file address of the external file system. The staging virtual machine retrieves the file stored in the data store based on the external file address. The staging virtual machine provides the retrieved file to the target device.