Virtual Machine Incremental Image Mapping for Rapid File Restoration
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for restoring files in virtual machines from backup media, such as tape drives, are time-consuming due to the lack of random access and the need to restore entire sets of base and incremental images to retrieve a specific file, especially when files are spread across multiple images.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for mapping virtual machine incremental images using file tables to create a catalog that identifies the type and location of changes, allowing for quick access and restoration of files by determining if they are contained completely in an incremental image or across both the base and incremental images.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If files are stored sequentially on backup media without random access capability, then storage simplicity is maintained, but file restoration time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by creating a catalog before backup that maps file locations across base and incremental images. This pre-computed mapping enables fast random access during restoration without requiring sequential scanning of the entire backup tape, thus resolving the contradiction between simple sequential storage and fast file retrieval.
2Reliability
If entire base image and all incremental images are restored to access a specific file, then complete file integrity is ensured, but restoration time and storage bandwidth increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary file information from the backup by using the catalog to locate and restore only the specific file needed, rather than restoring the entire base image and all incremental images. This selective extraction maintains file integrity while dramatically improving restoration speed and reducing storage bandwidth requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the backup into base image and incremental images with a catalog that tracks file locations across these segments. This segmentation allows the restoration process to access only the relevant segments containing the desired file, avoiding the need to restore the entire backup set and thus improving productivity while maintaining reliability.
3Reliability
If files spread across multiple incremental images are restored by processing each image sequentially, then complete file reconstruction is achieved, but restoration time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The catalog is created in advance to map file locations across all base and incremental images. This preliminary mapping enables the restoration process to directly access the specific images containing the desired file without sequentially processing all images, thus reducing restoration time while maintaining complete file reconstruction through the catalog's location information.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention include a method and apparatus for performing incremental mapping of virtual machine incremental images. The method and apparatus comprise creating a map of the base file as well as the incremental file, utilizing at least a portion of the file tables contained in the various images. This map indicates the type of change (i.e., whether the file is contained completely in an incremental image, is contained in the base image, or is contained in both). In another embodiment, the map may also contain the location of the change or the location of the file within the sequentially stored images upon the backup media.