Virtual Machine Replication Resync Engine

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing methods for maintaining data consistency between primary and recovery virtual machines are inefficient, as they often require transferring large amounts of data to reestablish consistency, which is time-consuming and bandwidth-intensive, and can disrupt business continuity due to unscheduled outages or hardware failures.

Innovation Solution

A resync engine is used to compare data blocks between primary and recovery virtual machines, identifying and sending only the differing blocks to synchronize them, thereby minimizing network bandwidth usage and maintaining consistency without interrupting existing backup configurations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If large amounts of data are transferred to reestablish replication consistency, then data consistency is restored, but network bandwidth consumption increases and time required increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata consistencyVSAvoidtime required for replication

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments data into blocks and compares only the blocks that differ between primary and recovery virtual machines. By dividing the data into manageable segments and selectively transferring only the differing blocks rather than the entire data set, the system reduces both the time and bandwidth required for replication while maintaining data consistency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and transfers only the necessary data blocks that are different between the primary and recovery virtual machines. Instead of transferring all data, the system identifies and extracts only the differing portions, significantly reducing the data transfer volume and associated time and bandwidth costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If large amounts of data are transferred to reestablish replication consistency, then data consistency is restored, but network bandwidth consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata consistencyVSAvoidnetwork bandwidth consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments data into blocks and compares only the blocks that differ between primary and recovery virtual machines. By dividing the data into manageable segments and selectively transferring only the differing blocks rather than the entire data set, the system reduces both the time and bandwidth required for replication while maintaining data consistency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and transfers only the necessary data blocks that are different between the primary and recovery virtual machines. Instead of transferring all data, the system identifies and extracts only the differing portions, significantly reducing the data transfer volume and associated time and bandwidth costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Quantity of substance

If data blocks are compared and only differing blocks are sent, then network bandwidth usage is reduced, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork bandwidth usageVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the system compares data blocks between primary and recovery virtual machines, identifies differences, and selectively transfers only the differing blocks. This feedback loop ensures that data consistency is maintained while minimizing unnecessary transfers, balancing reduced bandwidth usage with manageable system complexity through automated comparison and selection processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS8930751B2Initializing replication in a virtual machine

Publication Date: 2015.01.06 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

Techniques for initializing a replication relationship between virtual machines are described herein. The techniques include performing one or more pre-requisite checks, determining, at least partly in response to performing the one or more pre-requisite checks, one or more first data blocks associated with a first virtual machine that differ from one or more second data blocks associated with a second virtual machine. The second virtual machine may be instructed to send the one or more second data blocks that differ from the one or more first data blocks to the first virtual machine.