Virtual Machine Snapshot Incremental Export Failback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current data recovery methods in virtualized environments face challenges in reducing recovery time and efficiently managing snapshots across different virtualization environments, particularly during failback operations from secondary data backup systems to primary systems.
Innovation Solution
The technology employs virtual machine conversions and incremental exportation for backed-up snapshots, using fingerprinting algorithms to identify and transfer data changes, and utilizes linked clones to conserve resources and optimize storage, while also enabling seamless conversion between different virtualization environments like VMware and Amazon EC2.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If full virtual machine images are transferred during failback operations, then data completeness is ensured, but data recovery time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the virtual machine image transfer process into multiple incremental snapshots. Instead of transferring a complete VM image in one operation, the system divides it into time-ordered snapshots (full snapshot followed by incremental snapshots), allowing progressive restoration and reducing total recovery time while maintaining data completeness through the snapshot chain.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by creating and storing incremental snapshots in advance during normal operations. These snapshots are prepared and staged before failback operations begin, enabling rapid restoration by simply applying the pre-computed incremental changes rather than reconstructing the entire VM image during recovery.
2Adaptability or versatility
If snapshots are converted between different virtualization environments (e.g., VMware to Amazon EC2), then system flexibility and adaptability improve, but conversion complexity and resource requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary conversion process that uses a standardised snapshot format as a mediator between different virtualization environments. The conversion system acts as a bridge, transforming snapshots from source environments (VMware, Hyper-V, etc.) into a universal format that can then be applied to target environments (Amazon EC2, Azure, etc.), simplifying multi-environment failback operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes parameters by abstracting virtual machine configurations into environment-agnostic snapshot metadata and data blocks. By separating the core VM data from environment-specific parameters, the system can transform snapshots between different virtualization platforms by adjusting only the relevant configuration parameters rather than reconstructing entire VM images.
3Reliability
If all snapshot data is transferred and applied during failback, then complete virtual machine restoration is achieved, but storage and processing resources are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and transfers only the essential snapshot data blocks required for VM restoration, separating necessary data from redundant information. The system identifies and transfers only changed data blocks between snapshots using fingerprinting algorithms, eliminating the need to transfer complete VM images and reducing storage and processing resource consumption during failback operations.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for reducing the data recovery time when failing back to a primary system from a secondary data backup system using virtual machine conversions and incremental exportation for backed-up virtual machine snapshots are described. Upon detection that the primary system is available to receive replicated snapshots for a virtual machine, the secondary data backup system may identify a first virtual machine snapshot out of a chain of snapshots for the virtual machine (e.g., the earliest in time snapshot within the chain or a middle snapshot in the middle of the chain) and transfer a full image snapshot for the first virtual machine snapshot to the primary system. Thereafter, data changes between the next virtual machine snapshot to be transferred to the primary system and the most-recently hydrated virtual machine on the primary system may be identified and then transferred to the primary system.