Virtual Machine State Fetching During Restoration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methodologies for granular virtual machine recovery are slow and time-consuming, requiring complete restoration of the virtual machine state before access is possible.
Innovation Solution
A fetching mechanism that leverages block allocation information in parallel with disk caching to provide instant access to virtual machine state during restoration, allowing granular retrieval over a network and from remote storage systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If complete virtual machine restoration is performed before access, then data integrity is ensured, but recovery time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-calculating block allocation information and preparing data structures before restoration is complete. The block allocation map is generated in advance, allowing the system to know where data blocks are located without waiting for full restoration, thus enabling earlier access while maintaining data integrity through verification mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual machine restoration process is segmented into independent blocks that can be accessed individually. Instead of requiring complete restoration, the system divides the virtual machine state into block-level segments, allowing selective access to specific blocks that are already restored or can be accessed through the block allocation information structure.
2Productivity
If granular virtual machine recovery is implemented, then recovery efficiency improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces a block allocation map as an intermediary data structure that simplifies granular recovery operations. This intermediary layer manages the complexity of block-level operations by providing a standardized interface for accessing and managing virtual machine blocks, thereby improving recovery efficiency without proportionally increasing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates simplified copies or representations of block allocation information that can be manipulated without affecting the actual virtual machine data. These metadata structures serve as lightweight copies that enable complex recovery operations to be planned and executed efficiently without directly managing the full complexity of the underlying storage system.
3Speed
If parallel fetching mechanism is used, then access speed increases, but resource consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by fetching only the specific blocks that are needed for immediate access rather than parallel-fetching all blocks. The block allocation information enables the system to identify and fetch only the necessary portions of virtual machine state, achieving fast access speed while consuming fewer resources by avoiding unnecessary parallel operations.
Data Source
AI summary
An optimized solution for accessing virtual machine state while restoration of a respective virtual machine is underway. Specifically, the optimized solution disclosed herein implements a fetching mechanism for retrieving granular virtual machine state over a network and/or from a remote storage system. The fetching mechanism leverages block allocation information in parallel with disk caching to provide instant (or near instant) access to a virtual machine state while also, concurrently, restoring the respective virtual machine.