Volume Snapshot Restore Pre-Check System for Storage Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Host-based applications performing volume-based snapshot restore (VBSR) operations often lack awareness of storage volume characteristics, leading to unstable conditions and potential loss of information due to inconsistent or foreign LUNs, new LUNs, shared files, and disrupted backup relationships.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that perform a series of checks before VBSR, determining inconsistent and foreign LUNs, new LUNs, backup relationships, and shared volumes, providing a consolidated report to users to inform their decisions and prevent negative impacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a host based application performs VBSR operation without storage volume information, then the operation can be initiated, but it results in unstable conditions and potential loss of information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs multiple checks before executing the VBSR operation to identify potential issues. The system checks for inconsistent LUNs, foreign mapped LUNs, new LUNs, newer snapshots, backup relationships, and clone relationships in advance, allowing the operation to proceed only when safe or with user awareness of potential consequences.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides a consolidated report to the user detailing the results of all pre-VBSR checks. This feedback mechanism informs users about potential risks such as inconsistent LUNs, foreign mappings, and disrupted backup relationships, enabling them to make informed decisions about whether to proceed with the VBSR operation.
2Reliability
If the application checks for inconsistent LUNs and foreign mapped LUNs, then data loss can be prevented, but the operation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the pre-VBSR validation process into multiple independent check modules, each responsible for a specific aspect: checking inconsistent LUNs, foreign mapped LUNs, new LUNs, newer snapshots, backup relationships, and clone relationships. This segmentation makes the complex validation process more manageable and maintainable.
Solution Approach 2:
The system combines multiple individual check results into a single consolidated report presented to the user. This merging of information provides a comprehensive view of potential issues without requiring the user to interpret multiple separate check results, simplifying the user interface while maintaining thorough validation.
3Manufacturing precision
If the application determines new LUNs and newer snapshots, then restore accuracy is improved, but the time required for VBSR operation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs checks for new LUNs and newer snapshots before the VBSR operation to identify items that would be affected by the restore. This preliminary identification allows for accurate assessment of what will be restored and what might be lost, improving restore accuracy while enabling users to make informed decisions about proceeding.
4Loss of information
If the application provides consolidated report to user, then user decision quality improves, but the information processing requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple check results into a single consolidated report that presents all relevant information about potential VBSR impacts in one place. This includes information about inconsistent LUNs, foreign mappings, new LUNs, newer snapshots, backup relationships, and clone relationships, allowing users to make comprehensive decisions without processing multiple separate reports.
Data Source
AI summary
Method and system is provided to perform a plurality of checks before performing a volume based snapshot restore (“VBSR”) operation. The checks may be performed by an application executed at a computing system that interfaces with a storage system. The application may determine if there are any inconsistent LUNS and foreign mapped LUNs. The application may also determine if there are any new LUNs or any new snapshots since the snapshot, which is the basis of the restore operation was created. The application may further determine if there are any backup relationships with respect to a volume that is being restored. The application takes the information and provides a report to a user. The report allows a user to ascertain the consequences of proceeding with the VBSR operation.