18179502. APPLICATION-CONSISTENT SNAPSHOTS simplified abstract (INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION)
Contents
APPLICATION-CONSISTENT SNAPSHOTS
Organization Name
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Inventor(s)
Fang Yuan Cheng of Beijing (CN)
APPLICATION-CONSISTENT SNAPSHOTS - A simplified explanation of the abstract
This abstract first appeared for US patent application 18179502 titled 'APPLICATION-CONSISTENT SNAPSHOTS
- Simplified Explanation:
The patent application describes techniques for ensuring application-consistent snapshots of storage volumes by flushing host buffers and write caches before performing scheduled snapshots.
- Key Features and Innovation:
- Determining when a scheduled snapshot of a storage volume is imminent. - Initiating host buffer flush to transfer I/O data to the write cache of the storage volume. - Reducing the amount of I/O data in the host buffer before the snapshot. - Initiating write cache flush after the host buffer flush is completed. - Performing the scheduled snapshot after the write cache flush is done.
- Potential Applications:
- Data backup and recovery systems. - Cloud storage services. - Virtual machine management platforms.
- Problems Solved:
- Ensuring data consistency during snapshot creation. - Minimizing data loss or corruption during snapshot operations. - Improving the reliability of backup processes.
- Benefits:
- Enhanced data protection. - Improved system performance during snapshot operations. - Reduced risk of data inconsistencies in backups.
- Commercial Applications:
"Application-Consistent Snapshot Techniques for Data Backup and Recovery Systems"
- Prior Art:
Readers can explore prior art related to snapshot techniques in data storage and backup systems, including research papers, patents, and industry publications.
- Frequently Updated Research:
Stay informed about the latest advancements in snapshot technologies, data protection methods, and backup strategies to enhance data management practices.
Questions about Application-Consistent Snapshot Techniques: 1. How do application-consistent snapshots differ from crash-consistent snapshots? Application-consistent snapshots ensure that data is in a consistent state for the application, while crash-consistent snapshots capture data as it is at a specific point in time, regardless of application state.
2. What are the potential challenges in implementing application-consistent snapshot techniques in large-scale storage environments? Implementing application-consistent snapshot techniques in large-scale storage environments may require efficient coordination between multiple hosts, storage systems, and applications to ensure data consistency and performance.
Original Abstract Submitted
Described are techniques for application-consistent snapshots. The techniques include determining that a scheduled snapshot of a storage volume is imminent, where the storage volume stores input/output (I/O) data associated with an application that executes on a host server. The techniques further include initiating at least one host buffer flush prior to the scheduled snapshot being performed, where I/O data in a host buffer associated with the application is transferred to a write cache of the storage volume to reduce an amount of I/O data in the host buffer when performance of the scheduled snapshot begins. The techniques further include initiating, after the host buffer flush has completed, a write cache flush to write the I/O data in the write cache to the storage volume. The techniques further include initiating the scheduled snapshot of the storage volume in response to an indication that the write cache flush has completed.
