Snapshot Generating Method, System, and Apparatus

• US 20150142747A1
• Filed: 11/12/2014
• Published: 05/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Zou, Fengshao
• Granted Patent: US 10,061,656 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/649
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1407 Checkpointing the instruction stream
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1461 Backup scheduling policy
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1484 involving virtual machines
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/815 Virtual
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/84 Using snapshots, i.e. a logical point-in-time copy of the data

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a snapshot generating method, computer system, and apparatus, which can determine a plurality of virtual machines where an application runs and a deployment server where the plurality of virtual machines is deployed, and send a snapshot instruction to the deployment server of the plurality of virtual machines, so that the deployment server of the plurality of virtual machines can start snapshot operations on the plurality of virtual machines at consistent time points according to the snapshot instruction, so as to generate snapshot files of the plurality of virtual machines at the consistent time points, thereby implementing unified snapshots on the plurality of virtual machines where the application runs and ensuring consistency among backup data of the application.

Claims

1. A snapshot generating method comprising:

receiving a snapshot creation request for an application, wherein the snapshot creation request for the application carries an identifier of the application, and wherein the snapshot creation request is used to instruct that a snapshot be created for data of the application;

determining, according to the identifier of the application, a plurality of virtual machines where the application runs;

determining a deployment server of the plurality of virtual machines; and

sending a snapshot instruction to the deployment server of the plurality of virtual machines, wherein the snapshot instruction is used to instruct the deployment server to perform consistent snapshot operations on data of the plurality of virtual machines, so as to generate snapshot files of the plurality of virtual machines.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the snapshot creation request for the application further carries instruction information, wherein the instruction information is used to instruct that the consistent snapshot operations be performed on the data of the application, and wherein sending the snapshot instruction to the deployment server of the plurality of virtual machines comprises sending the snapshot instruction to the deployment server of the plurality of virtual machines according to the instruction information.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising presetting a snapshot policy of the application, wherein the snapshot policy of the application instructs that the consistent snapshot operations be performed on the data of the application, and wherein sending the snapshot instruction to the deployment server of the plurality of virtual machines comprises sending the snapshot instruction to the deployment server of the plurality of virtual machines according to the snapshot policy of the application.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein when it is determined that the plurality of virtual machines is deployed on a plurality of deployment servers, sending the snapshot instruction to the deployment server of the plurality of virtual machines comprises sending the snapshot instruction separately to the plurality of deployment servers at a same time point, wherein the snapshot instruction carries an identifier of a virtual machine deployed on each deployment server and first information, and wherein the first information indicates that the snapshot operation has a high processing priority.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein when it is determined that the plurality of virtual machines is deployed on a plurality of deployment servers, sending the snapshot instruction to the deployment server of the plurality of virtual machines comprises sending the snapshot instruction separately to the plurality of deployment servers, wherein the snapshot instruction carries an identifier of a virtual machine deployed on each deployment server and second information, and wherein the second information instructs that the snapshot operation be started at a same time.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein when it is determined that the plurality of virtual machines is deployed on a same deployment server, sending the snapshot instruction to the deployment server of the plurality of virtual machines comprises sending the snapshot instruction to the deployment server where the plurality of virtual machines is deployed, wherein the snapshot instruction carries third information, and wherein the third information instructs the deployment server where the plurality of virtual machines is deployed to start the snapshot operation on different virtual machines at the same time.

7. A snapshot generating method comprising:

receiving a snapshot creation request for virtual machines, wherein the snapshot creation request for the virtual machines carries identifiers of a plurality of virtual machines and instruction information, wherein the instruction information is used to instruct that consistent snapshot operations be performed on data of the plurality of virtual machines;

determining a deployment server of the plurality of virtual machines; and

sending a snapshot instruction to the deployment server of the plurality of virtual machines according to the instruction information, wherein the snapshot instruction is used to instruct the deployment server of the plurality of virtual machines to perform the consistent snapshot operations on the data of the plurality of virtual machines, so as to generate snapshot files of the plurality of virtual machines.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein when it is determined that the plurality of virtual machines is deployed on a plurality of deployment servers, sending the snapshot instruction to the deployment server of the plurality of virtual machines comprises sending the snapshot instruction separately to the plurality of deployment servers at a same time point, wherein the snapshot instruction carries an identifier of a virtual machine deployed on each deployment server and first information, and wherein the first information indicates that the snapshot operation has a high processing priority.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein when it is determined that the plurality of virtual machines is deployed on a plurality of deployment servers, sending the snapshot instruction to the deployment server of the plurality of virtual machines comprises sending the snapshot instruction separately to the plurality of deployment servers, wherein the snapshot instruction carries the identifier of the virtual machine deployed on each deployment server and second information, and wherein the second information instructs that the snapshot operation be started at a same time.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein when it is determined that a plurality of virtual machines is deployed on one deployment server, sending the snapshot instruction to the deployment server of the plurality of virtual machines comprises sending the snapshot instruction to the deployment server where the plurality of virtual machines is deployed, wherein the snapshot instruction carries third information, and wherein the third information instructs the deployment server where the plurality of virtual machines is deployed to start the snapshot operation on different virtual machines at the same time.

11. A snapshot generating method comprising:

receiving a snapshot instruction, wherein the snapshot instruction is used to instruct that consistent snapshot operations be performed on a plurality of virtual machines;

suspending a write operation on each virtual machine at a consistent time point according to the snapshot instruction; and

taking a snapshot on a storage volume of each virtual machine, so as to generate a snapshot file of each virtual machine.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the snapshot instruction carries identifiers of the virtual machines and first information, wherein the first information indicates that the snapshot operation has a high processing priority, and wherein suspending the write operation on each virtual machine at the consistent time point according to the snapshot instruction comprises suspending, according to the fact that the snapshot operation has a high processing priority, the write operation on each virtual machine immediately when the snapshot instruction is received.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the snapshot instruction carries identifiers of the virtual machines and second information, wherein the second information instructs that the snapshot operation be started at a same time, and wherein suspending the write operation on each virtual machine at the consistent time point according to the snapshot instruction comprises suspending the write operation on each virtual machine at the same time according to the second information.

14. A snapshot generating apparatus comprising:

a receiving unit configured to receive a snapshot creation request for an application, wherein the snapshot creation request for the application carries an identifier of the application and is used to instruct that a snapshot be created for data of the application;

a determining unit configured to determine, according to the identifier of the application, a plurality of virtual machines where the application runs and determine a deployment server of the plurality of virtual machines; and

a sending unit configured to send a snapshot instruction to the deployment server of the plurality of virtual machines, wherein the snapshot instruction is used to instruct the deployment server to perform consistent snapshot operations on data of the plurality of virtual machines, so as to generate snapshot files of the plurality of virtual machines.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the snapshot creation request for the application further carries instruction information, wherein the instruction information is used to instruct that the consistent snapshot operations be performed on the data of the application, and wherein the sending unit is further configured to send the snapshot instruction to the deployment server of the plurality of virtual machines according to the instruction information.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising a configuring unit configured to preset a snapshot policy of the application, wherein the snapshot policy of the application instructs that the consistent snapshot operations be performed on the data of the application, and wherein the sending unit is further configured to send the snapshot instruction to the deployment server of the plurality of virtual machines according to the snapshot policy of the application preset by the configuring unit.

17. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the determining unit is further configured to determine that a plurality of virtual machines is deployed on a same deployment server, wherein the sending unit is further configured to send the snapshot instruction to the deployment server where the plurality of virtual machines is deployed, wherein the snapshot instruction carries third information, and wherein the third information instructs the deployment server where the plurality of virtual machines is deployed to start the snapshot operation on different virtual machines at the same time.

18. A snapshot generating apparatus comprising:

a receiving unit configured to receive a snapshot creation request for virtual machines, wherein the snapshot creation request for the virtual machines carries identifiers of a plurality of virtual machines and instruction information, and wherein the instruction information is used to instruct that consistent snapshot operations be performed on data of the plurality of virtual machines;

a determining unit configured to determine a deployment server of the plurality of virtual machines; and

a providing unit configured to send a snapshot instruction to the deployment server of the plurality of virtual machines according to the instruction information in the snapshot creation request for the virtual machines which is received by the receiving unit, wherein the snapshot instruction is used to instruct that the consistent snapshot operations be performed on the data of the plurality of virtual machines, so as to generate snapshot files of the plurality of virtual machines.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the determining unit is further configured to determine that the plurality of virtual machines is deployed on a plurality of deployment servers, wherein the providing unit is further configured to send the snapshot instruction separately to the plurality of deployment servers at a same time point, wherein the snapshot instruction carries an identifier of a virtual machine deployed on each deployment server and first information, and wherein the first information indicates that the snapshot operation has a high processing priority.

20. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the determining unit is further configured to determine that the plurality of virtual machines is deployed on a plurality of deployment servers, wherein the providing unit is further configured to send the snapshot instruction separately to the plurality of deployment servers, wherein the snapshot instruction carries an identifier of a virtual machine deployed on each deployment server and second information, and wherein the second information instructs that the snapshot operation be started at a same time.

21. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the determining unit is further configured to determine that a plurality of virtual machines is deployed on one deployment server, wherein the providing unit is configured to send the snapshot instruction to the deployment server where the plurality of virtual machines is deployed, wherein the snapshot instruction carries third information, and wherein the third information instructs the deployment server where the plurality of virtual machines is deployed to start the snapshot operation on different virtual machines at the same time.

22. A snapshot generating apparatus comprising:

a receiving unit configured to receive a snapshot instruction, wherein the snapshot instruction is used to instruct that consistent snapshot operations be performed on a plurality of virtual machines; and

a snapshot unit configured to suspend a write operation on each virtual machine at a consistent time point according to the snapshot instruction, and take a snapshot on a storage volume of each virtual machine, so as to generate a snapshot file of each virtual machine.

23. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the snapshot instruction carries identifiers of the virtual machines and first information, wherein the first information indicates that the snapshot operation has a high processing priority, and wherein the snapshot unit is configured to suspend, according to the fact that the snapshot operation has a high processing priority, the write operation on each virtual machine immediately when the snapshot instruction is received.

24. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the snapshot instruction carries identifiers of the virtual machines and second information, wherein the second information instructs that the snapshot operation be started at a same time, and wherein the snapshot unit is configured to suspend the write operation on each virtual machine at the same time according to the second information.

25. A snapshot generating system comprising:

a backup server configured to send a snapshot creation request for an application to a cloud operation server, wherein the snapshot creation request for the application carries an identifier of the application and is used to instruct that a snapshot be created for data of the application;

the cloud operation server configured to receive the snapshot creation request for the application and determine, according to the identifier of the application, a plurality of virtual machines where the application runs, determine a deployment server of the plurality of virtual machines, and send a snapshot instruction to the deployment server of the plurality of virtual machines, wherein the snapshot instruction is used to instruct the deployment server to perform consistent snapshot operations on data of the plurality of virtual machines, so as to generate snapshot files of the plurality of virtual machines; and

the deployment server configured to receive the snapshot instruction, suspend a write operation on each virtual machine at a consistent time point according to the snapshot instruction, and take a snapshot on a storage volume of each virtual machine, so as to generate a snapshot file of each virtual machine.

26. A snapshot generating apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

a memory;

a bus; and

a communication interface;

wherein the memory is configured to store a computer executable instruction, wherein the processor is connected to the memory using the bus, and wherein, when the snapshot generating apparatus runs, the processor executes the computer executable instruction stored by the memory, so that the snapshot generating apparatus executes the following steps;

receive a snapshot creation request for an application, wherein the snapshot creation request for the application carries an identifier of the application and is used to instruct that a snapshot be created for data of the application;

determine, according to the identifier of the application, a plurality of virtual machines where the application runs;

determine a deployment server of the plurality of virtual machines; and

send a snapshot instruction to the deployment server of the plurality of virtual machines, wherein the snapshot instruction is used to instruct the deployment server to perform consistent snapshot operations on data of the plurality of virtual machines, so as to generate snapshot files of the plurality of virtual machines.

27. A computer readable medium, comprising a computer executable instruction, which, when executed by a computer unit, will cause the computer unit to:

receive a snapshot creation request for an application, wherein the snapshot creation request for the application carries an identifier of the application and is used to instruct that a snapshot be created for data of the application;

determine, according to the identifier of the application, a plurality of virtual machines where the application runs;

determine a deployment server of the plurality of virtual machines; and

send a snapshot instruction to the deployment server of the plurality of virtual machines, wherein the snapshot instruction is used to instruct the deployment server to perform consistent snapshot operations on data of the plurality of virtual machines, so as to generate snapshot files of the plurality of virtual machines.