Systems and methods to confirm replication data accuracy for data backup in data storage systems

• US 9,619,339 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2015
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Kumarasamy, Paramasivam, Vallabhaneni, Brahmaiah, Thati, Ravi
• Primary Examiner(s): Morrison, Jay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoang, Ken
• Application Number:
  US14/974,346
• Publication Number:
  US 20160210200A1
• Time in Patent Office: 480 Days
• Field of Search: 711162, 711E12103, 711154, 711E12001, 711161, 711114, 711100, 711156, 711163, 711203, 711E12016, 711E12023, 711E12084, 711E12091, 711111, 711112, 711113, 711120, 711155, 711202, 711 4, 709223, 709217, 709224, 709202, 709220, 709226, 709229, 709248, 709208, 709215, 709216, 709219, 709225, 709230, 709232, 709238, 709239, 714 011, 714 63, 714E11073, 714E11106, 714 41, 714E11023, 714E11071, 714E11084, 714E11107, 714100, 714 19, 714 412, 714 61, 714 621, 714 623, 714E11021, 714E11024, 714E1112, 714E11123, 714E11131, 714 1, 714 11, 714 13, 714 15, 714 16, 714 2, 714 472, 714 48, 714 624, 707E17005, 707610, 707639, 707640, 707E17007, 707649, 707652, 707683, 707684, 707999202, 707E1701, 707E17044, 707638, 707645, 707648, 707651, 707654, 707659, 707674, 707682, 707692, 7079992, 707999204, 707E17001, 707623, 707624, 707625, 707626, 707634, 707637, 707644, 707646, 707647, 707655, 707657, 707660, 707661, 707675, 707678, 707679, 707681, 707685, 707690, 707691, 707693, 707698, 707699, 707711, 707747, 707820, 707821, 707822, 707827
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1456 Hardware arrangements for backup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1466 to make the backup process non-disruptive
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2094 Redundant storage or storage space G06F11/2056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2097 maintaining the standby controller/processing unit updated initialisation or re-synchronisation thereof G06F11/1658 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/184 implemented as replicated file system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/21 Design, administration or maintenance of databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2365 Ensuring data consistency and integrity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/065 Replication mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

A data storage system, according to certain aspects, automatically determines the accuracy of replication data when performing data backup operations. For instance, the system performs data backup using replication data rather than source data to reduce the processing load on the source system. The backup data is then associated with the source data as if the backup had been performed on the source data. If the replication system fails, then backing up replication data results in backup data that does not accurately reflect the source data. The system automatically determines the accuracy of replication data during data backup.

Claims

1. A method of storing secondary copies of data comprising:

replicating source data stored in one or more primary storage devices in a native format to one or more replication storage devices different than the one or more primary storage devices to generate replication data, the replication data stored in the native format;

initiating a backup operation that stores a backup copy of the source data on one or more secondary storage devices, wherein the one or more secondary storage devices are different than the one or more primary storage devices and the one or more replication storage devices, and wherein the backup copy is stored in a backup format that is different than the native format;

automatically determining with computer hardware comprising one or more processors whether the replication data stored in the one or more replication storage devices is an accurate replication of the source data by comparing at least a portion of the replication data with at least a portion of the source data;

when the replication data is accurate, instructing a media agent to automatically copy with one or more processors the replication data to the one or more secondary storage devices to create the backup copy from the replication data, wherein the media agent converts the replication data in the native format to a backup copy in a backup format, and wherein the media agent associates the backup copy data with the source data as if the backup had been performed on the source data;

when the replication data is inaccurate, not performing the backup of the replication data and identifying a replication data backup failure; and

when configuration settings prevent backup of the source data, instructing the media agent to automatically copy with one or more processors the source data to the one or more secondary storage devices to create the backup copy, based at least in part on a number of times the replication data backup failure has occurred, and instructing the media agent to associate the backup copy with the source data.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein comparing the portion of the replication data with the portion of the source data comprises comparing one or more entries in a replication log with one or more corresponding entries in a source log.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the replication data is accurate when the one or more entries in the replication log and the one or more corresponding entries in the source log are the same.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the replication data is accurate when the one or more data values in the replication data and one or more data values in the source data are the same.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining whether the replication data is accurate comprises determining whether a replication operation was successful based at least in part on a length of time to process source log to replication log transactions.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the comparing is performed by a replication agent.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein a replication agent queries a storage manager whether the replication operation was successful.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the replication data is accurate when the length of time is less than a processing time limit.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the replication data is inaccurate when one or more replication transactions have stopped.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the comparing is performed by a storage manager.

11. A system to create secondary copies of data comprising:

computer hardware including one or more computer processors; and

computer-readable storage comprising computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computer hardware to perform operations defined by the computer-readable instructions, the computer-readable instructions configured to;

replicate source data stored in one or more primary storage devices to one or more replication storage devices different than the one or more primary storage devices to generate replication data, the source data and the replication data stored in a native format;

initiate a backup operation that stores a backup copy of the source data on one or more secondary storage devices, wherein the one or more secondary storage devices are different than the one or more primary storage devices and the one or more replication storage devices, and wherein the backup copy is stored in a backup format that is different than the native format;

automatically determine whether the replication data stored in the one or more replication storage devices is an accurate replication of the source data by comparing at least a portion of the replication data with at least a portion of the source data;

when the replication data is accurate, instructing a media agent to automatically copy the replication data to one or more secondary storage devices to create the backup copy from the replication data, wherein the media agent converts the replication data in the native format to a backup copy in a backup format, and wherein the media agent associates the backup copy data with the source data as if the backup had been performed on the source data;

when the replication data is inaccurate, not performing the backup of the replication data and identifying a replication data backup failure; and

when configuration settings prevent backup of the source data, instructing the media agent to automatically copy the source data to the one or more secondary storage devices to create the backup copy, based at least in part on the number of times the replication data backup failure has occurred, the backup copy stored in a backup format different than the native format, and instructing the media agent to associate the backup copy with the source data.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein comparing the portion of the replication data with the portion of the source data comprises comparing one or more entries in a replication log with one or more corresponding entries in a source log.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the replication data is accurate when the one or more entries in the replication log and the one or more corresponding entries in the source log are the same.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the replication data is accurate when the one or more data values in the replication data and one or more data values in the source data are the same.

15. The system of claim 11 further comprising determining whether the replication data is accurate comprises determining whether a replication operation was successful based at least in part on a length of time to process source log to replication log transactions.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the replication data is accurate when the length of time is less than a processing time limit.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein a replication agent queries a storage manager whether the replication operation was successful.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein the replication data is inaccurate when one or more replication transactions have stopped.

19. The system of claim 11 wherein the comparing is performed by a replication agent.

20. The system of claim 11 wherein the comparing is performed by a storage manager.