Remote data mirroring system

• US 7,996,709 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2010
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Axxana (Israel) Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Axxana (Israel) Ltd.
• Inventors: Winokur, Alex
• Primary Examiner(s): GUYTON, PHILIP A
• Application Number:
  US12/721,580
• Publication Number:
  US 20100169706A1
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 714/6, 711/161, 711/162
• US Class Current: N/A
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1441 Resetting or repowering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2012 and using different communication protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2074 Asynchronous techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2082 Data synchronisation

Abstract

A method for data protection includes accepting data for storage from one or more data sources (24). The data is sent for storage in a primary storage device (28) and in a secondary storage device (32). While awaiting an indication of successful storage of the data in the secondary storage device, a record associated with the data is temporarily stored in a disaster-proof storage unit (48) adjacent to the primary storage device. When an event damaging at least some of the data in the primary storage device occurs, the data is reconstructed using the record stored in the disaster-proof storage unit and at least part of the data stored in the secondary storage device.

Claims

1. A method for data protection, comprising:

accepting data for storage from one or more data sources, including access control data that is acquired by a security access control system;

sending the data for storage in a storage device;

temporarily storing records associated with at least part of the data that is relevant to investigation of disaster events, including a portion of the access control data that is acquired immediately before or during an event damaging the storage device, in a disaster-proof storage unit; and

when the event damaging the storage device occurs, investigating the event using the records that are stored in the disaster-proof storage unit and are associated with the portion of the access control data,

and comprising detecting the event using a detection mechanism in the disaster-proof storage unit, and modifying operation of the disaster-proof storage unit responsively to detecting the event,

wherein modifying the operation comprises transmitting the record from the disaster-proof storage unit over a wireless communication link,

wherein temporarily storing the records comprises storing the records in two or more disaster-proof storage units, and wherein transmitting the record comprises transmitting two or more different parts of the record respectively from the two or more disaster-proof storage units over respective wireless links so as to shorten a transmission time of the records.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least part of the data that is relevant to investigation of disaster events comprises at least one of surveillance images and data originating from a telephony system.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least part of the data that is relevant to investigation of disaster events comprises data accepted at a time immediately preceding an occurrence of the event.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein investigating the event comprises retrieving the disaster-proof storage unit following the event, extracting the records from the disaster-proof storage unit and investigating the event using the extracted records.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the disaster-proof storage unit comprises a removable memory device for holding the records, and wherein investigating the event comprises, when the disaster-proof storage unit is damaged by the event, removing the memory device from the disaster-proof storage unit and installing the memory device in another unit for readout of the records.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein modifying the operation comprises transmitting a homing signal from the disaster-proof storage unit, so as to enable location and retrieval of the disaster-proof storage unit.

7. The method according to claim 1, and comprising sensing an environmental condition using an environmental sensor, predicting the event responsively to the sensed environmental condition, and, after predicting the event, transmitting the records from the disaster-proof storage unit using at least one of a wired connection and a wireless connection.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein sensing the environmental condition comprises accepting a manual indication from a user that indicates the event.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein temporarily storing the records comprises sending an acknowledgement message responsively to a successful storage of the records in the disaster-proof storage unit, and comprising, after predicting the event, refraining from sending subsequent acknowledgement messages so as to avoid accepting additional data from the one or more data sources.

10. The method according to claim 7, and comprising, after predicting the event, refraining from accepting subsequent data for storage in the storage device.

11. The method according to claim 7, and comprising, after predicting the event, temporarily storing in the disaster-proof storage unit only subsequent records associated with data originating from a subset of the data sources.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein temporarily storing the records comprises including in the records additional information related to the data, the additional information comprising at least one of an address of an originating data source, an address of the storage device, a time stamp indicating an acceptance time of the data, and a storage address intended for the data in the storage device.

13. A method for data protection, comprising:

accepting data from a data source for storage in a primary storage device located at a local site;

periodically sending the data for backup in a backup storage device located at a remote site by means of a sequence of backup operations;

temporarily storing in a disaster-proof storage unit, which is collocated with the primary storage device at the local site, records associated with at least part of the data that is accepted during a time interval between successive backup operations in the sequence; and

when an event damaging at least some of the data in the primary storage device occurs during the time interval, reconstructing the data using the records stored in the disaster-proof storage unit.

14. A method for data protection, comprising:

accepting data for storage from a data source;

sending the data for storage in a primary storage device located at a local site, while mirroring the data in a secondary storage device located at a remote site;

temporarily storing at least part of the data in a disaster-proof storage unit collocated with the primary storage device at the local site; and

when an event damaging at least some of the data in the primary storage device occurs at the site, reconstructing the data using the at least part of the data stored in the disaster-proof storage unit.

15. A computer software product for data protection, the product comprising a computer-readable medium, in which program instructions are stored, which instructions, when read by a computer, cause the computer to accept data from one or more data sources sent for storage in primary and secondary storage devices, which are located respectively in a local site and a remote site, and to temporarily store a record associated with the data in a disaster-proof storage unit collocated with the primary storage device at the local site, while awaiting an indication of successful storage of the data in the secondary storage device.