Systems and methods for analyzing snapshots

Abstract

This application describes techniques for creating a second snapshot of a first snapshot of a set of data, modifying the first snapshot, and reverting the modifications to the first snapshot. For example, portions of one or more transaction logs may be played into a database to put the database in a particular state a particular point in time. The second snapshot may then be used to revert to a prior state of the database such that additional transaction logs may be played into the database. These techniques enable the ability to put the database into multiple states as the database existed at multiple points in time. Therefore, data can be recovered from the database as the data existed at different points in time. Moreover, individual data objects in the database can be accessed and analyzed as the individual data objects existed at different points in time.

We claim: 
     
         1 . At least one non-transitory, computer-readable medium carrying instructions, which when executed by at least one data processing device, executes operations for analyzing a snapshot of a set of data, the operations comprising:
 causing to be generated, by the least one data processing device, a first snapshot of a set of data at a first time,
 wherein the first snapshot captures a first state of the set of data at the first time, and 
 wherein the set of data includes multiple data objects; 
   causing to be generated a second snapshot at a second, later time,
 wherein the second snapshot captures a second state of the set of data at the second time; 
   causing to be generated, before an accessing of the at least one of the multiple data objects, a snapshot of the second snapshot and at least one associated transaction log; and   permitting to be accessed, via the first snapshot, at least one of the multiple data objects.   
     
     
         2 . The tangible computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , further comprising causing a reversion to the second state of the set of data. 
     
     
         3 . The tangible computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the second snapshot includes a copy of logical associations for the first snapshot. 
     
     
         4 . The tangible computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , further comprising modifying the first snapshot after the second snapshot is generated. 
     
     
         5 . The tangible computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein causing the first snapshot of the set of data to be generated includes causing to be generated the first snapshot of the set of data at least partly with a software-based snapshot provider. 
     
     
         6 . The tangible computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein causing the first snapshot of the set of data to be generated includes causing to be generated the first snapshot of the set of data at least partly with a hardware-based snapshot provider. 
     
     
         7 . The tangible computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the set of data includes a database and database logs, and the method further comprises modifying the first snapshot by playing one or more database logs into the database. 
     
     
         8 . The tangible computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , further comprising reverting to the second state of the set of data by performing a revert operation utilizing the snapshot of the second snapshot. 
     
     
         9 . The tangible computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the set of data is utilized by an application, and wherein the application includes either an email server, a Structured Query Language (SQL) server, a file server, or an application server. 
     
     
         10 . The tangible computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , further comprising, modifying the first snapshot, and after reverting to the second state of the set of data, modifying the first snapshot again. 
     
     
         11 . The tangible computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , further comprising causing at least one operation on the accessed one or more multiple data objects to be performed, wherein the at least one operation includes—
 indexing the multiple data objects and adding information to an index, or 
 associating the multiple data objects with one or more classifications and storing the one or more classifications in a metabase, or 
 extracting the multiple data objects from the set of data and copying the multiple data objects to a storage device. 
 
     
     
         12 . At least one non-transitory, computer-readable medium carrying instructions, which when executed by at least one computing device, performs operations for analyzing data, the operations comprising:
 receiving at least one replication log indicating at least one change to a first data set,
 wherein the first data set includes one or more individual data objects, 
 wherein the least one replication log can be utilized to implement the at least one change to a second data set as the first data set existed at a first point in time, and 
 wherein the least one replication log or data associated therewith includes at least one indication of a second point in time at which the first data set is consistent; 
   utilizing, by the computing device, the least one replication log to cause the at least one change to the second data to be generated;   causing to be created a snapshot of the second data at or near the second point in time;   analyzing the snapshot of the second data changed according to the least one replication log; and   accessing the one or more of the individual data objects as the data objects existed at the second point in time.   
     
     
         13 . The at least one computer-readable medium of  claim 12  wherein the second data includes a database and at least one database log, wherein the least one replication log includes modifications to the database and/or the at least one database log, and wherein utilizing the least one replication log to replicate the changes to the second data includes modifying the database using the at least one database log. 
     
     
         14 . The at least one computer-readable medium of  claim 12  wherein analyzing the snapshot of the second data includes performing at least one modification to the snapshot of the second data, and the method further comprises:
 after analyzing the snapshot of the second data, reverting the snapshot of the second data; and 
 after reverting the snapshot of the second data, utilizing least one replication log to replicate additional changes to the second data. 
 
     
     
         15 . The at least one computer-readable medium of  claim 12  wherein the first data set includes a database, and wherein the method further comprises creating a first snapshot of both the database and transaction or replication logs associated with the database, playing portions of one or more of the logs to commit corresponding changes to the database, and creating a second snapshot of the first snapshot, wherein a user can analyze data in the database as the database existed as of a time that the logs were played into the database. 
     
     
         16 . The at least one computer-readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises: causing an initial full second data to be created, thereafter causing a snapshot of the first data set to be created, and thereafter, causing incremental copies or snapshots of the first data set and the logs to be created. 
     
     
         17 . The at least one computer-readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises performing at least one test of the first snapshot in order to validate or verify the snapshot and ensure that the first data set was correctly copied. 
     
     
         18 . At least one non-transitory, computer-readable medium carrying instructions, which when executed by at least one computing device, performs operations for modifying data, the operations comprising:
 creating a second snapshot of a first snapshot of a set of data, wherein the set of data is for a database;   modifying the first snapshot; and   reverting the modifications to the first snapshot,
 wherein the reverting includes employ portions of one or more transaction logs to revert the set of data for the database to a first state corresponding to a first point in time for the first snapshot, and 
 wherein the second snapshot is configured to revert the set of data for the database to a second state by employing portions of one or more additional transaction logs, 
 so that the operations enable the set of data for the database to be put into multiple states corresponding to when the database existed at multiple points in time and allowing recovery of data from the database as the data existed at different points in time. 
   
     
     
         19 . The at least one computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the first snapshot is a snapshot of both the set of data for the database and transaction logs associated with the database, wherein the portions of one or more transaction logs are usable to commit corresponding changes to the database. 
     
     
         20 . The at least one computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the first snapshot is a snapshot of both the set of data for the database and transaction logs associated with the database, wherein the portions of one or more transaction logs are usable to commit corresponding changes to the database.