Systems and methods for continuous data protection

Abstract

In some examples, a method of continuous data protection for a virtual machine (VM) having a virtual disk is provided. An example method comprises implementing a recovery protocol for the VM, the recovery protocol including a recovery point objective (RPO) of less than a threshold time period, obtaining a base snapshot of the virtual disk. The method includes intercepting, at an interception point in an I/O path, a virtual disk I/O stream and replicating the I/O stream at a log receiver, storing the replicated I/O stream in I/O logs, and forming a recoverable snapshot-log chain by applying the replicated I/O stream stored in the I/O logs to the base snapshot. A user request is received for recoverable data at a replication target, the request being covered by the RPO, the method further including meeting or exceeding the RPO by sending data to the replication target based at least on a portion of the recoverable snapshot-log chain.

1 . A method of continuous data protection for a virtual machine (VM) having a virtual disk, the method comprising at least the following operations:
 implementing a recovery protocol for the VM, the recovery protocol including a recovery point objective (RPO) of less than a threshold time period;   obtaining a base snapshot of the virtual disk;   intercepting, at an interception point in an I/O path, a virtual disk I/O stream;   replicating the I/O stream at a log receiver;   storing the replicated I/O stream in I/O logs;   forming a recoverable snapshot-log chain by applying the replicated I/O stream stored in the I/O logs to the base snapshot;   receiving a user request for recoverable data at a replication target, the request covered by the RPO; and   meeting or exceeding the RPO by sending data to the replication target based at least on a portion of the recoverable snapshot-log chain.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user request for recoverable data is received via a graphical user interface. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 establishing a filter framework at the interception point, the filter framework including an I/O stack and an I/O filter, wherein the threshold time period is 60 seconds.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the virtual disk I/O stream flows between the VM and a virtualization server, and wherein the operations further comprise:
 including a filter driver for the filter framework within an ESX hypervisor server, wherein the virtualization server is the ESX hypervisor server.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 configuring the filter framework to enable an I/O touch point in the I/O stream.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 configuring a filter driver to intercept only completed I/Os in the I/O stream using the enabled I/O touch point, wherein the I/O stream includes an I/O cancellation.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 managing the distributed I/O cancellation at the I/O stack and not at the I/O filter of the filter framework, wherein the I/O cancellation is a distributed I/O cancellation.   
     
     
         8 . A system for continuous data protection for a virtual machine (VM) having a virtual disk, the system comprising:
 at least one processor for executing machine-readable instructions; and   a memory storing instructions configured to cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:   implementing a recovery protocol for the VM, the recovery protocol including a recovery point objective (RPO) of less than a threshold time period;
 obtaining a base snapshot of the virtual disk; 
 intercepting, at an interception point in an I/O path, a virtual disk I/O stream; 
 replicating the I/O stream at a log receiver; 
 storing the replicated I/O stream in I/O logs; 
 forming a recoverable snapshot-log chain by applying the replicated I/O stream stored in the I/O logs to the base snapshot; 
 receiving a user request for recoverable data at a replication target; and 
 meeting or exceeding the RPO by sending data to the replication target based at least on a portion of the recoverable snapshot-log chain. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the user request for recoverable data is received via a graphical user interface. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 establishing a filter framework at the interception point, the filter framework including an I/O stack and an I/O filter, wherein the threshold time period is 60 seconds.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the virtual disk I/O stream flows between the VM and a virtualization server, and wherein the operations further comprise:
 including a filter driver for the filter framework within an ESX hypervisor server, wherein the virtualization server is the ESX hypervisor server.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 configuring the filter framework to enable an I/O touch point in the I/O stream.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 configuring a filter driver to intercept only completed I/Os in the I/O stream using the enabled I/O touch point, wherein the I/O stream includes an I/O cancellation.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 managing the distributed I/O cancellation at the I/O stack and not at the I/O filter of the filter framework, wherein the I/O cancellation is a distributed I/O cancellation.   
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory, machine-readable medium storing instructions which, when read by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations in a method for continuous data protection for a virtual machine (VM) having a virtual disk, the operations comprising:
 implementing a recovery protocol for the VM, the recovery protocol including a recovery point objective (RPO) of less than a threshold time period;
 obtaining a base snapshot of the virtual disk; 
 intercepting, at an interception point in an I/O path, a virtual disk I/O stream; 
 replicating the I/O stream at a log receiver; 
 storing the replicated I/O stream in I/O logs; 
 forming a recoverable snapshot-log chain by applying the replicated I/O stream stored in the I/O logs to the base snapshot; 
 receiving a user request for recoverable data at a replication target; and 
 meeting or exceeding the RPO by sending data to the replication target based at least on a portion of the recoverable snapshot-log chain. 
   
     
     
         16 . The medium of  claim 15 , wherein the user request for recoverable data is received via a graphical user interface. 
     
     
         17 . The medium of  claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 establishing a filter framework at the interception point, the filter framework including an I/O stack and an I/O filter, wherein the threshold time period is 60 seconds.   
     
     
         18 . The medium of  claim 17 , wherein the virtual disk I/O stream flows between the VM and a virtualization server, and wherein the operations further comprise:
 including a filter driver for the filter framework within an ESX hypervisor server, wherein the virtualization server is the ESX hypervisor server.   
     
     
         19 . The medium of  claim 18 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 configuring the filter framework to enable an I/O touch point in the I/O stream.   
     
     
         20 . The medium of  claim 19 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 configuring a filter driver to intercept only completed I/Os in the I/O stream using the enabled I/O touch point, wherein the I/O stream includes an I/O cancellation.