END-TO-END RESTARTABILITY OF CROSS-REGION REPLICATION USING A COMMON SNAPSHOT

Smart overview of the Invention

Techniques are introduced for managing restart operations in file storage replication across different cloud regions. These operations involve synchronizing resource cleanup between a source and a target file system, and enabling reuse of the source file system by identifying a suitable snapshot. The methods address the need for efficient restartability in replication processes, which is critical for disaster recovery and system continuity.

Restart Operations

Two primary types of restart operations are described: replication deletion and replication prior-snapshot restart. Replication deletion involves terminating the current replication, cleaning up resources, and initiating a new replication process. This is useful in cases of permanent failures or when users wish to change regions. The prior-snapshot restart allows resuming replication from an earlier snapshot without complete data cleanup, suitable for recoverable failures or specific user needs.

Technical Challenges

Challenges in implementing these techniques include coordinating between source and target file systems to prevent data corruption. Existing methods without checkpointing mechanisms often require extensive data cleanup, while those with checkpoints may lack control plane visibility. The disclosed methods address these issues by ensuring synchronization and atomic transactions across distributed systems, even in the face of network delays or failures.

System Architecture

The architecture involves independent databases in each region, with cross-region APIs and state machines in control planes to track replication processes. These components ensure synchronization between asynchronous operations like delta uploads and downloads. The use of reservation and distributed locking mechanisms guarantees atomicity, maintaining consistency across regions.

Applications and Benefits

These techniques enhance the reliability and efficiency of cross-region replication processes, providing robust solutions for disaster recovery and system upgrades. By allowing flexible restart options and ensuring data integrity, they support seamless operation in distributed cloud environments. The methods are adaptable to various system configurations, offering significant improvements over existing technologies.