Data resychronization methods and systems in continuous data protection

1. A method of data resynchronization in continuous data protection of a virtual machine (VM) having a virtual disk, the method comprising at least the following operations:

obtaining a base snapshot of the virtual disk;

intercepting, at an interception point in an I/O path, a virtual disk I/O stream between the VM and a virtualization server;

replicating the I/O stream at a backup site;

in a synchronization mode, storing the replicated I/O stream at the backup site in I/O logs;

forming a recoverable snapshot-log chain by applying the replicated I/O stream stored in the I/O logs on top of the base snapshot;

based on an interruption or discontinuity in the I/O stream, in a resynchronization mode:

maintaining a bitmap,

marking dirty blocks in the bitmap, and

sending corresponding dirty block data to a log receiver service to resynchronize a virtual disk state at the log receiver service;

receiving a request for recoverable data from a replication target; and

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 operations further comprise establishing a filter framework at the interception point, the filter framework including an I/O stack and an I/O filter.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the I/O filter maintains at least two bitmap buffers for tracking the dirty blocks.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the at least two bitmap buffers include an active buffer and a passive buffer.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the active buffer reads and sends the dirty block data to the log receiver service.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the passive buffer tracks the dirty blocks.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the active buffer and the passive buffer simultaneously switch roles based on a clearance of dirty blocks from the active buffer.

8. A system for data resynchronization in continuous data protection of 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, at least:

obtaining a base snapshot of the virtual disk;

intercepting, at an interception point in an I/O path, a virtual disk I/O stream between the VM and a virtualization server;

replicating the I/O stream at a backup site;

in a synchronization mode, storing the replicated I/O stream at the backup site in I/O logs;

forming a recoverable snapshot-log chain by applying the replicated I/O stream stored in the I/O logs on top of the base snapshot;

based on an interruption or discontinuity in the I/O stream, in a resynchronization mode:

maintaining a bitmap,

marking dirty blocks in the bitmap, and

sending corresponding dirty block data to a log receiver service to resynchronize a virtual disk state at the log receiver service;

receiving a request for recoverable data from a replication target; and

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 operations further comprise establishing a filter framework at the interception point, the filter framework including an I/O stack and an I/O filter.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the I/O filter maintains at least two bitmap buffers for tracking the dirty blocks.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the at least two bitmap buffers include an active buffer and a passive buffer.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the active buffer reads and sends the dirty block data to the log receiver service.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the passive buffer tracks the dirty blocks.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the active buffer and the passive buffer simultaneously switch roles based on a clearance of dirty blocks from the active buffer.

15. A non-transitory, machine-readable medium storing instructions which, when read by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations in a method of data resynchronization in continuous data protection for a virtual machine (VM) having a virtual disk, the operations comprising, at least:

obtaining a base snapshot of the virtual disk;

intercepting, at an interception point in an I/O path, a virtual disk I/O stream between the VM and a virtualization server;

replicating the I/O stream at a backup site;

in a synchronization mode, storing the replicated I/O stream at the backup site in I/O logs;

forming a recoverable snapshot-log chain by applying the replicated I/O stream stored in the I/O logs on top of the base snapshot;

based on an interruption or discontinuity in the I/O stream, in a resynchronization mode:

maintaining a bitmap,

marking dirty blocks in the bitmap, and

sending corresponding dirty block data to a log receiver service to resynchronize a virtual disk state at the log receiver service;

receiving a request for recoverable data from a replication target; and

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 operations further comprise establishing a filter framework at the interception point, the filter framework including an I/O stack and an I/O filter.

17. The medium of claim 16 , wherein the I/O filter maintains at least two bitmap buffers for tracking the dirty blocks.

18. The medium of claim 17 , wherein the at least two bitmap buffers include an active buffer and a passive buffer.

19. The medium of claim 17 , wherein the active buffer reads and sends the dirty block data to the log receiver service.

20. The medium of claim 17 , wherein the passive buffer tracks the dirty blocks.

21. The medium of claim 17 , wherein the active buffer and the passive buffer simultaneously switch roles based on a clearance of dirty data blocks from the active buffer.