Method to efficiently transfer support and system logs from air-gapped vault systems to replication data sources by re-utilizing the existing replication streams

1. A method, comprising:

at a replication data source, initiating a replication process that comprises transmitting a replication stream to a replication destination vault, and data in the replication stream is transmitted by way of an airgap between the replication data source and the replication destination vault, and the airgap is closed when the data in the replication stream is transmitted between the replication data source and the replication destination vault;

after all the data in the replication stream has been transmitted, switching, by the replication data source, from a transmit mode to a receive mode;

receiving by way of the airgap when the airgap is closed, at the replication data source, a first checksum of a file, and the first checksum and the file were created at the replication destination vault;

receiving by way of the airgap when the airgap is closed, at the replication data source, the file;

calculating, at the replication data source, a second checksum of the file; and

in response to a determination that the second checksum matches the first checksum, ending the replication process.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein when the airgap is open, the replication data source and the replication destination vault cannot communicate data to, or receive data from, each other.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the file is a compressed file that includes one or more files, and also includes a log generated by the replication destination vault.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first checksum and the file are received at the replication data source by way of an allowed port that is open temporarily for the replication process.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein when the airgap is closed, only the replication process can send or receive data through the airgap.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein receipt of the first checksum and the file occurs within the replication process.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein when the second checksum does not match the first checksum, receiving by way of the airgap when the airgap is closed, at the replication data source, the file and the first checksum again.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise sending by way of the airgap when the airgap is closed, by the replication data source, the second checksum to the replication destination vault.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the replication stream is not accessible by entities external to the replication data source and the replication destination vault.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein data exchange between the replication data source and the replication destination vault does not require any change to an airgap policy.

11. A method, comprising:

closing, by a replication destination vault, an airgap between the replication destination vault and a replication data source;

receiving and storing, at a replication destination vault, a replication stream from a replication data source, and data in the replication stream is received at the replication destination vault by way of the airgap;

after all the data in the replication stream has been received, switching, by the replication destination vault, from a receive mode to a transmit mode;

selecting, by the replication destination vault, one or more files from the replication stream and compressing the selected files to form a compressed file;

calculating, by the replication destination vault, a first checksum of the compressed file;

sending, by the replication destination vault, the first checksum to the replication data source; and

receiving, by the replication destination vault, a second checksum of the compressed file from the replication data source, and in response to a determination that the first checksum matches the second checksum, ending a replication process that created the replication stream, and opening the airgap.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein when the airgap is open, the replication data source and the replication destination vault cannot communicate data to, or receive data from, each other.

13. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the compressed file includes a log generated by the replication destination vault.

14. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the first checksum and the compressed file are transmitted to the replication data source by way of an allowed port that is open temporarily for the replication process.

15. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein when the airgap is closed, only the replication process can send or receive data through the airgap.

16. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein transmission of the first checksum and the compressed file occurs within the replication process.

17. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein when the second checksum does not match the first checksum, transmitting, by the replication destination vault, the compressed file and the first checksum again.

18. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the airgap is opened by closing an allowed port that was used by the replication process.

19. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the replication stream is not accessible by entities external to the replication data source and the replication destination vault.

20. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein data exchange between the replication data source and the replication destination vault does not require any change to an airgap policy.