[LU-8900] Lustre snapshot based on ZFS backend

• Type: New Feature
• Resolution: Fixed
• Priority: Blocker
• Fix Version/s: Lustre 2.10.0
• Affects Version/s: Lustre 2.10.0
• Assignee: nasf (Inactive)
• Reporter: nasf (Inactive)

Description

Snapshot is an important feature for Lustre. As the first step, we will use ZFS backend snapshot functionalities to implement Lustre snapshot.

Snapshots provide fast recovery of files from a previous checkpoint (without recourse to offline backup). Snapshots are cheap online backups, provided the hardware itself is not compromised. Recovery of lost files from a snapshot is usually considerably faster than from any offline backup or remote replica. It is noted that snapshots do not improve storage reliability and are just as exposed to hardware failure as any other storage volume.

Snapshot addresses a need to be able to take a checkpoint of the file system, and has two historic purposes: prepare a file system for a backup or fast recovery of files from a previous state without recourse to an offline backup. The latter option is increasingly used in environments where the cost associated with any downtime is significant – consider the time required to restore a dataset from a tape library. In many cases, restore from tape will exceed the SLA for operations.

A common pattern is for a file system to be checkpointed every two hours. If an error occurs in the “live” data (accidental data loss, corruption, etc.), then it is straightforward to revert to a previous snapshot, either whole sale or by copying back the original data. Snapshots do require that the underlying hardware is not compromised.

Stabilising the file system for a backup is probably less relevant when the file system size reaches into petabytes. LTO drives for example, can only record at a maximum rate of 576-900 GB/hour. As file system capacities increase, the ability to take a backup, and more importantly restore from a backup within the conditions of an SLA, diminish.

Let us not underestimate the utility of snapshots when planning maintenance. Taking a snapshot immediately prior to a system upgrade is a sensible precaution and making that mechanism accessible and reliable adds value to any system maintenance workflow.

Issue Links

• is related to: LUDOC-370 Lustre ZFS Snapshot Documentation
• is related to: LU-5553 Support "remount-ro" option of the ldiskfs backend
• is related to: LU-5070 Utility to change filesystem name

Comments

[nasf (Inactive)]

All patches have been landed to Lustre-2.10.

[Gerrit Updater]

Oleg Drokin ([e-mail]) merged in patch https://review.whamcloud.com/26199/
Subject: LU-8900 tests: add snapshot in racer tests
Project: fs/lustre-release
Branch: master
Current Patch Set:
Commit: f7d395102ac17e49d2c7fa3ad2bfda483a3ddeda

[Gerrit Updater]

Oleg Drokin ([e-mail]) merged in patch https://review.whamcloud.com/24270/
Subject: LU-8900 doc: Lustre snapshot man page
Project: fs/lustre-release
Branch: master
Current Patch Set:
Commit: 3f7c5d26e6c14e4fb7575ee0b983133adf5e9a05

[Gerrit Updater]

Oleg Drokin ([e-mail]) merged in patch https://review.whamcloud.com/24269/
Subject: LU-8900 snapshot: user space snapshot tools
Project: fs/lustre-release
Branch: master
Current Patch Set:
Commit: d73849a05e3ed1baf07b1fd80ffa055299539b4a

[Gerrit Updater]

Fan Yong ([e-mail]) uploaded a new patch: https://review.whamcloud.com/26199
Subject: LU-8900 tests: add snapshot in racer tests
Project: fs/lustre-release
Branch: master
Current Patch Set: 1
Commit: 579f2152ec8eb18c318dfb18f56b5e5635be03bd

[Gerrit Updater]

Oleg Drokin ([e-mail]) merged in patch https://review.whamcloud.com/24268/
Subject: LU-8900 snapshot: rename filesysetem fsname
Project: fs/lustre-release
Branch: master
Current Patch Set:
Commit: d0c6e97fa53ae26dec458087e96dcbb0ed0d469a

[Gerrit Updater]

Oleg Drokin ([e-mail]) merged in patch https://review.whamcloud.com/24267/
Subject: LU-8900 snapshot: simulate readonly device
Project: fs/lustre-release
Branch: master
Current Patch Set:
Commit: 4c90aef2f0712d8da720f6a66cd09b88df7d0573

[Gerrit Updater]

Oleg Drokin ([e-mail]) merged in patch https://review.whamcloud.com/24266/
Subject: LU-8900 snapshot: fork/erase configuration
Project: fs/lustre-release
Branch: master
Current Patch Set:
Commit: 61718da8ba068fdc093da464fc1097c6771079eb

[Gerrit Updater]

Oleg Drokin ([e-mail]) merged in patch https://review.whamcloud.com/24265/
Subject: LU-8900 snapshot: user interface for write barrier on MDT
Project: fs/lustre-release
Branch: master
Current Patch Set:
Commit: 3afede2b8186912a08acfa8b1881356c7e11c656

[Gerrit Updater]

Oleg Drokin ([e-mail]) merged in patch https://review.whamcloud.com/24264/
Subject: LU-8900 snapshot: check write barrier before modification
Project: fs/lustre-release
Branch: master
Current Patch Set:
Commit: 20d724103f4edfaf59fcc5914c8d6200d4a0bdc5