GP.Data Protection+Archive Management

This Pattern contains the main functionality required to realize a level of data protection for sets of data and/or convert these sets into archives. For this, the Pattern mainly relies on a Rules Engine that controls all actions concerning the creation of backups and archives, as well as actions concerning the restoring of a backup or consultation of an archive. Note that functionality surrounding the management of backup and archive metadata is not included in the Pattern, nor is the functionality surrounding the storage of the rules processed by the Rules Engine - however, these can be provided by an instance of adjacent Pattern Data Management. In order to create the backups and archives, the Data Replication function is used. When using this function, the question is if the data replicated remains at the original location, in which case the action results in a backup, or is deleted, in which case the data is effectively migrated, and results in an archive. The Rules Engine may be supported by a Scheduling function to make use of timed schedules. Furthermore, backups that are not full secondary copies of the production data can be created using the Data State Preservation function. If this Pattern is to provide Data Protection, then the Pattern needs to be able to restore data to the original and/or alternative locations - functionality that can be provided by the Restore function. If this Pattern is to secure Archives, then there needs to be a way for the clients to peruse the archive - which the Presentation Engine can provide. Finally, clients of this Pattern can control the way in which it operates using Controlling. This function is also responsible for creating and maintaining the rule base and the corresponding schedules. It is also advised to maintain requirements surrounding the client interface to the restore functionality and to the archive under this function. Finally, Logging functionality can be explicitly included in the pattern, since logging information is likely to be required for auditing purposes for either backup creation, archive creation, and the uses that clients make of thiese backups and archives.