CDP

A data recovery mechanism, also known as real-time backup, in which every change made to data is automatically captured and saved to a separate storage location. Unlike traditional scheduled backups, CDP tracks all writes to the disk, enabling an organization to restore data to any specific point in time with near-zero data loss.

Technical Mechanics

CDP functions by intercepting write operations at the file system or block level. As data is written to the primary storage, it is simultaneously captured and logged in a journal or a secondary storage repository.

• True CDP: Continuously monitors and records every change. This allows for a Recovery Point Objective (RPO) of zero, as the system can be rolled back to the exact millisecond before a corruption or deletion occurred.
• Near-CDP: A variation that takes frequent snapshots (e.g., every 15 minutes). While highly granular, it does not offer the same “per-second” recovery granularity as True CDP.

Key Components

• Journaling: A record of all changes (deltas) maintained by the CDP software. To restore, the system plays back the journal entries against a base image to reach the desired state.
• Granular Recovery: The ability to recover individual files, folders, or entire volumes from specific timestamps.
• Byte-Level/Block-Level Replication: Only the specific bytes or blocks that have changed are transmitted, reducing the impact on network bandwidth compared to full file transfers.

Comparison: CDP vs. Traditional Backups

Applications and Use Cases

• Ransomware Mitigation: If a system is encrypted by malware, CDP allows administrators to “rewind” the data to the moment immediately preceding the infection.
• Database Integrity: Protecting high-transaction databases where even a few minutes of lost data could result in significant financial discrepancies.
• Compliance: Meeting strict regulatory requirements for data availability and integrity in sectors like finance and healthcare.

Additional Acronyms for CDP

• CDP - Customer Data Platform