Persistent data management in multi-image code load systems

A computer program product for managing persistent data in a multi-image code load system, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-usable program code embodied therein, the computer-usable program code comprising:

• computer-usable program code to alternately load first and second code images into a computing system;
• computer-usable program code to manage, in a common repository, persistent data shared by the first and second code images, the persistent data comprising configuration settings for the first and second code images;
• computer-usable program code to record, as content deltas, changes to the persistent data by the first and second code images, the content deltas describing portions of the persistent data that have changed since the persistent data was last backed up;
• computer-usable program code to, in the event a content delta applies to the first code image, mark the content delta with a code-level applicability tag associated with the first code image and store the content delta and code-level applicability tag in the common repository;
• computer-usable program code to, in the event a content delta applies to the second code image, mark the content delta with a code-level applicability tag associated with the second code image and store the content delta and code-level applicability tag in the common repository;
• computer-usable program code to, upon loading the first code image into the computing system, convert the persistent data and content deltas applicable to the first code image into a first format associated with the first code image;
• and
• computer-usable program code to, upon loading the second code image into the computing system, convert the persistent data and content deltas applicable to the second code image into a second format associated with the second code image.

An apparatus for managing persistent data in a multi-image code load system, the apparatus comprising:

• at least one processor;
• at least one memory device coupled to the at least processor and storing computer instructions for execution on the at least one processor, the computer instructions causing the at least one processor to:
• alternately load first and second code images into a computing system;
• manage, in a common repository, persistent data shared by the first and second code images, the persistent data comprising configuration settings for the first and second code images;
• record, as content deltas, changes to the persistent data by the first and second code images, the content deltas describing portions of the persistent data that have changed since the last time the persistent data was backed up;
• in the event a content delta applies to the first code image, mark the content delta with a code-level applicability tag associated with the first code image and store the content delta and code-level applicability tag in the common repository;
• in the event a content delta applies to the second code image, mark the content delta with a code-level applicability tag associated with the second code image and store the content delta and code-level applicability tag in the common repository;
• upon loading the first code image into the computing system, convert the persistent data and content deltas applicable to the first code image into a first format associated with the first code image;
• and
• upon loading the second code image into the computing system, convert the persistent data and content deltas applicable to the second code image into a second format associated with the second code image.