Abstract: A computer creates a full backup of a target volume by copying sectors of the target volume. Incremental backups are created by copying modified sectors that have changed since a preceding backup. Public accesses to a restore volume are prevented by modifying a volume boot record (VBR) of the restore volume to prevent file systems from recognizing the restore volume or by filtering public accesses while allowing private block accesses to the restore volume. Sector data are copied from the backup files to the restore volume while the public accesses are being prevented. The restore can begin, using previously created backup files, while the backup is still in process creating new incremental backups for the target volume. The restore volume is finalized after restoring the full or any number of incremental backups by restoring the VBR to indicate the restore volume is valid or stopping the filtering of public accesses.

Abstract: A backup image generator can create a primary image and periodic delta images of all or part of a primary server. The images can be sent to a network attached storage device and a remote storage server. In the event of a failure of the primary server, the failure can be diagnosed to develop a recovery strategy. Based on the diagnosis, at least one delta image may be applied to a copy of the primary image to generate an updated primary image at either the network attached storage or the remote storage server. The updated primary image may be converted to a virtual server in a physical to virtual conversion at either the network attached storage device or remote storage server and users may be redirected to the virtual server. The updated primary image may also be restored to the primary server in a virtual to physical conversion. As a result, the primary data storage may be timely backed-up, recovered and restored with the possibility of providing server and business continuity in the event of a failure.

Abstract: A system and method for incremental backup storage. The systems and methods include one or more incremental backup servers comprising a current version store configured to store data corresponding to a most recent backup and a historical version store corresponding to a prior backup to said most recent backup. One or more incremental backup clients are configured to communicate with one or more incremental backup servers . The one or more incremental backup clients each comprise a localized data set. The incremental backup server is configured to back up the localized data set of the one or more incremental backup clients.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for performing backup operations for a volume group of volumes. Information on a volume group associating a plurality of volumes and backup settings is maintained. A volume group is selected to which the backup settings apply. A volume group associates hosts and volumes, indicating the hosts that are enabled to access the volumes in the volume group. Automatic backup operations for the selected volume group are invoked to generate backup information for the volume group indicating backups performed with respect to the volumes associated with the volume group, process the backup information for the volume group to determine whether to perform a backup with respect to the volume group according to the backup settings, and backup each volume in the volume group in response to determining to perform the backup operation for the volume group.

Abstract: This application describes techniques for creating a second snapshot of a first snapshot of a set of data, modifying the first snapshot, and reverting the modifications to the first snapshot. For example, portions of one or more transaction logs may be played into a database to put the database in a particular state a particular point in time. The second snapshot may then be used to revert to a prior state of the database such that additional transaction logs may be played into the database. These techniques enable the ability to put the database into multiple states as the database existed at multiple points in time. Therefore, data can be recovered from the database as the data existed at different points in time. Moreover, individual data objects in the database can be accessed and analyzed as the individual data objects existed at different points in time.

Abstract: A technique for restoring file systems by applying full and incremental backups together while streaming them from multiple devices provides a faster system restore from a full backup where incremental backups must also be applied. A first storage device streams the full backup while at least one second storage device streams at least one incremental backup. As files are detected in the incremental backup, they are written instead of the corresponding file in the full backup. Incremental backups can be pre-merged to reduce their number to one less than a number of storage devices available to stream the backups, so that the full backup can be streamed along with the pre-merged incremental backup(s) to restore the file system.

Abstract: Provided are techniques for data deduplication. A chunk of data and a mapping of boundaries between file data and meta data in the chunk of data are received. The mapping is used to split the chunk of data into a file data stream and a meta data stream and to store file data from the file data stream in a first file and to store meta data from the meta data stream in a second file, wherein the first file and the second file are separate files. The file data in the first file is deduplicated.

Abstract: System and method for generating a synthetic full backup. A request to perform an incremental backup may be received at a target computer. The incremental backup may be performed on the target computer in response to the request. The target computer may maintain information identifying files that are encountered in the incremental backup. The information may be configured to be used to construct a synthetic full backup. A request to perform a synthetic full backup may be received. The information may be requested. The synthetic full backup may be constructed using the information from the target computer. A synthetic full backup index may be constructed for the synthetic full backup using records from old indexes for each file in the synthetic full backup. The synthetic full backup may be transferred to a backup image. The synthetic full backup index may be stored.

Abstract: A system and method for enhancing data throughput in data warehousing environments by connecting multiple servers having local storages with designated external storage systems, such as, for example, those provided by SANs. The system and method may preserve a full reference copy of the data in a protected environment (e.g., on the external storage system) that is fully available. The system and method may enhance overall I/O potential performance and reliability for efficient and reliable system resource utilization.

Abstract: The storage system includes a file server connected to a host apparatus and configured to provide a directory in a file system having a directory structure to the host apparatus, a storage subsystem connected to the file server and configured to provide a volume for storing the file system, and a management apparatus connected respectively to the file server and the storage subsystem and configured to manage backup/restoration of an arbitrary directory contained in the file system. The storage system selects one of backup methods of a directory designated as a backup target by the management apparatus, and executes backup processing to the designated directory. The storage system also includes a restoration controller configured to control execution of restoration processing to backup data based on the backup processing.

Abstract: A method for performing backup operations while avoiding data loss due to backup failure. A backup agent software receives a database server backup request and decomposes the backup request into a plurality of smaller backup requests. The plurality of smaller backup requests are then performed on the database to backup the specified database components to an archive. The backup agent software monitors success (or failure) of each of the plurality of backup requests and generates backup scripts for those backup requests that failed. These backup scripts may be subsequently executed to “re-run” the failed backups. The backup agent software is a modular program separate from the client application and the database server software.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program for generating and indicating incremental backup copies from virtual copies of a data set. A virtual copy operation is initiated to create a virtual copy of a data set, wherein the virtual copy represents the data set at a point-in-time copy, and wherein the virtual copy is completed without transferring the data set to a backup location. An incremental backup operation is initiated with respect to an identified virtual copy, wherein the incremental backup operation copies changes to the data set that occur since a most recent creation of an incremental backup set.

Abstract: The present invention relates a retrieving technology by using an index obtained at a specific time point and a rule obtained at a specific time point. The present invention provides a storage system includes: a first logical unit for storing an index; a second logical unit for storing a rule that defines how to output search results; a third logical unit for storing a snapshot of the index created based on a predetermined time; and a fourth logical unit for storing a snapshot of the rule created based on a predetermined time; a search engine server is configured to: search the index stored in the third logical unit with a keyword included in a search request for an index record; and output storage location information of a data object included in the extracted index record in an order according to the rule stored in the fourth logical unit.

Abstract: A backup control apparatus for periodic data backup, in a virtualized storage system having a point-in-time copy function operable to copy first data into a cascade, comprises a storage targeting component for selecting a target virtual disk for one of a full copy or an incremental copy of the first data; a periodic backup component for triggering a periodic point-in-time copy of the first data to a virtual disk in the cascade; a testing component for testing a status of the full copy, the incremental copy and the periodic point-in-time copy; and a cascade splitting component responsive to the status for splitting the cascade to remove a dependency relationship of at least one of the full copy, the incremental copy and the periodic point-in-time copy on the first data.

Abstract: A computer comprising a processor, a volatile main store, a non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) mirror store, and optionally a cache for the non-volatile mirror store. While programs of the computer are operational, the contents of the volatile main store are mirrored in the non-volatile mirror store such that when a startup signal is received, the contents of the volatile main store are quickly restored from the contents of the non-volatile mirror store.

Abstract: Changes are tracked by tracking a change request which when performed by a disk driver changes a portion of disk storage. The change request is allowed to pass to the disk driver to be performed by the disk driver. Information associated with the change request is stored in an operating system's persistent storage. A differential backup is performed using the information associated with the change request stored in the operating system's persistent storage after a system, which includes the disk driver and the disk storage, has shut down and restarted.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for performing integrated storage operations on an information store. The present invention comprises identifying a plurality disparate types of storage operations stored in a policy option table. A first storage operation is performed according to a first set of storage criteria stored in the policy option table and a second operation, disparate from the first storage operation, is performed according to a second set of storage criteria stored in the policy option table.

Abstract: Backup and restore operations in a distributed data system are described. In one embodiment of a backup operation, a computing system includes a media server, and two or more distributed data sources. The media server is configured to establish a first connection with an agent executing on the first data source and receives control information specifying one or more additional data sources to contact to continue the backup operation. Agents on the additional data sources pass control information and/or backup data via each respective connection until the backup operation is complete. In some embodiments, two or more concurrent connections may be established between the media server and distributed data sources. In this manner, a backup operation may be performed for distributed data using control information supplied by the distributed data sources.

Abstract: A system and method for updating a source copy of an ordered list (the source list) comprising a plurality of list items according to modifications made to the order of the list items in a local copy of the ordered list (the local list) is provided. Each list item includes an order value. The order of the list items is determined according to the order values. To update the source list, the list items that have been moved in the local list are identified and placed on a temporary list, retaining the ordinal position in the local list. For each list item in the temporary list, the list item is placed back in the local list and its order value is set according to the average of the previous list item's order value and the subsequent list item's order value. The list item is then written to the source list.

Abstract: A method and system for backing up and restoring data. First, a full backup is performed to create a full dataset. Thereafter, incremental or differential datasets may be created by incremental or differential backups, respectively. When a new full dataset is needed, instead of performing a full backup, a previous full dataset may be combined with subsequent incremental or differential datasets to create the new full dataset. The new full dataset may be created on a computer other than the computer which hosts the data of the previous full dataset. The new full dataset may be used for offsite storage or to quickly restore data in the event of a failure or corruption of a computer's file system.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for backing up data to a database are provided. A specified data set to be backed up is broken down into a plurality of data blocks, each data block is associated with a data block digest, and the data blocks and associated data block digests are stored in the database. When one or more data blocks are subsequently changed, an update to the backup may be performed by adding to the backup data only the data blocks that have changed since the initial backup. Methods and apparatuses for restoring backup data from a database are also provided. Timestamp information associated with the data blocks in the database is used to select the data blocks to be restored.

Abstract: Techniques for making a replica of a particular group of database objects of a database on a particular node that does not initially have the particular group of database objects include determining whether conditions for copying a full database from a first node are satisfied. If conditions for copying the full database from the first node are not satisfied, then a database-object-copy routine is employed for each database object in the particular group of database objects. If conditions for copying the full database from the first node are satisfied, then a full-database-copy routine for performing a copy of an entire database is employed.

Abstract: Backup system for backing up basic data elements accessible via a network, the backup system comprising a controller, a communication interface, a backup storage unit, for storing backup versions of the basic data elements and a comparator, for comparing between a list of basic data elements from a storage area of the network and a respective list of backed up basic data elements, thereby detecting new basic data elements listed in the list of basic data elements and absent from the respective list of backed up basic data elements, modified basic data elements listed in the list of data elements differently than in the respective list of backed up basic data elements and deleted basic data elements absent from the list of basic data elements and listed in the respective list of backed up basic data elements, wherein the controller backs up the storage area of the network by copying the entirety of the new basic data elements and the modified basic data elements into the backup storage unit, and wherein the co

Abstract: Data processing apparatus comprising: a chunk store having a plurality of chunk sections, each operable to store specimen data chunks, the apparatus being operable to: process an input data set into one or more input data chunks; identify a specimen data chunk in one of said chunk sections which corresponds to a first input data chunk; identify a second input data chunk not corresponding to a specimen data chunk in the chunk store; and store the second input data chunk as a specimen data chunk in proximity to the identified specimen data chunk corresponding to the first input data chunk.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for generating a backup of a database file that is suitable for a hard recovery operation. A snapshot of the database file is generated and the log and/or patch files associated with the database are stored in a backup location. Additionally, the header and/or footer information of the database is stored, thereby enabling a restored snapshot of the database to be converted into a file suitable for a hard recovery operation.

Abstract: The Data Shadowing System comprises a memory module that is connected to the monitored computer system via an existing input/output port to store the shadowed data. The memory module includes a memory device for data storage as well as software, including a control software component that is automatically installed on the monitored computer system when the memory module is first connected to the monitored computer system, as well as associated module software for maintaining a record of the data stored on the memory device. The Data Shadowing System automatically stores the data on the memory module in a single format, while representing it in a data management database in two formats: disk sectors and files. The Data Shadowing System thereby efficiently tracks and stores the state of multiple file systems over time, while allowing for correct disk-level and file-level restoration to a point-in-time without storing redundant data.