Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for backup and restore of MS Exchange server. The method for MS Exchange Server backup and restore comprises launching a system filter and applying logs; mounting a data base from files located in a virtual folder; moving the file data from the archive into the real folder while the MS Exchange Server remains open and the database being restored is mounted. The data is moved into the real folder from the archive by blocks. The database files of the MS Exchange Server are divided into data sets (i.e., blocks). For each block a special bit in its bitmap is marked to indicate, whether this block has been moved to the real folder or still remains in the archive (i.e., backup). When the blocks are moved, the updated blocks do not need to be transferred from the archive into the real folder. After the data blocks are moved into the real folder, the restored database is dismounted and the virtual folder is dismounted.

Abstract: A method for managing archived data includes creating a plurality of images of storage devices of computing systems and for, different users, each image being associated with a restore point of a particular storage device; storing the images for the different users in different storage locations, the storage locations being controlled by a single backup server and belonging to storage pools. Multiple locations of one user are stored in different pools on different storage devices. The method also involves moving contents of locations of one user from one pool to another in predefined direction, simultaneously with reorganizing images within the locations. Each image is a backup of one user's data. At least some of one location's content is frozen so that it is never moved from one pool to another.

Abstract: A system and method for multivolume file system backup without suspending activity of user application programs uses a file system snapshot of two and more partitions or volumes of the storage device, or two and more data storages, significantly increasing computer system availability and allows backing up two and more partitions of the storage device without interrupting computer services. Backup procedure is performed online, simultaneously creates snapshots of two and more partitions of the storage device or storage devices in the pre-selected point of time and copies data blocks from partitions into the backup storage device, optionally through the intermediate storage device.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for consolidation of backups, wherein each backup includes data and a backup map with offsets that point to data of current and/or previous backups, including selecting a plurality of backups to be consolidated; combining the offsets in the backup maps of the selected backups into a single set of offsets; consolidating the selected backups to a new backup that contains the latest data from the selected backups, the latest data determined based on the offsets in the single set; updating the offsets in the single set to point to the data in the new backup; and storing the updated offsets in the new backup as part of a backup map of the new backup. The selected backups comprise one initial full backup and at least one backup. In the combining step, the addresses from the backup maps of first backup of the selected sequence of backups up to the last created backup is checked. The selected backups are organized into a tree.

Abstract: Continuous data protection is performed as two parallel processes: copying a data block from the storage device into the backup storage device (creating initial backup) and copying the data block to be written to the data storage into the incremental backup. When a write command is directed to a data storage block, it's intercepted and redirected to the backup storage, and data, which is to be written in accord to the write request, is written to the incremental backup on the backup storage. If write command is also directed to a data storage block identified for backup that has not yet been backed up, the identified data storage block is copied from the storage device to the intermediate storage device, the write command is executed on the identified data storage block from the storage device, and the data storage block is copied from the intermediate storage device to the backup storage device. In case of an error accessing a block on the storage device, the block is marked as invalid.

Abstract: A system for continuous data protection includes a storage device and a backup storage device. The continuous data protection procedure is performed as two parallel processes: creating an initial backup by copying a data as a file/directory from the storage device into the backup storage device, and copying the data to be written to the data storage as a part of a file/directory into the incremental backup. When a write command is directed to a file system driver, it is intercepted and redirected to the backup storage, and the data to be written in accordance with the write request, is written to the incremental backup on the backup storage. If the write command is also directed to a data (a file/directory) that has been identified for backup, but has not yet been backed up, the identified data (a file/directory) is copied from the storage device to the intermediate storage device.

Abstract: Method for booting from a backup, including loading an initialization application that identifies a storage with a backup; activating a handler of a BIOS interrupt module, for intercepting boot loader requests to the storage, and for redirecting them to the backup; creating a bitmap of the blocks in the backup and of a writable storage device to which new data will be written; initiating the BIOS to load and execute boot blocks from the backup; transferring control to a routine defined by a boot record in the boot blocks; activating an I/O filter for intercepting requests to the writable storage device; for write requests, the filter writes a corresponding block to the writable data storage, and marks this block in the bitmap; for read requests, the filter checks the bitmap if this data block was unchanged, and redirects the read request to the backup, otherwise, the filter redirects the read request to the writeable storage device.

Abstract: A method of and system for protecting a disk drive or other data storage includes mounting a virtual storage that combines a READ-only portion of a volume of the main storage and a full access temporary storage located on the same data storage, wherein the READ-only portion represents a protected area of the volume of the main storage; generating a bitmap for blocks of the virtual storage; redirecting virtual storage write requests to the temporary storage; marking, in the bitmap, blocks of the virtual storage corresponding to blocks of the temporary storage that are being written to; redirecting, to the READ-only portion, read requests for unmarked blocks; redirecting, to the temporary storage, read requests for marked blocks; upon an acceptance of a state of the virtual storage, merging the temporary storage with unmarked blocks of the READ-only portion of the volume of the main storage, to form an integral storage; and upon a rejection of a state of the virtual storage, terminating the redirecting.

Abstract: A method for managing archived data includes creating a plurality of images of storage devices of computing systems and for, different users, each image being associated with a restore point of a particular storage device; storing the images for the different users in different storage locations, the storage locations being controlled by a single backup server and belonging to storage pools. Multiple locations of one user are stored in different pools on different storage devices. The method also involves moving contents of locations of one user from one pool to another in predefined direction, simultaneously with reorganizing images within the locations. Each image is a backup of one user's data. At least some of one location's content is frozen so that it is never moved from one pool to another.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for migrating a server include creating an image of a storage device of a first server; during execution of a boot loader on a second server, starting an initialization application that at least partially restores, to a storage device of the second server, operating system data from the image; analyzing a hardware configuration of the second server; modifying at least one driver of an operating system based on the analyzed hardware to enable the operating system of the second server to interface to the storage device of the second server; rebooting the second server using the at least partially restored operating system data; and restoring unaltered portions of remaining data from the image. The second server identification and/or authentication data stored on the image is updated before the rebooting. Identification data of the second server is at least partially replaced with corresponding data stored on the image.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for consolidation of incremental backups, wherein each incremental backup includes data and a backup map with links that point to data of current and/or previous backups, including selecting a plurality of incremental backups to be consolidated; combining the links in the backup maps of the selected backups into a single set of links; consolidating the selected backups to a new backup that contains the latest data from the selected backups, the latest data determined based on the links in the single set; updating the links in the single set to point to the data in the new backup; and storing the updated links in the new backup as part of a backup map of the new backup. The selected backups comprise one initial full backup and at least one incremental backup. In the combining step, the addresses from the backup maps of first backup of the selected sequence of backups up to the last created backup is checked.

Abstract: A method of securely deleting data from a storage medium includes generating a bitmap that corresponds to unused locations on the storage medium; initiating a wiping process that wipes the unused locations, where the wiping process runs asynchronously with a application; wiping the unused locations; and updating the bitmap to reflect that the unused locations have been wiped. The wiping replaces data at the unused locations with random sequences, with pseudo-random sequences, with data generated by a secure deletion algorithm, with application data from the application, or with all zeros. The wiping includes repeated writing of predetermined sequences to the unused locations. The wiping replaces data at unused locations that represent portions of any of blocks, clusters and sectors, and can wipe any metadata associated with files previously stored at any of the unused locations.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for data backup such that: for each block of a storage device to be backed up to an image, generating a hash function value corresponding to contents of that block; generating a map of links between blocks in the image and corresponding blocks the storage device; using the hash function values to identify blocks of the storage device with identical contents, such that links for the blocks in the storage device with identical contents point to a single block in the image; and modifying the link in the map when a block in the storage is moved (for example, due to defragmentation) but its contents is not altered, so that the link points to the same backed up block.

Abstract: A method, system computer program product recorded on a computer readable medium, for fast incremental backup of a storage device includes selecting an area of the data storage device for backup; creating the bitmap of data storage device; reading the selected area of the data storage device; converting data read from the data storage device into a usable format for the comparison of descriptors; reading descriptors of logical storage units of the selected area; discarding selected data access attributes of the descriptors; generating hash values for the descriptors; comparing the hash values of the descriptors of the logical storage units of the selected area with the hash values of the descriptors of previously archived logical storage units; for physical storage units related to logical storage units of the selected area whose hash values of the descriptors are identical to the hash values of the descriptors of the archived logical storage units, checking if these physical storage units need to be backed u

Abstract: A method and system for changing storage drive contents, including installing a virtual storage driver in a computer system, wherein the virtual storage driver redirects access requests directed to a main storage of the computer system to one of the main storage and a temporary storage; copying files from the main storage to the temporary storage; restoring files from a source storage into the main storage by overwriting corresponding files in the main storage; and redirecting, to the temporary storage, requests for access directed to files of the main storage that have been copied to the temporary storage.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for migrating a server include creating an image of a storage device of a first server; during execution of a boot loader on a second server, starting an initialization application that at least partially restores, to a storage device of the second server, operating system data from the image; analyzing a hardware configuration of the second server; modifying at least one driver of an operating system based on the analyzed hardware to enable the operating system of the second server to interface to the storage device of the second server; rebooting the second server using the at least partially restored operating system data; and restoring unaltered portions of remaining data from the image. The second server identification and/or authentication data stored on the image is updated before the rebooting. Identification data of the second server is at least partially replaced with corresponding data stored on the image.

Abstract: A method of securely deleting data from a storage medium includes generating a bitmap that corresponds to unused locations on the storage medium; initiating a background process that wipes the unused locations, where the background process runs asynchronously with a user application; wiping the unused locations; and updating the bitmap to reflect that the unused locations have been wiped. The wiping replaces data at the unused locations with random sequences, with pseudo-random sequences, with data generated by a secure deletion algorithm, with application data from the user application, or with all zeros. The wiping includes repeated writing of predetermined sequences to the unused locations. The wiping replaces data at unused locations that represent portions of any of blocks, clusters and sectors, and can wipe any metadata associated with files previously stored at any of the unused locations.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for data backup such that: for each block of a storage device to be backed up to an image, generating a hash function value corresponding to contents of that block; generating a map of links between blocks in the image and corresponding blocks the storage device; using the hash function values to identify blocks of the storage device with identical contents, such that links for the blocks in the storage device with identical contents point to a single block in the image; and modifying the link in the map when a block in the storage is moved (for example, due to defragmentation) but its contents is not altered, so that the link points to the same backed up block.

Abstract: A method of and system for protecting a disk drive or other data storage includes mounting a virtual storage that combines a full access temporary storage and a READ-only portion of a main storage, wherein the READ-only portion represents a protected area of the main storage; generating a bitmap for blocks of the virtual storage; redirecting virtual storage write requests to the temporary storage; marking, in the bitmap, blocks of the virtual storage corresponding to blocks of the temporary storage that are being written to; redirecting, to the READ-only portion, read requests for unmarked blocks; redirecting, to the temporary storage, read requests for marked blocks; upon an acceptance of a state of the virtual storage, merging the temporary storage with unmarked blocks of the READ-only portion of the main storage, to form an integral storage; and upon a rejection of a state of the virtual storage, terminating the redirecting. Optionally, data in the temporary storage can be archived.

Abstract: A method of restoring a storage device includes creating an image of the storage device of a computer system; during execution of a boot loader, starting an initialization application that at least partially restores to the storage device, operating system data from the image; modifying a disk driver of the operating system to form a driver that redirects unexecutable storage device read requests to the image; rebooting the computer system using the at least partially restored operating system data; and restoring unaltered portions of remaining data from the image as a background process.