Abstract: A method and a global server for deduplicating multiple storage servers are disclosed. The global server maintains information regarding a set of hash values, each hash value being associated with a data chunk of data stored in the global server and/or the storage servers, receive, from one or more of the storage servers, a request to modify the information with respect to one or more hash values, accumulate and sort metadata related to the one or more requests, modifies the information with respect to the one or more hash values, based on the accumulated metadata when the accumulated metadata reaches a determined size.

Abstract: A system and method identifies target device file matches of a source file based on file size and hash values. The method includes storing a first source file hash value of the first source file, wherein the first source file hash value was generated by applying a hash function to the first source file, appending a first source file size to the first source file hash value to generate a first appended source file hash value, scanning a target file dataset comprising N target files, wherein the target file dataset is on a target device. Scanning includes determining a respective file size for each of the N target files in the target dataset, determining whether each of the N target files is a size-matching target file, wherein a size-matching target file is any target file of the N target files that matches the first source file size, and generating a respective target file hash value for each size-matching target file by applying the hash function to each size-matching target file.

Abstract: A backup entity and a method for backing up a disk volume of a production device are provided. The backup entity is configured to: create a first backup image of the disk volume, in a backup repository. Further, the backup entity is configured to obtain a first indication from the production device, wherein the first indication is indicative of a first operation to be performed by the production device on the disk volume. The backup entity is further configured to perform the first operation on the first backup image, to obtain a second backup image in the backup repository. According to the application, a solution to mimic an operation that changes data of a production storage, in a backup system, is provided, which can reduce the amount of data sent from the production storage to the backup system and thus reduce a backup window.

Abstract: Provided is a data processing arrangement (100, 200, 300, 400) that is coupled to a data memory arrangement (102) and is configured to generate a file catalog including information describing characteristics of data files stored within the data memory arrangement. The file catalog is periodically updated so that it provides a temporal record of the information. The data processing arrangement is configured to determine a behavioral profile (404) indicative of temporal trends or patterns in the information, and to provide a warning indication in an event that the information for a given data file temporally changes in a manner that deviates more than a threshold amount from a model of expected temporal trends or patterns of the given data file.

Abstract: Provided is a computer-implemented method of backup and restore in a network data storage system (200, 310). The method includes generating, at a predefined time interval, a series of one or more virtual snapshots including, for each item in the network data storage system: (i) a strong hash of the item data, and (ii) one or more metadata elements related to the item. The method includes, in response to a request to restore a particular item: (i) searching the series of virtual snapshots for all available sources of the particular item, (ii) identifying the best source for the particular item, and (iii) recovering item data for the particular item from the identified best source.

Abstract: A method of data management in a data storage system including a plurality of data storage units, the method includes dividing each file in the data storage system into a plurality of blocks having a common size. The method further includes generating a hash value for each block using a common hash algorithm. The method further includes identifying a plurality of similar files in different data storage units, based on a comparison of the hashes for each file. The method further includes copying one or more of the identified similar files, such that similar files are stored in a single data storage unit and for one or more of the copied files, generating a link to a new location of the file. The method provides an efficient, effective, and adequate reduction of the primary storage as well as the secondary storage space.

Abstract: An apparatus for dynamically scheduling a digital storage backup comprises at least one processor adapted to determine at least one backup parameter for a backup of a plurality of data blocks of a monitored non transitory storage. Determining the at least one backup parameter comprises: computing a storage classification for the plurality of data blocks according to a compliance of an amount of changes to a content of the plurality of data blocks with one or more threshold values, and determining the at least one backup parameter according to the classification.

Abstract: A backup entity and a method for backing up a disk volume of a production device are provided. The backup entity is configured to: create a first backup image of the disk volume, in a backup repository. Further, the backup entity is configured to obtain a first indication from the production device, wherein the first indication is indicative of a first operation to be performed by the production device on the disk volume. The backup entity is further configured to perform the first operation on the first backup image, to obtain a second backup image in the backup repository. According to the application, a solution to mimic an operation that changes data of a production storage, in a backup system, is provided, which can reduce the amount of data sent from the production storage to the backup system and thus reduce a backup window.

Abstract: A method and a global server for deduplicating multiple storage servers are disclosed. The global server maintains information regarding a set of hash values, each hash value being associated with a data chunk of data stored in the global server and/or the storage servers, receive, from one or more of the storage servers, a request to modify the information with respect to one or more hash values, accumulate and sort metadata related to the one or more requests, modifies the information with respect to the one or more hash values, based on the accumulated metadata when the accumulated metadata reaches a determined size.

Abstract: A method for deduplicating at a global server for multiple storage servers includes receiving, from a storage server, a request to store a data chunk, determining whether the data chunk is highly-duplicated among the storage servers, accepting the request when the data chunk is highly-duplicated, and rejecting the request when the data chunk is not highly-duplicated.

Abstract: An apparatus is described for dynamically scheduling a digital storage backup comprises at least one processor adapted to determine at least one backup parameter for a backup of a plurality of data blocks of a monitored non transitory storage. Determining the at least one backup parameter comprises: computing a storage classification for the plurality of data blocks according to a compliance of an amount of changes to a content of the plurality of data blocks with one or more threshold values, and determining the at least one backup parameter according to the classification.

Abstract: Controlling a software process by causing the execution of a first software process on a computer, where the first software process is configured to exclusively access a resource on the computer, causing the execution of a second software process on the computer when the first software process has exclusive access to the resource, where the second software process is configured to perform a first predefined action that is independent of the second software process accessing the resource, attempt to access the resource, and perform a second predefined action that is dependent on the second software process accessing resource, and causing the first software process to terminate its exclusive access to the resource, thereby causing the second software process to access the resource and perform the second predefined action.

Abstract: Machines, systems and methods for performing intermediate data backups, the method comprising monitoring data updates to one or more data blocks in at least a target data storage medium, wherein the target data storage medium is subject to an incremental data backup routine at prescheduled time intervals; in response to determining that said at least one or more data blocks is updated prior to a prescheduled time interval for the incremental data backup routine, performing one or more intermediate data backups to store data from the updated data blocks to at least one backup data storage medium; and in response to determining that said at least one or more data blocks is updated prior to the prescheduled time interval for the incremental data backup routine but after the last of the intermediate data backups, copying data on one or more updated data blocks after the last of the intermediate data backups to the backup data storage medium.

Abstract: Various embodiments for managing production data are described herein. In one example of a method for managing production data, the method can include allocating, via a processor, a first storage area to store production data for an external computing device. The method can also include receiving a write request comprising production data to be stored in the first storage area. In addition, the method can include detecting that the first storage area does not have available space to store the production data and allocating, via a processor, a second storage area to store the production data. Furthermore, the method can include transferring, via a processor, production data stored in the first storage area to a backup device.

Abstract: Coordinating point-in-time snapshots among multiple computing platforms by receiving a notification from a first computing platform agent indicating a first computing platform snapshot time, receiving a notification from a second computing platform agent indicating a second computing platform snapshot time, determining that second computing platform snapshot time is later than the first computing platform snapshot time, notifying the first computing platform agent of the second computing platform snapshot time, and receiving from the first computing platform agent a report of any location in the first computing platform's data storage to which data were written after the first computing platform snapshot time and responsive to a write request that was made prior to or including the second computing platform snapshot time.

Abstract: Coordinating point-in-time snapshots among multiple computing platforms by receiving a notification from a first computing platform agent indicating a first computing platform snapshot time, receiving a notification from a second computing platform agent indicating a second computing platform snapshot time, determining that second computing platform snapshot time is later than the first computing platform snapshot time, notifying the first computing platform agent of the second computing platform snapshot time, and receiving from the first computing platform agent a report of any location in the first computing platform's data storage to which data were written after the first computing platform snapshot time and responsive to a write request that was made prior to or including the second computing platform snapshot time.

Abstract: Machines, systems and methods for backing up data, the method comprising retrieving identifying information about target data storage volumes from which target data is to be backed up; communicating the identifying information to a proxy application installed on a backup computing system utilized to backup the target data stored on the target data storage volumes, wherein the proxy application uses the identifying information to place the target data storage volumes in a first state in which write operations may not be performed to the target data storage volumes, wherein the proxy application causes snapshots to be taken of the target data storage volumes of a first type and a second type, in response to determining that the target data storage volumes are placed in the first state.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for increasing the efficiency of block-level processes. Responsive to detecting an I/O write to a storage volume, a determination is made as to whether the I/O write matches one or more suspicious I/O reads in a plurality of suspicious I/O reads previously recorded in a memory. Responsive to the I/O write matching one or more suspicious I/O reads in the plurality of suspicious I/O reads, an identification is made that there is a data relocation associated with the sector associated with the I/O write. A data relocation application is informed of the data relocation of the sector associated with the one or more suspicious I/O reads associated with the sector indicated by the I/O write. Each sector associated with the one or more suspicious I/O reads is then released in a file system for reuse.

Abstract: Coordinating point-in-time snapshots among multiple computing platforms by receiving a notification from a first computing platform agent indicating a first computing platform snapshot time, receiving a notification from a second computing platform agent indicating a second computing platform snapshot time, determining that second computing platform snapshot time is later than the first computing platform snapshot time, notifying the first computing platform agent of the second computing platform snapshot time, and receiving from the first computing platform agent a report of any location in the first computing platform's data storage to which data were written after the first computing platform snapshot time and responsive to a write request that was made prior to or including the second computing platform snapshot time.

Abstract: Various embodiments for managing production data are described herein. In one example of a method for managing production data, the method can include allocating, via a processor, a first storage area to store production data for an external computing device. The method can also include receiving a write request comprising production data to be stored in the first storage area. In addition, the method can include detecting that the first storage area does not have available space to store the production data and allocating, via a processor, a second storage area to store the production data. Furthermore, the method can include transferring, via a processor, production data stored in the first storage area to a backup device.