Abstract: Provided are techniques for exploiting object tags in order to produce a work order across several backup engines for a backup job. A selection of tags for an object is received. A work order for the object is created using the tags. The work order is stored with a virtual server that stores the object, wherein a data mover of a backup engine retrieves the work order from the virtual server to back up the object.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for hypervisor agnostic interchangeable backup recovery and file level recovery from virtual disks. Data is stored for a first virtual disk that represents data in a first format and metadata for the first virtual disk in a common data format in a storage having a fixed block length. A virtual disk file represents data in a second format that allows variable size blocks. Multiple instances of the fixed block length of blocks of data for the second virtual disk indicated in the virtual disk file are read. Each instance of the read fixed block length of blocks is written to the storage in the common data format with metadata describing the format of the blocks in the second virtual disk, and can be restored to a third virtual disk in the first or second format.

Abstract: For accessing files from block-level backups of a virtual disk, a system, method, computer program product and apparatus are disclosed. The system includes an apparatus with a changed block module that determines changed blocks between a previous and a current block-level backup of a virtual disk. A mapping module maps logical clusters of the virtual disk to the changed blocks and identifies files corresponding to the logical clusters. A changed file module designates files corresponding to the logical clusters as changed files, unless current attributes of files for the current backup match attributes of the files in a backup file index corresponding to the previous backup. The changed file module stores the current attributes and extents for changed files within blocks of a backup storage device for updating in the backup file index. The method and computer program product perform these functions and may use the system and the apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus for heterogeneous compression of data streams is disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the apparatus includes a sampling module that samples a data stream at one or more intervals to determine a content type for data within the one or more intervals. The apparatus further includes a mapping module that determines whether the content type is linked to a preferred data compression method. The apparatus further includes a processing module that compresses the data within the one or more intervals to produce compressed data using the preferred data compression method in response to determining that the content type is linked to the preferred data compression method. Embodiments of corresponding methods and computer program products are also disclosed.

Abstract: Provided are techniques for providing and managing data protection by using incremental forever for storage to cloud object stores. An incremental offload is performed by using one or more extents to identify blocks of data for a version of a virtual machine in operational recovery storage to be offloaded to a cloud object store, wherein each of the one or more extents identifies locations of the blocks of data. The blocks of data are converted to objects in an incremental forever data format. The objects are offloaded to the cloud object store. The details of the offloading of the objects are stored in a local database in the operational recovery storage. The local database is copied from the operational recovery storage to the cloud object store as a database copy.

Abstract: Provided are techniques for providing and managing data protection by using incremental forever for storage to cloud object stores. An incremental offload is performed by using one or more extents to identify blocks of data for a version of a virtual machine in operational recovery storage to be offloaded to a cloud object store, wherein each of the one or more extents identifies locations of the blocks of data. The blocks of data are converted to objects in an incremental forever data format. The objects are offloaded to the cloud object store. The details of the offloading of the objects are stored in a local database in the operational recovery storage. The local database is copied from the operational recovery storage to the cloud object store as a database copy.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for hypervisor agnostic interchangeable backup recovery and file level recovery from virtual disks. Data is stored for a first virtual disk that represents data in a first format and metadata for the first virtual disk in a common data format in a storage having a fixed block length. A virtual disk file represents data in a second format that allows variable size blocks. Multiple instances of the fixed block length of blocks of data for the second virtual disk indicated in the virtual disk file are read. Each instance of the read fixed block length of blocks is written to the storage in the common data format with metadata describing the format of the blocks in the second virtual disk, and can be restored to a third virtual disk in the first or second format.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for hypervisor agnostic interchangeable backup recovery and file level recovery from virtual disks. Data is stored for a first virtual disk that represents data in a first format and metadata for the first virtual disk in a common data format in a storage having a fixed block length. A virtual disk file represents data in a second format that allows variable size blocks. Multiple instances of the fixed block length of blocks of data for the second virtual disk indicated in the virtual disk file are read. Each instance of the read fixed block length of blocks is written to the storage in the common data format with metadata describing the format of the blocks in the second virtual disk, and can be restored to a third virtual disk in the first or second format.

Abstract: For accessing files from block-level backups of a virtual disk, a system, method, computer program product and apparatus are disclosed. The system includes an apparatus with a changed block module that determines changed blocks between a previous and a current block-level backup of a virtual disk. A mapping module maps logical clusters of the virtual disk to the changed blocks and identifies files corresponding to the logical clusters. A changed file module designates files corresponding to the logical clusters as changed files, unless current attributes of files for the current backup match attributes of the files in a backup file index corresponding to the previous backup. The changed file module stores the current attributes and extents for changed files within blocks of a backup storage device for updating in the backup file index. The method and computer program product perform these functions and may use the system and the apparatus.

Abstract: For accessing files from block-level backups of a virtual disk, an apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a changed block module that obtains a list of changed blocks between a previous and a current backup of a virtual disk. The apparatus includes a mapping module that maps logical clusters of the virtual disk to the changed blocks and identifies files corresponding to the logical clusters. The apparatus further includes a changed file module that designates the files corresponding to the logical clusters as changed files, unless current attributes of the files for the current backup match attributes of the files in a backup file index corresponding to the previous backup of the virtual disk. The changed file module further stores the current attributes and extents for the changed files within blocks of a backup storage device for updating in the backup file index.

Abstract: A method for executing complex data protection operations is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method includes generating multiple complex data protection operations, where each complex data protection operation includes multiple data protection functions pre-arranged in a specified order and on a specified schedule. The method further presents the multiple complex data protection operations to a user in the form of a menu. This menu includes multiple menu options, where each menu option is associated with one of the complex data protection operations. The method further enables the user to select a menu option, and executes the complex data protection operation associated with the menu option selected by the user. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus for heterogeneous compression of data streams is disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the apparatus includes a sampling module that samples a data stream at one or more intervals to determine a content type for data within the one or more intervals. The apparatus further includes a mapping module that determines whether the content type is linked to a preferred data compression method. The apparatus further includes a processing module that compresses the data within the one or more intervals to produce compressed data using the preferred data compression method in response to determining that the content type is linked to the preferred data compression method. Embodiments of corresponding methods and computer program products are also disclosed.

Abstract: Provided are techniques for exploiting object tags in order to produce a work order across several backup engines for a backup job. A selection of tags for an object is received. A work order for the object is created using the tags. The work order is stored with a virtual server that stores the object, wherein a data mover of a backup engine retrieves the work order from the virtual server to back up the object.

Abstract: For accessing files from block-level backups of a virtual disk, an apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a changed block module that obtains a list of changed blocks between a previous and a current backup of a virtual disk. The apparatus includes a mapping module that maps logical clusters of the virtual disk to the changed blocks and identifies files corresponding to the logical clusters. The apparatus further includes a changed file module that designates the files corresponding to the logical clusters as changed files, unless current attributes of the files for the current backup match attributes of the files in a backup file index corresponding to the previous backup of the virtual disk. The changed file module further stores the current attributes and extents for the changed files within blocks of a backup storage device for updating in the backup file index.

Abstract: During a data protection operation, a system exploits a virtual hierarchy to centralize the configuration and management of operating system credentials of numerous virtual guests. For each virtual guest, the system uses the credential to collect a single Globally Unique Identifier (GUID) previously generated and stored in-guest by any data protection agent. The system stores the collected GUID as a custom property in the context of the virtual hierarchy. The system also exploits the virtual hierarchy custom properties to determine if GUIDs are copies due to virtual guest replication. The system ensures GUID uniqueness by requesting regeneration of the GUID by in-guest data protection agents. Using GUIDs that are unique across the virtual hierarchy, the system can correlate application data of multiple in-guest data protection agents.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for hypervisor agnostic interchangeable backup recovery and file level recovery from virtual disks. Data is stored for a first virtual disk that represents data in a first format and metadata for the first virtual disk in a common data format in a storage having a fixed block length. A virtual disk file represents data in a second format that allows variable size blocks. Multiple instances of the fixed block length of blocks of data for the second virtual disk indicated in the virtual disk file are read. Each instance of the read fixed block length of blocks is written to the storage in the common data format with metadata describing the format of the blocks in the second virtual disk, and can be restored to a third virtual disk in the first or second format.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for hypervisor agnostic interchangeable backup recovery and file level recovery from virtual disks. Data is stored for a first virtual disk that represents data in a first format and metadata for the first virtual disk in a common data format in a storage having a fixed block length. A virtual disk file represents data in a second format that allows variable size blocks. Multiple instances of the fixed block length of blocks of data for the second virtual disk indicated in the virtual disk file are read. Each instance of the read fixed block length of blocks is written to the storage in the common data format with metadata describing the format of the blocks in the second virtual disk, and can be restored to a third virtual disk in the first or second format.

Abstract: For restoring deduplicated data, a method maintains a chunk index on a client computing system coupled to a client data store. The chunk index tracks chunks within files remaining on the client data store after storage of the files to a deduplicated server data store coupled to a server computing system. The method determines whether a valid entry for a first chunk exists in the chunk index. In addition, the method retrieves the first chunk from the server data store responsive to determining the valid entry for the first chunk does not exist in the chunk index. The method further retrieves the first chunk from the client data store specified in the valid entry of the chunk index responsive to determining that the valid entry exists in the chunk index and the first chunk resides in a first file at a first offset.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for hypervisor agnostic interchangeable backup recovery and file level recovery from virtual disks. Data is stored for a first virtual disk that represents data in a first format and metadata for the first virtual disk in a common data format in a storage having a fixed block length. A virtual disk file represents data in a second format that allows variable size blocks. Multiple instances of the fixed block length of blocks of data for the second virtual disk indicated in the virtual disk file are read. Each instance of the read fixed block length of blocks is written to the storage in the common data format with metadata describing the format of the blocks in the second virtual disk, and can be restored to a third virtual disk in the first or second format.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for caching backed-up data locally until successful replication of the backed-up data. Responsive to an indication to back up one or more pieces of identified data from a local storage device, a determination is made as to whether a primary storage device is available. Responsive to the primary storage device being available, the one or more pieces of identified data are backed up to the primary storage device and a local replication cache. Responsive to the backed-up data being replicated from the primary storage device to a secondary storage device, the backed-up data is removed from the local replication cache.