Abstract: An apparatus and method for merging the data of a first container and a second container into a target container that includes at least one block having a plurality of extents to store data objects. The apparatus may include a storage sever coupled to a plurality of storage devices. The storage server is configured to merge multiple data objects of the plurality of containers that store a data object per each container into a target container that stores multiple data objects within the target container.

Abstract: A system for synchronizing a secondary volume with a primary volume in a continuous data protection system includes scanning means for scanning a region of the primary volume; comparing means for comparing the scanned region with a corresponding region of the secondary volume; storing means for storing an identification of the scanned region in a compare delta map when the comparing means returns a discrepancy between the scanned region and the corresponding region; copying means for copying data from the primary volume to the secondary volume, using the compare delta map as a guide to locate the data to copy; and revising means for revising the compare delta map by removing any changes made to the primary volume during a scan interval, which is a period of time required to scan the primary volume.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing backup data is disclosed. A data backup system defines a plurality of time windows for creating and maintaining backup data in accordance with a data backup policy. Each of the time windows is assigned a predetermined amount of storage space. When the data backup system creates backup data, the system determines whether a storage space assigned to a time window is large enough to accommodate new backup data. If the storage space is large enough, the new backup data is stored. However, if the storage space is not large enough, the system deletes the oldest backup data until enough storage space is obtained.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for merging the data of a first container and a second container into a target container that includes at least one block having a plurality of extents to store data objects. The apparatus may include a storage sever coupled to a plurality of storage devices. The storage server is configured to merge multiple data objects of the plurality of containers that store a data object per each container into a target container that stores multiple data objects within the target container.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for referencing physical location of data objects stored within a logical container. The method may include receiving an access request from a client for a particular data object stored in a logical container having a plurality of data objects stored collectively in the logical container, and referencing a physical location of the particular data object within the logical container in response to the access request. The logical container includes at least one block, and each block of the logical container includes multiple extents to store data from at least one data object. The block is a fundamental unit of storage space.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for containerization of multiple data objects within a block of a single container. The apparatus and method may pack multiple data objects together in a block of a logical container in a file system. The method may include receiving data in the form of multiple data objects to be stored in a file system, and collectively data packing the multiple data objects together in at least one block of a logical container in the file system. The block is a fundamental unit of storage space of the file system, and each block of the logical container includes multiple extents to store data from at least one data object of the multiple objects. The apparatus may include a plurality of storage devices coupled to a storage server. The storage server is configured to store the multiple data objects in at least one block of the logical container in the file system. Some data objects may be stored in multiple extents of one or more blocks depending on the size of the data object.

Abstract: A method for browsing objects on a protected volume in a continuous data protection system begins by displaying a list of top-level objects to a user who selects a top-level object to browse. A snapshot is selected from the selected top-level object and is decoded. A list of objects in the selected snapshot is displayed and the user selects an object to browse. The selected object is decoded and operations are performed on the selected object. The user can browse the protected volume by snapshots in the top-level object or by a range of time of coverage of the top-level object.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for efficiently deleting data including backup or snapshots upon expiration are disclosed. The data can be deleted even without physical access to the data. A data generation unit generates a data. Each data has an expiration time and should be deleted upon expiration. An encryption unit encrypts the data, and the encrypted data is stored in data storage. A controller monitors whether there is an expired data, and if there is an expired data, the controller deletes a key necessary for decrypting the expired data.

Abstract: A method and system for generating a snapshot in a consistent state is disclosed. The system comprises a host computer, a primary data storage, a data protection unit, and a secondary data storage. The data protection unit monitors a state of an application which is running on the host computer. The data protection unit generates a snapshot of data stored in a primary data storage when the application is in a consistent state, and stores the snapshot on a secondary storage. In the event of a system failure, the data is recovered using the last snapshot.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for containerization of multiple data objects within a block of a single container. The apparatus and method may pack multiple data objects together in a block of a logical container in a file system. The method may include receiving data in the form of multiple data objects to be stored in a file system, and collectively data packing the multiple data objects together in at least one block of a logical container in the file system. The block is a fundamental unit of storage space of the file system, and each block of the logical container includes multiple extents to store data from at least one data object of the multiple objects. The apparatus may include a plurality of storage devices coupled to a storage server. The storage server is configured to store the multiple data objects in at least one block of the logical container in the file system. Some data objects may be stored in multiple extents of one or more blocks depending on the size of the data object.

Abstract: A method for synchronizing a secondary volume with a primary volume in a continuous data protection system begins by scanning a region of the primary volume, which is then compared with a corresponding region of the secondary volume. An identification of the scanned region is stored in a compare delta map when the comparison results in a discrepancy between the scanned region and the corresponding region. Data is copied from the primary volume to the secondary volume, using the compare delta map as a guide to locate the data to copy. If the data protection system has failed just prior to the restore process being initiated, it is termed a re-baseline, and the entire primary volume is scanned. If the data protection system is active prior to the restore process being initiated, it is termed a re-synchronization, and is optimized by scanning only select regions of the primary volume.

Abstract: A method and system where data is maintained in a continuous data protection system is disclosed. A primary volume may be protected according to an any-point-in-time (APIT) window wherein restores may be performed at any time as desired. The APIT window may be of any time duration as desired. Outside of the APIT window, a retention policy for phasing out data may be established as desired.

Abstract: A system for synchronizing a secondary volume with a primary volume in a continuous data protection system includes scanning means for scanning a region of the primary volume; comparing means for comparing the scanned region with a corresponding region of the secondary volume; storing means for storing an identification of the scanned region in a compare delta map when the comparing means returns a discrepancy between the scanned region and the corresponding region; copying means for copying data from the primary volume to the secondary volume, using the compare delta map as a guide to locate the data to copy; and revising means for revising the compare delta map by removing any changes made to the primary volume during a scan interval, which is a period of time required to scan the primary volume.

Abstract: In a continuous data protection system having a primary volume and a secondary volume, a method for data recovery begins by selecting a snapshot of the primary volume to be recovered and a location on which the snapshot is to be loaded. A point in time (PIT) map is created for the selected snapshot, and the selected snapshot is loaded at the selected location. A data block from the PIT map is resolved to determine which block on the secondary volume is presented as being part of the snapshot. The snapshot is accessed via a host computer as if the snapshot was the primary volume at an earlier point in time, corresponding to the time of the selected snapshot.

Abstract: A method and system wherein data is structured so that writes may be continuously duplicated and a protected volume may be restored to a particular point in time as desired. Writes are continuously duplicated on a secondary volume and organized into delta maps. The delta maps indicate which memory blocks were written to during a particular time frame.