Abstract: Disclosed herein are various systems and methods for performing block level incremental backup operations for QCOW2 virtual disks. A first snapshot of a virtual disk is taken and used by a virtual machine at a first point in time. The virtual disk is implemented as a QCOW2 image, and taking the first snapshot causes the first snapshot to be stored in the QCOW2 image. A second snapshot of the virtual disk is taken at a second point in time. Taking the second snapshot causes the second snapshot to be stored in the QCOW2 image. One or more blocks of the virtual disk that have been modified between the first point in time and the second point in time are identified using metadata stored in the QCOW2 image. An incremental backup operation is then performed on the virtual disk by copying one or more blocks from the second snapshot to backup storage.

Abstract: Various systems, methods, and processes for optimizing the performance of a consolidated full backup of a restored virtual machine are disclosed. Changed data and metadata associated with the changed data is received from a hypervisor at a backup module. The hypervisor supports a virtual machine, and the virtual machine employs virtual disks. A confirmation is sent to the hypervisor from the backup module indicating that a full backup of the virtual disks has been created.

Abstract: Various systems, methods, and processes for optimizing the performance of a consolidated full backup of a restored virtual machine are disclosed. Changed data and metadata associated with the changed data is received from a hypervisor at a backup module. The hypervisor supports a virtual machine, and the virtual machine employs virtual disks. A confirmation is sent to the hypervisor from the backup module indicating that a full backup of the virtual disks has been created.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for performing incremental backups may include 1) identifying a volume of data previously subjected to a backup, 2) determining a time to perform an incremental backup of the volume, the incremental backup being incremental with respect to the backup, and, at the time of the incremental backup, 3) identifying a list of files changed on the volume since the backup, 4) identifying a map of blocks changed on the volume since the backup, and 5) including, in the incremental backup, each block within at least one file that is indicated as changed in the map of blocks. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for performing backups may include identifying a volume of data targeted for backup. The computer-implemented method may also include identifying at least one data object within the volume of data. The computer-implemented method may further include locating a copy of the data object within an archival data store. The computer-implemented method may additionally include backing up a reference to the copy of the data object within the archival data store instead of backing up the data object. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.