Abstract: In one example, a method includes performing various operations at a backup server. These operations may include receiving, from a node, a request for restoration of a cumulative backup that includes a plurality of partial backups that have been merged together, where the plurality of partial backups includes data from a group of one or more nodes, and the group includes the node. The method further includes checking the cumulative backup to determine whether or not the cumulative backup has been finalized, accessing the cumulative backup when it has been determined that the cumulative backup has been finalized, and restoring the cumulative backup to a target node.

Abstract: In one example, a method includes performing various operations at a backup server. These operations may include receiving, from a node, a request for restoration of a cumulative backup that includes a plurality of partial backups that have been merged together, where the plurality of partial backups includes data from a group of one or more nodes, and the group includes the node. The method further includes checking the cumulative backup to determine whether or not the cumulative backup has been finalized, accessing the cumulative backup when it has been determined that the cumulative backup has been finalized, and restoring the cumulative backup to a target node.

Abstract: In one example, a method for method for backing up data begins when a backup notice is received from a node. In response to the notice, a slot is reserved in an accounting system for storage of a cumulative backup. One or more partial backups are then received and merged with any data present in the slot so as to create or modify a cumulative backup in the slot, where the cumulative backup includes the one or more partial backups and any other data in the slot. Upon receipt of an indication that the cumulative backup is final, the cumulative backup is recorded, and access to the cumulative backup enabled.

Abstract: This disclosure is describes a system and method for organizing and storing backup data by inode number. Data objects on a file system may be streamed to a backup client that identifies the inode numbers for each streamed data object before streaming the objects to storage. The inode numbers are parsed to create one or more inode directories that can be browsed during a recovery process. In this fashion, the file system can be quickly backed up without requiring the backup client to determine the file system's directory hierarchy.