Abstract: Embodiments of a targeted deduplication process that splits protected data into variable size segments, generates a fingerprint for each segment, and then combines fingerprints into groups to form group fingerprints. An embodiment auto-generates and persists the group fingerprints for the backups which are already on the storage server, thus enabling the backup client to fetch these fingerprints using an identifier and enforce synthesis for the new backup or replication copy against any previously written backup. For this embodiment, group fingerprints are generated on the storage server itself, rather than being generated on and pushed from the backup client for mere storage on the storage server, so that, as files are ingested, the storage server also auto-generates group fingerprints on its own.

Abstract: A backup system stores recipes during backup file creation when virtual synthetic backups are used, where a recipe comprises a specific sequence of steps used to generate the backup file. Replication logic of the backup system replays the recipe to generate the same backup file on the backup target so that an old backup combined with new backup data comprises the recipe. Embodiments of a server-side group fingerprint system include a process to auto-generate recipes for server resident files by formulating a file as a series of L1 fingerprints which are in turn a set of L0s and GFPs where some of the L1s are shared with other files. The recipe can be used to convert the representation of the file from a native fingerprint based representation into a virtual synthetic format.

Abstract: Making inline deduplicated backups of protected data using group fingerprints resident in a storage server by generating group fingerprints on a storage server for a backup client that is not capable of using group fingerprints, from individual fingerprints generated for each segment of protected data divided into variable size segments and then grouped together. Each fingerprint comprises a signature for a respective data segment. The method further maintains the group fingerprints for files resident on the storage server, compares, in the storage server, respective group fingerprints for these files with a new backup file to be backed up from the backup client to determine duplicated data between these files, and converts the new backup file to a virtual synthetic backup during a backup time of the new file.

Abstract: Embodiments of a targeted deduplication process that splits protected data into variable size segments, generates a fingerprint for each segment, and then combines fingerprints into groups to form group fingerprints. The group fingerprints are stored on and retrieved from a server by a client to identify duplicate data present on a server during the backup process on an “as needed” basis. The specific group fingerprints sent are based on knowledge of previous backups of the asset, either learned or provided as a hint from the backup application. Once it is known that a specific group fingerprint is present on the server, a virtual synthetic request can be generated instead of a traditional deduplication process. This enables virtual synthetic backups for applications that do not have sufficient knowledge of changed blocks from a previous backup to use the virtual synthetic operations on their own.