Abstract: Systems and methods for performing sparse backups are disclosed. One method may involve: receiving information indicating unallocated extents from a file system that organizes data on a primary storage device; copying to a backup storage device data from extents of the primary storage device, where the unallocated extents indicated by the information are not copied; and for each of a plurality of copied extents, storing a mapping from an original extent on the primary storage device to a new extent on the backup storage device into which data stored in that original extent is copied. A backup volume that includes the data included in plurality of copied extents may be mounted, and the mapping may be used to translate accesses to the extents on the backup volume to extents on the backup storage device.

Abstract: A system for efficient creation of aggregate backup images includes a plurality of backup images of a source data set, including a first and a second backup image, and a backup manager. The second backup image may include at least one data block containing an updated version of a corresponding data block in the first backup image. The backup manager may be configured maintain a first and a second image map corresponding to the first and second backup images, respectively, where each image map includes a plurality of entries pointing to data blocks of the corresponding backup image. In response to a request to create a first aggregate backup image of the source data set, the backup manager may be configured to establish a first aggregate image map including indirect pointers that point to one or more entries in each of the first and second image maps.

Abstract: A system and method of identifying methods of quiescing a storage object. Data is received identifying the storage object and a freeze list is generated. The freeze list includes one or more freeze methods appropriate for quiescing the storage object. Generating includes creating a hierarchy of logical storage objects below the identified storage object, associating quiesce characteristics with each logical storage object below the identified storage object and generating freeze vectors as a function of quiesce characteristics associated with each logical storage object below the identified storage object.

Abstract: Methods, functional data, and systems for logically representing a storage environment are provided. A target storage environment having one or more storage data objects is mapped to a data structure. Any subsequent disparate or remote but similar storage environment has direct or indirect access to the data structure such that one or more of the data objects are permissibly directly/indirectly referenced or replicated within the disparate or remote but similar storage storage environment. Changes to the data structure are communicated, thereby ensuring the reliable use of the representation for the target storage environment.

Abstract: Methods and systems to backup data are provided. A first computing device identifies data to backup and stabilizes a frozen image of that data. Next, the frozen image is decomposed into physical storage addresses housing the data. The decomposed storage addresses are sent to a second computing device. The second computing device uses the storage addresses along with existing operating system I/O operations to backup the data to computer readable media.

Abstract: A system and method of identifying methods of quiescing a storage object. Data is received identifying the storage object and a freeze list is generated. The freeze list includes one or more freeze methods appropriate for quiescing the storage object. Generating includes creating a hierarchy of logical storage objects below the identified storage object, associating quiesce characteristics with each logical storage object below the identified storage object and generating freeze vectors as a function of quiesce characteristics associated with each logical storage object below the identified storage object.

Abstract: Methods and systems to access storage objects are provided. A reference to a storage object is used to determine a storage stack level associated with the reference. If the storage stack level is not the lowest level of a storage stack, then the reference is translated to a next stack level reference and passed through to a next stack level associated with the stack. References are translated and passed through iteratively until the lowest level of the stack is reached, wherein an absolute reference to the storage object is obtained and propagated back to an original referencing module, thereby providing access to the storage object.

Abstract: A secondary host on a storage area network (SAN) replicates files utilized and/or managed by a primary host by direct transfer of the files over the SAN to achieve substantially network free file replication. The secondary host receives SAN-relative extent information from the primary host system, converts the SAN-relative extent information to local extent information that is used by the secondary host to retrieve the files directly from disk storage on the SAN. The secondary host may then retrieve the files from the SAN using the local extent information, and may store the files on storage elements of the SAN thus creating a copy of the files. The SAN-relative extent information may be received over an external network from the primary host system. The SAN-relative extent information may physically identify actual storage elements and may include an identifier that uniquely identifies the storage elements on the SAN.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus to interface with storage objects are provided. A storage object handle is provided on request and a storage object is mapped within a first storage environment. Further, a configuration identifier notifies client modules when the storage object's physical locations are altered in the first storage environment. API libraries provide client modules access to use the storage object, even when the client modules reside in a second storage environment.

Abstract: A Storage Mapping Driver (SMD) that provides a system and method for determining the application host storage locations of file data so that the file data can be later backed up directly from its storage media. The application host location of the file data is sent to the backup host either just prior to a backup or as the information is obtained. In this way the backup host is capable of backing up the files without reference to systems on the application host such as the file system manager and the volume manager. The SMD invokes the file system manager and/or the volume manager to read a file to be backed up in order to obtain a file map. If the host system does not have a file system manager and/or a volume manager, a backup file system manager is provided, which is invoked by the SMD to read a file to obtain a file map for use during a backup.

Abstract: A system and method of identifying methods of quiescing a storage object. Data is received identifying the storage object and a freeze list is generated. The freeze list includes one or more freeze methods appropriate for quiescing the storage object. Generating includes creating a hierarchy of logical storage objects below the identified storage object, associating quiesce characteristics with each logical storage object below the identified storage object and generating freeze vectors as a function of quiesce characteristics associated with each logical storage object below the identified storage object.

Abstract: Methods and systems to backup data are provided. A first computing device identifies data to backup and stabilizes a frozen image of that data. Next, the frozen image is decomposed into physical storage addresses housing the data. The decomposed storage addresses are sent to a second computing device. The second computing device uses the storage addresses along with existing operating system I/O operations to backup the data to computer readable media.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling the creation of stable disk images. Data is transmitted to an application program interface identifying the storage object. The application program interface returns a list with one or more methods appropriate for quiescing or for freezing the storage object.

Abstract: A system and method of characterizing a logical storage object. Information associated with the logical storage object is stored. The information includes information characterizing quiesce capabilities and split characteristics for the logical storage object. That information is transmitted to a processor and is used to characterize the logical storage object.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatus and software can utilize an indirect write driver to prevent possible error conditions associated with using a third-party copy operation directed at a storage resource. A data transport mechanism such as a data restore application initiates a third-party copy operation from a data source to a data cache. The indirect write driver monitors write commands as they pass to a storage resource driver. If a command is found to be an indirect write command, e.g., a command designed to complete the movement of data from the data cache to the storage resource, it is handled accordingly. Normal write commands are passed on to the storage resource driver. By completing the data move operation using normal storage management channels, e.g., the operating system, file system, and/or volume manager, error conditions can be avoided.

Abstract: Methods and systems to bridge storage management software are provided. A first storage management application communicates with a host and performs an analysis of a storage environment associated with the host. The first storage management application uses the analysis to determine if a storage resource interface is controlled by a second storage management application, and if so a plugin application is accessed by the first storage management application to permit the second storage management application to perform a storage management operation on behalf of the host. In one embodiment, the analysis is updated by the first storage management application upon receiving results from second storage management application, where the results reflect the processing of the storage management operation by the second storage management application.

Abstract: Methods and systems to bridge storage management software are provided. A first storage management application communicates with a host and performs an analysis of a storage environment associated with the host. The first storage management application uses the analysis to determine if a storage resource interface is controlled by a second storage management application, and if so a plugin application is accessed by the first storage management application to permit the second storage management application to perform a storage management operation on behalf of the host. In one embodiment, the analysis is updated by the first storage management application upon receiving results from second storage management application, where the results reflect the processing of the storage management operation by the second storage management application.

Abstract: A system and method of identifying methods of quiescing a storage object. Data is received identifying the storage object and a freeze list is generated. The freeze list includes one or more freeze methods appropriate for quiescing the storage object. Generating includes creating a hierarchy of logical storage objects below the identified storage object, associating quiesce characteristics with each logical storage object below the identified storage object and generating freeze vectors as a function of quiesce characteristics associated with each logical storage object below the identified storage object.

Abstract: A system and method of identifying methods of quiescing a storage object. Data is received identifying the storage object and a freeze list is generated. The freeze list includes one or more freeze methods appropriate for quiescing the storage object. Generating includes creating a hierarchy of logical storage objects below the identified storage object, associating quiesce characteristics with each logical storage object below the identified storage object and generating freeze vectors as a function of quiesce characteristics associated with each logical storage object below the identified storage object.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatus and software can utilize an indirect write driver to prevent possible error conditions associated with using a third-party copy operation directed at a storage resource. A data transport mechanism such as a data restore application initiates a third-party copy operation from a data source to a data cache. The indirect write driver monitors write commands as they pass to a storage resource driver. If a command is found to be an indirect write command, e.g., a command designed to complete the movement of data from the data cache to the storage resource, it is handled accordingly. Normal write commands are passed on to the storage resource driver. By completing the data move operation using normal storage management channels, e.g., the operating system, file system, and/or volume manager, error conditions can be avoided.