Abstract: Agent lifecycle management for backup and restore applications is described. A system enables selection of application hosts, each of which meets installation requirements for installing instances of application agents from a backup and restore application, then downloads, in parallel, the instances of the application agent to the corresponding selected application hosts. The system installs, in parallel, the instances of the application agent in the corresponding selected application hosts, then registers, in parallel, the instances of the application agent with the backup and restore application. The system subsequently initiates sessions which download and install, in parallel, an update in instances of the application agent in in corresponding application hosts. The system unregisters at least one of the instances of the application agent, in at least one application host, from the backup and restore application.

Abstract: Automatically updating agents from backup and restore applications is described. A system enables selection of application hosts which meet update requirements, then downloads an update for instances of an application agent corresponding to selected application hosts. The system puts selected application hosts in maintenance mode, which prevents selected application hosts from beginning execution of any operations, until updating selected application hosts is completed. The system initiates update sessions which install update in instances of application agent corresponding to selected application hosts. If update sessions did not fail to install update in any of instances of application agent in cluster of application hosts, then the system stores the updated instances of the application agents in a non-volatile storage.

Abstract: System enables selection of application hosts which meet update requirements, then downloads update for instances of application agent corresponding to selected application hosts. System puts selected application hosts in maintenance mode, which prevents selected application hosts from beginning execution of any operations, until updating selected application hosts is completed. System creates copy of instructions, which when executed, installs update in instance of application agent in one of application hosts, and reports on update process to server which communicates with application hosts. System launches worker process from copy of instructions. System initiates update sessions which install update in instances of application agent corresponding to selected application hosts.

Abstract: Automatically updating agents from backup and restore applications is described. A system enables selection of application hosts which meet update requirements, then downloads an update for instances of an application agent corresponding to selected application hosts. The system puts selected application hosts in maintenance mode, which prevents selected application hosts from beginning execution of any operations, until updating selected application hosts is completed. The system initiates update sessions which install update in instances of application agent corresponding to selected application hosts. If update sessions did not fail to install update in any of instances of application agent in cluster of application hosts, then the system stores the updated instances of the application agents in a non-volatile storage.

Abstract: Agent lifecycle management for backup and restore applications is described. A system enables selection of application hosts, each of which meets installation requirements for installing instances of application agents from a backup and restore application, then downloads, in parallel, the instances of the application agent to the corresponding selected application hosts. The system installs, in parallel, the instances of the application agent in the corresponding selected application hosts, then registers, in parallel, the instances of the application agent with the backup and restore application. The system subsequently initiates sessions which download and install, in parallel, an update in instances of the application agent in in corresponding application hosts. The system unregisters at least one of the instances of the application agent, in at least one application host, from the backup and restore application.

Abstract: System selects application hosts which meet update requirements, then downloads update for instances of application agent corresponding to selected application hosts. System puts selected application hosts in maintenance mode, which prevents selected application hosts from beginning execution of any operations, until updating selected application hosts is completed. System creates backup copy of state of instances of application agent. System generates installation instructions that, when executed by update sessions to install update, enable roll back from updated instances of application agent to state of instances of application agent recorded in backup copy. System initiates update sessions which install update in instances of application agent corresponding to selected application hosts.

Abstract: Selecting, authenticating, and installing individual components of agent software stacks is described. A system enables a selection of a component of an application agent software stack from a backup and restore application, from displayed components of multiple application agent software stacks. The system downloads the selected component of the application agent software stack from the backup and restore application. The system downloads a digital certificate from a vendor of the backup and restore application or the backup and restore application. The system uses a public key from the downloaded digital certificate to authenticate the selected component of the application agent software stack. The system installs an instance of the authenticated component of the application agent software stack in an application host, which executes the instance of the authenticated component to create a backup copy of data generated by an application executed by the application host.

Abstract: Updating application hosts in a cluster are described. A system enables a selection of an application host which meet update requirements, and then determines whether the selected application host is in a cluster of application hosts. If the selected application host is in a cluster, then the system determines whether each application host in the cluster is selected for updating. If each application host in the cluster is not selected for updating, then the system enables the selection of all application hosts in the cluster for updating. If each application host in the cluster is selected for updating, then the system initiates update sessions which install updates in components of the cluster. If at least some of the application hosts in the cluster are not updated, then the system rolls back all updated application hosts in the cluster to previous conditions of the updated application hosts.

Abstract: A system enables selection of application hosts which meet update requirements, then downloads an update for instances of an application agent corresponding to selected application hosts. The system puts selected application hosts in maintenance mode, which prevents selected application hosts from beginning execution of any operations, until updating selected application hosts is completed. The system creates backup copy of configuration files used to configure instances of application agent. The system initiates update sessions which install update in instances of application agent corresponding to selected application hosts. If update sessions failed to install update in any of instances of application agent in cluster of application hosts, then system restores configuration files which were used to configure instances of application agents.

Abstract: Creating vendor-neutral data protection operations for vendors' application resources is described. Capabilities specified for data protection operations by a vendor of an application are input from a host of the application. Any capabilities specified for the data protection operations are used to create a vendor-neutral version of a data protection operation for a resource of the application. The vendor-neutral version of the data protection operation for the application resource is output to the host. A result of performing the vendor-neutral version of the data protection operation on the application resource is input from the host.

Abstract: Vendor-neutral models of vendors' application resources are described. A host outputs capabilities of data protection operations which are specified by a vendor of an application that is installed on the host. The host inputs a vendor-neutral version of a data protection operation, based on any of the capabilities, for a resource of the application. The host uses a vendor-neutral model of the resource of the application to perform the vendor-neutral version of the data protection operation on the application resource.

Abstract: System extracts metadata of system committed change numbers, system change numbers for backup copies. System generates start system change numbers as minimums of committed change numbers, end system change numbers as maximums of change numbers, and identifiers for archive log backup copies. System identifies dependent system change numbers from start number to end number for backup copy. System identifies backed-up system change numbers, from start numbers to end numbers for log backup copies, which are in dependent numbers. If backed-up numbers don't include all dependent numbers, system outputs missing system change numbers. System generates start numbers, end numbers, and identifiers for new archive log backup copies, identifies new backed-up system change numbers, from start numbers to end numbers for new log backup copies, which are in missing numbers. If new backed-up numbers include all missing numbers, system stores backup copy with each log backup copy corresponding to any backed-up numbers.

Abstract: A storage array updates snapshots of each of a plurality of storage objects of a storage group associated with a production volume on which an application image is logically stored and sends corresponding diff's to remote backup storage. The snapshots are maintained locally on the storage array and corresponding backup snapshots are updated on the remote backup storage. The remote backup storage shares a checksum algorithm with the storage array. In response to prompting from the storage array, the remote backup storage obtains or calculates a checksum of a designated backup snapshot determined with the checksum algorithm and sends the checksum to the storage array. The storage array uses the shared checksum algorithm to calculate a comparable checksum of the corresponding local snapshot. The local and backup snapshot checksums are compared to verify the integrity of the backup snapshot.

Abstract: System extracts metadata of system committed change numbers, system change numbers for backup copies. System generates start system change numbers as minimums of committed change numbers, end system change numbers as maximums of change numbers, and identifiers for archive log backup copies. System identifies dependent system change numbers from start number to end number for backup copy. System identifies backed-up system change numbers, from start numbers to end numbers for log backup copies, which are in dependent numbers. If backed-up numbers don't include all dependent numbers, system outputs missing system change numbers. System generates start numbers, end numbers, and identifiers for new archive log backup copies, identifies new backed-up system change numbers, from start numbers to end numbers for new log backup copies, which are in missing numbers. If new backed-up numbers include all missing numbers, system stores backup copy with each log backup copy corresponding to any backed-up numbers.

Abstract: Creating vendor-neutral data protection operations for vendors' application resources is described. Capabilities specified for data protection operations by a vendor of an application are input from a host of the application. Any capabilities specified for the data protection operations are used to create a vendor-neutral version of a data protection operation for a resource of the application. The vendor-neutral version of the data protection operation for the application resource is output to the host. A result of performing the vendor-neutral version of the data protection operation on the application resource is input from the host.

Abstract: Vendor-neutral models of vendors' application resources are described. A host outputs capabilities of data protection operations which are specified by a vendor of an application that is installed on the host. The host inputs a vendor-neutral version of a data protection operation, based on any of the capabilities, for a resource of the application. The host uses a vendor-neutral model of the resource of the application to perform the vendor-neutral version of the data protection operation on the application resource.

Abstract: Backing up data blocks is disclosed, including: receiving an indication that a first backed up data block is to be processed; determining that the first backed up data block and a second backed up data block are related at an application level and are to remain stored together; and processing together the first and second backed up data blocks based at least in part on the determination that the first and second backed up data blocks are related at an application level and are to remain stored together.

Abstract: Backing up data blocks is disclosed, including: receiving an indication that a first backed up data block is to be processed; determining that the first backed up data block and a second backed up data block are related at an application level and are to remain stored together; and processing together the first and second backed up data blocks based at least in part on the determination that the first and second backed up data blocks are related at an application level and are to remain stored together.

Abstract: Backing up data blocks is disclosed. An indication that a first set of one or more backed up data blocks are related at an application level to one or more other sets of one or more backed up data blocks is received. An associating data that associates the first set of backed up data blocks with the one or more other sets of backed up data blocks is stored. The associating data is used to ensure that the first set and the one or more other sets remain stored together.

Abstract: Backing up data blocks is disclosed. An indication that a first set of one or more backed up data blocks are related at an application level to one or more other sets of one or more backed up data blocks is received. An associating data that associates the first set of backed up data blocks with the one or more other sets of backed up data blocks is stored. The associating data is used to ensure that the first set and the one or more other sets remain stored together.