Abstract: Headstart restore of a first volume to a second volume. In one example embodiment, a method for headstart restore of a first volume to a second volume may include invalidating, on disk, a boot segment of a volume boot record of the second volume, storing headstart restore information in the second volume, while the boot segment of the volume boot record of the second volume remains invalidated, writing data from one or more backups of the first volume to a data segment of the second volume, removing the headstart restore information from the second volume, and revalidating, on disk, the boot segment of the volume boot record of the second volume.

Abstract: Exposing proprietary data to a hypervisor as native hypervisor data. In one example embodiment, one or more non-transitory computer-readable media store one or more programs that are configured, when executed, to cause one or more processors to perform a method of exposing proprietary data to a hypervisor as native hypervisor data. The method may include identifying a proprietary disk file having a proprietary file format and creating a plugin file corresponding to the proprietary disk file with the plugin file having a plugin file format which is different from a native hypervisor disk file format.

Abstract: Exposing proprietary data to a hypervisor as native hypervisor data. In one example embodiment, one or more non-transitory computer-readable media store one or more programs that are configured, when executed, to cause one or more processors to perform a method of exposing proprietary data to a hypervisor as native hypervisor data. The method may include identifying a proprietary disk file having a proprietary file format and creating a plugin file corresponding to the proprietary disk file with the plugin file having a plugin file format which is different from a native hypervisor disk file format.

Abstract: Exposing proprietary data to a hypervisor as native hypervisor data. In one example embodiment, one or more non-transitory computer-readable media store one or more programs that are configured, when executed, to cause one or more processors to perform a method of exposing proprietary data to a hypervisor as native hypervisor data. The method may include identifying a proprietary disk file having a proprietary file format, identifying a plugin file corresponding to the proprietary disk file with the plugin file having a plugin file format which is different from a native hypervisor disk file format, and intercepting read requests directed to the plugin file. The method may further include, in response to each read request, gathering data gathered from the proprietary disk file, restructuring the data to cause the data to appear to be gathered from a native hypervisor disk file, and responding with the restructured data.

Abstract: Exposing a proprietary disk file to a hypervisor as a native hypervisor disk file. In one example embodiment, a method of exposing a proprietary disk file to a hypervisor as a native hypervisor disk file includes various acts. For example, the method includes identifying a proprietary disk file having a proprietary format. The method further includes creating a plugin file corresponding to the proprietary disk file. The method also includes intercepting read requests directed to the plugin file. The method further includes responding to each of the read requests with data gathered from the plugin file and/or the proprietary disk file, where the data is structured such that the data appears to be gathered from a native hypervisor disk file due to being formatted in a native format of the hypervisor.

Abstract: Exposing proprietary data to a hypervisor as native hypervisor data. In one example embodiment, one or more non-transitory computer-readable media store one or more programs that are configured, when executed, to cause one or more processors to perform a method of exposing proprietary data to a hypervisor as native hypervisor data. The method may include identifying a proprietary disk file having a proprietary file format, identifying a plugin file corresponding to the proprietary disk file with the plugin file having a plugin file format which is different from a native hypervisor disk file format, and intercepting read requests directed to the plugin file. The method may further include, in response to each read request, gathering data gathered from the proprietary disk file, restructuring the data to cause the data to appear to be gathered from a native hypervisor disk file, and responding with the restructured data.

Abstract: Exposing a proprietary disk file to a hypervisor as a native hypervisor disk file. In one example embodiment, a method of exposing a proprietary disk file to a hypervisor as a native hypervisor disk file includes various acts. For example, the method includes identifying a proprietary disk file having a proprietary format. The method further includes creating a plugin file corresponding to the proprietary disk file. The method also includes intercepting read requests directed to the plugin file. The method further includes responding to each of the read requests with data gathered from the plugin file and/or the proprietary disk file, where the data is structured such that the data appears to be gathered from a native hypervisor disk file due to being formatted in a native format of the hypervisor.

Abstract: Exposing a proprietary disk file to a hypervisor as a native hypervisor disk file. In one example embodiment, a method includes various steps. For example, the method includes creating a plugin file corresponding to a proprietary disk file having a proprietary file format. The method also includes intercepting, using a file system filter driver that sits between the hypervisor and a file system where the plugin file is stored, file read requests directed to the plugin file. The method further includes responding, using the file system filter driver, to each of the file read requests with data gathered from the plugin file and/or the proprietary disk file, where the data is structured such that the data appears to be gathered from a native hypervisor disk file due to being formatted in a native file format of the hypervisor.

Abstract: Pruning previously-allocated free blocks from a synthetic backup. In one example embodiment, a method of pruning previously-allocated free blocks from a synthetic backup includes identifying multiple sequential backups to be included in a synthetic backup, accessing a copy of a file system block allocation map (FSBAM) of the most recent of the multiple sequential backups that was stored with the most recent backup, identifying a set of blocks that includes the most recent block for each unique block position contained within the multiple sequential backups, pruning the set of blocks to exclude all blocks that are identified as being free in the FSBAM, storing the pruned set of blocks in the synthetic backup, and storing a copy of the FSBAM with the synthetic backup.

Abstract: Pruning previously-allocated free blocks from a synthetic backup. In one example embodiment, a method of pruning previously-allocated free blocks from a synthetic backup includes identifying multiple sequential backups to be included in a synthetic backup, accessing a copy of a file system block allocation map (FSBAM) of the most recent of the multiple sequential backups that was stored with the most recent backup, identifying a set of blocks that includes the most recent block for each unique block position contained within the multiple sequential backups, pruning the set of blocks to exclude all blocks that are identified as being free in the FSBAM, storing the pruned set of blocks in the synthetic backup, and storing a copy of the FSBAM with the synthetic backup.

Abstract: Crash-tolerant incremental change tracking between backups of a source storage. In one example embodiment, a method of crash-tolerant incremental change tracking between backups of a source storage includes assigning each block in a source storage into one of multiple zones, with each of the zones including multiple of the blocks, creating, in a nonvolatile storage, a nonvolatile zone map that represents each of the zones, and tracking, in the nonvolatile zone map, each of the zones that is changed between a first point in time and a second point in time. Each of the zones is marked as changed in the nonvolatile zone map upon the first receipt of a request to write to any of the blocks of the zone and prior to execution of the write request.

Abstract: A computer creates a full backup of a target volume by copying sectors of the target volume. Incremental backups are created by copying modified sectors that have changed since a preceding backup. Public accesses to a restore volume are prevented by modifying a volume boot record (VBR) of the restore volume to prevent file systems from recognizing the restore volume or by filtering public accesses while allowing private block accesses to the restore volume. Sector data are copied from the backup files to the restore volume while the public accesses are being prevented. The restore can begin, using previously created backup files, while the backup is still in process creating new incremental backups for the target volume. The restore volume is finalized after restoring the full or any number of incremental backups by restoring the VBR to indicate the restore volume is valid or stopping the filtering of public accesses.

Abstract: A computer creates a full backup of a target volume by copying sectors of the target volume. Incremental backups are created by copying modified sectors that have changed since a preceding backup. Public accesses to a restore volume are prevented by modifying a volume boot record (VBR) of the restore volume to prevent file systems from recognizing the restore volume or by filtering public accesses while allowing private block accesses to the restore volume. Sector data are copied from the backup files to the restore volume while the public accesses are being prevented. The restore can begin, using previously created backup files, while the backup is still in process creating new incremental backups for the target volume. The restore volume is finalized after restoring the full or any number of incremental backups by restoring the VBR to indicate the restore volume is valid or stopping the filtering of public accesses.