Abstract: A system, program product, and computer implemented method for providing a back-up application agnostic back-up during asynchronous data replication, the method comprising determining if a communicative coupling, coupled to a first site, is set to an automatic mode, based on a positive determination of an automatic mode, setting the communicative coupling to a manual transfer mode, pausing an application on the first site in an application consistent state and creating a snapshot of a portion of a first storage medium on the first site accessed by the application.

Abstract: A method may be provided for incrementally backing up data from a logically represented volume on disk media. The disk media is accessible by a client through a network connection. The client comprises an enterprise database application. The method identifies tracks of the logically represented volume that have changed since a last incremental backup operation by reading fresh data indications. Each of the fresh data indications corresponds to a track of the logically represented volume, and a given fresh data indication is indicative of whether its corresponding track has been changed since a last incremental backup operation. Files are identified for incremental backup. The identified files comprise blocks saved on a track deemed changed since a last incremental backup operation. The identified files are backed up from the disk media to sequential storage media through a high speed connection.

Abstract: A method is performed with an enterprise storage system comprising disk storage and sequential storage media. Alternatively, systems, subsystems, and computer media containing encoded portions are disclosed. The method serves the data storage needs of a given client coupled to the enterprise storage system via a network. A physical device level backup is performed, backing up data from the disk storage to the sequential storage media, while minimizing demands on the client. The device level backup comprises a complete image backup of data in a host device as defined from a perspective of the given client. A logical restore of data is performed on a file by file basis from physically backed data on the sequential storage media. The logical restore involves locating files requested by the client on the sequential storage media and recovering the files from the sequential storage media. The files comprise files defined in accordance with a files system defined by the client.

Abstract: When performing mirrored disk restores, including both disk level mirrored restores and file level mirrored restores, rather than first restore data to a mirror disk and later move that data to the primary disk, the data on the primary disk is first copied to the mirror disk, and thereafter, the data is restored from the backup storage device to the primary disk, independent of the mirror disk.

Abstract: A system for providing high speed external backup and restoration of data in a data storage system. Individual data objects are backed up in logical order on backup media such as magnetic tape so that they may be retrieved individually. Minimized descriptions of backed up data are transmitted between the host and backup systems to control high speed transfer of data between data servers and backup devices on a separate data channel. The descriptions are manipulated by the backup system to comply with formats of any number of host systems and data storage systems and to efficiently map the backed up data onto the backup devices. The system also provides for restoration of data to the data storage system by using a host system to pre-allocate space for the restored data, obtaining mapping information for the allocated space from the host system, and then directly writing the restored data into the allocated space, based on the mapping information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatic discovery of databases that determines what databases are installed at a client site, interrogates each database to determine what files or tables are present and what storage is associated with each, groups the databases into the smallest atomic units that can be backed up while preserving database integrity, and presents this information to backup procedures. In a preferred embodiment, a discovery process is performed by a script for each client to be backed up. Each script causes the creation of a temporary file describing each database. The temporary files are normalized into a common format which is then passed to a grouper program that analyzes the temporary files and produces a data descriptor file describing the smallest atomic units that can be backed up while still preserving database integrity at that client site. This data descriptor file is presented to a work item generator for scheduling backup procedures.