Abstract: A method includes creating a deduplicated universal share (US) of data objects, which in turn includes receiving a US of the data objects, deduplicating the US, wherein deduplicating the US includes: hashing segments of the US to generate respective US segment fingerprints; comparing US segment fingerprints to fingerprints for respective segments held in deduplication storage in order to identify segments in the deduplication storage that equate to the US segments, respectively, of the US; storing identifiers that directly or indirectly identify locations, respectively, of the segments, respectively, in the deduplication storage that equate to the US segments, respectively, of the US. After creating the deduplicated universal share, a deduplicated backup of the US is created without reassembling the US from segments held in the deduplication storage, the creating the deduplicated backup including: creating a list that comprises copies of the stored identifiers, and storing the list.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and processes to perform replication between heterogeneous storage systems. In one embodiment, a request to perform a replication operation is sent by a target server to a source server, where the target server and the source server use different protocols to store data. A plurality of instructions, which are associated with a replication stream, are received from the source server by the target server, where the plurality of instructions comprise an include instruction to include existing data and a write instruction to write new data. A replication stream, which is associated with a backup stream stored on the source server, is also received from the source server, where the replication stream and the backup stream share a common format. The target server synthesizes a new replicated backup image, where the synthesizing comprises performing the include instruction and the write instruction on the replication stream.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for optimized backups. In one embodiment, the method includes creating a deduplicated universal share of data objects, which in turn includes receiving a universal share of the data objects, deduplicating the universal share, wherein deduplicating the universal share includes: hashing segments of the universal share to generate respective universal share segment fingerprints; comparing the universal share segment fingerprints to fingerprints for respective segments held in deduplication storage in order to identify segments in the deduplication storage that equate to the universal share segments, respectively, of the universal share; storing identifiers that directly or indirectly identify locations, respectively, of the segments, respectively, in the deduplication storage that equate to the universal share segments, respectively, of the universal share.

Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method for data placement in container-based storage systems may include (i) identifying a file stored within a container-based storage system, where the container-based storage system stores the file as data segments within containers, (ii) receiving, in response to a write operation directed to the file, a request to store within the container-based storage system a new data segment generated by the write operation, (iii) describing the file in terms of a plurality of consecutive slabs, (iv) determining that the new data segment falls within a specified slab, and (v) fulfilling the request to store the new data segment within the container-based storage system by storing the new data segment in a designated container that corresponds to the specified slab in response to determining that the new data segment falls within the specified slab. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and processes to perform replication between heterogeneous storage systems. In one embodiment, a request to perform a replication operation is sent by a target server to a source server, where the target server and the source server use different protocols to store data. A plurality of instructions, which are associated with a replication stream, are received from the source server by the target server, where the plurality of instructions comprise an include instruction to include existing data and a write instruction to write new data. A replication stream, which is associated with a backup stream stored on the source server, is also received from the source server, where the replication stream and the backup stream share a common format. The target server synthesizes a new replicated backup image, where the synthesizing comprises performing the include instruction and the write instruction on the replication stream.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and processes to improve backup performance after backup failure. It is determined whether a backup operation is successful. In response to a determination that the backup operation was unsuccessful, backup metadata associated with the backup operation is replaced with snapshot metadata associated with a snapshot that is taken at a first point in time that is prior to initiation of the backup operation. A rolled-back snapshot that permits another backup operation to be performed at a second point in time based on the snapshot metadata is then generated.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and processes to perform replication between heterogeneous storage systems. Information associated with a backup stream is recorded during a backup operation by a source server and includes instructions. The instructions include an include instruction to include existing data and a write instruction to write new data during a replication operation. A request to perform the replication operation is received. In response to the request, the information is sent to a target server as part of performing the replication operation.

Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method for reducing data fragmentation may include (1) identifying update data which updates an initial data set; (2) categorizing, using a database manager, the update data based on how the update data is expected to impact digital storage device resources; (3) storing the update data in a physical storage device in a physical order based on the category of the update data; and (4) updating, after storing the update data, an extent map indicating a mapping of logical locations of the update data to physical locations at which the update data is stored. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and processes to improve backup performance after backup failure. It is determined whether a backup operation is successful. In response to a determination that the backup operation was unsuccessful, backup metadata associated with the backup operation is replaced with snapshot metadata associated with a snapshot that is taken at a first point in time that is prior to initiation of the backup operation. A rolled-back snapshot that permits another backup operation to be performed at a second point in time based on the snapshot metadata is then generated.

Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method for reducing data fragmentation may include (1) identifying update data which updates an initial data set; (2) categorizing, using a database manager, the update data based on how the update data is expected to impact digital storage device resources; (3) storing the update data in a physical storage device in a physical order based on the category of the update data; and (4) updating, after storing the update data, an extent map indicating a mapping of logical locations of the update data to physical locations at which the update data is stored. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method for data placement in container-based storage systems may include (i) identifying a file stored within a container-based storage system, where the container-based storage system stores the file as data segments within containers, (ii) receiving, in response to a write operation directed to the file, a request to store within the container-based storage system a new data segment generated by the write operation, (iii) describing the file in terms of a plurality of consecutive slabs, (iv) determining that the new data segment falls within a specified slab, and (v) fulfilling the request to store the new data segment within the container-based storage system by storing the new data segment in a designated container that corresponds to the specified slab in response to determining that the new data segment falls within the specified slab. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for taking snapshots in a deduplicated virtual file system may include (1) maintaining a deduplicated virtual file system that stores, at an original location within a non-virtual file system, at least one configuration file storing metadata for a target file and an extent map for the target file, the extent map defining how to construct the target file from deduplicated data segments in a deduplicated storage system, (2) receiving a request to take a snapshot of the target file corresponding to the configuration file, (3) copying the configuration file storing metadata for the target file and the extent map for the target file into a snapshot location within the non-virtual file system, and (4) transmitting a file reference request to the deduplicated storage system to add a file reference within the deduplicated storage system. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and processes to perform replication between heterogeneous storage systems. Information associated with a backup stream is recorded during a backup operation by a source server and includes instructions. The instructions include an include instruction to include existing data and a write instruction to write new data during a replication operation. A request to perform the replication operation is received. In response to the request, the information is sent to a target server as part of performing the replication operation.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for taking snapshots in a deduplicated virtual file system may include (1) maintaining a deduplicated virtual file system that stores, at an original location within a non-virtual file system, at least one configuration file storing metadata for a target file and an extent map for the target file, the extent map defining how to construct the target file from deduplicated data segments in a deduplicated storage system, (2) receiving a request to take a snapshot of the target file corresponding to the configuration file, (3) copying the configuration file storing metadata for the target file and the extent map for the target file into a snapshot location within the non-virtual file system, and (4) transmitting a file reference request to the deduplicated storage system to add a file reference within the deduplicated storage system. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides for efficiently creating a full backup image of a client device by efficiently communicating backup data to a backup server using a change tracking log, or track log. A present full backup image can be created using a track log that is associated with a previous full backup image. The client device can determine whether files, which were included in the previous full backup image, have or have not changed using the track log. The client device can transmit changed file data to the backup server for inclusion in the present full backup image. The client device can also transmit metadata identifying unchanged file data to the backup server. The backup server can use the metadata to extract a copy of the unchanged file data from the previous full backup image for inclusion in the present full backup image.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides for efficiently creating a full backup image of a client device by efficiently communicating backup data to a backup server using a change tracking log, or track log. A present full backup image can be created using a track log that is associated with a previous full backup image. The client device can determine whether files, which were included in the previous full backup image, have or have not changed using the track log. The client device can transmit changed file data to the backup server for inclusion in the present full backup image. The client device can also transmit metadata identifying unchanged file data to the backup server. The backup server can use the metadata to extract a copy of the unchanged file data from the previous full backup image for inclusion in the present full backup image.