Abstract: A back-up storage system that emulates a sequential storage medium such as a tape and stores data on a randomly accessible storage medium, such as disk. The back-up storage system includes a randomly accessible storage medium, a front-end interface to emulate the sequential storage medium, to communicate with external devices using a protocol that supports the sequential storage medium, and to receive sequential-format data from the external devices, and a back-end interface to receive the sequential-format data from the front-end interface and to store the sequential-format data on the randomly-accessible storage medium.

Abstract: A method for removing redundant data from a backup storage system is presented. In one example, the method may include identifying a first back-up data object, identifying a second back-up data object, detecting a first portion of the first back-up data object that is a copy of a second portion of the second back-up data object, and replacing the second portion with a pointer to the first portion.

Abstract: A method comprising acts of creating a full back-up data set comprising a first plurality of data files, creating at least one incremental back-up data set comprising a second plurality of data files, determining a most recent copy of each data file of the first and second pluralities of data files, storing a plurality of indicators, each indicator identifying a storage location in one of the full back-up data set and the at least one incremental back-up data set of the most recent copy of each data file of the first and second pluralities of data files and creating a synthetic full back-up data set that corresponds to the most recent copy of each data file of the first and second pluralities of data files based upon the plurality of indicators.

Abstract: A back-up storage system that emulates a sequential storage medium such as a tape and stores data on a randomly accessible storage medium, such as disk. The back-up storage system includes a randomly accessible storage medium, a front-end interface to emulate the sequential storage medium, to communicate with external devices using a protocol that supports the sequential storage medium, and to receive sequential-format data from the external devices, and a back-end interface to receive the sequential-format data from the front-end interface and to store the sequential-format data on the randomly-accessible storage medium.

Abstract: A method comprising acts of creating a full back-up data set comprising a first plurality of data files, creating at least one incremental back-up data set comprising a second plurality of data files, determining a most recent copy of each data file of the first and second pluralities of data files, storing a plurality of indicators, each indicator identifying a storage location in one of the full back-up data set and the at least one incremental back-up data set of the most recent copy of each data file of the first and second pluralities of data files and creating a synthetic full back-up data set that corresponds to the most recent copy of each data file of the first and second pluralities of data files based upon the plurality of indicators.