Abstract: A method for data consolidation and preservation during backups of data stored in a source device from the source device to a target device is provided. The method is executed by the source device and includes: obtaining a first snapshot of the data and a second snapshot of the data; generating, in response to the obtaining, a first snapshot difference report using the first snapshot and the second snapshot; transmitting, in response to generating the first snapshot difference report, the first snapshot difference report to the target device to be stored with a backup copy of the data; and deleting, in response to transmitting the first snapshot difference report, the first snapshot.

Abstract: A lightweight, workload-agnostic application management agent (AMA) automatically upgrading application agents on a virtual machine (VM). The AMA is installed in the VM as part of a Gold image installation. The AMA detects a workload-type of the VM and sends the workload information to an application manager. The AMA continuously monitors the VM for any change in workload type, and any change causes the AMA to install a respective workload-specific agent (WSA) for the new workload in the VM. The AMA accesses the new WSA from the application manager though a push or pull operation. Applications are thus automatically upgraded through VM resident agents. The user needs only to update policies and load updated software to the application manager without manually upgrading the WSA agents themselves.

Abstract: A current retention mode is identified as being one of conservative or aggressive. When the retention mode is identified as aggressive, a check is made as to whether used space on backup storage is below a lower threshold. If the used space is below the lower threshold, a switch is made into the conservative mode. If the used space is above the lower threshold, the aggressive mode is maintained. While in the aggressive mode, a backup chain of a database is selected for pruning, the selected backup chain having a shortest retention term of all backup chains not yet pruned and not being a latest backup chain. Log backups of the database in the selected backup chain are identified. Each log backup that has expired is deleted regardless of dependency of other backups on an expired log backup.

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: A method for data consolidation and preservation during backups of data stored in a source device from the source device to a target device is provided. The method is executed by the source device and includes: obtaining a first snapshot of the data and a second snapshot of the data; generating, in response to the obtaining, a first snapshot difference report using the first snapshot and the second snapshot; transmitting, in response to generating the first snapshot difference report, the first snapshot difference report to the target device to be stored with a backup copy of the data; and deleting, in response to transmitting the first snapshot difference report, the first snapshot.

Abstract: A method and system for live-mounting database backups. Specifically, disclosed method and system entail recovering database data—in entirety or at any granular level—without needing to provision storage resources for point-in-time database copies (i.e., backup database data), or without needing to wait for large amounts of data, representative of the point-in-time database copies, to traverse a network from backup storage to a target device. Substantively, through live-mounting, the physical point-in-time database data, as well as the associated structural metadata, may be retained on backup storage while a pointer-based snapshot, mapping to the physical point-in-time database data and structural metadata, may be generated thereon. Thereafter, a file system—mapping to the pointer-based snapshot on the backup storage—may be mounted on the target device, which exposes an interface through which the backup database data may be accessed and/or manipulated using a distributed file system protocol.

Abstract: A backup manager for managing backup services includes persistent storage and a backup analyzer. The persistent storage includes a backup data repository and protection policies. The backup analyzer identifies a new backup stored in backup storage; performs a backup compatibility analysis on the new backup to determine inter-backup compatibility of the identified new backup; updates the backup data repository based on the inter-backup compatibility to obtain an updated backup data repository; and modifies a backup schedule using the updated backup data repository to meet a requirement of a protection policy of the protection policies.

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: Tagging application resources for snapshot capability-aware discovery is described. If an application's host determines that one of an application's resource satisfies any snapshot capability rule, the application's host associates the application resource with a snapshot capable tag. The application's host outputs an identifier of the application resource and any associated snapshot capable tag to a backup server. The application's host inputs a request from the backup server to create a snapshot of the application resource associated with the snapshot capable tag and creates the snapshot of the application resource associated with the snapshot capable tag.

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 current retention mode is identified as being one of conservative or aggressive. When the retention mode is identified as aggressive, a check is made as to whether used space on backup storage is below a lower threshold. If the used space is below the lower threshold, a switch is made into the conservative mode. If the used space is above the lower threshold, the aggressive mode is maintained. While in the aggressive mode, a backup chain of a database is selected for pruning, the selected backup chain having a shortest retention term of all backup chains not yet pruned and not being a latest backup chain. Log backups of the database in the selected backup chain are identified. Each log backup that has expired is deleted regardless of dependency of other backups on an expired log backup.

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: A method for providing data protection services to service devices that provide computer implemented services for clients and host resources used to provide the computer implemented services to the clients includes obtaining a resource discovery request for a service device of the service devices. The method further includes, in response to obtaining the resource discovery request: identifying a resource of a portion of the resources hosted by the service device; obtaining: a system identifier for the resource, and a natural identifier for the resource; making a determination that the natural identifier matches a second natural identifier associated with a known resource of the known resources; and in response to the determination: updating a record associated with the known resource based on one or more conditions of the resource.

Abstract: A system for identifying and deleting records of hosts includes a local data manager. The local data manager identifies a discovery event associated with the host and a record type of record types, obtains, in response to identifying, all previously discovered records on the host associated with the record type from a host record repository, obtains discovered records associated with the record type and associated with the host, after obtaining all discovered records and previously discovered records, selects a previously discovered record of the previously discovered records, makes a determination that the previously discovered record does not match any discovered records of the discovered records and is not tagged with a soft delete tag or a hard delete tag, and in response to the determination, tags the previously discovered record with a soft delete tag, and notifies a data manager of modifications to the previously discovered records.

Abstract: A system for providing data protection services for data generated by host components hosted by hosts includes persistent storage for storing data and a local data protection manager. The local data protection manager identifies a data protection trigger event associated with a host component hosted by the host, identifies an add-on library associated with the host component, identifies a data protection agent associated with the host component, and initiates performance of data protection services by the data protection agent using the add-on library.

Abstract: A system for identifying and deleting records of hosts includes a local data manager. The local data manager identifies a discovery event associated with the host and a record type of record types, obtains, in response to identifying, all previously discovered records on the host associated with the record type, obtains discovered records associated with the record type and associated with the host, after obtaining all previously discovered records and discovered records: selects a first discovered record of the discovered records, makes a first determination that first discovered record is not included in the previously discovered records, in response to the first determination: updates a host record repository to include the first discovered record, and notifies a data manager of modified records.

Abstract: A system for providing data protection services for data generated by host components hosted by hosts includes persistent storage for storing data and a local data protection manager. The local data protection manager identifies a data protection trigger event associated with a host component hosted by the host, identifies an add-on library associated with the host component, identifies a data protection agent associated with the host component, and initiates performance of data protection services by the data protection agent using the add-on library.

Abstract: Embodiments of an application template process that provides application consistent backups for a wide range of database applications and deployment configurations. The defined application template allows specifying suspend (quiesce) and restart (unquiesce) commands for each type of database application and template selectors to select resources to sequence dependent resources to ensure application consistency of the backup operation in a cluster configuration. Prehook and posthook annotations provide entry points for execution of appropriate program scripts to suspend and restart the respective resource during execution of the application.

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 manager for providing services to clients includes persistent storage and an orchestration manager. The persistent storage includes protection policies. The orchestration manager obtains a backup from a client of the clients based on a protection policy of the protection policies; makes a determination that an application catalog associated with the client is not stored in backup storages; in response to making the determination: obtains the application catalog from the client; stores the application catalog in the backup storages; and stores the obtained backup in the backup storages.