Abstract: In one embodiment, a user or client device is connected to a distributed file system comprised of one or more physical nodes. The data on each of the physical nodes store metadata about files and directories within the file system. Some of the embodiments permit a user to take a snapshot of data stored on the file system. The snapshot may include a single file, a single directory, a plurality of files within a directory, a plurality of directories, a path on the file system that includes nested files and subdirectories, or more than one path on the file system that each includes nested files and directories. In one embodiment, previous versions of a file or directory are stored only in response to a request to modify the file or directory. The system creates and updates a snapshot tracking data structure which provides information regarding each file or directory governed by the snapshot that was modified or deleted after the snapshot was taken.

Abstract: A digitally signed file system in which data, metadata and files are objects, each object having a globally unique and content-derived fingerprint and wherein object references are mapped by the fingerprints; the file system has a root object comprising a mapping of all object fingerprints in the file system, such that a change to the file system results in a change in the root object, and tracking changes in the root object provides a history of file system activity.

Abstract: A system for routing data in an automatic identification system includes an event management system (EMS), a real-time in-memory data structure (RIED) coupled to the EMS, the RIED for storing event information gathered by the EMS and a task management system (TMS) for ensuring that the RIED is updated by one transaction at a time. With this particular arrangement, a system for managing a large number of real-time events is provided. In one embodiment, the control system can be provided in a distributed hierarchical arrangement. The EMS of each control system can include filters which limit the amount of information provided to the next level in the hierarchy. In this manner the hierarchical control system network acts as a high volume data collector and processor. In some embodiments a level of the hierarchy can be removed spatially and/or temporally from an adjacent level in the hierarchy. This approach results in an intelligent network and also lends itself to scalability.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein adapt static-image and clone technology to provide a simulated dynamic image to an application requesting a dynamic image. A storage system is configured to backup its file system by taking a first static image of the file system at a point in time. A clone of the first image may then be produced, the clone containing any subsequent changes to the file system and a reference pointer to the first image. A second static image of the clone is then produced. An application may request, from the storage system, an image of the file system. In response, the second static image may be presented to the application as a simulated dynamic image.

Abstract: A system and method of managing stored data in a storage management system. The storage management system includes a storage manager, a media agent connected to the storage manager, and a primary volume connected to the media agent. A plurality of snapshots are taken of the primary volume. The snapshots are indexed by associating respective information with the snapshot. The indexed snapshots are copied to a recovery volume. In this way, browsing features are enabled for the user. The user may view the snapshots in a hierarchical format, and may even view snapshot data in association with the corresponding application. The resultant recovery volume may be used to replace a primary volume.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a novel system for managing changes to a graph of data bearing objects. In one embodiment, an object graph manager object referred to as an editing context is used to identify changes made to data bearing enterprise objects and to notify other interested objects when changes occur. As a result, data bearing objects need not themselves contain code necessary for monitoring changes. In another embodiment of the invention, the editing context is used to provide event-based “undo” capabilities. In another embodiment of the invention, each enterprise object has a primary key that is used to maintain the identification between an enterprise object instance and a corresponding database row. In another embodiment of the invention, multiple levels of editing contexts are used to provide multiple isolated object graphs, each of which allows independent manipulation of the underlying data bearing objects.

Abstract: A synchronization process, and associated apparatus, for placing database copies in match with one another by way of communications effectuated upon an air interface of a radio communication system. Hash functions are performed at a mobile node and at a network part upon mobile and network copies of database information. Comparison of the hash information formed therefrom provides a preliminary indication of whether the databases are in match with one another. If a determination is made that the databases are out of match, the data is compared, and the data is placed in match with one another responsive to such additional comparisons.

Abstract: An on-disk structure of a file system has the capability to efficiently manage and organize data containers, such as snapshots, stored on a storage system. A multi-bit, monotonically increasing, snapshot identifier (“snapid”) is provided that represents a snapshot and that increases every time a snapshot is generated for a volume of the storage system. The snapid facilitates organization of snapshot metadata within, e.g., a data structure used to organize metadata associated with snapshot data. In the illustrative embodiment, the data structure is a balanced tree structure configured to index the copy-out snapshot data blocks. The snapid is also used to determine which blocks belong to which snapshots. To that end, every block that is used in a snapshot has an associated “valid-to” snapid denoting the newest snapshot for which the block is valid. The oldest snapshot for which the block is valid is one greater than the valid-to field of the next older block at the same file block number.

Abstract: A computer comprising a processor, a volatile main store, a non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) mirror store, and optionally a cache for the non-volatile mirror store. While programs of the computer are operational, the contents of the volatile main store are mirrored in the non-volatile mirror store such that when a startup signal is received, the contents of the volatile main store are quickly restored from the contents of the non-volatile mirror store.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for performing an image level copy of an information store. The present invention comprises performing a snapshot of an information store that indexes the contents of the information store, retrieving data associated with the contents of the information store from a file allocation table, copying the contents of the information store to a storage device based on the snapshot, and associating the retrieved data with the copied contents to provide file system information for the copied contents.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of determining if a block was modified in a file system by comparing the versions of the base snapshot, the delta snapshot, and the space map block entry (b, e). In another aspect, the invention relates to a method of searching for blocks modified in a tree structured file system. The invention relates to methods and systems of snapshot management of a file system in a data storage system. To represent the snapshots, the invention maintains pointers to the root block pointer of each snapshot. When the active file system is modified, this invention avoids overwriting any blocks used by previous snapshots by allocating new blocks for the modified blocks. When the invention needs to put an established block in a new location, it must update a parent block to point to the new location. The update to the parent block may then require allocating a new block for the new parent block and so forth. Parts of the file system not modified since a snapshot remain in place.

Abstract: A snapshot-aware secure delete event identifying a file for snapshot-aware secure deletion on a computer system is received, and the file to be deleted is identified from the snapshot-aware secure delete event. Each file snapshot associated with the file on the computer system is accessed at the volume level and each non-duplicate file extent of the file snapshots is identified. The raw data identified by each non-duplicate file extent is securely overwritten using a secure overwrite technique, and each file snapshot is deleted from the computer system. In this way the raw data of the file and the raw data of all the diff areas of file snapshots associated with the file are securely overwritten and deleted.

Abstract: Techniques are described for managing access of executing programs to non-local block data storage. In some situations, a block data storage service uses multiple server storage systems to reliably store copies of network-accessible block data storage volumes that may be used by programs executing on other physical computing systems, and at least some stored data for some volumes may also be stored on remote archival storage systems. A group of multiple server block data storage systems that store block data volumes may in some situations be co-located at a data center, and programs that use volumes stored there may execute on other computing systems at that data center, while the archival storage systems may be located outside the data center. The data stored on the archival storage systems may be used in various ways, including to reduce the amount of data stored in at least some volume copies.

Abstract: A system according to this invention converts a full-copy snapshot into a differential snapshot. The system is composed of a storage subsystem and a server subsystem. The storage subsystem comprises a disk drive and a disk controller. The server subsystem comprises an interface, a processor, and a memory. The disk controller provides storage areas of the disk drive as logical volumes, and stores a differential block bitmap. The processor obtains the differential block bitmap, and identifies a block from the differential block bitmap. The processor obtains, from a full-copy snapshot volume, differential data that is stored in the identified block. The processor stores the obtained differential data in a differential volume. The processor stores, in differential block arrangement information, the location of the differential data stored in the differential volume.

Abstract: A method and system for promoting a snapshot in a distributed striped volume system is provided. A master volume server is configured with a rollback process such that when it is determined that a rollback is required, the master volume server sets a flag persistently in its own raid label on disk. After the persistent flag is set, the master volume server determines a “common snapshot,” and starts the process of sending RPC messages to each node hosting constituent volumes instructing each constituent volume to roll back to the identified snapshot. When the nodes receive this message a flag is set in the own raid label of each constituent volume and the volume then promotes the particular snapshot. If the master volume server has not received a successful response from each node that the snapshot promotion was successful within a specified time period, there is a retry. The common snapshot is then used as the active file system, thus providing data recovery for the striped volume set.

Abstract: When detecting the completion of remote copying of a primary volume to a secondary volume, a host computer splits a copy pair into the primary volume and the secondary volume and has the secondary volume store a snapshot of the primary volume. A backup server recognizes the secondary volume.

Abstract: An apparatus for managing incremental storage includes a storage pool management module that allocates storage volumes to a virtual volume. Also included is an incremental log corresponding to the virtual volume, which maps virtual addresses to storage addresses. The apparatus may also include a replication module that sends replicated data to the virtual volume and a policy management module that determines allocation criteria for the storage pool management module. In one embodiment, the incremental log includes a lookup table that translates read and write requests to physical addresses on storage volumes within the virtual volume. The replicated data may include incremental snapshot data corresponding to one or more primary volumes. The various embodiments of the virtual incremental storage apparatus, method, and system facilitate dynamic adjustment of the storage capacity of the virtual volume to accommodate changing amounts of storage utilization.

Abstract: One embodiment is for using a sparse file as a clone. The method includes creating, by an application associated with a computer system, a snapshot of a file, such as an individual file, a collection of files, file system, directories, and so forth. Further, the method includes requesting, by the application, a clone of that created snapshot. Further still, the method includes generating, by the application, an empty sparse having at least one inode identifying the empty sparse file as the clone and pointing to the snapshot associated with the clone. Thereby, the requested clone is created using the created sparse file, which begins as an empty sparse file.

Abstract: The invention is a reorganization system having a reorganization application, a database management system, and one or more database files. The reorganization application communicates with the database management system and the one or more database files to reorganize an object, such as, for example, a table or index, while providing one or more clients substantially continuous access to the object. The reorganization application employs one or more trigger locks to synchronize the data in an original table and a reorganized table. The one or more trigger locks block select data modification operations while allowing one or more read-only operations and structural modification operations.

Abstract: A method, device, and system are provided for re-initializing a backing store in a data storage system. More specifically, when all snapshots associated with a specified backing store are either being deleted or are marked for deletion the backing store is re-initialized rather than deleting each snapshot independently. The re-initialization of the backing store provides for a quicker way to delete all snapshots than could previously be achieved when each snapshot was deleted independently.

Abstract: A method and device for performing a volume copy is provided. The volume copy method allows access to both the Volume Copy Source and Volume Copy Target while the volume copy process is occurring. This allows a system administrator to initiate a volume copy without worrying that host access to the Volume Copy Source and Volume Copy Target will be interrupted.

Abstract: A method and system for generating a snapshot in a consistent state is disclosed. The system comprises a host computer, a primary data storage, a data protection unit, and a secondary data storage. The data protection unit monitors a state of an email application which is running on the host computer. The data protection unit generates a snapshot of data stored in a primary data storage when the email application is in a consistent state, and stores the snapshot on a secondary storage. In the event of a system failure, the data is recovered using the last snapshot. A method and system for recovering email data from a snapshot in a consistent state using a client is also disclosed.

Abstract: A data set typically does not stagnate and remain the same size over time. The capabilities of hardware (e.g., servers and storage devices) also do not stagnate and remain the same. A date set is often repartitioned to accommodate changes in size of the data set and/or changes in hardware capability. Hundreds or thousands of writes may be performed on the data set (e.g., database, directory, etc.) every second. So, even a few seconds of downtime are unacceptable. Instead of taking the data set offline, the data set can be repartitioned while still allowing access to the data set (“repartitioning live data”). Live data can be repartitioned by establishing update or replication queues for the new partitions while servicing write requests and read requests with the old partitions. After the data has been migrated, the update queues are drained to ensure data integrity.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing intelligent replication of production data on a source storage device. In certain examples, a full backup of the production data is first performed and stored on a destination system. A journal module on the storage device (e.g., a shared storage device), or on at least one source system, tracks files on the storage device that change during a particular period of time. Following this period, a snapshot is taken of the production data. Upon mounting the snapshot, the replication system uses the journal information to identify modified files, conduct a block-level comparison of only the modified files with corresponding files on the destination system, and identify the particular data blocks that changed. The replication system then replicates only the changed blocks to the destination system. Certain systems further store information indicating a source system time of a known good state of the production data.

Abstract: A system for routing data in an automatic identification system includes an event management system (EMS), a real-time in-memory data structure (RIED) coupled to the EMS, the RIED for storing event information gathered by the EMS and a task management system (TMS) for ensuring that the RIED is updated by one transaction at a time. With this particular arrangement, a system for managing a large number of real-time events is provided. In one embodiment, the control system can be provided in a distributed hierarchical arrangement. The EMS of each control system can include filters which limit the amount of information provided to the next level in the hierarchy. In this manner the hierarchical control system network acts as a high volume data collector and processor. In some embodiments a level of the hierarchy can be removed spatially and/or temporally from an adjacent level in the hierarchy. This approach results in an intelligent network and also lends itself to scalability.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a user or client device is connected to a distributed file system comprised of one or more physical nodes. The data on each of the physical nodes store metadata about files and directories within the file system. Some of the embodiments permit a user to take a snapshot of data stored on the file system. The snapshot may include a single file, a single directory, a plurality of files within a directory, a plurality of directories, a path on the file system that includes nested files and subdirectories, or more than one path on the file system that each includes nested files and directories. According to one embodiment, the system stores representations of the snapshots that govern a file or directory and its descendants within metadata associated with that file or directory. In one embodiment, before modifying a file or directory, the system updates the representations of the governing snapshots by traversing the metadata of ancestors of the file or directory.

Abstract: A computer-based system creates a data object by preparing a data structure for the data object in a database and processes the data object at different processing stages each associating a different workflow state with the data object. The system can take and store automatically a snapshot of the data object, prior to a workflow transition of the data object from a first workflow state to a second workflow state, respectively associated with the snapshot and with the data object. The system also creates a unique locating reference for the snapshot based on a unique locating reference created previously for the data object. When the unique locating reference for the data object is received, controlled access to the data object and the snapshot is provided. Based on one unique locating reference, multiple states of the data object can be easily and efficiently made available concurrently to a user.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a user or client device is connected to a distributed file system comprised of one or more physical nodes. The data on each of the physical nodes store metadata about files and directories within the file system. Some of the embodiments permit a user to take a snapshot of data stored on the file system. The snapshot may include a single file, a single directory, a plurality of files within a directory, a plurality of directories, a path on the file system that includes nested files and subdirectories, or more than one path on the file system that each includes nested files and directories. In one embodiment, the metadata comprises mini-snapshots for directories representing a path from the root of the file system to the root of the snapshot. The mini-snapshots serve as stand-ins for portions of the file system which are not included in the snapshot, but which permit access to the snapshot data in an intuitive way.

Abstract: A method and system for automatically managing changes to organizational data in a unified messaging (UM) platform are disclosed. A database snapshot is retrieved from a client human resources database. The database snapshot includes human resources information organized in an organizational hierarchy. A change is detected in the database snapshot from a previous database snapshot, and organizational data in the UM platform is automatically modified to reflect the detected change in the database snapshot. When the change is detected in the database snapshot, it is possible for the UM platform to automatically compose and send a message to at least one user associated with the change including potential modifications of the organization data. The organizational data in the UM platform can then be modified only in response to receiving approval of the potential modifications of the organizational data from at least one user associated with the change.

Abstract: Systems and methods for replicating database data and generating read-only copies of the replicated data in a clean shutdown state. For example, systems can include a tracking module (e.g., a filter driver) that monitors transactions from a database application to a source storage device to generate log entries having at least one marker indicating a known good state of the application. The systems further include a computer coupled to a target storage device comprising a database and log files. The computer processes the transactions, based on the log entries, to replicate data to the target storage device; performs a first snapshot on data stored in the database and log files; replays into the database data stored in the log files; performs another snapshot on the database; and reverts the database back to a state in which the database existed at the time of the first snapshot.

Abstract: An apparatus provides coherent data copying operations where data replication is controlled by a source storage controller directly to a destination controller and managed by a remote application. The apparatus generates a snapshot version for each source data block changed by one or more write operations to the source data block during the course of a copy operation; and copies each block of the source data to a corresponding block in the destination data in the absence of the snapshot version of the block and otherwise copying the snapshot version of the source data block to the corresponding block in the destination data.

Abstract: A plurality of read-only, persistent point-in-time images (RPPIs) of a file system are maintained on a storage server. Each of these RPPIs is created to capture an update of the file system. The file system has at least one subset. If, for each subset of the file system, the file system has an RPPI, other than a first RPPI, having a corresponding subset identical to the first RPPI's corresponding subset, the first RPPI may be deleted, yet all updates captured by the first RPPI are still maintained by other RPPI or RPPIs.

Abstract: A method and device for cloning snapshots is provided. A new snapshot can be created by cloning an existing snapshot. The clone snapshot may use the preserved data of the existing snapshot, thereby obviating the need to copy the preserved data. Additionally, the clone snapshot may be created with a data structure for storing write data. Since the clone snapshot initially has no write data to store, the creation of the entire clone snapshot can be accomplished without copying any preserved data or write data from the existing snapshot, thereby increasing the efficiency with which a clone snapshot can be created.

Abstract: A facility for efficiently storing and querying snapshot measures from a relational data warehouse is provided. The facility allows for the efficient query of measures at any given point in time by efficiently modeling snapshot measures. In one technique, the facility stores periodic snapshots of a metric at longer time intervals, and computes intermediate snapshots of the metric as necessary in between these time intervals. Under this technique, the facility can compute an intermediate snapshot measure of a metric for any specified time by determining the last snapshot measure of the metric from the most recent periodic snapshot, and adding to the last snapshot measure the value of the changes to the metric that happened since the time of the most recent periodic snapshot and the specified time.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of history information as an aid to synchronization in a peer-to-peer system. In particular, node trees are used to represent portions of files systems designated for synchronization. The nodes in the node tree embody history information regarding associated objects. The history information includes version vectors that are used to simplify synchronization-related comparisons and create job lists that may be used to bring participating peers into synchronization.

Abstract: Methods for monitoring changes in objects on a computer system include receiving a request to generate a baseline snapshot of a plurality of objects having associated object types. The object types include at least one object having an object type not managed by a file system of the computer system. Current information is obtained, responsive to the request to generate a baseline snapshot, from a plurality of data collectors to determine at least one attribute of each of the objects to define the baseline snapshot. A request for a baseline report for the objects is received. Updated information is obtained, responsive to the request for a baseline report, from the plurality of data collectors to update the at least one attribute of each of the objects. The baseline snapshot is compared to the obtained updated information to determine if any of the objects have changed.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for performing storage operations relating to a first secondary copy of electronic data. A storage policy or storage preferences may dictate that a replication copy should be used in storage operations performed to a particular client, sub-client, data, media or other item. Based on the storage policy, when a new client, sub-client, data, media or other item is received, a media agent determines whether there is a replication copy of the item. In the absence of a replication copy, one may be created. The replication copy may be provided by a third party application, or created by the client or a storage management system component. Information regarding the replication copy and its corresponding first secondary copy may be stored in a database. To optimize use of system resources, storage operations relating to the first secondary copy may be performed using the replication copy instead of the first secondary copy.

Abstract: The subject matter disclosed herein relates to initiating a comparison of a source snapshot including current source advertising data with a destination snapshot including current destination advertising data taken at the same logical time as such a source snapshot.

Abstract: A system and method for performing an image level restore of data is described. In some examples, the system receives a request to restore a file and transmits the request to an intermediate component. The intermediate component may then retrieve a directory file from an image of a secondary copy of a data set, identify a location of the file from the directory file, and provide the location to the requestor.