Abstract: Embodiments for space-efficient cascading point-in-time copying of source data by creating a plurality of cascading point-in-time target copies, the target copies being created at different points in time, are provided. Data is physically copied form the source to a repository to create a physical copy, and a data mapping is created that associates the physical copy with a most recent target copy.

Abstract: A fast snapshot is configured to store a state of a computing environment at a point in time. The fast snapshot operation is performed by avoiding reference counts of one or more data units associated with the snapshot from being updated at a creation and a deletion time.

Abstract: Method and system is provided to perform a plurality of checks before performing a volume based snapshot restore (“VBSR”) operation. The checks may be performed by an application executed at a computing system that interfaces with a storage system. The application may determine if there are any inconsistent LUNS and foreign mapped LUNs. The application may also determine if there are any new LUNs or any new snapshots since the snapshot, which is the basis of the restore operation was created. The application may further determine if there are any backup relationships with respect to a volume that is being restored. The application takes the information and provides a report to a user. The report allows a user to ascertain the consequences of proceeding with the VBSR operation.

Abstract: Systems and methods to enhance enhancing a service for a user. The system collecting documents viewed or words posted by a user. Determining a list of topic words for the user based on words in the documents viewed or words posted. Identifying a list of topic words associated with the user, based on words in the one or more documents and the words posted by the user. Assigning each of the topic words to at least one of a plurality of topics based on correlations between the topic words of the user and topic words from other users. Estimating a set of interest topics for the user based on the topics assigned to the topic words of the user.

Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms are provided to instantly clone active files including active optimized files. When a new instance of an active file is created, a new stub is generated in the user namespace and a block map file is cloned. The block map file includes the same offsets and location pointers that existed in the original block map file. No user file data needs to be copied. If the cloned file is later modified, the behavior can be same as what happens when a de-duplicated file is modified.

Abstract: Methods, computing environments, and computer program products are provided for replicating data. Point-in-time copy parameters are generated at a primary host site. A side file entry having the point-in-time copy parameters and a track information field (TIF) associated with the point-in-time copy parameters is generated. The side file entry is transferred to a secondary host site. A point-in-time copy process is performed at the secondary host site based on the point-in-time copy parameters and the TIF.

Abstract: A method of managing backup data. The method includes accessing, via a backup manager, index data of an initial snapshot and accessing, via the backup manager, index data of a subsequent snapshot. The method further includes determining, via the backup manager, whether the index data of the subsequent snapshot is different from the index data of the initial snapshot. Responsive to a determination that the index data of the subsequent snapshot is different from the index data of the initial snapshot, creating an updated index data and creating an updated snapshot with the updated index data.

Abstract: A system for storing data comprises a performance storage unit and a performance segment storage unit. The system further comprises a determiner. The determiner determines whether a requested data is stored in the performance storage unit. The determiner determines whether the requested data is stored in the performance segment storage unit in the event that the requested data is not stored in the performance storage unit.

Abstract: A non-spreadsheet charting report showing dynamic data from a data feed may be designed by populating a spreadsheet template with a data snapshot of data currently collected to obtain a snapshot spreadsheet having rows and columns that map back to data fields of the data snapshot. A remote user can insert and/or modify one or more spreadsheet-chart elements to graphically depict aspects of the data snapshot. Report-presentation meta-data is then extracted from the modified spreadsheet, and a report-presentation template is generated for subsequent use. When a dynamic charting report is requested, updated data from the data feed is used to populate the report-presentation template.

Abstract: The invention relates to computer readable medium storing program code which when executed on a computer causes the computer to perform a method for creating a quick recovery volume of a primary data set used by a first computer in a backup storage system, which includes identifying a snapshot image of the primary data set generated by a snapshot application, creating the quick recovery volume of the primary data set from the snapshot image of the primary data set and controlling transfer of data from the first computer to an archival storage unit. In one embodiment, the invention provides a method for creating a quick recovery volume of a primary data set that includes creating a snapshot image of the primary data set and creating a quick recovery volume of the primary data set from the snapshot image of the primary data set.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products are provided for capturing snapshots of database models. Metadata of a database model is captured. A database model snapshot object is generated based on the captured metadata. The generated database model snapshot object is transportable, extensible, secure, and human readable. Furthermore multiple database model snapshot objects may be compared to each other to determine differences in database models in different database systems, to track how a database model of a database system is changing over time, to track how database source projects evolve over time and/or for other uses.

Abstract: A method for providing application functionality protection. The method includes accessing a distributed computer system having a cluster including a plurality of nodes, and receiving an indication of an application failure. The method further includes attempting to restore the application through a number of application restart attempts, and receiving an indication that the restart attempts have not restored the application. An image history is then accessed to obtain a last known good point in time image of the application. The application is restored in accordance with the last known good point in time image.

Abstract: This application describes techniques for creating a second snapshot of a first snapshot of a set of data, modifying the first snapshot, and reverting the modifications to the first snapshot. For example, portions of one or more transaction logs may be played into a database to put the database in a particular state a particular point in time. The second snapshot may then be used to revert to a prior state of the database such that additional transaction logs may be played into the database. These techniques enable the ability to put the database into multiple states as the database existed at multiple points in time. Therefore, data can be recovered from the database as the data existed at different points in time. Moreover, individual data objects in the database can be accessed and analyzed as the individual data objects existed at different points in time.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods for replicating a primary file system on a primary host to a secondary file system on a secondary host including determining a primary data block to replicate by reading a space map block entry (b, e) of the primary data block, wherein b represents the first snapshot and e the last snapshot to use the primary data block; computing a checksum of a primary data block and sending its number to the secondary host and determining a secondary data block that corresponds and computing its checksum then comparing the primary and secondary data block checksums and replicating the primary data block on the secondary file system when the primary and secondary checksums mismatch for the primary file system. In another aspect of the method if the primary and secondary checksums mismatch the method sends all data blocks from the primary file system allocated after a reliable snapshot on the secondary file system to the secondary host to be written on the secondary file system.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system, in a network storage system, for efficiently migrating a storage object (vdisk) from a first storage server (source) to a second storage server (destination) using data of a related vdisk at the destination. A related vdisk includes an earlier created vdisk (parent) from which the vdisk to be migrated (child) is generated (cloned). By virtue of the cloned relationship, the parent and child have a portion of data blocks in common. When a parent is available at the destination, only the changed data blocks between the parent and child need to be migrated for efficiently constructing the child at the destination.

Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for multiplexing pipelined data for backup operations. Various data streams are combined such as by multiplexing by a multiplexing module. The multiplexing module combines the data from the various data streams received by receiver module(s) into a single stream of chunks. The multiplexing module may combine data from multiple archive files into a single chunk. Additional modules perform other operations on the chunks of data to be transported such as encryption, compression, etc. The data chunks are transmitted via a transport channel to a receive pipeline that includes a second receiver module and other modules. The data chunks are then stored in a backup medium. The chunks are later retrieved and separated such as by demultiplexing for restoring to a client or for further storage as auxiliary copies of the separated data streams or archive files.

Abstract: A host server hosting one or more virtual machines can back up host volumes and the one or more virtual machines installed thereon in an application-consistent manner. In one implementation, a host-level requestor instructs a host-level writer to identify which virtual machines qualify for application-consistent backups. The host-level requestor then instructs the host-level writer to initiate virtual machine backups through guest-level requesters in each appropriately-configured virtual machine, wherein the virtual machines create application-consistent backups within the virtual machine volumes. The host-level requester then initiates snapshots of the server volumes on the host-level. The virtual machine-level snapshots can thus be retrieved from within the host-level snapshots of the server volumes.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing business continuity services after a disaster or other loss of data are provided. The system and methods include accessing, replicating, and storing customer data. In the event of a disaster or other loss of data, the stored data is used to create fully recovered systems. The systems and methods provide for a remote data center that offers protection against physical disasters. The systems and methods include providing a virtual recovered operating system environment identical to the source operating system environment in less than 8 hours after notification of a disaster.

Abstract: Systems and methods which provide an absent allocation technique with respect to absent data of a data structure for which data migration in a time-displaced data migration operation has not completed are disclosed. Through use of absent allocated data block states of an absent allocation technique of embodiments, dependency between source and destination data stores may be broken. An absent allocated data block state of embodiments stored within the data structure provides a suggestive indication that data of a data block of a data structure is absent from the data structure. A corresponding absent allocated data block state of embodiments stored external to the data structure provides a determinative indication that the data of the data block of the data structure is absent from the data structure. The absent data block determinative indictor of embodiments is updated as data continues to be migrated.

Abstract: Embodiments include a method for removing a file within a redirect-on-write file system. In some embodiments, a file removal operation is detected in a file management unit, which resides in a memory unit. It is then determined that the number of free data blocks in the persistent storage is below a minimum threshold. The file removal operation is written to a log used for storing system operations. A file management unit is notified of the successful write of the file removal operation to the log used for storing system operations. The data blocks are moved from the file selected for removal to a list of free data blocks. The indirect blocks from the file selected for removal are moved to a data block removal list.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the inventive subject matter allow a redirect-on-write file system to continue processing file transactions while writing a snapshot to persistent storage. Thus, embodiments do not block file transactions while flushing snapshots to persistent storage. To avoid blocking, some embodiments the file system can maintain two snapshot generations. The first snapshot generation is the snapshot being written to persistent storage. The second snapshot generation may reside in main memory, and store data for file transactions occurring after the file system began writing the first snapshot generation.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating a bookmark for a snapshot of one or more volumes of a production server include initiating a snapshot process to capture a shadow copy of a snapshot-volume set, which includes one or more volumes of the production server. The snapshot process (e.g., Volume Shadow Copy Service of Windows™ operating system) may include (a) temporarily freezing operations on a file system of the production server, and (b) releasing a freeze of operations on the file system of the production server. A bookmark for the shadow copy (representing a consistent state of the associated volumes) may be generated such that the bookmark corresponds to a completion of the temporarily freezing or releasing a freeze of the operations. The bookmark may include a point in time of the completion of the temporarily freezing or releasing the freeze of the operations.

Abstract: In general, the invention relates to a method for migrating a source file system residing on a source server to a destination server. The method includes sending a first snapshot of the source file system from the source server to the destination server and creating, using the first snapshot, a migrated file system on the destination server. The method further includes sequentially sending, to the destination server, a set of snapshot deltas including modifications to the source file system, updating the migrated file system using the set of snapshot deltas, determining that a freeze threshold is exceeded, freezing the source file system, sending a final snapshot delta from the source server to the destination server, updating the migrated file system using the final snapshot delta, creating a file system husk referencing the migrated file system, and thawing the source file system and the migrated file system.

Abstract: Proposed is a convenient computer system and data access control method which, while protecting data in a snapshot, enable restoration in operational volume file units. If a read request to read a stubbed file in the snapshot is supplied, the data of the file is acquired from a second logical volume of an archive destination by means of recall processing and the acquired data is transmitted to the source of the read request after writing the acquired data to the snapshot, but, if a write request to write to a file in the snapshot is supplied, the write request is rejected.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to synchronizing scopes between a source database and a target database without the target database specifying each scope that is to be synchronized and to determining scope changes based on service subscriptions. In one scenario, a source database receives from a target database a synchronization scopes policy corresponding to scope criteria provided by the target database. The synchronization scopes policy includes both the scope criteria and a version identifier that together identify a point-in-time snapshot of the set of scopes meeting the scope criteria as of the latest synchronization. The source database resolves the set of scopes last synchronized from the source database to the target database based on the synchronization scopes policy's scope criteria and version identifier. The source database synchronizes to the target database the changes to data in the resolved set of scopes.

Abstract: Techniques for migrating persistent data of virtual machines between and across data stores are optimized using special tracking data structures and monitoring methods. Special tracking data structures include an incremental change block tracking bitmap that indicate what blocks have been modified during a copy operation. The determination of whether any one block has been modified during the copy operation is based on whether or not the copy operation has progressed past that block. Another special tracking data structure is a Bloom filter, which provides a space-efficient data structure for keeping track of dirtied blocks. In addition, heat-based optimization techniques are applied so that blocks that are frequently updated are filtered and not transferred to the destination data store until the last iteration of the migration process.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for generation and management of incremental backups of VEE file system using bitmaps. The proposed method allows users to roll back to any previous version or state of the VEE file system and to instantiate this version using the data encapsulated in virtual disk storage (i.e. file system) of the VEE. A number of VEEs run on a Host Operating System of the computer system. One of the VEEs implemented on the computer system is designated to generation and management of backups of the virtual disk data of the other VEEs without freezing the file system during the entire backup process. A special tracing application runs on the designated VEE for generating the bitmap of a file system snapshot. The user can also set up a time for generating a backup or create a schedule for automatically generating the backups at critical points.

Abstract: Tracking files which have been processed by a backup/restore operation. A request to perform a backup/restore operation for files on a target computer may be received at the target computer. The request may be received from a server computer. Information regarding which files on the target computer have been processed by the backup/restore operation may be maintained by the target computer. The information may be configured to be used for restart of the backup/restore operation at a requested file. Maintaining the information may include storing file identifiers into a data structure on the target computer corresponding to files that have processed by the backup/restore operation.

Abstract: Systems, methods and computer program products for maintaining data integrity in a database environment are described. In operation, a synchronization process is initiated in a remote database system for synchronization of remote data from the remote database system with consolidated data of a consolidated database. Metadata for each row of the remote data is utilized to allow transactional access to the remote data while the synchronization process occurs.

Abstract: Systems, methods and computer program products are provided for creating a new annotation for a data source. According to the method for creating a new annotation, a data source version identifier is generated based on a current version of the data source, and text of the annotation is received. A new annotation record is added to an annotation data store, with the new annotation record including the data source version identifier that was generated and the text of the annotation. In one embodiment, the new annotation record further includes point information indicating coordinates of at least one part of the current version of the data source that the annotation is meant to annotate.

Abstract: An application server in a multi-tenant computing system is enabled access to a first set of tables and views in a database according to a first schema. The views in the first schema correspond to a table in a second schema. Thereafter, the table in the second schema is modified to add a column. Views of the modified table as defined by the second schema are generated in a third schema so that the third schema defines a second set of tables and views in the database. Subsequently, access by the application server to the second set of tables and views in the database is enabled and access by the application server to the first set of tables and views in the database is prevented. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.

Abstract: Improved backup and storage operations are disclosed for virtual computing environments using a backup proxy server to perform storage operations on one or more virtual machine disks. The proxy server can include a module that intercepts application programming interface (API) calls, for writing backup data to a first location, prior to the data arriving on the proxy disk. During the intercept process, the data can be compressed in memory pages of the proxy server and redirected to an alternative backup disk location. The proxy server can also include a differential engine that identifies changes to the virtual machine disk at the block level since the last full backup. The differential engine can advantageously leverage memory pages of the proxy server to compare differences between signatures of blocks of the last full backup with signatures of new blocks. Subsequently, only blocks with non-matching signatures are processed for backup.

Abstract: A storage where one NAS server makes snapshot management information including global paths of snapshots based on snapshot identifiers and global paths of file systems corresponding to the snapshots, so that global paths of both the file systems and snapshots are configured on the same global namespace simultaneously, with a directory configuration of the snapshots being the same in configuration layout as a directory configuration of the file systems; the one NAS server informs other NAS servers of the snapshot management information; memory in each of the NAS servers stores the snapshot management information; the snapshot management information includes the snapshot identifier, local path and global path for each of snapshots obtained by each NAS server at each point in time; and the computer obtains the snapshot management information from at least one of the NAS servers and displays at least a part of the snapshot management information.

Abstract: A contents management system comprises a plurality of subsystems which include: a storage subsystem to store a plurality of objects; a contents gateway server configured to create snapshots of the objects and store the snapshots in a first snapshot layer; a system management control unit configured to determine whether the number of snapshots in the first snapshot layer exceeds a corresponding limit for the first snapshot layer and, if yes, to migrate the snapshots from the first snapshot layer to a second snapshot layer provided by another subsystem of the contents management system, and delete the migrated snapshots from the first snapshot layer; and a contents management server configured to track location changes of the snapshots of the objects during migration of the snapshots and to re-index an index data of the snapshots of the objects based on the tracked location changes.

Abstract: Various techniques for improving the performance of restoring deduplicated data files from a server to a client within a storage management system are disclosed. In one embodiment, a chunk index is maintained on the client that tracks the chunks remaining on the client for each data file that is stored to and restored from the storage server. When a specific file is selected for restore from the storage server to the client, the client determines if any local copies of this specific file's chunks are stored in files already existing on the client data store. The file is then reconstructed from a combination of these local copies of the file chunks and chunks retrieved from the storage server. Therefore, only chunks that are not stored or are inaccessible to the client are retrieved from the server, reducing server-side processing requirements and the bandwidth required for data restore operations.

Abstract: Techniques introduced herein allow writeable PPIs to be re-used. A writeable PPI manager can make use of existing writeable PPIs to offer logical units to clients without creating additional writeable PPIs. The writeable PPI manager can determine which writeable PPIs to re-use by testing the writeable PPIs for a variety of conditions. Advantageously, re-use of remaining logical units reduces unnecessary replication of data and increased overhead costs. Resources can thereby be conserved.

Abstract: A method and system for generating and managing snapshots of Virtual Machine (i.e., virtual snapshots) and creating a centralized integrated backup for the Virtual Machine (VM). Proposed method and system allow users to roll back to any previous version of the VM and instantiate this version using the logic encapsulated in a virtual snapshot of the VM. The virtual snapshots taken at various times are combined into a chronological tree viewable via a virtual snapshot image viewer. The snapshot trees for different VMs are combined into centralized integrated system backup (CIB) that can be managed by a central console including a GUI of the virtual snapshot image viewer.

Abstract: Intercepting a requested memory operation corresponding to a conventional memory is disclosed. The requested memory operation is translated to be applied to a structured memory.

Abstract: Data is recursively migrated during uptime from a first table to a second table in a first schema in a database while taking into account changes to the first table in a change table. The database has first and second application servers respectively connecting to the database using first and second schemas and running first and second versions of a software program. Downtime can be initiated to migrate the remaining entries in the change table to the second table, delete the first table, and rename the second table to have a same name as the first table prior to deletion so that during uptime the second application server connects to the second table and runs the second version of the software program. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.

Abstract: Methods and systems for improving performance in a storage system utilizing snapshots are disclosed by using metadata management of snapshot data. Specifically, various metadata structures associated with snapshots are utilized to reduce the number of IO operations required to locate data within any specific snapshot. The number of IO operations are reduced by allowing the various metadata structures associated with the temporally current snapshot to locate data directly within any temporally earlier snapshot or on the original root volume.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for performing integrated storage operations on an information store. The present invention comprises identifying a plurality disparate types of storage operations stored in a policy option table. A first storage operation is performed according to a first set of storage criteria stored in the policy option table and a second operation, disparate from the first storage operation, is performed according to a second set of storage criteria stored in the policy option table.

Abstract: Stubbing systems and methods are provided for intelligent data management in a replication environment, such as by reducing the space occupied by replication data on a destination system. In certain examples, stub files or like objects replace migrated, de-duplicated or otherwise copied data that has been moved from the destination system to secondary storage. Access is further provided to the replication data in a manner that is transparent to the user and/or without substantially impacting the base replication process. In order to distinguish stub files representing migrated replication data from replicated stub files, priority tags or like identifiers can be used. Thus, when accessing a stub file on the destination system, such as to modify replication data or perform a restore process, the tagged stub files can be used to recall archived data prior to performing the requested operation so that an accurate copy of the source data is generated.

Abstract: Data storage services are provided for clients for backup of data objects from the clients. A data object is sent to a first location in a first storage device. A determination is made if the data object was successfully stored at the first location, and if so, meta data corresponding with the data object is stored, wherein the meta data includes first path information on a first data path of the data object to the first location. The data object is migrated from the first location to a second location in a second storage device. A determination is made if the data object was successfully stored at the second location, and if so, second path information on a second data path of the data object is added to the second location to the meta data corresponding with the data object, to update the meta data.

Abstract: Systems and methods allow for reliably and efficiently managing files stored on a data storage medium associated with a computer system such as a set-top box. The computer system manages a collection of metadata describing each of the files stored on the data storage medium in a memory during operation of the computer system. A current snapshot of the collection of metadata is periodically or otherwise stored to the data storage medium. Following a reboot of the computer system, the collection of metadata can be recovered to the memory from the snapshot of the collection of metadata stored on the data storage medium.

Abstract: A technique includes, in a first computer system, archiving data for a plurality of environments. Each of the environments are associated with a different combination of an active data source selected from a plurality of active data sources and an archive target selected from a plurality of archive targets. The technique includes capturing a partial snapshot of the archiving, the partial snapshot is associated with one environment for the plurality of environments such that the partial snapshot may be used to replicate said archiving associated with the one environment on another computer system.

Abstract: Performing data management operations on replicated data in a computer network. Log entries are generated for data management operations of an application executing on a source system. Consistency point entries are used to indicate a time of a known good, or recoverable, state of the application. A destination system is configured to process a copy of the log and consistency point entries to replicate data in a replication volume, the replicated data being a copy of the application data on the source system. When the replicated data represents a known good state of the application, as determined by the consistency point entries, the destination system(s) may perform a storage operation (e.g., snapshot, backup) to copy the replicated data and to logically associate the copied data with a time information (e.g., time stamp) indicative of the source system time when the application was in the known good state.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described that involve replica placement strategy for distributed systems. At the time of index creation, initial index replica placement is decided. The first index replica is placed locally on the current processing server node. This server node operates as a master host for the first replica. The other index replicas are placed on different hosts depending on the index type, split index or non-split index, and a set of criteria. For non-split indexes, the set of criteria includes: a number of recently created replicas per host, resource usage per host, and a total number of replicas per host. For split indexes, the set of criteria includes: a number of replicas of any split index part per host and a number of local first replicas of split index parts. If all criteria are equal, the first host in alphanumeric ordering receives a next replica.

Abstract: According to one or more of the provisions set forth herein, data can be managed in a data storage system in an efficient manner. In one example, a first flexible copy volume of data is generated based on a snapshot copy volume of a flexible volume containing the data. The first flexible copy volume is configured to be operated upon according to a first set of operations. A second flexible copy of the data is also generated based on the snapshot copy volume. The second flexible copy volume is configured to be operated upon according to a second set of operations that differs from the first set of operations. Having a second copy of the data allows testing or other operations to be performed on the data while also maintaining an original version of the data.

Abstract: In one aspect, a method, includes changing a production site from a first node to a second node, recording a point in time, Pi, of the production site fail over from the first node to the second node and replicating data from the second node to a third node. The replicating includes determining a latest common point in time, Px, that metadata changes were received between the second node and the third node, adding metadata changes between the time, Px, and a latest point in time that metadata was received at the third node to a delta marking stream on the third node, determining an earliest time, PL, between the time, Pi, and the time, Px, and adding metadata changes from the time, PL, to the latest point in time that metadata was received at the second node to a delta marking stream on the second node.

Abstract: A replicated database instance can be provisioned that provides primary and secondary replicas that can be provisioned in different data zones or geographical locations. The database can be installed on the primary replica, and both the primary and secondary replica can have installed a block level replication mechanism that allows any I/O operation to be replicated by between the primary and secondary replicas. Any failure or outage of the primary replica can be addressed by performing a failover operation to the secondary replica. A DNS name or other such approach can be used such that the name can be aliased to the secondary replica during a failover, such that there is no action needed on the part of the customer to utilize the “new” primary replica. The creation of the database and provisioning of the replicated instance can be initiated using a Web service call to a control environment.