Abstract: A backup method is provided for a file system for managing hierarchical storage including one or more storage media on a computer system including one or more computers. Each of the one or more storage media includes a data part which is separated from an index and on which updated information is appended and kept. Each of a plurality of pieces of data within the file system is managed to be migrated to at least any of the one or more storage media. The backup method includes backing up metadata of the plurality of pieces of data migrated within the file system; and backing up the index of each of the one or more storage media to which the plurality of pieces of data have been migrated, substantially at the same time point as the metadata.

Abstract: A method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for protecting data. In some embodiments, this includes receiving a changed block, reading a previous backup to get a file list in change block tracking, checking a file in a modified master file table list for a reference flag, wherein the modified master file table list is based on the changed block, and modifying a database entry based on the reference flag.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, computing system, and system for snapshotless backup are described. The method may include receiving, via a backup agent, an indication of a virtual machine to be backed up in a backup archive file. The backup agent may run outside of the virtual machine. The virtual machine may be hosted by a virtualization host device. The method may further include identifying, via the backup agent, a virtual disk associated with the virtual machine indicated to be backed up. The method may also include tracking, via a virtualization host agent running on the virtualization host device outside the virtual machine, changes to the virtual disk associated with the virtual machine on a sector level basis. The method may additionally include reading the virtual disk and transmitting sectors from the virtual disk to the backup archive file on a first pass.

Abstract: A data storage system can scan one or more information stores of primary storage and analyze the metadata of files stored in the one or more information stores of primary storage to identify multiple, possibly relevant, secondary copy operations that can be performed on the files. The storage system can also identify primary storage usage information of each file during the scan and use that information to generate reports regarding the usage of the primary storage.

Abstract: Application-level data in a storage system are evaluated. For example, a backup analysis tool retrieves a backup object stored in the storage system. The backup analysis tool reconstructs an application object from the backup object. The backup analysis tool accesses the first application object according to a native application format associated with the first object.

Abstract: In one example, a method is provided for data restore request and data assembly processes. Initially, a data range required by an application residing is identified at the client. The data range can embrace less than all the contents of a file with which the data range is associated. Next, a request is formulated at the client that includes the identified data range, and the request is then transmitted to a datacenter where the file was previously backed up. The requested data is subsequently transmitted from the data center to the client in an unassembled form. The client then assembles the received data and is able to perform various operations on the assembled data.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for performing a backup of electronic data. An example method includes storing a first incremental data backup of a dataset that is less than a complete backup of the dataset and includes unmodified and modified portions of the dataset. Then, a second incremental data backup of the dataset is stored that includes a second unmodified portion of the dataset different than the first unmodified portion. The method then determines whether the first and second incremental data backups together form the complete backup of the dataset. If they do not, the method further stores a subsequent incremental data backup of the dataset in the electronic memory that includes an additional unmodified portion of the dataset and/or an additional modified portion of the dataset.

Abstract: A multi-user search system with methodology for instant indexing. In one embodiment, for example, a system for instant indexing includes a token store storing sets of tokens for current versions of documents.

Abstract: Technologies for performing garbage collection in database systems, such as multi-version concurrency control (MVCC) database systems, are described. For example, different garbage collection techniques can be used separately or in various combinations, including interval garbage collection, group garbage collection, table garbage collection, and combinations. For example, a particular type of combination, called hybrid garbage collection, uses technique from interval garbage collection and group garbage collection, or from interval, group, and table garbage collection.

Abstract: In one example, a method is provided for presenting cloud based storage as a virtual synthetic using a FUSE module at a client. Initially, a FUSE interface of a FUSE module to request file system information from a datacenter server. After the requested file system information has been received, it is presented, with the FUSE interface, in the form of a file system interface that represents a FUSE file structure. Next, the FUSE module requests a portion of a file that resides at the datacenter. The request specifies a particular byte range associated with the file, and the byte range spans less than the entire file. The received data form a virtual synthetic that includes respective portions of data from each of a plurality of backups residing at the datacenter, and the file system interface enables client access to the virtual synthetic.

Abstract: A backup method is provided for a file system for managing hierarchical storage including one or more storage media on a computer system including one or more computers. Each of the one or more storage media includes a data part which is separated from an index and on which updated information is appended and kept. Each of a plurality of pieces of data within the file system is managed to be migrated to at least any of the one or more storage media. The backup method includes backing up metadata of the plurality of pieces of data migrated within the file system; and backing up the index of each of the one or more storage media to which the plurality of pieces of data have been migrated, substantially at the same time point as the metadata.

Abstract: First and second virtual hard disk files are accessed. The first virtual hard disk file corresponds to a backup of a file and includes a first set of payload blocks to store data associated with the backup. The second virtual hard disk file corresponds to an incremental backup of the file and includes a second set of payload blocks to store data associated with the incremental backup. Data from a payload block of the first set of payload blocks is merged with data from a payload block of a corresponding payload block of the second set of payload blocks to form a merged payload block. The merged payload block is streamed for storage as a synthetic full backup of the first and second virtual hard disk files. The merging does not alter the first and second virtual hard disk files.

Abstract: Logical mirroring of an initiator server running a memory aware file system to a multi-tiered target server by receiving at a first tier of the target server data that was modified at the initiator server and retaining at the first tier of the target server a first subset of the data and moving to a second tier of the target server a second subset of the data to efficiently utilize the multi-tiered target server.

Abstract: Techniques for managing virtual machine backups are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for managing virtual machine backups comprising opening a file containing a virtual disk of a virtual machine, parsing the file to identify one or more partitions of the virtual disk, determining file system type for each of one or more partitions, identifying a boot partition in the file, parsing, using at least one computer processor, file system information of the boot partition to identify volume information; and generating volume composition information using the identified volume information.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, computer program product, and system for snapshot management in a storage infrastructure. A computer accesses a first snapshot captured in a first layer of the storage infrastructure. The computer accesses a second snapshot captured in a second layer of the storage infrastructure. The computer produces a determination that the first snapshot in the first layer of the storage infrastructure is one or more of: inconsistent with the second snapshot in the second layer of the storage infrastructure and a duplicate of the second snapshot in the second layer of the storage infrastructure. The computer removes the first snapshot in the first layer of storage infrastructure responsive to the determination.

Abstract: Metadata generate for incremental backup is disclosed. A subset of blocks used to store file system metadata are identified in a set of blocks changed since a last backup. File system metadata stored in the subset of blocks is used to obtain file system metadata associated with file system objects that have been created and/or modified since the last backup. The file system metadata associated with file system objects that have been created and/or modified since the last backup is used to generate file system metadata files for the incremental backup.

Abstract: Information from multiple databases is retrieved and stored on a database storage system. Multiple point-in-time copies are obtained for each database. A point-in-time copy retrieves data changed in the database since the retrieval of a previous point-in-time copy. A virtual database (VDB) is created by creating a set of files in the data storage system. Each file in the set of files created for a VDB is linked to the database blocks on the database storage system associated with a point-in-time copy of the source database. The set of files associated with the VDB are mounted on a database server allowing the database server to read from and write to the set of files. Workflows based on VDBs allow various usage scenarios based on databases to be implemented efficiently, for example, testing and development, backup and recovery, and data warehouse building.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for updating map structures in an object storage system. A server communicates with users of an object storage system over a network. A plurality of data storage devices are arranged into locations to store and retrieve data objects of the users. A storage controller is associated with each location to direct data object transfers between the data storage devices of the associated location and the server using an existing map structure that describes the data objects in each location. A management module is adapted to generate a new map structure, migrate at least one data object from an existing location described by the existing map structure to a new location described by the new map structure, and to distribute the new map structure to each of the storage controllers after the migration of the at least one data object.

Abstract: Techniques for improving data compression of a storage system in an online manner are described herein. According to one embodiment, in response to a sequence of data to be stored, the sequence of data is partitioned into a plurality of data chunks according to a predetermined chunking algorithm. A sketch for each of the data chunks is generated based on one or more features extracted from the data chunk. Each of the data chunks of the sequence of data is associated with one of a plurality of groups based on the sketch, wherein each group is represented by a sketch. The data chunks of each group are compressed and stored in a compression region of the storage systems, such that similar data chunks are compressed and stored in the same compression region.

Abstract: A data storage system can scan one or more information stores of primary storage and analyze the metadata of files stored in the one or more information stores of primary storage to identify multiple, possibly relevant, secondary copy operations that can be performed on the files. The storage system can also identify primary storage usage information of each file during the scan and use that information to generate reports regarding the usage of the primary storage.

Abstract: A first computing device is provided for virtual disk provisioning. The first computing device includes one or more processors configured to provide a first virtual disk and a first publish differencing disk. The one or more processors are further configured to obtain meta data associated with the first virtual disk and the first publish differencing disk, and generate one or more first differencing patches and one or more second differencing patches. The first and second differencing patches having a binary format. The first computing device further includes a storage configured to store data associated with the first virtual disk and the first publish differencing disk, the meta data, and the one or more first and second differencing patches. The first computing device further includes a communication subsystem configured to provide one or more first and second differencing patches to provision the virtual machine associated with a second computing device.

Abstract: A method for synchronizing files is provided. Current metadata including a filename and a hash identifier for each file of the synchronized folder is created. The current metadata is compared to previous metadata. Based on the comparison, a first file and a first folder added to the synchronized folder and a second file and a second folder deleted from the synchronized folder are identified. The hash identifiers of the first and second files are compared. If the hash identifiers match, the filenames of the first and second files are compared. If the filenames do not match, the first file is identified as a renamed file. Metadata is sent to a synchronized device with information related to the first folder sent before information related to the first file, which is sent before information related to the second folder.

Abstract: In one aspect, a method includes moving metadata from a memory of a first deduplication device to a disk of the first deduplication device, moving the data related to the metadata or portions of the data to a second deduplication device, deleting the data from the first deduplication device and adding a pointer to the metadata at the first deduplication device indicating where the data is in the second deduplication device.

Abstract: Techniques are described for reducing I/O operations and storage capacity requirements for centralized backup storage systems. A central server optimizes the collection and centralization of backup data from a number of endpoint devices for backup purposes. The central server utilizes a single instance store and a persistent files cache to minimize the number of backup copies for each non-unique file, reduce storage usage, network traffic, memory footprint and CPU cycles required to identify and process non-unique data. For each file in the single instance store, the server tracks the source device of that file until a threshold number of devices have been reached. Once the file reaches the threshold number of sources, the file is marked as persistent and its hash value is placed in the persistent files cache. Thereafter, all pointer creation and reference counting for that file cease.

Abstract: Filtering a directory enumeration of a directory to exclude files with missing file content from an image backup. In one example embodiment, a method for filtering a directory enumeration of a directory to exclude files with missing file content from an image backup may include exposing an image backup to directory enumeration commands, receiving a directory enumeration command corresponding to a directory of a file system of the exposed image backup, generating a filtered directory enumeration that excludes files where the files are listed in file system metadata (FSM) for the directory of the file system of the exposed image backup but where the file content of the files is missing from the exposed image backup, and returning the filtered directory enumeration.

Abstract: Techniques for improving data compression of a storage system in an online manner are described herein. According to one embodiment, in response to a sequence of data to be stored, the sequence of data is partitioned into a plurality of data chunks according to a predetermined chunking algorithm. A sketch for each of the data chunks is generated based on one or more features extracted from the data chunk. Each of the data chunks of the sequence of data is associated with one of a plurality of groups based on the sketch, wherein each group is represented by a sketch. The data chunks of each group are compressed and stored in a compression region of the storage systems, such that similar data chunks are compressed and stored in the same compression region.

Abstract: In an executing database instance including a plurality of database nodes, creation of a backup of the executing database instance includes creation of a current savepoint in one of the plurality of database nodes by storing first modified pages of a cache of the database node in a datastore of the database node, transmitting a confirmation after storing the first modified pages, repeatedly identifying second modified pages of the cache and storing the identified second modified pages in the datastore, receiving an instruction to enter a critical phase and stopping the repeated identifying and storing in response to the instruction, blocking updates to the database node and transmitting a second confirmation, and receiving a second instruction and, in response to receiving the second instruction, identifying third modified pages of the cache and storing the third modified pages of the cache in the datastore.

Abstract: A method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for protecting data. In some embodiments, this includes identifying a parent virtual container, identifying a linked child virtual container, creating a fast copy of the parent virtual container and the linked child virtual container, and consolidating the copy of the parent virtual container and the copy of the linked child virtual container based on the format of the parent virtual container.

Abstract: A system for backup replication comprises a processor and a memory. The processor is configured to determine data present in a most recent backup not present in a previous backup; transmit an extent specification; and transmit data segment fingerprints of the one or more data segments. The memory is coupled to the processor and is configured to provide the processor with instructions.

Abstract: A system that implements a data storage service may store data in multiple replicated partitions on respective storage nodes. The selection of the storage nodes (or storage devices thereof) on which to store the partition replicas may be performed by administrative components that are responsible for partition management and resource allocation for respective groups of storage nodes (e.g., based on a global view of resource capacity or usage), or the selection of particular storage devices of a storage node may be determined by the storage node itself (e.g., based on a local view of resource capacity or usage). Placement policies applied at the administrative layer or storage layer may be based on the percentage or amount of provisioned, reserved, or available storage or IOPS capacity on each storage device, and particular placements (or subsequent operations to move partition replicas) may result in an overall resource utilization that is well balanced.

Abstract: A system and method for generating backups of a protected storage system from protected data in a recovery system including protecting data in the recovery system, the recovery system including a target disk configured to store a replica of the protected storage system from a predetermined time point and a journal including data and metadata of write operations to the protected storage system that occurred after the time point, periodically generating replicas of the protected storage system from the recovery system, and storing the replicas as backups.

Abstract: Approaches are described for tracking write operations in an operating system environment which can be used to perform incremental backups of data. In particular, the approaches described herein enable a driver to begin tracking write operations being performed on a volume device (or snapshot of a volume) without having to reboot the system and without causing interruption to operations being performed on the volume. The tracking is enabled by applying a patch to a driver provided by the operating system to replace an original write handler of the driver with an alternate write handler. This alternate handler is used to track the sequence of write operations performed on a snapshot of the volume device. An active bitmap is maintained for recording changed blocks resulting from the write operations. Tins active bitmap can subsequently be used to perform an incremental backup of the volume device based on the snapshot.

Abstract: Changed files since a last backup are identified to be backed up by reverse mapping changed blocks to files. Block identifiers specifying blocks on a storage volume are received. A location of a file table zone is determined. The file table zone stores a file table of records. Each record stores a last modified timestamp for a file associated with the record. An intersection is created from the file table zone location and the block identifiers. The intersection includes a subset of records where each record in the subset is associated with a block from the file table zone that corresponds to a block identified by the block identifiers. The subset is parsed to extract timestamps. The timestamps are compared with the storage volume's last backup date. If the associated file was modified after the last backup date, a determination is made that the file should be backed up.

Abstract: Virtual machine localization in a distributed fault-tolerant system. Network traffic is minimized between nodes, while maintaining fault-tolerant behavior. Communication is measured between VM's, which are moved to minimize real network use. An availability group defines which resources cannot safely be disposed on a single device. When two VM's are in the same availability group, they are disposed as near as practical, but not on the same device. VM's and other resources they use are also disposed to minimize real network use. Minimizing real network use includes minimizing both channels occupied and communication distance. Availability groups can include both “hard” availability groups, for which data could be irretrievably lost, or “soft” availability groups, for which data could be lost, but could still be recovered with difficulty. Resource localization responds to both distance between VM's and their resources, and risk associated with losing data.

Abstract: Computerized methods and systems are disclosed for creating an incremental backup of application data by creating a snapshot associated with a current incremental backup of a data file using a change tracking bitmap such that a data file associated with the current incremental backup can be restored from just the snapshot associated with the current incremental backup and an initial backup without needing to access one or more previously generated incremental backups of the data file.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for storing and restoring digital data. In some implementations, a method is provided. The method includes initiating a backup operation of data including a plurality of items, interrupting the backup operation, where interrupting occurs after a portion of the data has been completed, receiving an input to resume the backup operation, identifying a previously completed portion of the backup data, and performing a backup of a remaining uncompleted portion of the backup data. Other embodiments of this aspect include corresponding systems, apparatus, computer program products, and computer readable media.

Abstract: The present invention is capable of determining the rights to a file based on providing a descriptor. The descriptor can be calculated using an algorithm, which may be cryptographic and/or non-cryptographic. The descriptor may further be based on the file contents, metadata of the file, other file data, or any combination thereof to uniquely identify the file in a shared file repository. Since the descriptor is generated based on file data it will be the same regardless of which user generates it. Accordingly, only one copy of the file needs to be maintained in the shared file repository, thereby reducing the amount of network bandwidth required to assure the file is backed up and further reducing the amount of storage required to backup the files. This results in a vastly more efficient method of backup in terms of processing time, network bandwidth, and storage requirements.

Abstract: A hash-optimized backup system and method takes data blocks and generates a probabilistically unique digital fingerprint of the content of each data block using a substantially collision-free algorithm. The process compares the generated fingerprint to a database of stored fingerprints and, if the generated fingerprint matches a stored fingerprint, the data block is determined to already have been backed up, and therefore does not need to be backed up again. Only if the generated fingerprint does not match a stored fingerprint is the data block backed up, at which point the generated fingerprint is added to the database of stored fingerprints. Because the algorithm is substantially collision-free, there is no need to compare actual data content if there is a hash-value match. The process can also be used to audit software license compliance, inventory software, and detect computer-file tampering such as viruses and malware.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and application platforms for updating application object attribute are provided herein. In an exemplary method, a task for updating an attribute of an application object corresponding to an application can be established via task configuration, to obtain task configuration information of the task and form a task list. The task can be extracted from the task list. The task configuration information can be parsed, to obtain source attribute information and destination attribute information of the application. The application object can be found in a database, according to the source attribute information of the application. Current attribute information of the application object can be modified into the destination attribute information. After the modifying, the destination attribute information can be written into the database as the current attribute information of the application object.

Abstract: A relay device includes a first storage unit, a second storage unit and a processor. The processor extracts a duplication pattern, which is an identical portion between data stored in the first storage unit in the past and data received currently. Also, the processor executes a process of storing the currently received data in the first storage unit and a process of associating an identifier with the extracted duplication pattern and storing the duplication pattern and the identifier in the second storage unit. Further, the processor edits data into edited data in which a duplication pattern included in the data has been replaced with the identifier associated with the duplication pattern when the data including a duplication pattern stored in the second storage unit has been received from a first device. Then, the processor transfers the edited data to a second device.

Abstract: Techniques for establishing a files system that exposes a virtual file system for backup operations are presented. Changes to files of a file system are maintained separately or collected and presented as a VFS. The VFS is then used to perform backup operations. Moreover, the files identified in the VFS can be customized based on search parameters, criterion, and/or criteria supplied by a user or supplied as parameters to backup and VFS mount operations.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for simplifying data restoration using resource types. The method may include (1) receiving a request from a user to perform a data restoration operation, (2) providing a graphical user interface that presents to the user a plurality of resource types that can be restored by the user, (3) receiving, from the user via the graphical user interface, a selection that identifies a resource type that the user desires to restore, (4) presenting, to the user via the graphical user interface, at least one backup set associated with the identified resource type from which the user may restore data, (5) receiving, from the user via the graphical user interface, a selection that identifies a backup set that the user desires to restore, and (6) restoring data from the identified backup set. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems, computer-readable mediums, and methods for incremental block level backup. An initial backup of a volume is created at a backup server, where creating the initial backup includes retrieving an original metadata file from a metadata server, and retrieving a copy of all data of the volume based on the original metadata file. A first incremental backup of the volume is then created at the backup server, where creating the first incremental backup includes retrieving a first metadata file, where the first metadata file was created separately from the original metadata file. A block identifier of the first metadata file is compared to a corresponding block identifier of the original metadata file to determine a difference between the first and original block identifiers, and a copy of a changed data block of the volume is retrieved based on the comparison of the first and original block identifiers.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention provides an apparatus and method for presenting differences in a file system of a clustered storage system. In an embodiment, the clustered storage system receives a request from a host, where the request is for a listing of changes in the file system within a time interval. A comparison unit in each storage node of the clustered storage system determines each metadata container associated with the file system which has changed within the time interval. The application programming interface buffers at least one identifier that corresponds to a metadata container associated with the file system which has changed within the time interval. The application programming interface packages and transmits the at least one identifier to the host. The at least one identifier is readable on the host.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for backing up a client data set on a computer by identifying changed files; generating a first sub-file signature for one or more segments of a changed file; subsequently generating a second sub-file signature for each file segment to detect insertions, removals, and rearrangements of data in the file; transmitting one more changed segment(s) in the file; and writing a manifest file reflecting the new target state.

Abstract: A method to create a version map to represent the data state of a file at a particular point in time when an incremental backup is performed. In one embodiment, a logical memory backup file is created that is known as a cumulative data file. Changes to the cumulative data file according to one embodiment of the present invention include periodically appending copies of data modified since the prior backup. A new version map may be created each time an incremental backup occurs. Locations of both modified and unmodified data in the backup data file are mapped for future reference to the data.

Abstract: The invention is a system and method for backing up a single segment and/or database on a host server. Present backups of database servers only allow full backups of the entire host server. If there are errors with any of the backed up segments or databases, this can only be corrected by re-running the entire backup process, which is very time consuming and tedious. The invention is a method for identifying and isolating single segments on the host server. In this fashion, if only one segment was not backup up correctly, then once identified and repaired, that segment may be backed up. By isolating single segments, only a segment that was not backed up correctly can be replicated. This increases the granularity of the backup system and minimizes the need to backup the entire host, saving time and cost.

Abstract: Metadata generate for incremental backup is disclosed. A subset of blocks used to store file system metadata are identified in a set of blocks changed since a last backup. File system metadata stored in the subset of blocks is used to obtain file system metadata associated with file system objects that have been created and/or modified since the last backup. The file system metadata associated with file system objects that have been created and/or modified since the last backup is used to generate file system metadata files for the incremental backup.

Abstract: A single system merges primary data storage, data protection, and intelligence. Intelligence is provided through in-line data analytics, and data intelligence and analytics are gathered on protected data and prior analytics, and stored in discovery points, all without impacting performance of primary storage. As data is written it is automatically mirrored for data protection as part of a High Availability (HA) process. Real-time analysis is done in-line with the HA processing, enabling a variety of data analytics. Data content can mined from within files or blocks. The gathered intelligence is used to tag objects with extended metadata, enabling both valuable search options and rapid restore options. Data recovery begins with metadata restoration, followed by near-instantaneous access to “hot” regions of data being restored, allowing site operation to continue or resume while a restore is ongoing.

Abstract: A container-based processing method includes: when a container state needs to be backed up, determining that content of a first control group file in at least one control group file of the container is modified; acquiring, a file name of the first control group file corresponding to the first flag bit; searching for, according to a correspondence between the file name of the at least one control group file and a storage location of the at least one control group file, a storage location of the first control group file corresponding to the file name of the first control group file, and extracting modified content of the first control group file from the first control group file stored in the storage location of the first control group file; and backing up the file name of the first control group file and the modified content of the first control group file.