Generic file level restore from a block-level secondary copy
First Claim
1. A method for restoring data, comprising:
- with a first computing device residing in a data storage system,using an interface object to obtain file system metadata corresponding to a block-level secondary copy, the block-level secondary copy including a plurality of files stored across a plurality of blocks on one or more secondary storage devices;
processing the obtained file system metadata with a processor of the first computing device to mount the block-level secondary copy onto the first computing device;
in response to a request to restore at least one first file of the plurality of files of the block-level secondary copy, using the interface object to request a read from the one or more secondary storage devices of one or more first blocks of the plurality of blocks, the first blocks corresponding to the first file,wherein the interface object initiates retrieval of the one or more first blocks from the one or more secondary storage devices, andwherein the first file is copied, using the one or more first blocks, to one or more primary storage devices associated with the first computing device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided which perform a file level restore by utilizing existing operating system components (e.g., file system drivers) that are natively installed on the target computing device. These components can be used to mount and/or interpret a secondary copy of the file system. For instance, the system can instantiate an interface object (e.g., a device node such as a pseudo device, device file or special file) on the target client which includes file system metadata corresponding to the backed up version of the file system. The interface provides a mechanism for the operating system to mount the secondary copy and perform file level access on the secondary copy, e.g., to restore one or more selected files.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for restoring data, comprising:
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with a first computing device residing in a data storage system, using an interface object to obtain file system metadata corresponding to a block-level secondary copy, the block-level secondary copy including a plurality of files stored across a plurality of blocks on one or more secondary storage devices; processing the obtained file system metadata with a processor of the first computing device to mount the block-level secondary copy onto the first computing device; in response to a request to restore at least one first file of the plurality of files of the block-level secondary copy, using the interface object to request a read from the one or more secondary storage devices of one or more first blocks of the plurality of blocks, the first blocks corresponding to the first file, wherein the interface object initiates retrieval of the one or more first blocks from the one or more secondary storage devices, and wherein the first file is copied, using the one or more first blocks, to one or more primary storage devices associated with the first computing device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system, comprising:
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a first computing device; and an interface object instantiated as software on the first computing device, the interface object facilitating access by the first computing device to a block-level secondary copy of file system data, wherein the first computing device is configured to; use the interface object to obtain file system metadata corresponding to the block-level secondary copy, the block-level secondary copy representing a plurality of files stored across a plurality of blocks on one or more secondary storage devices; process the obtained file system metadata to mount the block-level secondary copy onto the first computing device; in response to a request to restore at least one first file of the plurality of files of the block-level secondary copy, request from the one or more secondary storage devices one or more first blocks of the plurality of blocks, the first blocks corresponding to the first file, wherein the one or more first blocks are retrieved from secondary storage and copied to primary storage associated with the first computing device. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. Non-transitory computer storage comprising instructions which, when executed, direct a computer system coupled to the computer storage to perform a method comprising:
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with a first computing device residing in a data storage system, using an interface object to obtain file system metadata corresponding to a block-level secondary copy, the block-level secondary copy including a plurality of files stored across a plurality of blocks on one or more secondary storage devices; processing the obtained file system metadata with a processor of the first computing device to mount the block-level secondary copy onto the first computing device; in response to a request to restore at least one first file of the plurality of files of the block-level secondary copy, using the interface object to request a read from the one or more secondary storage devices of one or more first blocks of the plurality of blocks, the first blocks corresponding to the first file, wherein the interface object initiates retrieval of the one or more first blocks from the one or more secondary storage devices, and wherein the first file is copied, using the one or more first blocks, to one or more primary storage devices associated with the first computing device.
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Specification