Block-level live browsing and private writable backup copies using an ISCSI server
First Claim
1. A system for providing private writable backup copies to user computing devices, the system comprising:
- a first computing device comprising an Internet Small Computer Systems Interface (ISCSI) service;
a data storage device in communication with the first computing device and comprising a block-level backup copy of data;
a second computing device in communication with the first computing device via ISCSI protocol; and
wherein the first computing device using the ISCSI service is configured to;
receive from the second computing device a first unique ID and a first request for a first private writable backup copy of the block-level backup copy of data,if the first request is the first time system-wide that a private writable backup copy has been requested for the block-level backup copy of data, generate a first directory designated an archive store which corresponds to the block-level backup copy of data,generate a second directory designated a private store having the first unique ID,present the private store directory as a logical unit number (LUN) to the second computing device; and
wherein the second computing device is configured to mount the LUN, thereby acquiring access to the private store, which is based on the archive store and the block-level backup copy of data, and incorporates changes generated by the second computing device that are written to the private store without changing the block-level backup copy of data, thereby operating as the first private writable backup copy requested by the second computing device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An illustrative ISCSI server computing device provides user computing devices with “private writable snapshots” of a desired volume of data and/or further provides “private writable backup copies.” The ISCSI service is provided without invoking snapshot limits imposed by storage arrays and further without specialized backup software and pseudo-disk drivers installed on the user computing devices. A user can browse as well as edit personal versions of any number and/or versions of block-level backup copies—the “private writable backup copies.” Likewise, a user can browse and edit personal versions of any number of snapshots of one or more versions of one or more desired data volumes—the “private writable snapshots.” A user can have any number of co-existing private writable snapshots and private writable backup copies. Sparse files, extent-files, software snapshots, and/or media agents co-residing on the ISCSI server are used in the illustrative embodiments.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for providing private writable backup copies to user computing devices, the system comprising:
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a first computing device comprising an Internet Small Computer Systems Interface (ISCSI) service; a data storage device in communication with the first computing device and comprising a block-level backup copy of data; a second computing device in communication with the first computing device via ISCSI protocol; and wherein the first computing device using the ISCSI service is configured to; receive from the second computing device a first unique ID and a first request for a first private writable backup copy of the block-level backup copy of data, if the first request is the first time system-wide that a private writable backup copy has been requested for the block-level backup copy of data, generate a first directory designated an archive store which corresponds to the block-level backup copy of data, generate a second directory designated a private store having the first unique ID, present the private store directory as a logical unit number (LUN) to the second computing device; and wherein the second computing device is configured to mount the LUN, thereby acquiring access to the private store, which is based on the archive store and the block-level backup copy of data, and incorporates changes generated by the second computing device that are written to the private store without changing the block-level backup copy of data, thereby operating as the first private writable backup copy requested by the second computing device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A computer-readable medium, excluding transitory propagating signals, storing instructions that, when executed by at least one computing device comprising one or more processors and computer memory, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:
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executing an Internet Small Computer Systems Interface (ISCSI) service and a media agent in communication with a data storage device, receiving from a second computing device in communication with the first computing device via ISCSI protocol, a first unique ID and a first request for a first private writable backup copy of a block-level backup copy of data stored in a data storage device in communication with the media agent; if an archive store directory corresponding to the block-level backup copy of data was not previously created, generating the archive store directory corresponding to the block-level backup copy of data; generating a private store directory having the first unique ID received from the second computing device; presenting the private sparse file as a logical unit number (LUN) to the second computing device, thereby granting the second computing device access to the private store directory operating as the requested private writable backup copy for browsing data extents obtained from the block-level backup copy of data and further for implementing changes to the data extents obtained from the block-level backup copy of data without changing the block-level backup copy of data, and wherein the private store directory is based on the archive store directory, and incorporates changes generated by the second computing device. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for providing private writable backup copies to user computing devices, the method comprising:
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receiving, by a first computing device that executes an Internet Small Computer Systems Interface (ISCSI) service and a media agent in communication with a data storage device, from a second computing device in communication with the first computing device via ISCSI protocol, a first unique ID and a first request for a first private writable backup copy of a block-level backup copy of data in the data storage device; if an archive store directory corresponding to the block-level backup copy of data was not previously created, generating by the first computing device the archive store directory corresponding to the block-level backup copy of data; generating by the first computing device a private store directory having the first unique ID received from the second computing device; presenting by the first computing device the private sparse file as a logical unit number (LUN) to the second computing device; and mounting the LUN by the second computing device, thereby acquiring access to the private store directory operating as the requested private writable backup copy for browsing data extents obtained from the block-level backup copy of data and further for implementing changes to the data extents obtained from the block-level backup copy of data without changing the block-level backup copy of data, and wherein the private store directory is based on the archive store directory, and incorporates changes generated by the second computing device. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification