Data backup technique using network

• US 20040034672A1
• Filed: 05/30/2003
• Published: 02/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Inagaki, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,194,491 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/101 based on network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1012 based on compliance of requirements or conditions with available server resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1021 based on client or server locations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

A backup management device is provided that efficiently performs a data backup at a remote area by dispersing a load imposed on a network. A backup management device, which transmits data for a backup across a network from a backup source recording device to at least one backup destination recording device, so as to perform the backup of the data, comprises a load calculation means for obtaining a load distribution for the network; a backup destination selector for employing the load distribution to select, from among multiple available backup destinations, at least one backup destination recording device to which data is to be transmitted; and a data transmitter for transmitting the data to at least one backup destination recording device that is selected by the backup destination selector.

Claims

1. A backup management device for transmitting data across a network from a backup source recording device to at least one backup destination recording device, the backup management device comprising:

a backup destination selector configured to employ the characteristics of multiple available backup destinations to select at least one backup destination recording device to which the data should be transmitted; and

a data transmitter configured to transmit the data to the at least one backup destination recording device selected by the backup destination selector, wherein the data transmitter is coupled to the backup destination selector.

2. A backup management device for transmitting data for a backup from a backup source recording device through a network to at least one backup destination recording device, the backup management device comprising:

a load calculation unit configured to obtain a load distribution for the network;

a backup destination selector configured to employ the load distribution to select, from among multiple available backup destinations, at least one backup destination recording device to which the data should be transmitted; and

a data transmitter configured to transmit the data to the at least one backup destination recording device selected by the backup destination selector;

and wherein the backup destination selector is coupled to the load calculation unit and the data transmitter.

3. The backup management device according to claim 2, wherein the load calculation unit obtains the load distribution for the network based on the load imposed on the network by the transmission of the data that the data transmitter must transmit for the backup.

4. The backup management device according to claim 2, wherein the backup destination selector is configured to select multiple backup destination recording devices;

and wherein the data transmitter is configured to divide the data into data segments and to transmit the data segments to each of the multiple backup destination recording devices selected by the backup destination selector.

5. The backup management device according to claim 4, further comprising:

a transmission path storage unit configured to store, for each available backup destination, transmission paths extending from the backup source recording device to the available backup destinations, wherein the transmission path storage unit is coupled to the backup destination selector;

and wherein the backup destination selector is configured to select the at least one backup destination recording device so that, along the transmission path, the delay time resulting from the transmission of the data is equal to or less than a predetermined time.

6. The backup management device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a backup destination count determination unit configured to determine, based on the size of the data, the number of backup destination recording devices to which the data should be transmitted, wherein the backup destination count determination unit is coupled to the load calculation unit;

and wherein the backup destination selector is configured to employ the load distribution to select the at least one backup destination recording device, and wherein the quantity of backup destination recording devices selected by the backup destination selector is the number determined by the backup destination count determination unit.

7. The backup management device according to claim 2, wherein the backup destination selector is configured to employ characteristics of the available backup destination to select the the at least one backup destination recording device to which the data should be transmitted.

8. The backup management device according to claim 7, wherein each of the at least one backup destination recording devices selected by the backup destination selector have large free memory space, and wherein having large free memory space is one of the characteristics of the available backup destinations.

9. The backup management device according to claim 2, wherein each of the at least one backup destination recording devices selected by the backup destination selector are located at distances from the backup source recording device that are equal to or greater than a predetermined distance.

10. The backup management device according to claim 2, wherein the backup destination selector is configured to employ the geographical conditions of the locations of the available backup destinations when selecting the at least one backup destination recording device to which the data should be transmitted.

11. The backup management device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a transmission history storage unit configured to store history data concerning the backup destination recording devices to which data has previously been transmitted by the data transmitter, wherein the transmission history storage unit is coupled to the backup destination selector;

and wherein the backup destination selector is configured to employ the transmission history data when selecting the at least one backup destination recording device.

12. The backup management device according to claim 2, wherein the data transmitter is configured to transmit, in correlation with the data, header data for identifying the backup source recording device and for locating the data stored in the backup source recording device.

13. A method for backing up data over a network, the method comprising the following operations:

obtaining a load distribution for the network;

employing the load distribution to select, from among multiple available backup destinations, at least one backup destination recording device to which the data should be transmitted; and

transmitting the data from a backup source recording device over the network to the at least one backup destination recording device selected.

14. A method for backing up data over a network, the method comprising the following operations:

employing the characteristics of multiple available backup destinations to select at least one backup destination recording device; and

transmitting the data from a backup source recording device over a network to the at least one backup destination recording device selected.

15. A backup system, comprising:

a first backup source recording device for storing first data for a backup;

a plurality of backup destination recording devices; and

a first backup management device configured to permit the first backup source recording device to transmit the first data to at least one backup destination recording device,

wherein the first backup management device includes;

a load calculation unit configured to obtain a load distribution for a network,

backup destination selector configured to employ the load distribution to select, from among multiple available backup destinations, at least one backup destination recording device to which the data should be transmitted, and

a data transmitter configured to transmit the data to the at least one backup destination recording device selected by the backup destination selector.

16. The backup system according to claim 15, further comprising:

a second backup source recording device for storing second data for a backup; and

a second backup management device configured to permit the second backup source recording device to transmit the second data to at least one backup destination recording device,

wherein the first backup management device further includes;

a usage status acquisition unit configured to obtain usage status data indicating the usage status of the at least one backup destination recording devices that are employed by the second backup management device;

and wherein the backup destination selector is configured to employ the usage status data to select the at least one backup destination recording device to which the data should be transmitted by the first backup management device.

17. The backup system according to claim 16, wherein the usage status acquisition unit is configured to obtain, as the usage status data, data indicating a load distribution of the network for the second data that is transmitted from the second backup source recording device to the at least one of the backup destination recording devices employed by the second backup management device.

18. A program embodied in a storage medium, for a backup management device that transmits data for a backup across a network from a backup source recording device to at least one backup destination recording device, wherein the program for the backup management device comprises:

a load calculation unit configured to obtain a load distribution for the network;

a backup destination selector configured to employ the load distribution to select, from among multiple available backup destinations, at least one backup destination recording device to which the data should be transmitted; and

a data transmitter configured to transmit the data to the at least one backup destination recording device selected by the backup destination selector.

19. A device for backing up data, comprising:

means for obtaining a load distribution for the network;

means for employing the load distribution to select, from among multiple available backup destinations, at least one backup destination recording device to which the data should be transmitted; and

means for transmitting the data from a backup source recording device over the network to the at least one backup destination recording device selected.

20. A backup device, comprising:

means for employing the characteristics of multiple available backup destinations to select at least one backup destination recording device; and

means for transmitting the data from a backup source recording device over a network to the at least one backup destination recording device selected.