Method, apparatus, and computer readable medium for managing back-up

• US 20040172512A1
• Filed: 12/24/2003
• Published: 09/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamada, Masahiro, Shimada, Naoki, Nakanishi, Masashi
• Granted Patent: US 7,007,144 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1458 Management of the backup or restore process

Abstract

Duplicate data obtained by copying and a volume containing it are flexibly managed according to the attribute of the file to be copied by a storage apparatus as is required by a user. When receiving a backup instruction for the file to be backed up, an instruction for a method managing the attribute of the object to be backed up and the duplicate data obtained by the backup of the object to be backed up is also received. In this case, the duplicate data and the volume name to store it are related, thereby managing the specified attribute.

Claims

1. A backup method selection method using a computer holding a first table storing a backup method identifier for identifying a backup method defining a method for executing backup of a volume and a volume name of the volume to be backed up in a correspondence manner,

wherein the computer holds a second table for storing the volume name and state information concerning a state of the volume in a correspondence manner, and a third table for storing a condition concerning the volume state and a backup method identifier in a correspondence manner,

the method comprising steps of:

judging whether state information stored in the second table in a correspondence manner to the first volume name has been updated;

extracting the updated state information when the state information is judged to have been updated;

extracting a first backup method identifier and a second backup method identifier from backup identifiers stored in the third table;

storing the first backup method identifier in the first table in a correspondence manner to the first volume name when the extracted state information satisfies a first condition stored in the third table in a correspondence manner to the extracted first backup method identifier; and

storing the second backup method identifier in the first table in a correspondence manner to the first volume name when the extracted state information satisfies a second condition stored in the third table in a correspondence manner to the extracted second backup method identifier.

2. A backup method selection method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the backup method includes information indicating a medium used for backup.

3. A backup method selection method as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

the state information has a number of files stored in the volume,

the first condition includes that the number of files stored in the volume is greater than a predetermined value,

the second condition includes that the number of files stored in the volume is smaller than a predetermined value,

the first backup method identifier includes information indicating that a volume is used as a medium for backup, and

the second backup method identifier includes information indicating that a tape device is used as a medium for backup.

4. A backup method selection method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the state information includes at least one of information;

an access count to the volume, an access type to the volume, or a volume use size.

5. A backup method selection method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the computer holds a fourth table for storing instruction information concerning selection reference of a backup method and a backup method identifier selection condition in a correspondence manner,

the method comprises a step of extracting a first selection condition stored in the fourth table in a correspondence manner to first instruction information when the first instruction information concerning the first volume backup method selection reference is received, and

the step for extracting the first and the second backup method identifiers extracts backup method identifiers stored in the third table and satisfying the first selection condition.

6. A storage medium containing a program for causing a computer holding a first table storing a backup method identifier for identifying a backup method defining a method for executing a backup of a volume and a volume name of the volume to be backed up in a correspondence manner, to execute:

a procedure of holding a second table storing the volume name and state information concerning the volume state in a correspondence manner, and a third table storing a condition concerning a volume state and a backup method identifier in a correspondence manner;

a step of judging whether state information stored in the second table in a correspondence manner to the first volume name has been updated;

a procedure of extracting the updated state information when the information is judged to have been updated,

a procedure of extracting a first backup method identifier and a second backup method identifier from backup method identifiers stored in the third table;

a procedure of storing the first backup method identifier in the first table in a correspondence manner to the first volume name when the extracted state information satisfies a first condition stored in the third table in a correspondence manner to the extracted first backup method identifier; and

a procedure of storing the second backup method identifier stored in the first table in a correspondence manner to the first volume name when the extracted state information satisfies a second condition stored in the third table in a correspondence manner to the extracted second backup method identifier.

7. A storage medium as claimed in claim 6, wherein the backup method includes information indicating a medium used for backup.

8. A storage medium as claimed in claim 7, wherein:

the state information has a number of files stored in the volume,

the first condition includes that the number of files stored in the volume is greater than a predetermined value,

the second condition includes that the number of files stored in the volume is smaller than a predetermined value,

the first backup method identifier includes information indicating that a volume is used as a medium for backup, and

the second backup method identifier includes information indicating that a tape device is used as a medium for backup.

9. A storage medium as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

the state information includes at least one of information;

an access count to the volume, an access type to the volume, or a volume use size.

10. A storage medium as claimed in claim 6 for storing the program, wherein:

the program causes a computer to execute a procedure of holding a fourth table for storing instruction information concerning selection reference of a backup method and a backup method identifier selection condition in a correspondence manner, and a procedure of extracting a first selection condition stored in the fourth table in a correspondence manner to first instruction information when the first instruction information concerning, the first volume backup method selection reference is received, and

the procedure for extracting the first and the second backup method identifiers performed by the computer extracts backup method identifiers stored in the third table and satisfying the first selection condition.

11. A computer holding a first table for storing a backup method identifier for identifying a backup method defining a method for executing a backup of a volume and a volume name of the volume to be backed up in a correspondence manner, a second table for storing state information concerning the volume state and the volume name in a correspondence manner, and a third table for storing a condition concerning the volume state and a backup method identifier in a correspondence manner, the computer having a rule creation unit for executing:

a step of extracting updated state information when the state information stored in the second table in a correspondence manner to a first volume name is updated;

a step of extracting a first backup method identifier and a second backup method identifier from backup method identifiers stored in the third table;

a step of storing the first backup method identifier in the first table in a correspondence manner to a first volume name when the extracted state information satisfies a first condition stored in the third table in a correspondence manner to the extracted first backup method identifier; and

a step of storing the second backup method identifier in the first table in a correspondence manner to the first volume name when the extracted state information satisfies a second condition stored in the third table in a correspondence manner to the extracted second backup method identifier.

12. A computer as claimed in claim 11, wherein the backup method includes information indicating the medium used for the backup.

13. A computer as claimed in claim 12, wherein the state information has a number of files stored in the volume,

the first condition includes that the number of files stored in the volume is greater than a predetermined value,

the second condition includes that the number of files stored in the volume is smaller than a predetermined value,

the first backup method identifier includes information indicating that a volume is used as a medium for backup, and

the second backup method identifier includes information indicating that a tape device is used as a medium for backup.

14. A computer as claimed in claim 11, wherein

the state information includes at least one of information:

an access count to the volume, an access type to the volume, or a volume use size.

15. A computer as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

the storage unit holds a fourth table for storing instruction information concerning selection reference of a backup method and a backup method identifier selection condition in a correspondence manner,

the rule creation unit further executes a step of extracting a first selection condition stored in the fourth table in a correspondence manner to the first instruction information upon reception of the first instruction information concerning the selection reference of backup method of the first volume, and

the step for extracting the first and the second backup method identifiers extracts backup method identifiers stored in the third table and satisfying the first selection condition.