Autonomous storage for backup, restore, and file access

• US 20050131996A1
• Filed: 12/16/2003
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Mohindra, Ajay, Vogl, Norbert G., Mastrianni, Steven J., Chefalas, Thomas F., Rubas, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,584,266 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• 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 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

A method, apparatus and computer product that, in a system having a client computer, and apparatus for connecting the client computer to a network having a server for backing up the client computer, enables transferring data from the client computer to the server, by connecting the client computer to the network; backing up data on the client computer to a storage device attached to the network when the client computer is connected to the network; and transferring the data from the storage device to the server, preferably at a time determined by the server.

Claims

1. In a system having a client computer, and apparatus for connecting said client computer to a network having a server for backing up said client computer, a method for transferring data from said client computer to said server, comprising:

connecting said client computer to said network;

backing up data on said client computer to a storage device attached to said network when said client computer is connected to said network; and

transferring the data from said storage device to said server.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said transferring of said data from said storage device to said server occurs at a time determined by said server.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said connecting comprises connecting said client computer to a docking station connected to said network.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein the storage device is associated with said docking station.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

connecting said client computer to said network a plurality of times before said server backs up said data on said client computer, and creating a new data set on said storage device for transfer to said server each time said client computer is connected to said network.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein said data sets are transferred to said server in the order in which said data sets were created.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said connecting comprises establishing a data transfer link between said client computer and said data storage device.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein said data transfer link comprises one of a wireless link and an infrared link.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein if said client computer is off when connected to said network, the method further comprises:

powering up a storage device in said client computer; and

transferring data stored on said storage device in said client computer to said storage device attached to said network.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein if power to said client computer is turned on during transfer of data stored on said storage device in said client computer to said storage device attached to said network, said transfer of data is suspended while said client computer boots up.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein if said client computer is initially on when connected to said network, but said client computer is turned off, the method further comprises suspending transferring data stored on a storage device in said client computer to said storage device attached to said network, to permitting normal backup of files on said client computer.

12. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein if said client computer is disconnected from said network during a first backing up of data on said client computer to a storage device attached to said network, and said client computer is again connected to said network, the method further comprises backing up said client computer to said storage device on said network a second time, and transferring sequentially to said server data transferred to said storage device before said client was disconnected from said network, and then data transferred to said storage device during said second time.

13. A system for backing up data on a client computer to a server on a network, said system comprising:

connection apparatus for connecting said client computer to said network; and

a storage device connected to said network for backing up data from said client computer when said client computer is connected to said network, said storage device being configured to transfer said data to said server at a time determined by said server.

14. A system as recited in claim 13, wherein said connection apparatus is a docking station for said client computer.

15. A system as recited in claim 14, wherein said storage device is associated with said docking station.

16. A system as recited in claim 13, further comprising an interface between said connection apparatus and said storage device, said interface having a processor to facilitate transfer of data.

17. A system as recited in claim 13, wherein said client computer may be connected to said network multiple times before data is transferred to said server, said system further comprising:

means for creating a new data set on said storage device for transfer to said server each time said client computer is connected to said network.

18. A system as recited in claim 17, further comprising means for transferring said data sets to said server in the order in which said data set were created.

19. A system as recited in claim 13, wherein said connection apparatus comprises a data transfer link between said client computer and said data storage device.

20. A system as recited in claim 19, wherein said data transfer link comprises one of a wireless link and an infrared link.

21. A system as recited in claim 13, further comprising means for powering up a storage device in said client computer if said client computer is off when connected to said network.

22. A system as recited in claim 21, further comprising means for suspending transfer of data that is stored on said storage device in said client computer to said storage device attached to said network, while said client computer boots up, if power to said client computer is turned on during the transfer of data stored on said storage device in said client computer to said storage device attached to said network.

23. A system as recited in claim 13, further comprising means for suspending normal backup of files on said client computer while transferring data stored on a storage device in said client computer to said storage device attached to said network if said client computer is initially on when connected to said network, but said client computer is turned off.

24. A system as recited in claim 13, wherein if said client computer is disconnected from said network during a first backing up of data on said client computer to a storage device attached to said network, and said client computer is again connected to said network, the system further comprises means for backing up said client computer to said storage device on said network a second time, and means for transferring sequentially to said server data transferred to said storage device before said client was disconnected from said network, and then data transferred to said storage device during said second time.

25. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied thereon, the computer readable program code means being for use in a system having a client computer, and apparatus for connecting said client computer to a network having a server for backing up said client computer, the computer readable program code means being for causing a computer to effect a method for transferring data from said client computer to said server, the method comprising:

connecting said client computer to said network;

backing up data on said client computer to a storage device attached to said network when said client computer is connected to said network; and

transferring the data from said storage device to said server.

26. A computer program product as recited in claim 25, wherein in the method, said transferring of said data from said storage device to said server occurs at a time determined by said server.

27. A computer program product as recited in claim 25, wherein in the method, said connecting comprises connecting said client computer to a docking station connected to said network.

28. A computer program product as recited in claim 27, wherein in the method, the storage device is associated with said docking station.

29. A computer program product as recited in claim 25, wherein the method further comprises:

connecting said client computer to said network a plurality of times before said server backs up said data on said client computer, and

creating a new data set on said storage device for transfer to said server each time said client computer is connected to said network.

30. A computer program product as recited in claim 25, wherein in the method, said data sets are transferred to said server in the order in which said data set were created.

31. A computer program product as recited in claim 25, wherein in the method, said connecting comprises establishing a data transfer link between said client computer and said data storage device.

32. A computer program product as recited in claim 31, wherein in the method, said data transfer link comprises one of a wireless link and an infrared link.

33. A computer program product as recited in claim 25, wherein if said client computer is off when connected to said network, the method further comprises:

powering up a storage device in said client computer; and

transferring data stored on said storage device in said client computer to said storage device attached to said network.

34. A computer program product as recited in claim 33, further comprising computer readable code means so that in the method, if power to said client computer is turned on during transfer of data stored on said storage device in said client computer to said storage device attached to said network, said transfer of data is suspended while said client computer boots up.

35. A computer program product as recited in claim 25, further comprising computer readable code means so that in the method, if said client computer is initially on when connected to said network, but said client computer is turned off, the method further comprising suspending normal backup of files on said client computer while transferring data stored on a storage device in said client computer to said storage device attached to said network.

36. A computer program product as recited in claim 25, further comprising computer readable code means so that in the method, if said client computer is disconnected from said network during a first backing up of data on said client computer to a storage device attached to said network, and said client computer is again connected to said network, the method further comprises backing up said client computer to said storage device on said network a second time, and transferring sequentially to said server data transferred to said storage device before said client was disconnected from said network, and then data transferred to said storage device during said second time.