Scalable common access back-up architecture

• US 20060089954A1
• Filed: 12/12/2005
• Published: 04/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Anschutz, Thomas A.
• Application Number:
  US11/301,175
• Publication Number:
  US 20060089954A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1453 using de-duplication of the data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/83 the solution involving signatures

Abstract

Methods, systems and computer program products for providing shared file back-ups in a repository. Methods include receiving metadata of a file to be backed-up from a client. A global directory of back-up files is accessed. The global directory includes back-up file metadata and back-up file pointers corresponding to each of the back-up files in the repository. It is determined if the metadata matches one of the back-up file metadatas. If the metadata matches one of the back-up file metadatas, then the back-up file pointer corresponding to the matching back-up file metadata is added to a client directory of client back-up files in the repository.

Claims

1. A method for providing shared file back-ups in a repository, the method comprising:

receiving metadata of a file to be backed-up from a client;

accessing a global directory of back-up files including back-up file metadata and back-up file pointers corresponding to each of the back-up files in the repository;

determining if the metadata matches one of the back-up file metadatas; and

if the metadata matches one of the back-up file metadatas, then adding the back-up file pointer corresponding to the matching back-up file metadata to a client directory of client back-up files in the repository.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising requesting a copy of the file for the repository from the client if the metadata does not match one of the back-up file metadatas.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

receiving the copy of the file for the repository from the client;

adding the metadata of the file and a pointer to the copy of the file into the global directory; and

adding the pointer to the copy of the file to the client directory.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising transmitting a command to the client indicating that the file has been backed-up on the repository.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the file is a program file and the metadata includes version and patch level.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the file is an audio file and the metadata includes title, artist and encoding quality.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the metadata includes one or more of derived and internalized information about the file.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting the client directory to an other client, wherein the other client utilizes the client directory to access the client back-up files in the repository.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the metadata includes a fingerprint.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the fingerprint includes a digital fingerprint.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the fingerprint includes one or more of a checksum count and a cyclical redundancy check.

12. A system for providing shared file back-ups in a repository, the system comprising:

a global directory of back-up files including back-up file metadata and back-up file pointers corresponding to each of the back-up files in the repository; and

a server back-up module in communication with the global directory and including computer instructions for facilitating;

receiving metadata of a file to be backed-up from a client;

accessing the global directory of back-up files;

determining if the metadata matches one of the back-up file metadatas; and

if the metadata matches one of the back-up file metadatas, then adding the back-up file pointer corresponding to the matching back-up file metadata to a client directory of client back-up files in the repository.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the computer instructions further facilitate requesting a copy of the file for the repository from the client if the metadata does not match one of the back-up file metadatas.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the back-up files in the repository are accessed via the global directory and physically located in a plurality of locations.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein the back-up files in the repository are received from a plurality of clients.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein at least one of the back-up file pointers is located in a plurality of client directories.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein the client directory is utilized to restore the client.

18. A computer program product for use in a computing system for providing shared file back-ups in a repository, the computer program product comprising:

a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for facilitating a method comprising;

receiving metadata of a file to be backed-up from a client;

accessing a global directory of back-up files including back-up file metadata and back-up file pointers corresponding to each of the back-up files in the repository;

determining if the metadata matches one of the back-up file metadatas; and

if the metadata matches one of the back-up file metadatas, then adding the back-up file pointer corresponding to the matching back-up file metadata to a client directory of client back-up files in the repository.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 wherein the instructions further facilitate requesting a copy of the file for the repository from the client if the metadata does not match one of the back-up file metadatas.

20. The computer program product of claim 18 wherein the instructions further facilitate:

receiving the copy of the file for the repository from the client;

adding the metadata of the file and a pointer to the copy of the file into the global directory; and

adding the pointer to the copy of the file to the client directory.