Performing scheduled backups of a backup node associated with a plurality of agent nodes

• US 20060129615A1
• Filed: 12/09/2004
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hochberg, Avishai Haim, Hattrup, Glen, Smith, James Patrick, Derk, David George, Ramke, Thomas Franklin Jr., Edwards, Robert Clair Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,461,102 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1461 Backup scheduling policy
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

Provided are a method, system, and program for performing scheduled backups of a backup node associated with a plurality of agent nodes. Backup data sets on at least one machine in a network are associated with a backup node and a plurality of agent nodes in the network are associated with the backup node. The agent nodes are associated with machines in the network capable of backing up the backup data sets associated with the backup node. A schedule indicating a scheduled backup to backup scheduled data sets associated with the backup node is processed. At least one of the agent nodes is contacted to request the at least one agent node to perform the scheduled backup and backup the scheduled data sets, wherein the at least one contacted agent node performs the scheduled backup to backup the scheduled backup sets.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

associating backup data sets on at least one machine in a network with a backup node;

associating a plurality of agent nodes in the network with the backup node, wherein the agent nodes are associated with machines in the network capable of backing up the backup data sets associated with the backup node;

processing a schedule indicating a scheduled backup to backup scheduled data sets associated with the backup node; and

contacting at least one of the agent nodes to request the at least one agent node to perform the scheduled backup and backup the scheduled data sets, wherein the at least one contacted agent node performs the scheduled backup to backup the scheduled backup sets.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the backup node comprises a virtual node, and wherein at least one backup data set associated with the backup node is implemented within one node on the network that is different from at least one agent node associated with the backup node.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the scheduled data sets are located on storage devices in the network, wherein the agent nodes backup the scheduled data sets by communicating with the storage devices over the network to cause a transfer of the scheduled data sets from the storage devices to backup storage.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating with the at least one agent node comprises:

contacting at least one agent node to determine whether the agent node is available to perform the scheduled backup; and

assigning the scheduled backup to the contacted agent node in response to determining that the agent node is available to perform the scheduled backup.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

indicating that one agent node is not available to perform the scheduled backup in response to determining that the agent node is not available to perform the scheduled backup, wherein the agent node indicated as not available is not contacted during a subsequent processing of the scheduled backup.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the agent nodes are contacted in a serial order, further comprising:

contacting another agent node according to the serial order to determine whether the agent node is capable of performing the scheduled backup in response to determining that a previously contacted agent node is not available to perform the backup.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein contacting the at least one agent node further comprises:

broadcasting a message to all agent nodes to determine which agent nodes are available to backup the scheduled backup data sets; and

selecting at least one agent node to perform the scheduled backup that responds to the broadcast message indicating availability to perform the scheduled backup.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein selecting the at least one agent mode comprises:

selecting multiple agent nodes that respond indicating availability to perform the scheduled backup to perform the scheduled backup; and

assigning a portion of the scheduled data sets to each of the selected agent nodes to perform the scheduled backup with respect to the assigned portion.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one agent node performing the scheduled backup acts on behalf of the backup node when performing the scheduled backup operations.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a request to logon by one agent node performing the scheduled backup using an agent node credential; and

receiving a request by the agent node logged on with the agent node credential to operate as the backup node, wherein the agent node performs operations to backup the scheduled data sets acting on behalf of the backup node;

logging information on operations the agent node performs to backup the scheduled data sets as operations of the backup node.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

indicating in the logging information that the agent node is operating as the backup node.

9. The method of 1, wherein the agent nodes backup the scheduled data sets to a backup storage device.

13. A system in communication with machines over a network, wherein a plurality of agent nodes are associated with machines in the network, comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable medium include code capable of causing the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

(i) associating backup data sets on at least one of the machines in the network with a backup node;

(ii) associating a plurality of agent nodes in the network with the backup node, wherein the agent nodes are capable of backing up the backup data sets associated with the backup node;

(iii) processing a schedule indicating a scheduled backup to backup scheduled data sets associated with the backup node; and

(iv) contacting at least one of the agent nodes to request the at least one agent node to perform the scheduled backup and backup the scheduled data sets, wherein the at least one contacted agent node performs the scheduled backup to backup the scheduled backup sets.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the backup node comprises a virtual node, and wherein at least one backup data set associated with the backup node is implemented within one node on the network that is different from at least one agent node associated with the backup node.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the system is in communication with storage devices in the network, wherein scheduled data sets are located on the storage devices in the network, wherein the agent nodes backup the scheduled data sets by communicating with the storage devices over the network to cause a transfer of the scheduled data sets from the storage devices to backup storage.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein communicating with the at least one agent node comprises:

contacting at least one agent node to determine whether the agent node is available to perform the scheduled backup; and

assigning the scheduled backup to the contacted agent node in response to determining that the agent node is available to perform the scheduled backup.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise:

indicating that one agent node is not available to perform the scheduled backup in response to determining that the agent node is not available to perform the scheduled backup, wherein the agent node indicated as not available is not contacted during a subsequent processing of the scheduled backup.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the agent nodes are contacted in a serial order, wherein the operations further comprise:

contacting another agent node according to the serial order to determine whether the agent node is capable of performing the scheduled backup in response to determining that a previously contacted agent node is not available to perform the backup.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein contacting the at least one agent node further comprises:

broadcasting a message to all agent nodes to determine which agent nodes are available to backup the scheduled backup data sets; and

selecting at least one agent node to perform the scheduled backup that responds to the broadcast message indicating availability to perform the scheduled backup.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein selecting the at least one agent mode comprises:

selecting multiple agent nodes that respond indicating availability to perform the scheduled backup to perform the scheduled backup; and

assigning a portion of the scheduled data sets to each of the selected agent nodes to perform the scheduled backup with respect to the assigned portion.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the agent nodes backup the scheduled data sets to a backup storage device.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one agent node performing the scheduled backup acts on behalf of the backup node when performing the scheduled backup operations.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a request to logon by one agent node performing the scheduled backup using an agent node credential;

receiving a request by the agent node logged on with the agent node credential to operate as the backup node, wherein the agent node performs operations to backup the scheduled data sets acting on behalf of the backup node; and

logging information on operations the agent node performs to backup the scheduled data sets as operations of the backup node.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the operations further comprise:

indicating in the logging information that the agent node is operating as the backup node.

25. An article of manufacture including code enabled to communicate with machines over a network, wherein a plurality of agent nodes are associated with machines in the network, wherein the code is capable of causing operations to be performed, the operations comprising:

associating backup data sets on at least one machine in a network with a backup node;

associating a plurality of agent nodes in the network with the backup node, wherein the agent nodes are associated with machines in the network capable of backing up the backup data sets associated with the backup node;

processing a schedule indicating a scheduled backup to backup scheduled data sets associated with the backup node; and

contacting at least one of the agent nodes to request the at least one agent node to perform the scheduled backup and backup the scheduled data sets, wherein the at least one contacted agent node performs the scheduled backup to backup the scheduled backup sets.

26. The article of manufacture 25, wherein the backup node comprises a virtual node, and wherein at least one backup data set associated with the backup node is implemented within one node on the network that is different from at least one agent node associated with the backup node.

27. The article of manufacture 25, wherein the scheduled data sets are located on storage devices in the network, wherein the agent nodes backup the scheduled data sets by communicating with the storage devices over the network to cause a transfer of the scheduled data sets from the storage devices to backup storage.

28. The article of manufacture 25, wherein communicating with the at least one agent node comprises:

contacting at least one agent node to determine whether the agent node is available to perform the scheduled backup; and

assigning the scheduled backup to the contacted agent node in response to determining that the agent node is available to perform the scheduled backup.

29. The article of manufacture 28, wherein the operations further comprise:

indicating that one agent node is not available to perform the scheduled backup in response to determining that the agent node is not available to perform the scheduled backup, wherein the agent node indicated as not available is not contacted during a subsequent processing of the scheduled backup.

30. The article of manufacture 28, wherein the agent nodes are contacted in a serial order, wherein the operations further comprise:

contacting another agent node according to the serial order to determine whether the agent node is capable of performing the scheduled backup in response to determining that a previously contacted agent node is not available to perform the backup.

31. The article of manufacture 28, wherein contacting the at least one agent node further comprises:

broadcasting a message to all agent nodes to determine which agent nodes are available to backup the scheduled backup data sets; and

selecting at least one agent node to perform the scheduled backup that responds to the broadcast message indicating availability to perform the scheduled backup.

32. The article of manufacture 31, wherein selecting the at least one agent mode comprises:

selecting multiple agent nodes that respond indicating availability to perform the scheduled backup to perform the scheduled backup; and

assigning a portion of the scheduled data sets to each of the selected agent nodes to perform the scheduled backup with respect to the assigned portion.

33. The article of manufacture 25, wherein the agent nodes backup the scheduled data sets to a backup storage device.

34. The article of manufacture 25, wherein the at least one agent node performing the scheduled backup acts on behalf of the backup node when performing the scheduled backup operations.

35. The article of manufacture 34, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a request to logon by one agent node performing the scheduled backup using an agent node credential;

receiving a request by the agent node logged on with the agent node credential to operate as the backup node, wherein the agent node performs operations to backup the scheduled data sets acting on behalf of the backup node; and

logging information on operations the agent node performs to backup the scheduled data sets as operations of the backup node.

36. The article of manufacture 25, wherein the operations further comprise:

indicating in the logging information that the agent node is operating as the backup node.