System and method for restoring a virtual disk from a snapshot
First Claim
1. A method for restoring a virtual disk (vdisk) in an active file system to an earlier time, the method comprising the steps of:
- maintaining pointers pointing to data represented by the virtual disk;
saving the pointers to persistent storage at the earlier time;
comparing a pointer at a later time with the pointers saved at the earlier time;
if the pointer from the later time matches the pointer saved at the earlier time, keeping the pointer from the later time in the active file system; and
if the pointer from the later time does not match the pointers saved at the earlier time, copying a set of pointers associated with the pointer saved at the earlier time to the active file system.
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Abstract
A method for restoring a virtual disk (vdisk) in an active file system to an earlier time is described. Pointers pointing to data represented by the virtual disk are maintained. The pointers are saved to persistent storage at the earlier time. A pointer at a later time is compared with the pointers saved at the earlier time. If the pointer from the later time matches the pointer saved at the earlier time, the pointer from the later time is kept in the active file system. If the pointer from the later time does not match the pointers saved at the earlier time, a set of pointers associated with the pointer saved at the earlier time is copied to the active file system.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method for restoring a virtual disk (vdisk) in an active file system to an earlier time, the method comprising the steps of:
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maintaining pointers pointing to data represented by the virtual disk;
saving the pointers to persistent storage at the earlier time;
comparing a pointer at a later time with the pointers saved at the earlier time;
if the pointer from the later time matches the pointer saved at the earlier time, keeping the pointer from the later time in the active file system; and
if the pointer from the later time does not match the pointers saved at the earlier time, copying a set of pointers associated with the pointer saved at the earlier time to the active file system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An apparatus to restore a virtual disk (vdisk) in an active file system to an earlier time, comprising:
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means for maintaining pointers pointing to data represented by the virtual disk;
means for saving the pointers to persistent storage at the earlier time;
means for comparing a pointer at a later time with the pointers saved at the earlier time;
if the pointer from the later time matches the pointer saved at the earlier time, means for keeping the pointer from the later time in the active file system; and
if the pointer from the later time does not match the pointer saved at the earlier time, means for copying a set of pointers associated with the pointer saved at the earlier time to the active file system. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus to restore a virtual disk (vdisk) in an active file system to an earlier time, comprising:
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an operating system to maintain pointers pointing to data represented by the virtual disk;
one or more storage disks to save the pointers to persistent storage at the earlier time;
a processor to compare a pointer at a later time with the pointers saved at the earlier time;
if the pointer from the later time matches the pointer saved at the earlier time, the processor to keep the pointer from the later time in the active file system; and
if the pointer from the later time does not match the pointer saved at the earlier time, the processor to copy a set of pointers associated with the pointer saved at the earlier time to the active file system. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer readable media, comprising:
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said computer readable media containing instructions for execution on a processor for the practice of a method for restoring a virtual disk (vdisk) in an active file system to an earlier time, the method having the steps of, maintaining pointers pointing to data represented by the virtual disk;
saving the pointers to persistent storage at the earlier time;
comparing a pointer at a later time with the pointers saved at the earlier time;
if the pointer from the later time matches the pointer saved at the earlier time, keeping the pointer from the later time in the active file system; and
if the pointer from the later time does not match the pointer saved at the earlier time, copying a set of pointers associated with the pointer saved at the earlier time to the active file system.
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17. A method for restoring a virtual disk (vdisk) in an active file system to an earlier time, the method comprising the steps of:
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maintaining pointers pointing to data represented by the virtual disk, the pointers arranged in an inode structure;
saving the inode structure to persistent storage at the earlier time;
creating a twin inode at a later time, the twin inode being a duplicate of the inode structure of the vdisk at the later time;
comparing a pointer from the twin inode with a pointer saved at the earlier time;
if the pointer from the twin inode matches the pointer saved at the earlier time, moving the pointer from the twin inode to the active file system; and
if the pointer from the twin inode does not match the pointer saved at the earlier time, copying a set of pointers associated with the pointer saved at the earlier time to the active file system. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A computer readable media, comprising:
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said computer readable media containing instructions for execution on a processor for the practice of a method for restoring a virtual disk (vdisk) in an active file system to an earlier time, the method having the steps of, maintaining pointers pointing to data represented by the virtual disk, the pointers arranged in an inode structure;
saving the inode structure to persistent storage at the earlier time;
creating a twin inode at a later time, the twin inode being a duplicate of the inode structure of the vdisk at the later time;
comparing a pointer from the twin inode with a pointer saved at the earlier time;
if the pointer from the twin inode matches the pointer saved at the earlier time, moving the pointer from the twin inode to the active file system; and
if the pointer from the twin inode does not match the pointer saved at the earlier time, copying a set of pointers and associated with the pointer saved at the earlier time to the active file system.
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23. An apparatus to restore a virtual disk (vdisk) in an active file system to an earlier time, comprising:
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means for maintaining pointers pointing to data represented by the virtual disk, the pointers arranged in an inode structure;
means for saving the inode structure to persistent storage at the earlier time;
means for creating a twin inode at a later time, the twin inode being a duplicate of the inode structure of the vdisk at the later time;
means for comparing a pointer from the twin inode with a pointer saved at the earlier time;
if the pointer from the twin inode matches the pointer saved at the earlier time, means for moving the pointer from the twin inode to the active file system; and
if the pointer from the twin inode does not match the pointer saved at the earlier time, means for copying a set of pointers associated with the pointer saved at the earlier time to the active file system. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An apparatus to restore a virtual disk (vdisk) in an active file system to an earlier time, comprising:
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an operating system to maintain pointers pointing to data represented by the virtual disk, the pointers arranged in an inode structure;
one or more storage disks to save the inode structure to persistent storage at the earlier time;
as processor to create a twin inode at a later time, the twin inode being a duplicate of the inode structure of the vdisk at the later time;
an operating system to compare a pointer from the twin inode with a pointer saved at the earlier time;
if the pointer from the twin inode matches the pointer saved at the earlier time, the operating system to move the pointer from the twin inode to the active file system; and
if the pointer from the twin inode does not match the pointer saved at the earlier time, the operating system to copy a set of pointers associated with the pointer saved at the earlier time to the active file system. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification