Backing up source files in their native file formats to a target storage

• US 20070027935A1
• Filed: 07/28/2005
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Haselton, William, Stakutis, Christopher, Stearns, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US11/193,280
• Publication Number:
  US 20070027935A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1448 Management of the data involved in backup or backup restore
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1451 by selection of backup contents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1458 Management of the backup or restore process
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1461 Backup scheduling policy

Abstract

Provided are a method, system, and program for backing up source files in their native file formats to a target storage. Indication of files in a defined backup set to backup having a first status is maintained, wherein files to backup not having the first status have a second status. One file in a source file system in the defined backup set is detected to have changed. A determination is made as to whether the changed file has the first status. The changed file is written in its native file format to a target storage in response to determining that the changed file has the first status. The changed file is also written in its native file format to the target storage at a scheduled backup time.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

maintaining indication of files in a defined backup set to backup having a first status, wherein files to backup not having the first status have a second status;

detecting that one file in a source file system in the defined backup set has changed;

determining whether the changed file has the first status;

writing the changed file in its native file format to a target storage in response to determining that the changed file has the first status; and

writing the changed file in its native file format to the target storage at a scheduled backup time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rendering a first user interface to enable a user to indicate files having the first status; and

rendering a second user interface to enable the user to configure the scheduled backup time at which changed files are written to the target storage.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving user indication of the target storage and a local storage, wherein files having the first status are written to the target and local storages in response to detecting the change to the files, and files having the second status are written to the local storage in response to detecting the change to the files and to the target storage according to the scheduled backup time.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining whether there is at least one earlier version of the changed file in the local storage;

indicating the at least one earlier version of the changed file as a version instance and the changed file as an active instance;

writing the file to the local storage as an active version in response to determining that there is an earlier version of the file in the local storage;

receiving user indication of a maximum size allotted to the local storage; and

deleting versioned instances of files to maintain a size of storage space used to store files backed up in the local storage from exceeding the maximum size.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving user input indicating a point-in-time from which to restore files in the defined backup set from the target storage;

for each file in the defined backup set to restore, determining whether the file stored on the target file system is dated at a time less than the user indicated point-in-time; and

copying the files determined to be dated less than the point-in-time from the target storage to the source file system, wherein at least one of the files comprises one of a plurality of version instances of the file dated less than the point-in-time.

6. A method, comprising:

maintaining at a computer a defined backup set of files to backup in a source file system used by the computer to a target storage;

creating a directory identifying the computer in a file system of the target storage;

detecting that one file in the defined backup set has changed;

writing the changed file in its native file format to the directory in the target storage identifying the computer as part of a backup operation, wherein the written changed file is in its native file format on the target storage.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

writing information on a status of the backup operation to an administrative file in the directory on the target storage identifying the computer.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the computer comprises a first computer, and wherein at least one additional computer performs the operations of claim 6.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first computer and additional computers each perform:

writing information on a status of the backup operations to an administrative file in the directory identifying the computer; and

generating a status report from the administrative files in the directories for the first and additional computers including the information on the status of the backup operations for each computer.

10. A system, comprising:

a processor;

a source file system;

a target storage storage;

a computer readable medium including code executed by the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

maintaining indication of files in a defined backup set to backup having a first status, wherein files to backup not having the first status have a second status;

detecting that one file in the source file system in the defined backup set has changed;

determining whether the changed file has the first status;

writing the changed file in its native file format to the target storage in response to determining that the changed file has the first status; and

writing the changed file in its native file format to the target storage at a scheduled backup time.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise:

rendering a first user interface to enable a user to indicate files having the first status; and

rendering a second user interface to enable the user to configure the scheduled backup time at which changed files are written to the target storage.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a local storage;

wherein the operations further comprise receiving user indication of the target storage and the local storage, wherein files having the first status are written to the target and local storages in response to detecting the change to the files, and files having the second status are written to the local storage in response to detecting the change to the files and to the target storage according to the scheduled backup time.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining whether there is at least one earlier version of the changed file in the local storage;

indicating the at least one earlier version of the changed file as a version instance and the changed file as an active instance;

writing the file to the local storage as an active version in response to determining that there is an earlier version of the file in the local storage;

receiving user indication of a maximum size allotted to the local storage; and

deleting versioned instances of files to maintain a size of storage space used to store files backed up in the local storage from exceeding the maximum size.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving user input indicating a point-in-time from which to restore files in the defined backup set from the target storage;

for each file in the defined backup set to restore, determining whether the file stored on the target file system is dated at a time less than the user indicated point-in-time; and

copying the files determined to be dated less than the point-in-time from the target storage to the source file system, wherein at least one of the files comprises one of a plurality of version instances of the file dated less than the point-in-time.

15. A system, comprising:

a processor;

a source file system;

a target storage storage;

a computer readable medium including code executed by the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

maintaining a defined backup set of files to backup in the source file system to the target storage;

creating a directory identifying the system in a file system of the target storage;

detecting that one file in the defined backup set has changed;

writing the changed file in its native file format to the directory in the target storage identifying the system as part of a backup operation, wherein the written changed file is in its native file format on the target storage.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

writing information on a status of the backup operation to an administrative file in the directory on the target storage identifying the system.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein multiple systems each perform the operations of claim 6 and each write changed files and information on the status of backup operations to one directory on the target storage uniquely identifying that system, wherein the operations further comprise.

generating a status report from the administrative files in the directories for the systems including the information on the status of the backup operations for each system.

18. An article of manufacture including code in communication with a source file system and a target storage, wherein the code causes operations to be performed, the operations comprising:

maintaining indication of files in a defined backup set to backup having a first status, wherein files to backup not having the first status have a second status;

detecting that one file in the source file system in the defined backup set has changed;

determining whether the changed file has the first status;

writing the changed file in its native file format to the target storage in response to determining that the changed file has the first status; and

writing the changed file in its native file format to the target storage at a scheduled backup time.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 18, wherein the operations further comprise:

rendering a first user interface to enable a user to indicate files having the first status; and

rendering a second user interface to enable the user to configure the scheduled backup time at which changed files are written to the target storage.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 18, wherein the code is further in communication with a local storage, and wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving user indication of the target storage and the local storage, wherein files having the first status are written to the target and local storages in response to detecting the change to the files, and files having the second status are written to the local storage in response to detecting the change to the files and to the target storage according to the scheduled backup time.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 20, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining whether there is at least one earlier version of the changed file in the local storage;

indicating the at least one earlier version of the changed file as a version instance and the changed file as an active instance;

writing the file to the local storage as an active version in response to determining that there is an earlier version of the file in the local storage;

receiving user indication of a maximum size allotted to the local storage; and

deleting versioned instances of files to maintain a size of storage space used to store files backed up in the local storage from exceeding the maximum size.

22. The article of manufacture of claim 18, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving user input indicating a point-in-time from which to restore files in the defined backup set from the target storage;

for each file in the defined backup set to restore, determining whether the file stored on the target file system is dated at a time less than the user indicated point-in-time; and

copying the files determined to be dated less than the point-in-time from the target storage to the source file system, wherein at least one of the files comprises one of a plurality of version instances of the file dated less than the point-in-time.

23. An article of manufacture including code executed in a computer in communication with a source file system and a target storage, wherein the code causes operations to be performed, the operations comprising:

maintaining at the computer a defined backup set of files to backup in the source file system used by the computer to the target storage;

creating a directory identifying the computer in a file system of the target storage;

detecting that one file in the defined backup set has changed;

writing the changed file in its native file format to the directory in the target storage identifying the computer as part of a backup operation, wherein the written changed file is in its native file format on the target storage.

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

writing information on a status of the backup operation to an administrative file in the directory on the target storage identifying the computer.

25. The article of manufacture of claim 23,, wherein the code is executed by a plurality of computers to perform the operations of claim 23 on the computers, wherein each computer executing the code writes changed files and information on the status of backup operations to the directory on the target storage uniquely identifying that computer, wherein the operations further comprise:

generating a status report from the administrative files in the directories for the systems including the information on the status of the backup operations for each computer.