Hard drive with integrated micro drive file backup

• US 20070038821A1
• Filed: 08/09/2005
• Published: 02/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Peay, Phillip
• Application Number:
  US11/200,367
• Publication Number:
  US 20070038821A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1451 by selection of backup contents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1456 Hardware arrangements for backup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/36 Monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing for digital recording G11B20/00 and s.gr.; for monitoring, testing or measuring of TV recorders of the type covered by H04N5/76 and subgroups, see H04N17/06

Abstract

The present invention is directed to backing up temporal information in a primary storage memory of a computer system. A temporal backup memory is provided as being physically separate from a primary hard drive of the computer system, and removable coupled to a primary drive assembly with the primary hard drive. Data is designated for temporal backup by data parameters, such as file name, type, or resident directory name. A temporal time period is specified as the time between successive temporal backups. At the end of each temporal time period, the primary hard drive is scanned for data designed for temporal backup and that has been temporally modified, i.e., modified since the last successful backup. The data on the hard drive designated for temporal backup is compared with archival data so as not to duplicate archived data in the temporal backup memory. Free memory space in the temporal memory is tracked. When free memory space becomes low, the temporal data is archived and deleted to make room for newer data in the temporal backup memory. Alternatively, if the data exists simultaneously in both the temporal backup memory and the archival memory, that data can be safely removed from the temporal memory to free up space.

Claims

1. A method for backing up temporal data in a computer system, comprising;

receiving a data property, said data property designates data stored in a primary memory of the computer system for temporal backup;

receiving a temporal backup time period, said temporal backup time period defines a minimum time between successive temporal backups;

identifying a temporal backup memory for storing temporal data, said temporal backup memory is physically separate from the primary memory of the computer system and removably coupled to a primary drive assembly with the primary memory; and

performing a temporal back up, comprising;

detecting a time interval equivalent to the temporal backup time period;

identifying data in the primary memory with the data property; and

copying the identified data to the temporal backup memory.

2. The method for backing up temporal data recited in claim 1, wherein the data property is one of a file extension, filename and author username.

3. The method for backing up temporal data recited in claim 1, wherein the data property comprises a directory identifier of a current directory in the primary memory.

4. The method for backing up temporal data recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a minimum free memory amount;

comparing free memory space in the temporal backup memory with the minimum free memory amount; and

deleting data in the temporal backup memory based on a deletion parameter.

5. The method for backing up temporal data recited in claim 4, wherein the deletion parameter is a data modification time for data modified on the temporal backup memory.

6. The method for backing up temporal data recited in claim 1, wherein the temporal backup time period is less than an archival backup time period, said archival backup time period is a minimum time interval between successive archival backup times to an archival memory.

7. The method for backing up temporal data recited in claim 6, further comprising:

comparing the identified data to archived data that exists in the archival memory;

selecting identified data that exists as archived data in the archival memory; and

excluding the selected identified data from the identified data.

8. The method for backing up temporal data recited in claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a minimum free memory amount;

comparing free memory space on the temporal backup memory with the free memory minimum amount; and

deleting data in temporal backup memory based on a value of deletion parameter

9. The method for backing up temporal data recited in claim 8, wherein the deletion parameter is a data modification indicator, and the value is a time prior to a recent archival backup time.

10. The method for backing up temporal data recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a system usage parameter and maximum usage parameter level for the system parameter;

measuring current system usage level for the system usage parameter;

comparing the current system usage level to the maximum usage parameter level; and

rescheduling one of identifying data in the primary memory with the data property and copying the identified data to the temporal backup memory.

11. The method for backing up temporal data recited in claim 10, wherein performing a temporal backing up further comprises:

receiving a critical temporal time period;

measuring a second time interval, said second time being equivalent to the critical temporal time period; and

suspending all of measuring current system usage level for the system usage parameter, comparing the current system usage level to the maximum usage parameter level, and rescheduling one of identifying data in the primary memory with the data property and copying the identified data to the temporal backup memory.

12. The method for backing up temporal data recited in claim 1, further comprising:

removing the temporal backup memory for the primary drive assembly; and

coupling a substitute temporal backup memory to the primary drive assembly.

13. A system for backing up temporal data comprising:

a system bus;

a hard drive assembly comprising;

a primary hard drive to store data, executable code and temporal backup information, said temporal backup information comprises a data property for designating data in the primary hard drive for temporal backup, a temporal time period defining a minimum time interval between successive temporal backups and an identity of memory device for storing temporal data;

first electronics to operate and control the primary hard drive;

a first data connection coupled between the system bus and the first electronics;

a removable memory media to store temporal data from the primary hard drive;

second electronics to operate and control the removable memory media; and

a second data connection coupled between the system bus and the second electronics; and

a processor coupled to the system bus to measure a time interval equivalent to a temporal time period, and to instruct the first electronics to identify data in the primary memory with a data property and to copy the identified data to the temporal backup memory, from the primary hard drive to the removable memory media over the system bus.

14. The system recited in claim 13, wherein the hard drive assembly further comprises:

an assembly frame for supporting the primary hard drive and the first electronics, the assembly frame further comprises;

a compartment for housing the removable memory media; and

a cover for cooperating with the compartment and encasing the removable memory media.

15. The device recited in claim 13, wherein the removable memory media is one of a removable flash memory and a removable micro drive.

16. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer usable program code for backing up temporal data, said computer program product comprising:

computer usable program code for receiving a data property, said data property designates data for temporal backup from a primary memory of the computer system;

computer usable program code for receiving a temporal time period, said temporal time period defines a minimum time interval between successive temporal backups;

computer usable program code for receiving a minimum free memory minimum amount;

computer usable program code for identifying a temporal backup memory; and

computer usable program code for performing a temporal back up, comprising;

computer usable program code for measuring a time interval equivalent to a temporal time period;

computer usable program code for identifying data in the primary memory with the data property;

computer usable program code for copying the identified data to the temporal backup memory;

computer usable program code for comparing free memory space on the temporal backup memory with the minimum free memory amount; and

computer usable program code for deleting data in the temporal backup memory based on a deletion parameter.

17. The computer program product recited in claim 16, wherein the data property is one of a file extension, file name, author usemame.

18. The computer product recited in claim 16, wherein the data property comprises a directory identifier for a current directory in the primary memory.

19. The computer program product recited in claim 16, wherein the deletion parameter is a data modification time on the temporal backup memory.

20. The computer program product recited in claim 19, further comprising:

computer usable program code for receving a system usage parameter and maximum usage parameter level for the system parameter;

computer usable program code for measuring current system usage level for the system usage parameter;

computer usable program code for comparing the current system usage level to the maximum usage parameter level; and

computer usable program code for rescheduling one of identifying data in the primary memory with the data property and copying the identified data to the temporal backup memory.