Method and apparatus for providing virtual machine backup
First Claim
1. A method of creating a backup of a plurality of files forming a virtual machine, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) creating a complete backup copy of the virtual machine (FULL backup) and storing the FULL backup in a separate target location;
b) creating a block-based index map of the FULL backup, the FULL index map including a listing of block numbers and a hash value of each block; and
c) performing a backup session after a predetermined period of time by generating updated hash values each block of data within the virtual machine, comparing the updated hash values with those stored in the FULL index map, storing changed hash values and associated block numbers in a DELTA index map and creating a DELTA backup comprising each changed block of data.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for creating computer system backups, particularly well-suited for performing backups of virtual machines. The method starts by reading the current state of the machine, in blocks of a constant size, and creates a “FULL” index of block numbers and a hash value associated with the data within that block, while at the same time creating a FULL backup of the machine (the FULL backup then stored at an off-site target location). Once the FULL index map is defined, subsequent DELTA backups are created by reading the current state of the device in the same block fashion and generating updated hash values for each data block. The newly-generated hash values are compared against the values stored in the FULL index map. If the hash numbers for a particular block do not match, this is an indication that the data within that block has changed since the last FULL backup was created. Once all of the “changed” data blocks have been identified to form a DELTA backup, a communication connection is opened in the network and the DELTA backup is sent to the off-site target location.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method of creating a backup of a plurality of files forming a virtual machine, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) creating a complete backup copy of the virtual machine (FULL backup) and storing the FULL backup in a separate target location; b) creating a block-based index map of the FULL backup, the FULL index map including a listing of block numbers and a hash value of each block; and c) performing a backup session after a predetermined period of time by generating updated hash values each block of data within the virtual machine, comparing the updated hash values with those stored in the FULL index map, storing changed hash values and associated block numbers in a DELTA index map and creating a DELTA backup comprising each changed block of data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification