Controlling incremental backups using opaque object attributes

• US 20070214197A1
• Filed: 03/09/2006
• Published: 09/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kojenov, Alexei, Smith, James, Bolik, Christian, Jujjuri, Venkateswararao, Young, Jason, Palsule, Ninad, Naineni, Malahal, Seeger, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,660,836 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1451 by selection of backup contents

Abstract

Provided are techniques for determining whether content of an object has changed. Under control of a backup system, opaque object attributes and a data identifier are received, wherein the data identifier is generated based on one or more relevant object attributes of the opaque object attributes that indicate whether at least one of the content of the object and one or more of the relevant object attributes has changed. The received data identifier is compared with a previously stored data identifier. In response to determining that the received data identifier and the previously stored data identifier do not match, it is determined that the content of the object has changed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for determining whether content of an object has changed, comprising:

under control of a backup system,

receiving opaque object attributes and a data identifier, wherein the data identifier is generated based on one or more relevant object attributes of the opaque object attributes that indicate whether at least one of the content of the object and one or more of the relevant object attributes has changed;

comparing the received data identifier with a previously stored data identifier; and

in response to determining that the received data identifier and the previously stored data identifier do not match, determining that the content of the object has changed.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing an incremental backup of the object and a backup of the opaque object attributes.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the received data identifier.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining that the received data identifier and the previously stored data identifier do match, determining that the content of the object has not changed.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining that this is a first time that the object is being backed up,

storing the data identifier in a first data store; and

backing up the object and the opaque object attributes to a second data store.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

under control of an object system module,

selecting one or more of the object attributes that indicate whether content of the object has been changed; and

generating the data identifier by generating a checksum on the selected one or more object attributes.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining that the received data identifier and the previously stored data identifier do match,

generating a first checksum of the received opaque object attributes;

retrieving a second checksum of previously stored opaque object attributes; and

in response to determining that the first checksum and the second checksum do not match, backing up the opaque object attributes separate from the object.

8. A computer program product for determining whether content of an object has changed comprising a computer useable medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

under control of a backup system,

receive opaque object attributes and a data identifier, wherein the data identifier is generated based on one or more relevant object attributes of the opaque object attributes that indicate whether at least one of the content of the object and one or more of the relevant object attributes has changed;

compare the received data identifier with a previously stored data identifier; and

in response to determining that the received data identifier and the previously stored data identifier do not match, determine that the content of the object has changed.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

perform an incremental backup of the object and a backup of the opaque object attributes.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

store the received data identifier.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

in response to determining that the received data identifier and the previously stored data identifier do match, determine that the content of the object has not changed.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

in response to determining that this is a first time that the object is being backed up,

store the data identifier in a first data store; and

back up the object and the opaque object attributes to a second data store.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

under control of an object system module,

select one or more of the object attributes that indicate whether content of the object has been changed; and

generate the data identifier by generating a checksum on the selected one or more object attributes.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

in response to determining that the received data identifier and the previously stored data identifier do match,

generate a first checksum of the received opaque object attributes;

retrieve a second checksum of previously stored opaque object attributes; and

in response to determining that the first checksum and the second checksum do not match, back up the opaque object attributes separate from the object.

15. A system for determining whether content of an object has changed, comprising:

a backup system; and

an object system module coupled to the backup system;

wherein the backup system is adaptable to receive opaque object attributes and a data identifier, wherein the data identifier is generated based on one or more relevant object attributes of the opaque object attributes that indicate whether at least one of the content of the object and one or more of the relevant object attributes has changed;

wherein he backup system is adaptable to compare the received data identifier with a previously stored data identifier; and

wherein the backup system is adaptable to, in response to determining that the received data identifier and the previously stored data identifier do not match, determine that the content of the object has changed.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the backup system is adaptable to perform an incremental backup of the object and a backup of the opaque object attributes.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the backup system is adaptable to store the received data identifier.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the backup system is adaptable to, in response to determining that the received data identifier and the previously stored data identifier do match, determine that the content of the object has not changed.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the backup system is adaptable to, in response to determining that this is a first time that the object is being backed up, store the data identifier in a first data store and back up the object and the opaque object attributes to a second data store.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the object system module is adaptable to select one or more of the object attributes that indicate whether content of the object has been changed and generate the data identifier by generating a checksum on the selected one or more object attributes.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the backup system is adaptable to, in response to determining that the received data identifier and the previously stored data identifier do match, generate a first checksum of the received opaque object attributes, retrieve a second checksum of previously stored opaque object attributes, and in response to determining that the first checksum and the second checksum do not match, back up the opaque object attributes separate from the object.