Efficient Data Backup

• US 20080307018A1
• Filed: 06/08/2007
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ko, Steve, Cisler, Pavel, Ulrich, Robert, Weiss, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 8,468,136 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1451 by selection of backup contents

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for storing and restoring digital data. In some implementations, a method is provided. The method includes identifying an item for segmented backup according to one or more specified criteria, and performing a first backup of the item including separating the item into a plurality of first parts prior to backing up the data and including separately storing each part. Other embodiments of this aspect include corresponding systems, apparatus, computer program products, and computer readable media.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying an item for segmented backup according to one or more specified criteria; and

performing a first backup of the item including separating the item into a plurality of first parts prior to backing up the data and including separately storing each part.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying changes to the item; and

performing a second backup of the item including;

identifying changed data in the item relative to the first backup, and

storing the changed data as one or more second parts of the item.

3. The method of claim 1, where identifying the item for segmented backup comprises:

determining whether a size of the item exceeds a specified threshold;

or determining whether the item has been changed within a specified time.

4. The method of claim 1, where performing the first backup of the item further comprises:

generating an index where the index includes information for assembling the plurality of first parts.

5. The method of claim 3, where performing the second backup of the item further comprises:

generating an updated index, where the updated index includes information for assembling the plurality of first parts and the second parts of the item.

6. The method of claim 1, where performing the second backup of the item further comprises:

generating links associating file system representations of the unchanged parts of the item in the second back up with corresponding parts in the first backup of the item.

7. The method of claim 1, where the item is a mail database.

8. A method comprising:

identifying an item to be included in a backup;

determining whether the item is a moved item, including;

identifying one or more identifiers for the item,

comparing the one or more identifiers with items in a previous backup, and

when the item is a moved file, backing up the item including linking the item to the corresponding item in the previous backup.

9. The method of claim 8, where identifying one or more identifiers includes identifying a physical storage location of the item.

10. The method of claim 8, where identifying one or more identifiers includes identifying a creation data of the item.

11. The method of claim 8, where comparing the one or more identifiers includes traversing second items in one or more previous backups and identifying any matching identifiers to the item.

12. The method of claim 8, where the item is determined to be a moved item when a second item in the previous backup is identified as having a same physical storage location and creation date as the item.

13. A computer program product, encoded on a computer-readable medium, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

identifying an item for segmented backup according to one or more specified criteria;

performing a first backup of the item including separating the item into a plurality of first parts prior to backing up the data and including separately storing each part.

14. A computer program product, encoded on a computer-readable medium, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

identifying an item to be included in a backup;

determining whether the item is a moved item, including;

identifying one or more identifiers for the item,

comparing the one or more identifiers with items in a previous backup, and

when the item is a moved file, backing up the item including linking the item to the corresponding item in the previous backup.