Data Transfer and Recovery Process

• US 20120216069A1
• Filed: 05/01/2012
• Published: 08/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eFolder, Inc.
• Original Assignee: DSSDR LLC
• Inventors: Bensinger, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 8,639,966 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1446 Point-in-time backing up or restoration of persistent data
• 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 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/84 Using snapshots, i.e. a logical point-in-time copy of the data

Abstract

A backup image generator can create a primary image and periodic delta images of all or part of a primary server. The images can be sent to a network attached storage device and a remote storage server. In the event of a failure of the primary server, the failure can be diagnosed to develop a recovery strategy. Based on the diagnosis, at least one delta image may be applied to a copy of the primary image to generate an updated primary image at either the network attached storage or the remote storage server. The updated primary image may be converted to a virtual server in a physical to virtual conversion at either the network attached storage device or remote storage server and users may be redirected to the virtual server. The updated primary image may also be restored to the primary server in a virtual to physical conversion. As a result, the primary data storage may be timely backed-up, recovered and restored with the possibility of providing server and business continuity in the event of a failure.

Claims

1. A method for data recovery, comprising:

receiving a first image of a first computer system at a second computer system, the second computer system being remote from the first computer system;

receiving a first plurality of delta images at the second computer system, each delta image of the first plurality of delta images representing an incremental change in the first computer system;

generating a virtual server based upon the first image and the first plurality of delta images, the virtual server including the state of the first computer system subsequent to generation of the first image and the plurality of delta images;

operating the virtual server at the second computer system;

generating a second image of the virtual server operating at the second computer system;

sending the second image to a third computer system, the third computer system being remote from the second computer system;

generating a second plurality of delta images, each delta image of the second plurality of delta images representing an incremental change in the virtual server, and sending each of the second plurality of delta images to the third computer system; and

operating the third computer system based upon the second image and the second plurality of delta images.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the third computer system is the first computer system.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of generating the virtual server is performed in response to determining that the first computer system has failed.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, further comprising a step of diagnosing the failure of the first computer system to determine whether the failure is one that can be restored using the second computer system.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of operating the virtual server at the second computer system is performed in response to determining that the first computer system has failed.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, further comprising a step of diagnosing the failure of the first computer system to determine whether the failure is one that can be restored using the second computer system.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of receiving a restoration request from a user of the first computer system, wherein the step of operating the virtual server at the second computer system is performed in response to the restoration request.

8. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable storage storing instructions which cause the processor to;

receive a first image of a first computer system at a second computer system, the second computer system being remote from the first computer system;

receive a first plurality of delta images at the second computer system, each delta image of the first plurality of delta images representing an incremental change in the first computer system;

generate a virtual server based upon the first image and the first plurality of delta images, the virtual server including the state of the first computer system subsequent to generation of the first image and the plurality of delta images;

operate the virtual server at the second computer system;

generate a second image of the virtual server operating at the second computer system;

send the second image to a third computer system, the third computer system being remote from the second computer system;

generate a second plurality of delta images, each delta image of the second plurality of delta images representing an incremental change in the virtual server, and sending each of the second plurality of delta images to the third computer system; and

operate the third computer system based upon the second image and the second plurality of delta images.

9. A system as recited in claim 8, wherein the second computer system comprises the processor and the computer readable storage.

10. A system as recited in claim 8, wherein the third computer system is the first computer system.

11. A system as recited in claim 8, said processor further configured to generate the virtual server in response to a determination that the first computer system has failed.

12. A system as recited in claim 11, said processor further configured to diagnose the failure of the first computer system to determine whether the failure is one that can be restored using the second computer system.

13. A system as recited in claim 11, said processor further configured to operate the virtual server at the second computer system in response to determining that the first computer system has failed.

14. A system as recited in claim 13, said processor further configured to diagnose the failure of the first computer system to determine whether the failure is one that can be restored using the second computer system.

15. A system as recited in claim 11, said processor further configured to receive a restoration request from a user of the first computer system, wherein processor operates the virtual server at the second computer system in response to the restoration request.