EXECUTING A FILE BACKUP PROCESS
First Claim
1. A computer comprising a processor coupled to a memory having instructions stored therein that are operable when executed by the processor to perform steps of:
- acquiring a list of other computers having a file identical to a target file to be backed up and owned on the computer, and terminal information on the other computers;
determining whether to execute a deemed backup process for deeming the file identical to the target file and owned on the other computers to be a backup duplicate of the target file based on the acquired list and the acquired terminal information; and
responsive to determining to execute the deemed backup process, notifying the other computers having the file identical to the target file that the file identical to the target file is deemed to be a backup duplicate of the target file.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A technique to execute a backup process efficiently when an identical file is owned by multiple persons in order to decrease storage capacity and traffic volume requirements. In a backup system including a backup execution terminal, backup destination terminals, and a management server, the backup execution terminal executes a deemed backup process for deeming the file identical to the target file and owned on the backup destination terminals to be a backup duplicate of the target file, or an actual backup process for sending the target file to the management server, each of the backup destination terminals stores the backup execution terminal and the file identical to the target file in association with each other at the time of the deemed backup, and the management server stores the target file sent from the backup execution terminal at the time of the actual backup.
30 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A computer comprising a processor coupled to a memory having instructions stored therein that are operable when executed by the processor to perform steps of:
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acquiring a list of other computers having a file identical to a target file to be backed up and owned on the computer, and terminal information on the other computers; determining whether to execute a deemed backup process for deeming the file identical to the target file and owned on the other computers to be a backup duplicate of the target file based on the acquired list and the acquired terminal information; and responsive to determining to execute the deemed backup process, notifying the other computers having the file identical to the target file that the file identical to the target file is deemed to be a backup duplicate of the target file. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A computer system in which a plurality of computers are operably coupled together, wherein a backup execution terminal for performing a backup among the plurality of computers comprises code executable by the backup execution terminal to perform steps of:
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acquiring a list of backup destination terminals having a file identical to a target file to be backed up and owned on the backup execution terminal, and terminal information on the backup destination terminals; determining whether to execute a deemed backup process for deeming the file identical to the target file and owned on the backup destination terminals to be a backup duplicate of the target file based on the acquired list and the acquired terminal information; and responsive to determining to execute the deemed backup process, notifying the backup destination terminals that the file identical to the target file is deemed to be a backup duplicate of the target file; wherein each of the backup destination terminals comprises a backup storage system configured to store terminal information regarding the backup execution terminal and the file identical to the target file in association with each other when receiving, from the backup execution terminal, the notification that the file identical to the target file is deemed to be the backup duplicate of the target file. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. A computer system in which a server computer and a plurality of client computers are operably coupled together, wherein a backup execution terminal for performing a backup among the plurality of client computers comprises code executable by the backup execution terminal to perform steps of:
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acquiring a list of backup destination terminals having a file identical to a target file to be backed up and owned on the backup execution terminal, and terminal information on the backup destination terminals; calculating a degree of ease of acquisition for acquiring the file identical to the target file based on the acquired list and the acquired terminal information; and executing a deemed backup process for deeming the file identical to the target file and owned on the backup destination terminals to be a backup duplicate of the target file when the calculated degree of ease of acquisition is larger than or equal to a predetermined threshold, or executing an actual backup process for sending the target file to the server computer to perform a backup when the degree of ease of acquisition is smaller than the predetermined threshold; wherein each of the backup destination terminals comprises a backup storage system configured to store terminal information regarding the backup execution terminal and the file identical to the target file in association with each other when receiving, from the backup execution terminal, a notification that the file identical to the target file is deemed to be the backup duplicate of the target file; and wherein the server computer comprises a server storage system configured to store the target file sent from the backup execution terminal when the actual backup process is executed. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A method performed by a computer, comprising steps of:
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acquiring a list of other computers having a file identical to a target file to be backed up and owned on the computer, and terminal information on the other computers; determining whether to execute a deemed backup process for deeming the file identical to the target file and owned on the other computers to be a backup duplicate of the target file based on the acquired list and the acquired terminal information; and responsive to determining to execute the deemed backup process, notifying the other computers having the file identical to the target file that the file identical to the target file is deemed to be a backup duplicate of the target file.
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15. A method in which a server computer and a plurality of client computers are operably coupled together and a first computer in the plurality of client computers performs a backup, comprising steps of:
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acquiring a list of second computers having a file identical to a target file to be backed up and owned on the first computer, and terminal information on the second computers; calculating a degree of ease of acquisition to which the first computer acquires the file identical to the target file based on the list and the terminal information acquired; executing a deemed backup process for deeming the file identical to the target file and owned on the second computers to be a backup duplicate of the target file when the calculated degree of ease of acquisition is larger than or equal to a predetermined threshold, or executing an actual backup process for sending the target file to the server computer to perform a backup when the degree of ease of acquisition is smaller than the predetermined threshold; causing the second computers to store identifying information regarding the first computer and the file identical to the target file in association with each other when receiving, from the first computer, a notification that the file identical to the target file is deemed to be the backup duplicate of the target file; and causing the server computer to store the target file sent from the first computer when the actual backup process is executed.
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16. A program in which a computer operably coupled to other computers performs a backup, the program causing the computer to implement steps of:
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acquiring a list of the other computers having a file identical to a target file to be backed up and owned on the computer, and terminal information on the other computers having the file identical to the target file to be backed up; determining whether to execute a deemed backup process for deeming the file identical to the target file and owned on the other computers in the list to be a backup duplicate of the target file based on the acquired list and the acquired terminal information; and responsive to determining to execute the deemed backup process, notifying the other computers having the file identical to the target file that the file identical to the target file is deemed to be a backup duplicate of the target file.
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Specification