Real time backup system

• US 5,819,020 A
• Filed: 10/16/1995
• Issued: 10/06/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Carbonite Incorporated (Open Text Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Network Specialists Inc.
• Inventors: Beeler, Donald E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HO, RUAY L
• Application Number:
  US08/543,266
• Time in Patent Office: 1,086 Days
• Field of Search: 395/182.01, 395/182.02, 395/182.03, 395/182.04, 395/182.05, 395/182.06, 395/182.07, 395/182.08, 395/182.09, 395/200.01 , 395/200.02, 395/200.03, 395/200.04, 395/200.05, 395/200.06, 395/200.07, 395/200.08, 395/200.09, 395/618, 395/620
• US Class Current: 714/5.11
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2066 Optimisation of the communication load
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2071 using a plurality of controllers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2082 Data synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

In a computer network system, a user-defined file modification request is communicated to a primary server, which communicates the request to a secondary server. The file modification request is saved in a non-volatile storage media associated with the primary server, and the file modification request is executed and saved in a non-volatile storage media associated with the secondary server.

Claims

1. A real time backup system comprising:

at least one primary server for executing a file modification request, each primary server having a non-volatile storage media where the file modification request is saved;

user means for communicating the file modification request to at least one primary server;

at least one secondary server for executing the file modification request, each having a non-volatile storage media where the file modification is saved;

first communication means for communicating the file modification request from the user means to the at least one primary server; and

second communication means for communicating the file modification request from the at least one primary server to the at least one secondary server.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a backup storage device connected to the secondary server.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the backup storage device is a tape.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a backup storage device connected to the primary server.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the backup storage device is a tape.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the non-volatile storage media of the at least one primary and secondary servers is a hard disk.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising user means for communicating the file modification request to the secondary server.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the logical designations for at least one of the at least one primary server and at least one of the at least one secondary server are referential of one physical server.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the user means can initiate mirroring of the non-volatile storage media of the at least one primary server to the non-volatile storage media of the at least one secondary server.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the user means can initiate mirroring of the non-volatile storage media of the at least one secondary server to the non-volatile storage media of the at least one primary server.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for fast mirroring data from the at least one primary server to the at least one secondary server.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for fast mirroring data from the at least one secondary server to the at least one primary server.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the user means can access the at least one secondary server.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one primary server, further comprises means for placing file modification requests in an internal queue.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for communicating between the at least one primary server with the at least one secondary server and the means for communicating between user means and the at least one primary server and the at least one secondary server are distinct and separate means.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the first communication means and the second communication means are the same.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one primary server includes a first instance of an operating system and the at least one secondary server includes a second instance of an operating system.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first and second operating system are instances of the same operating system.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the user means can select a portion of the file modification request for communication to the at least one secondary server.

20. A real time backup system comprising:

at least one primary server for executing a file modification request, each primary server having a non-volatile storage media where the file modification request is saved;

user means for communicating the file modification request to at least one primary server;

at least one secondary server for executing the file modification request, each having a non-volatile storage media where the file modification is executed and saved;

first communication means for communicating the file modification request from the user means to the at least one primary server;

second communication means for communicating the file modification request from the at least one primary server to the at least one secondary server; and

means to compress the file modification request.

21. A method of backing up a real time data system comprising the steps of:

(a) replicating a non-volatile storage media of at least one primary server to a non-volatile storage media of at least one secondary server;

(b) sending a file modification request to the at least one primary server by a user;

(c) forwarding the file modification request from the primary server to the at least one secondary server for replication;

(d) executing the file modification request on the at least one secondary server;

(e) saving the file modification request to the non-volatile storage media of the at least one secondary server;

(f) executing the file modification request on the at least one primary server; and

(g) saving the file modification request to the non-volatile storage media of the at least one primary server.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of compressing the file modification request before it is transmitted from the at least one primary server.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of encrypting the file modification request before it is transmitted from the at least one primary server.

24. A method of backing up a real time data system comprising the steps of:

(a) replicating a non-volatile storage media of at least one primary server to a non-volatile storage media of at least one secondary server;

(b) sending a file modification request to the at least one primary server by a user;

(c) forwarding the file modification request from the primary server to the at least one secondary server for replication;

(d) executing the file modification request on the at least one secondary server;

(e) saving the file modification request to the non-volatile storage media of the at least one secondary server;

(f) executing the file modification request on the at least one primary server;

(g) saving the file modification request to the non-volatile storage media of the at least one primary server;

(h) compressing the file modification request before it is transmitted from the at least one primary server; and

(i) decompressing the file modification request on the at least one secondary server.

25. A method of backing up a real time data system comprising the steps of:

(a) replicating a non-volatile storage media of at least one primary server to a non-volatile storage media of at least one secondary server;

(b) sending a file modification request to the at least one primary server by a user;

(c) forwarding the file modification request from the primary server to the at least one secondary server for replication;

(d) executing the file modification request on the at least one secondary server;

(e) saving the file modification request to the non-volatile storage media of the at least one secondary server;

(f) executing the file modification request on the at least one primary server;

(g) saving the file modification request to the non-volatile storage media of the at least one primary server;

(h) encrypting the file modification request before it is transmitted from the at least one primary server; and

(i) decrypting the file modification on the at least one secondary server.

26. A method of backing up a real time data system comprising the steps of:

(a) replicating a non-volatile storage media of at least one primary server to a non-volatile storage media of at least one secondary server;

(b) sending a file modification request to the at least one primary server by a user;

(c) executing the file modification request on the at least one primary server;

(d) saving the file modification request on the at least one primary server;

(e) forwarding the file modification request to the at least one secondary server;

(f) executing the file modification request on the at least one secondary server; and

(g) saving the file modification request on the non-volatile storage media of the at least one secondary server.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of compressing the file modification request before it is transmitted from the at least one primary server.

28. The system of claim 26, further comprising the step of encrypting the file modification request before it is transmitted from the at least one primary server.

29. A method of backing up a real time data system comprising the steps of:

(a) replicating a non-volatile storage media of at least one primary server to a non-volatile storage media of at least one secondary server;

(b) sending a file modification request to the at least one primary server by a user;

(c) executing the file modification request on the at least one primary server;

(d) saving the file modification request on the at least one primary server;

(e) forwarding the file modification request to the at least one secondary server;

(f) executing the file modification request on the at least one secondary server;

(g) saving the file modification request on the non-volatile storage media of the at least one secondary server;

(h) compressing the file modification request before it is transmitted from the at least one primary server; and

(i) decompressing the file modification request on the at least one secondary server.

30. A method of backing up a real time data system comprising the steps of:

(a) replicating a non-volatile storage media of at least one primary server to a non-volatile storage media of at least one secondary server;

(b) sending a file modification request to the at least one primary server by a user;

(c) executing the file modification request on the at least one primary server;

(d) saving the file modification request on the at least one primary server;

(e) forwarding the file modification request to the at least one secondary server;

(f) executing the file modification request on the at least one secondary server;

(g) saving the file modification request on the non-volatile storage media of the at least one secondary server;

(h) encrypting the file modification request before it is transmitted from the at least one primary server; and

(i) decrypting the file modification request on the at least one secondary server.

31. A real time data backup system comprising:

user means for communicating at least one file system command to an operating system;

at least one primary server having a source server software component, the source server software component having monitoring means for monitoring the at least one file system command, replication means for replicating the at least one file system command and communication means for sending and receiving the at least one file system command; and

at least one secondary server having a secondary server software component, the secondary server software component having replication means for replicating the at least one file system command and communication means for sending and receiving the at least one file system command to and from the communication means of the at least one primary server, the communication means of the at least one secondary server sending the at least one file system command to the replication means of the at least one secondary server.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the communication means of the at least one primary server compresses the at least one file system command from the at least one primary server.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the communication means of the at least one primary server encrypts the at least one file system command from the at least one primary server.

34. A real time data backup system comprising:

user means for communicating at least one file system command to an operating system;

at least one primary server having a source server software component, the source server software component having monitoring means for monitoring the at least one file system command, replication means for replicating the at least one file system command and communication means for sending and receiving the at least one file system command; and

at least one secondary server having a secondary server software component, the secondary server software component having replication means for replicating the at least one file system command and communication means for sending and receiving the at least one file system command to and from the communication means of the at least one primary server, the communication means of the at least one secondary server sending the at least one file system command to the replication means of the at least one secondary server,

wherein the communication means of the at least one primary server compresses the at least one file system command from the at least one primary server and the communication means of the at least one secondary server decompresses the at least one file system command.

35. A real time data backup system comprising:

user means for communicating at least one file system command to an operating system;

at least one primary server having a source server software component, the source server software component having monitoring means for monitoring the at least one file system command, replication means for replicating the at least one file system command and communication means for sending and receiving the at least one file system command; and

at least one secondary server having a secondary server software component, the secondary server software component having replication means for replicating the at least one file system command and communication means for sending and receiving the at least one file system command to and from the communication means of the at least one primary server, the communication means of the at least one secondary server sending the at least one file system command to the replication means of the at least one secondary server,

wherein the communication means of the at least one primary server encrypts the at least one file system command from the at least one primary server and the communication means of the at least one secondary server decrypts the at least one file system command.