Mapping driver for use in data backup systems

• US 7,099,900 B1
• Filed: 09/13/2001
• Issued: 08/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Veritas Technologies, LLC (Whitehouse Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Veritas Operating Corporation (Gen Digital Inc.)
• Inventors: Wu, Weibao, Bromley, Graham
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Greta L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lu, Kuen S.
• Application Number:
  US09/952,780
• Time in Patent Office: 1,811 Days
• Field of Search: 707/204, 707/9, 707/205, 707/102, 709/10, 714/4, 345/700
• US Class Current: 707/652
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1451 by selection of backup contents
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

A Storage Mapping Driver (SMD) that provides a system and method for determining the application host storage locations of file data so that the file data can be later backed up directly from its storage media. The application host location of the file data is sent to the backup host either just prior to a backup or as the information is obtained. In this way the backup host is capable of backing up the files without reference to systems on the application host such as the file system manager and the volume manager. The SMD invokes the file system manager and/or the volume manager to read a file to be backed up in order to obtain a file map. If the host system does not have a file system manager and/or a volume manager, a backup file system manager is provided, which is invoked by the SMD to read a file to obtain a file map for use during a backup. The file system manager, volume manager and/or backup file system manager communicates with a disk device driver, which in turn reads the application host storage data of the file. The application host storage data includes one or more disk media names and one or more application host disk addresses of the file to be backed up. Once the disk device driver reads the entire file, the application host storage data is stored and the backup host can backup the file from the storage media to a backup media using only the application host storage data to identify the file.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system, comprising:

a backup host;

a storage device configured to store data;

an application host configured to manage files, wherein at least a portion of a given one of said files is stored on said storage device;

wherein said application host is configured to generate a data map identifying one or more locations within said storage device at which said at least a portion of said given file is stored;

wherein, in response to receiving a request to back up said given file, said backup host is configured to back up said at least a portion of said given file directly from said storage device to a backup device using said data map, wherein backup data movement between said storage device and said backup device occurs independently of said application host; and

wherein said application host generating said data map for said given file includes said application host executing a mapping utility and a storage mapping driver, wherein said mapping utility is configured to generate read requests of said given file, and wherein in response to receiving a given read request generated by said mapping utility, said storage mapping driver is configured to return information identifying one or more locations within said storage device at which a corresponding portion of said given file is stored.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said storage device corresponds to a physical device.

3. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein said physical device includes a disk device.

4. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein said one or more locations identified by said data map include one or more device-relative storage extents.

5. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein said one or more device-relative storage extents include a starting device block address, a device block count, and an identifier corresponding to said storage device.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said storage device corresponds to a volume, wherein said volume includes storage presented by one or more physical devices.

7. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein said one or more locations identified by said data map include one or more volume-relative storage extents.

8. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein said one or more volume-relative storage extents include a starting volume block address, a volume block count, and an identifier corresponding to said volume.

9. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein in response to receiving said given read request generated by said mapping utility, said storage mapping driver is further configured to return said information identifying said one or more locations within said storage device instead of returning file data of said given file.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said backup host backing up said at least a portion of said given file directly from said storage device to a backup device using said data map includes said backup host issuing one or more read requests directly to said storage device using said data map.

11. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said application host is configured to implement a storage management stack through which said application host accesses said storage device, wherein said storage management stack includes a device driver configured for interfacing with said storage device and one or more managers configured to translate a file access request to one or more storage device access requests.

12. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein said backup host backing up said at least a portion of said given file directly from said storage device to a backup device using said data map includes said backup host issuing one or more read requests directly to said storage device using said data map, wherein said one or more read requests bypass said one or more managers of said storage management stack.

13. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein said one or more managers include a volume manager configured to organize storage presented by one or more storage devices into a volume, and further configured to translate a volume access request into one or more storage device access requests for processing by said device driver.

14. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein said application host generating said data map for said given file includes said application host executing a mapping utility and a storage mapping driver, wherein said mapping utility is configured to generate read requests of said given file, wherein said storage mapping driver is configured to intercept storage device requests generated by said volume manager in response to read requests generated by said mapping utility, and wherein in response to intercepting a given storage device request, said storage mapping driver is configured to return storage device location information included in said given storage device request for inclusion in said data map.

15. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein said one or more managers include a file system manager configured to manage hierarchy and file attribute information associated with said files, and further configured to translate a file access request into one or more volume access requests for processing by said volume manager.

16. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein said application host generating said data map for said given file includes said application host executing a mapping utility and a storage mapping driver, wherein said mapping utility is configured to generate read requests of said given file, wherein said storage mapping driver is configured to intercept volume access requests generated by said file system manager in response to read requests generated by said mapping utility, and wherein in response to intercepting a given volume access request, said storage mapping driver is configured to return volume location information included in said volume access request for inclusion in said data map.

17. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said storage device is included within a plurality of storage devices configured to store data, wherein portions of said given file are respectively stored within one or more of said storage devices, and wherein said data map generated by said application host identifies one or more locations within each of said respective one or more storage devices at which corresponding portions of said given file are stored.

18. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said backup device includes a tape drive.

19. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said backup device includes a disk device.

20. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

an application host storing at least a portion of a given one of a plurality of files on a storage device;

said application host generating a data map identifying one or more locations within said storage device at which said at least a portion of said given file is stored;

in response to receiving a request to back up said given file, a backup host backing up said at least a portion of said given file directly from said storage device to a backup device using said data map, wherein backup data movement between said storage device and said backup device occurs independently of said application host; and

wherein said application host generating said data map for said given file includes said application host executing a mapping utility and a storage mapping driver, wherein said mapping utility is configured to generate read requests of said given file, and wherein in response to receiving a given read request generated by said mapping utility, said storage mapping driver is configured to return information identifying one or more locations within said storage device at which a corresponding portion of said given file is stored.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein said storage device corresponds to a physical device.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein said physical device includes a disk device.

23. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein said one or more locations identified by said data map include one or more device-relative storage extents.

24. The method as recited in claim 23, wherein said one or more device-relative storage extents include a starting device block address, a device block count, and an identifier corresponding to said storage device.

25. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein said storage device corresponds to a volume, wherein said volume includes storage presented by one or more physical devices.

26. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein said one or more locations identified by said data map include one or more volume-relative storage extents.

27. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein said one or more volume-relative storage extents include a starting volume block address, a volume block count, and an identifier corresponding to said volume.

28. The method as recited in claim 20, further comprising:

in response to receiving said given read request generated by said mapping utility, said storage mapping driver returning said information identifying said one or more locations within said storage device instead of returning file data of said given file.

29. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein said backup host backing up said at least a portion of said given file directly from said storage device to a backup device using said data map includes said backup host issuing one or more read requests directly to said storage device using said data map.

30. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein said application host is configured to implement a storage management stack through which said application host accesses said storage device, wherein said storage management stack includes a device driver configured for interfacing with said storage device and one or more managers configured to translate a file access request to one or more storage device access requests.

31. The method as recited in claim 30, wherein said backup host backing up said at least a portion of said given file directly from said storage device to a backup device using said data map includes said backup host issuing one or more read requests directly to said storage device using said data map, wherein said one or more read requests bypass said one or more managers of said storage management stack.

32. The method as recited in claim 30, wherein said one or more managers include a volume manager configured to organize storage presented by one or more storage devices into a volume, and further configured to translate a volume access request into one or more storage device access requests for processing by said device driver.

33. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein said application host generating said data map for said given file includes said application host executing a mapping utility and a storage mapping driver, wherein said mapping utility is configured to generate read requests of said given file, wherein said storage mapping driver is configured to intercept storage device requests generated by said volume manager in response to read requests generated by said mapping utility, and wherein in response to intercepting a given storage device request, said storage mapping driver is configured to return storage device location information included in said given storage device request for inclusion in said data map.

34. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein said one or more managers include a file system manager configured to manage hierarchy and file attribute information associated with said files, and further configured to translate a file access request into one or more volume access requests for processing by said volume manager.

35. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein said application host generating said data map for said given file includes said application host executing a mapping utility and a storage mapping driver, wherein said mapping utility is configured to generate read requests of said given file, wherein said storage mapping driver is configured to intercept volume access requests generated by said file system manager in response to read requests generated by said mapping utility, and wherein in response to intercepting a given volume access request, said storage mapping driver is configured to return volume location information included in said volume access request for inclusion in said data map.

36. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein said storage device is included within a plurality of storage devices configured to store data, wherein portions of said given file are respectively stored within one or more of said storage devices, and wherein said data map generated by said application host identifies one or more locations within each of said respective one or more storage devices at which corresponding portions of said given file are stored.

37. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein said backup device includes a tape drive.

38. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein said backup device includes a disk device.