System and method to transport data snapshots
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for performing data backup comprising the steps of:
- maintaining first and second storage devices of a storage area network with a storage area network controller;
receiving a backup request from a first computer;
determining the second storage device accessible by a second computer;
creating with the storage area network controller a virtual link from a virtual storage device to the second storage device;
generating, on the virtual storage device, a snapshot of a dataset on the first storage device; and
permitting the second computer to backup the snapshot.
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Abstract
A system for backing up data includes a first computer configured to access a first storage device and a second computer configured to access a second storage device. In particular, the first storage device includes data to be backed up and the second storage device includes a snapshot of the data to be backed up. This system also includes a communications pathway between the first and second computers; and a backup application on the second computer which can backup the snapshot in response to a backup request initiated by the first computer.
100 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method for performing data backup comprising the steps of:
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maintaining first and second storage devices of a storage area network with a storage area network controller; receiving a backup request from a first computer; determining the second storage device accessible by a second computer; creating with the storage area network controller a virtual link from a virtual storage device to the second storage device; generating, on the virtual storage device, a snapshot of a dataset on the first storage device; and permitting the second computer to backup the snapshot. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system for backing up data comprising:
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a first computer configured to access a first storage device, wherein said first storage device includes data to be backed up; a second computer configured to access a second storage device, wherein said second storage device includes a snapshot of the data to be backed up, and wherein the first and second storage devices are included in a storage area network; an interface application executing on said first computer and configured to determine an identification of storage devices accessible by the second computer; a communications pathway between the first and the second computer; a first backup application on the second computer configured to backup the snapshot in response to a backup request initiated by the first computer; and a storage area network controller configured to maintain the first and second storage devices, wherein the controller is further configured to establish a virtual link between the first and second storage devices. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for backing up data comprising:
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a first computer configured to access a first storage device, wherein said first storage device includes data to be backed up; a second computer configured to access a second storage device, wherein said second storage device includes a snapshot of the data to be backed up, and wherein the first and second storage devices are included in a storage area network; a communications pathway between the first and the second computer; a first backup application on the second computer configured to backup the snapshot in response to a backup request initiated by the first computer; and a storage area network controller configured to maintain the first and second storage devices, wherein the controller is further configured to establish a virtual link between the first and second storage devices, wherein; the first computer includes a second backup application configured to generate the backup request; the first computer includes a software interface configured to directly communicate with a storage subsystem which includes the first and second storage devices; and the first computer includes an operating system configured to exchange commands between the second backup application and the software interface. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification